My Take
DiVoran Lites
A Judgement Call~Part 2
15 AprSUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
On to my time as a judge. As I said in part 1, our church includes a school/academy. It started out with a daycare and one kindergarten class. It now goes through 8th grade, some with multiple classes for each grade. So some of the children who started in the daycare have been with this school their entire school experience.
Regency Christian Academy Knights
The school holds several “contests” each year. One being the science fair, that is coming up in a few weeks. My husband, Fred, is to be one of the judges for that.
The other is the speech contest.
This is where my judgment call comes in. The contest is sponsored by the Modern Woodman Fraternal Financial company.
They sponsor many child/youth activities throughout the United States, including the speech contest each year. According to their website: Available to schools of all kinds, this program provides valuable public speaking experience. Students in grades five through eight are eligible to compete at the local level. Modern Woodmen provides materials needed to run this contest, including the topic, judging guidelines and participation awards. The contest runs year-round.
They pick a subject for each year’s contestants. For instance, this year (2018) the topic was “Inventions that have improved the quality of life.” According to information provided:
Many inventions have made human life much easier. It is difficult to consider a life without the inventions that we are so accustomed to using. This year’s contest asks students to imagine a world without the invention of their choosing and to speak about how this invention has improved the quality of life.
There were three judges, myself being one, and 10 contestants.
They were all in the sixth grade. Those 10 were chosen as finalists by their classmates from the two sixth grade classes. During the speeches, the fifth graders were invited to sit in, to see what they might be participating in next year. It was a learning experience all around.
The students were all quite nervous, as none of them had done any public speaking before. The speech teacher told Fred and me later that she had encouraged each of them to practice their speeches, but didn’t think they did. I’m sure, if they had done so – even in front of the mirror – it would have added confidence to them.
In any case, it was fun to see what topics and titles they had come up with within the contest’s topic. They had such things as:
P.C. for Me! (Computers)
Microwaves (self explanatory)
Keepin’ it Cool (refrigeration)
No Wash Boards, Please! (Automatic washers and dryers)
Cruising in Style (the automobile)
The Incredible Pencil (self explanatory)
and last but DEFINITELY not least:
Bottoms up! (toilet paper)
They were a joy to watch and listen to. Most had done a great deal of research – did you know there are websites for toilet paper?
The only disappointment I had was that all of the contestants just read from their notes – none were “live” and animated. I’ve judged this speech contest for several years, and some were completely memorized and spoken from the heart. That makes the speech much more authentic. Perhaps that is something I’ll suggest for next year.
Anyway, it was a fun experience. I tend to “grade” more leniently that the other judges, but we all came up with the same ones for first, second, and third places.
This year’s winners
However…I’m glad it is over for this year!
~~~~~~~~~~The End ~~~~~~~~~~
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What you need to do in order to live secure.
14 AprWalking by Faith, Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
Reblogged with permission 4/14/18
Mom held a broken piece of metal in the air. “Look at this,” she said.
She and my Dad had gone to get their car washed. And when they returned home, they found the car door handle had been broken. Those responsible, rather than admit their guilt, had tossed the piece on the driver’s seat.
With broken piece in hand, we headed back to the car wash.
“We have to view the video cameras,” the manager said. “Unless we see it, we can’t’ take responsibility.
End of story. They glued the piece back. Cameras come in handy, don’t they?
Real Life
But in real life, we’re all also watched, closely and constantly. He who watches us is the loving Father, with care in His hart, compassion in his approach and forgiveness in His plan.
I’m glad He’s watching, aren’t you? This way, we don’t have to remind him of how hard the journey is. Or we don’t have to point out the areas that need fixing. He already knows, and as He closely watches us in action, we can rest and declare out loud that He has this.
And since He has all under control, working to bring the perfect solution, we, in our busy world, in our flawed ways, have an important task–to pay attention to our heart. What does it contain? Our heart is what holds the emotions that can either break us or the emotions that keep us running the race to victory.
5 Coaching Points
And since that race run is fueled by our heart’s content, here are five coaching points right from God’s Word:
- Empty your heart of sin, or wipe out junk that doesn’t please God or resentment from the past because “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:19).
- Let go the material stuff, the superficial longings and desires of what you think your life should be. Instead, “…store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21).
- Once dark emotions are tossed out, fill your heart with life-giving praises: “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:1-2).
- Though the darkest valley might cover your security, can you be bold enough to echo these words? “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (Psalm13:5-6).
- With unwavering faith, fill your heart with God’s truth and speak His promises upon your life. “LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm: 16:5-6).
Complete security comes when we receive that delightful inheritance. And when our heart rejoices, the enemy retreats. When we search our heart, God speaks healing. When we guard our heart, evil flees. When we equip our heart with God’s Word, triumph is already there.
Let’s pray.
Father, thank you that right now, you’re watching my every move. You know well how often I let my heart be broken, shattered by adversity. But now I know that when it’s filled with what you tell me, my heart will not fear, my life will not be ruined. And my future will not be dim, but will be secure, hopeful and bright. In Jesus name.
Will you take time today and examine your heart?
Janet
______________________________________
Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.
CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.
Source https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/inspiration/need-order-live-secure.html
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Road Trip~ Mesa Verde National Park
12 AprOn the Porch
Onisha Ellis
Day 13, September 19, 2017
Another beautiful morning at the condo in Pagossa Springs. After a day of feeling wonky, I felt better and ready for another day of exploring. Today our plan was to visit Mesa Verde National Park. A nice check off on my husband’s bucket list. But first, I need my coffee and quiet time.
Coffee at Mesa Verde
The drive to Mesa Verde took around an hour, maybe a little more. We weren’t in a hurry and I enjoyed the drive through Durango. I let my imagination roam to cowboys and the wild west. But the people of Mesa Verde pre-date the cowboys by multiple centuries.
From the National Park Service website:
Ancestral Pueblo People of Mesa Verde
About 1,400 years ago, long before Europeans explored North America, a group of people living in the Four Corners region chose Mesa Verde for their home. For more than 700 years they and their descendants lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. Then, in the late A.D. 1200s, in the span of a generation or two, they left their homes and moved away. Mesa Verde National Park preserves a spectacular reminder of this ancient culture.
Once we arrived at the entrance to the park, it was another 2o miles to the museum which is a must stop. There you can pick up literature describing the drives and if you have an inclination to take a ranger guided tour, you can pay for your tickets there.
Before we made it to the museum, we made a comfort stop. The husband is an experienced outdoors facility judge, so we take a picture of the ones he rates. LOL.
Pam and I stayed in the truck!
Rebekah and her ever-present camera.
Along with picking up brochures and maps at the museum, we stopped in the cafeteria to pick up a necessary adventure supply, I had forgotten to pack.
I’ll leave it to you to imagine which one represents me!
The park contains over 5000 archeological sites across 40+ miles of roads. After leaving the museum, we chose one of the easy drives through the park. We were there in off peak season so places to pull over were readily available. There were a lot of Pit houses preserved under shelters.
Eventually they moved from the Pit houses to tree houses, built into the overhang of cliffs. It must have been exhausting climbing up and down and dangerous as well. I couldn’t imagine a mother trying to keep her children safe. Then for unknown reasons around 1200 A.D. the people let, just disappeared.
Rebekah and her dad. They share a love of photography.
On a previous trip west we had planned to visit Mesa Verde but the park was hit with a serious forest fire.
It was a nice walk out to the fire observation tower.
As we were driving slowly along the Navajo Overlook, we felt as if we were being followed. Pam’s sharp eyes found our stalker.
Tree Houses
Pam and I taking a break while Mike and Rebekah snapped photos
Spruce Tree House
Spruce Tree House is a favorite ruin to explore as there is an easy walking trail for closer viewing. Unfortunately, the trail was under repair so we had to view it from this building, which in my opinion was more pleasant than walking!
We didn’t see all of the sites as we drove through the park. Dusk was approaching and we didn’t want to be driving on unfamiliar roads after dark. We enjoyed a quick meal back at the museum before driving down the mountain. Sunset would be a magical time to drive down, but we were a bit too early.
My shadow stalking me!
I found Mesa Verde a fascinating place. Echoes of ancient times seemed to whisper in the air. Why did they move into the cliffs and why did they abandon them in a mere hundred years? Where did they go? The park website has some incredible photos and videos. I encourage you to visit it at NPS.gov
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Masterpiece of God
10 AprA Time to Live
Melody Hendrix
I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
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First Cigarette
9 AprMy Take
DiVoran Lites
I saw Daddy’s cigarettes behind the bar.
And thought of glamorous movie stars
Holding cigarettes in dainty poses
One Camel won’t be missed
But what if Daddy catches me?
What if Mother is disappointed in me?
I drew one cigarette from the pack
Snatched a book of matches
And ran the two blocks home from
The restaurant we owned.
Hunkered down in the tall grass
That hid me completely
Without thinking of the smoke
That must rise into the blue sky
Without thinking of the tinder dry grass
Catching fire and burning down the house
I took a drag
Coughed…coughed…coughed
Ground it out in the dirt.
Didn’t smoke again
Until eight years later
Beauty school in Albuquerque
And a big contest to test our hairstyling
So nervous
At Toddlehouse my teacher, Monique
Gave me a cigarette
Here this will calm you down
Is dizzy the same as calm?
Monique gave me a whole pack
Take these home and practice
My young husband and I shared the habit.
After three years I yearned for a child
I worked until my seventh month
Not smoking because even the smell
Made me nauseous
I stopped then, stopped for years
Through the birth of another child
And the move to Space Center country
And I started again.
By then we knew smoking killed people
One day Bill asked the Lord to
Take away his craving for cigarettes
He pulled the pack from his shirt pocket and
Threw it in the trash.
He never smoked again
I prayed too and eventually
God helped me quit
Neither of us ever smoked again
Nor wanted to.
Thank Jesus for His saving grace.
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A Judgement Call
8 AprSUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
Recently, I was a judge….you know…Judge Judy. You see, our church includes a school/academy. It started out with a daycare and one kindergarten class. It now goes through 8th grade, some with multiple classes for each grade. So some of the children who started in the daycare have been with the school their entire school experience.
Regency Christian Academy Knights
I was the church secretary for nearly nine years. Fairly early on in my secretarial position, one of the kindergarten teachers told her class, as they were marching down the hallway, to have their “hands behind their back, and bubbles in their mouth.” That way, they couldn’t touch each other or talk. It was quite nice to have this quiet parade of children walking in front of our offices.
But soon, I found I would enjoy standing in my office doorway to watch them pass by, and “pop” their bubbles. I made the “popping” sound myself, but the children thought they had done it. Many smiling faces followed on down the hallway. And even today, if I see some of those children – now in high school – they will approach me with “bubbles” in their mouth! They still remember the “bubble lady” who popped their bubbles!
The school has a really good reputation. Some years ago, there was a man who came to enroll his child in our school. He and his family were fairly new to the area, but he made the statement to me that “we may not worship at this church, but I definitely want my children to go to this school!” That has stayed with me, all these years. The school does its best to BE the best it can be for the students. They get all the usual subjects to study, but the classes are smaller, and the students have more of the teacher’s attention. I’ve been a proctor for some of the testing, and the students usually score quite well on their standardized tests. Our school is not like the public schools where, I’ve been told by other teachers, that they have to “teach the test” rather than teaching the subject. That encourages me.
There are several “contests” that the school holds. Every year they have a science fair. Fred is usually asked to be one of the judges for the science fair, and he’s happy to do just that. He enjoys what the children come up with to show off their “scientific” skills. He’s also a fair judge, which makes him a good candidate for judging. He said that he actually started judging science fairs back in the 1980’s, probably when we were in Heidelberg, Germany. He did some regional judging when we lived in Virginia. And he’s been asked to judge the science fairs at our church school for several years now, and enjoys doing that. He will be judging our school’s science fair in the near future.
Here are some pictures from a recent science fair:
Fred and the other judges hearing about a project
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
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5
Apr
Onisha Ellis
On the Porch
I love this verse more every year.The boldness of the statement makes me feel brave. “For I am convinced that nothing can separate me from the love of God. No wiggle room or hedging. I am loved by God and N O T H I N G can change that.
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The Living Water of Life
3 AprA Time to Live
Melody Hendrix
A river is a conveyance of the most primordial element of life—water.
This river of water of life is a symbol of God in Christ as the Spirit flowing Himself into His redeemed people to be their life and life supply.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14
Ancient civilizations sprang up around rivers for good reason. Humans can only survive 3-5 days without water. We need water for basic life functions like circulation, respiration, and converting food to energy. After oxygen (another symbol of the Spirit), water is the body’s most important nutrient.
A river has three aspects.
Such a flowing river has a source, a course, and a flow. (Rev. 22:1).
In these three aspects of a river, the persons of the Triune God, the move of God, and the eternal intention of God are all profoundly typified.
The Water Of Life.
Most Relevant Verses.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. John 7:38-39
Verse Concepts.
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. Proverbs 18:4
Verse Concepts
He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.
Psalm 110:7
Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. Isaiah 12:3
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”– Genesis 3:22-24
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1-2
Verse Concepts.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14
It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezekiel 47:9
I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
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Dressmaker
2 AprMy Take
DiVoran Lites
Every fall before school started
Mother took me to The May Co.
In Denver where they had a
Perfume fountain in which I dipped
My fingers and got a stern look
From a clerk. Well, what’s perfume for?
And I’d had a bath before we got there.
We ordered clothes so that they came
To our small town at the foot of
The Sangre de Cristo range.
On the mail truck.
When Daddy was away in the war
Fabric was rationed.
So, Mother and Grandmother
Took old clothes from
The attic and made dresses and pants
For my brother and me.
One time I was so tired of standing
For pinning up hems that I
Ripped the a dress from top to bottom
And ran out of the room.
Many years later, I had a toddler daughter
Who needed pretty clothes.
Why don’t I make some?
Oh, because I can’t sew.
So I signed up for a night
Class at the high school
And left our daughter at home with her daddy.
Our sewing teacher came from Hungary
With an elegant accent.
With a long history of European Couture
She knew everything about
How clothes had to be assembled.
Rip instead of cutting to get a
Straight piece.
Lay the pattern just so…
To take up the least
Amount of material
Line a jacket with satin, and
Hem the lining separately
Above all, match the natches
(Which we called notches.)
Cut one garment at a time
Cheap ready-to-wear pieces are
Cut in piles with power scissors
Which make the drape warped
When sewn together
Sew in the new invisible zippers by
Hand, not on the Singer.
Innovation is fine, sloppiness is not.
Then Bill and I had a little boy and
When he was two
I made matching sailor suits
For him and his sister
From quality gray gabardine—
Wide collars with red rickrack
And stars in each corner.
I wished that Mother and Grandmother
Could see my work
But by then, they were far away.
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Old Things R New 