This is a blog where I post poems, essays, and stories, mostly about God and how we should strive to live and work for Him. My one goal in life is to glorify God in every possible way I can. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:05:00 -0500 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:05:00 -0500 Here's an awesome giveaway. Check it out! www.handbagplanet.com   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/595723/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:05:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/595723/   NOTE: I'm planning on adding more to this but decided to go ahead an post what I've written so far. She Called Me Kiki: Life Lessons From a Child   Introduction               This past week while helping with the Kids Day Camp at my church, there were two little girls who sort of adopted me, and I therefore adopted responsibility for them. They’re very sweet girls, and I loved every minute spent with them, even when I had to get on to them. I love working with kids and teaching them God’s Word, showing them His love. But, they teach me a lot as well. I’ve written some funny things that these girls, Sissy and Boo, said this past week, along with things other kids have said or other experiences I’ve had. A lot of it is very funny, some is sweet and heart-warming, but almost all of it has a deeper meaning to me, or taught me something. One day one of the girls decided she’d call me Kiki, hence the title.   Understanding               Five-year-old Boo was insistent that she could “do it herself” when she was told, along with all the other kids, to write down a question about God or the Bible on her slip of paper. Finally she handed me her paper, proudly saying she was done. I took the paper and looked at it. There were a few large letters on the paper, but they didn’t spell anything.             “What does it say, Boo?” I asked. “What is your question?”             Looking at me like I was out of my mind, she replied, “I don’t know, I can’t read!”             Trying to hold back my laughter I assured her it was fine. How funny for a kid to write something down and then say they can’t read what they themselves had written. Yet, there must have been a reason she chose those specific letters.             Sometimes I, too, do things I don’t understand. Have you ever had those times that you do something and then think “That was stupid, why did I do that,” or wonder what on earth possessed you to it? Maybe it was crazy, mean, or just plain weird.             There are also times that I know God is working in my life, but I just don’t understand what He’s doing. For example, at youth camp last month, I had a piece of dust get under my contact and scratch my eye, and though it wasn’t seriously injured, it hurt pretty badly at times and I wore a patch over it for most of the week. It kept me from being able to participate at the ropes course or the rec games. There was a service that I was unable to enjoy much because I was in pain. I was very tempted to be mad about it, to declare it was ruining my week and wasn’t fair. The day after we got back, my eye felt a lot better and I was able to put my contact back in and it was fine. I knew, and I know, that there was a reason. I still don’t know and may never know what that reason is, but God does. Perhaps I would have injured myself more seriously had I participated in ropes course or rec, who knows. There are so many times we don’t understand why God does certain things or allows certain things to happen. He doesn’t ask us to understand. He just asks us to submit.   Trust               Have you ever realized how trusting kids are? They pretty much believe anything you say, and do anything you ask them to. This can be a bad thing, under the wrong influences, but it’s also a crucial time of teaching and growing for them.             Once this past week my sister had been holding a two-year-old during the lesson and she was getting fidgety. I simply motioned for her to come to me so I could take her to the nursery to play until the lesson was over, and she looked at me with her big eyes and without hesitation or protest, she walked right over and took my hand, allowing me to lead her wherever I would.             What if we trusted God that much? What if, when He beckoned for us to come to Him, we simply walked right over, put our hand in His, and allowed Him to lead us wherever He wanted?             We took the kids to a water park one day. Boo isn’t too great of a swimmer, so I was helping her in the kiddy pool. She would run up the ladder and get to the top of the slide. “Catch me, Kiki!” she’d call before sliding down, simply trusting that I would be there to catch her. Then she would say “Help me swim” and I would hold her up so she could “peddle” her arms and legs and “swim”. She trusted that I wouldn’t let her go. She had no reason to doubt because I’d never let her fall before.             Why don’t we usually trust God that completely? Do we trust Him enough to dive in, not even stopping to doubt whether or not He will be there to catch us and hold us? He will. He’s just waiting for us to jump. We know He will catch us... why do we hesitate? He has never let us down and He never will. If Boo had hesitated to let me catch her or hold her, if she had tried to do it on her own, she would have suffered much more. The same is with us. If we try to go through life on our own, if we don’t ask God to help us and trust that He will, we’ll suffer a lot more. "I’ll never leave you”               A very simple statement made by Boo at the water park really touched my heart. She had wanted to go on the big waterslide, but once we got up there she changed her mind. She started with the smallest, slowest one and loved it, so she decided to try the next one, which was a little bit faster. Grinning from ear to ear as she got off of that one, she decided she’d try the big slide this time.             “Can you go with me?” she asked.             “No, sweetie, I can’t go with you, but I’ll go first and wait for you at the bottom, okay?” I replied.             “Okay... I won’t be alone. Jesus will be with me.” she stated plainly.              Woah. Coming from a five-year-old in the middle of an activity, I was just amazed. It wasn’t Bible story time. I hadn’t asked any questions or said anything to get her to say it. She just said it.             “That’s right, Boo. You’re so smart, and I’m very glad you know that,” I said.             “Sissy told me.” she beamed.             “Well, Sissy’s right,” I smiled.             I’d been trying all week to bring what we’d learned in the lesson into everyday life application.             “What’s our attitude supposed to be like?” I’d ask, when they pouted or fussed, and they’d always answer soberly,             “Christ Jesus’”.             When Sissy and Boo would argue, I’d tell them Jesus wouldn’t like that.             In turn, when Boo took her seatbelt off too early and I got on to her, telling her she shouldn’t have taken it off yet, and Boo said seriously “I didn’t know. I’m dumb,” breaking my heart, and Sissy defended her saying,             “No you’re not! You know things I don’t know,” and went on to remind her little sister of things that she had told her that she didn’t remember or didn’t know, I was so happy and said,             “See, Sissy, now you’re being nice to Boo. I like that, and so does Jesus.”             I wanted her to see that I didn’t just use that when she was in trouble, but that I would use it when she did something good, as well. I wanted to remind her that Jesus sees everything we do, the good and the bad.             He does see and know everything we do. He is always with us.   Love               “You’re my bestest friend ever,” seven-year-old Sissy said, looking up into my face and squeezing my arm. “And we’ll always be best friends! Even when we’re old ladies! Even when I’m your age! You’re my BFF. That means ‘best friend forever’. I love you!”             I smiled and put my arm around her.             “I love you too, Sissy,” I said, unable to express with words what I felt in my heart.             The next day, at the water park, Boo said she wanted me to slide first, because “if she went first, she would drown, but if I went first, I wouldn’t drown”.             “I don’t want you to drown,” she said, running ahead of me. “Because you’re special. You’re the specialest person I ever met!” she declared, slipping her chubby little hand into my hand and walking up the stairs with me.             All week they wanted to hold my hand, hug me, put my arm around them, play with my hair, sit by me, take a piggy-back ride, etc.             That kind of love, that unashamed, open, adoring affection that children give us is so sweet. It just leaves me in awe of the tenderness of these children. They’ve only known me four days. All it took was a little kindness to earn their love and trust.             And yet, as sweet and dear as that is, God’s love is so much more. That is just a tiny glimpse of His love for us. He loved us enough to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Obedience and Respect               “Faster!” Boo yelled from above. Immediately my hand turned the wheel more rapidly.             “Stop!” the little blonde demanded, and I came to a sudden halt.             “Now, go!” and I was off again, spinning and spinning the plastic wheel on the play mechanisms at the park. Soon a little freckled face peeked out at me, now under the equipment.             “Stay right there!” she commanded.             This went on and on until she finally tired of it and moved on to something else. This time it was those metal boxes that stick out of the ground on a pole that you’re supposed to be able to talk and listen through... it’s never worked for me.             “Sit right here,” she said. “And don’t move!”             I sat obediently on the dirty plastic bench and waited as she ran to the other box and proceeded to scream into it, then she would run back.             “I said, ‘talk to me!’,” she said accusingly.             “Oh, okay,” I quickly obliged and yelled into the box. Soon I would hear her little footsteps come padding back.             “I heard you!” she’d yell excitedly.             A friend came over and was watching us.             “Why do you do everything she says?” he asked.             I shrugged. “Why not? She’s enjoying it, and I’ve nothing better to do,” I replied.             At one point Boo got a little too excited, and turned to me and yelled for me to go to the other box. Deciding she needed to settle down a little and not talk to me like that, I gently but firmly said,             “Hey Boo, look at me. Don’t yell at me, okay?”             Immediately her countenance changed. She dropped her voice and calmly replied, “Okay. Will you go over there, please?”             Wow. Not what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised and amazed. Immediate obedience. Why? She respected me, and wanted to please me. And because she obeyed the first time, I didn’t have to get on to her.             Do we respect and love God enough to want to obey Him and please Him? He deserves it much more than I do! If we would obey God the first time, out of obedience, not obligation, He will be pleased and we will find that it pays off, that we even like, to obey Him. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/561101/ Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:45:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/561101/ Hey everyone (if anyone still comes here), Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything on here. I've been really busy. Here's a poem I wrote the other day:  I search for You, I long for You, You are everything I need. Your will for me, I want to see, I pray there You will lead. To die to self, live not for wealth, Submit fully to You. To humbly live, and freely give, with Your light shining through. To witness more, myself outpour, live daily by Your Word. This is my plea, please do hear me, this is what I'm striving for. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/553458/ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/553458/     Doris the cat purred happily and curled up in the sunny window. She shivered a little when she thought about how long she'd lived in the streets as a skinny, stray cat. But that was then. Now she knew she would never again choose to wander about chasing mice like she used to. It would be fancy cat food for her from now on, served in a fancy glass dish. As old Mrs. Winn patted her soft coat, Doris stretched and hoped that life would always be this good! I color-coded my endings, too. :)      Suddenly the big, ugly creature disappeared. Relief flooded over me as I found myself in my own bed. It'd all been just a dream. The memory of the creature's big, dark, gaping mouth opening up to swallow me and the dreadful, terrifying feeling that I was about to be eaten led me to the decision that maybe I wasn't quite ready to sleep without my night light.      I crept into my little sister's bedroom and tip-toed to her bed. As I watched her sleeping, so peaceful, I could still see the water rushing over her head, still feel the cold shock as I jumped in after her. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again. I was so relieved that she was all right.      "I hope that taught you not to play by the lake, sis," I whispered. As I turned to go, I resolved I would watch her more closely from now on. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/523693/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/523693/ Princess Diaries Nutshell Summary: Mia finds out she is a princess and has to decide whether or not she will take on the job. Hook: We meet Mia and sympathize because she is shy, unpopular, and generally ignore and disliked. Problem: Mia finds out that her grandmother, whom she thinks forced her parents to divorce, is in town and wants to see her. Up: Her grandmother receives her kindly. Down: Mia discovers she is a princess and leaves. Then her best friend gets mad. Up: She explains to her best friend why she is acting differently and her best friend is excited for her. Down: Mia goes to a party with the popular guy and he fools her into thinking he likes her when he really wants to mistreat her and become famous by being with her. Up: Her mother and grandmother forgive her. Down: Mia's friend Micheal is upset with her. CLIMAX: Mia decides to run away, then finds a letter from her deceased father. She changes her mind and sets out for the ball, where she is supposed to give her decision. She gets stranded in the rain. Resolution: Micheal forgives her. She gets rescued and goes to the ball and gives her speech saying that she will be princess. Satisfying Ending: She heads to Ginovia to see the kingdom.   Marisa Nutshell Summary: A girl is forced to leave her home in Mexico and travel with her family to America, where they rebuild their lives and learn to rely on Jesus for everything. Hook: We meet Marisa and learn about her happy, peaceful life with her family in the beautiful Mexico countryside. Problem: Marisa finds out that the ranch where her father and uncle work isn't doing well and that they have to move to America. Up: They arrive safely and find the person who is to show them their new home. Down: The place is a dump. Up: They get it cleaned up, the kids start school. Down: Some of the family gets sick, the government finds out that they are illegal. Up: Marisa's aunt has a healthy baby. Down: Marisa meets some other teens who make fun of her. CLIMAX: Marisa feels that all is wrong and there is no hope. Resolution: Marisa turns back to Jesus. Satisfying Ending: The family is all well and happy. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/521149/ Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:58:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/521149/      "Come on," Mark called to the group still standing on the shore. "Get in, let's go!"      Josh looked hesitantly at his friends. Travis jumped on into the raft and reached out to help Rachel in.      "I don't know about this," Rachel said, wrinkling her forehead. "Are ya'll sure this is safe?"      "Of course it is," Mark said, annoyed. "Hurry up Josh, we haven't got all day."      Josh shared Rachel's doubts, but he didn't want the guys to know that. In spite of the feeling that he shouldn't be doing this, he climbed in the raft and they took off down the river.      After a few minutes of floating leisurely everyone calmed down and began to relax. Josh leaned back and looked around him at the beautiful blue sky, the emerald trees, and the grass so green and so high that it would reach his knees. A startled rabbit disappeared into some nearby bushes. Josh closed his eyes, enjoying the warm sunshine. He reached his hand up to his face to wipe of some drops of water that had splashed up. Noticing that it was becoming a rougher ride, he opened his eyes and sat up. The river was, indeed, speeding up and getting rougher. Josh wasn't the only one who noticed.      "Travis?" Rachel squeaked, obviously nervous. "Mark? Guys, do ya'll know what you're doing?"      "Sure we do," Mark answered confidently. "Don't worry."      As they went on the river continually got quicker, but Mark kept assuring them that everything was fine. Pretty soon Josh was fed up with Mark's over-confidence and was afraid that it was going to get them all in trouble.      "Mark, have you ever been on this river before?" Josh asked.      "What's that? I can't hear you!" Mark yelled.      Josh repeated himself, louder this time in order to be heard over the rushing water.      "Sure I have. What do you think I am, an idiot?"      "Have you ever been this far?" Josh demanded.      "Well...." Mark stalled.      Before they knew it, there was an enormous sound of rushing water. Josh looked ahead and saw the water drop down in front of them. All at once, he heard Rachel scream, Mark slap her, and Travis yell something about the raft filling up with water, then everything went quiet as he was thrown into the water.      Josh fought his way up to the top and gasped for air. Looking around for the others, he saw Travis pop up a little ways off.      "Travis!" Josh screamed. "Are you all right? Where is everyone else?"      Travis, out of breath and still coughing up water, nodded to the former question and shrugged in reply to the latter. Exasperated and panicking, Josh looked frantically around. After what seemed like an eternity, he saw Mark climb onto the shore further away. Anger for getting them into this mess and relief at seeing him collided and Josh swam over to him. Mark reached over and helped Josh to shore.      "Are you okay?" Mark asked.      Before he could answer the question, Josh remembered.      "Where's Rachel?" He screamed.      Mark looked like he would be sick. "I.. I don't.. she..." he stammered.      Josh jumped up and grabbed Mark by the collar. Shaking him, he yelled in his face. "This is all your fault, Mark! I knew we shouldn't have come here! Look what you've gotten us into! We're wet, and stranded, and lucky we're not in worse shape. And Rachel! Rachel is..."      Josh stopped for breath and heard footsteps behind him.      "Hey, guys, look!"      Josh dropped Mark and turned around to see a very wet but otherwise unharmed Rachel standing there, smiling and pointing to the deflating raft. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/520412/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:15:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/520412/ Well, I actually couldn't find the perfect picture. But this is close to what my dream place to do school would look like. I can just imagine it... Leaning back against the moss-covered rock, I would breathe deeply of the forest air, soaking in the sunshine that shines through the tree branches overhead. To my right a bird sings its own composition, sweet and cheery. I hear some rustling to my left and think it must be a rabbit or turtle. Refocusing my attention to my schoolwork, I long to be finished and go exploring through the forest. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/514005/ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:24:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/514005/            If I could go anywhere for spring break, I would go up to Michigan to visit one of my best friends, Toria. Toria and I started writing letters about a year ago, and we clicked right away. Now we write letters, talk on the phone, email, blog, you name it. She is definitely one of my very best friends. I can tell her anything, and she is always there to listen, sympathize, give advice, and tease me. :) I would go up there to hang out with her and that brother of hers, meet her friends, go to her grandparents' house to play in the woods and see her ducks, and celebrate some of the Biblical feasts with them. After that (this is going to have to be a long spring break!) I would bring her back down here with me to hang out, see my animals, and meet my family and friends. It would be so much fun! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/514001/ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/514001/                     "Batter-up! We haven't got all day!" Tom shouted.                     "Stop yelling," Katie said. She grabbed the bat and scowled at her brother. He scowled back.                     "No girls," Sean piped up from the pitcher's mound.                     "What do you care? She's not on your team." Tom snapped. Sean glared at Katie, then shrugged.                     "Suit yourself. But I"m not going easy on her just 'cause she's a girl."                     "Who's asking you to?" Katie said. "Play ball!" The only thing I had trouble with is when it said "Sean glared at Katie, etc." because I wasn't sure if I should indent and make a new paragraph, because he hadn't started speaking yet. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/505247/ Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:16:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/505247/ My nuttshell summaries: The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers A little girl who is haunted by her past goes on a quest to find the one who can take away her sins. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis A boy and girl are accidentally sent to a different world where they meet Aslan and witness the beginning of Narnia. Marisa by me! A girl is forced to leave her home in Mexico and travel with her family to America, where they rebuild their lives and learn to rely on Jesus for everything. NOTE: Mrs. Marlow, I thought that since I already posted the rough draft of the first part of my story, I'd already done lesson 10. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/504633/ Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Emma4Jesus/504633/