Oil Painting Merit Change and Free Class

If your daughter is contemplating earning the Oil Painting Merit (G3-8 handbook)  you may substitute acrylic paint in place of oil.  Acrylic technique is similar to oil and much easier to clean up (most can be cleaned up with water).

Also, below is a fun class that would keep you from having to buy paint for this merit.  You would still need to complete the other requirements of the merit but this class would cover the actual painting step.  If you take this class, leave a comment and let everyone else know how it worked out for future classes.

Michael’s Make-It-and-Take-it class: Write Your Name, Canvas

This class would also count for the Little Keepers Painting Merit (G1-2). This class would not count towards the Watercolors Merit (G3-8).

Click here for craft sample and details.  The Cary store’s phone number is: 851-6001

Sunday, March 7, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Location: Cary Store in Crossroads

Cost: The class is free with a purchase of a 3-pack canvas set (2.99).  I have no idea if you can use a coupon or not. Paint and brushes are provided free of charge (see the link above for details).

Wear old clothes and bring a hair tie! Acrylic paint does not usually come out of clothes.

Registration: First come, first serve until class fills up.  Pre-registration is not accepted.

Meeting Recap (February 25)

MEMOS:

Don’t forget to turn in your merits as you finish them.  Bible merit devotion sheets should be turned in as you finish each book of the Bible.  This will keep the teachers from having to log in a ton of merits/devotion sheets all at once after our last club meeting.  Plus it will give you time to finish any requirements you may have missed.

ASSIGNMENTS:

STARS CLUB:  Please finish weaving your placemat and bring it to next meeting for our tea party.

FRIENDS CLUB:  If you have one, plan to bring your (or your family’s) digital camera to the next several meeting.

LESSON SUMMARY: Taming the Tongue

Tonight we discussed the power and the purpose of our tongue.

First, we discussed the purpose  and power of our tongue.  Being able to talk is a wonderful gift from God that allows us to easily communicate with people, share burdens, encourage each other, and admonish each other.  Mr. Jim Martin said in his sermon on Taming the Tongue* that there are two purposes for our tongue: to praise God (Col. 3:17) and to do good (1 Pet. 3:10-11). Your tongue can be a means of great encouragement to others when you use it wisely and kindly (Heb. 10:24, Prov. 25:11).  It can also do great harm when you are careless or angry (Prov. 12:18). James 2:5 likens your tongue to a small fire that causes a huge forest fire.  You may apologize afterwords but often times the damage your words have done is not fixable.  You can put out a forest fire but you cannot undo the damage done to the burnt trees.

Second we discussed several ways our tongue can wander into sin.  Because talking is such a natural thing to do, often times we do not put much thought into what we are saying.  It is very easy to let your tongue go astray and wander into sin.  We discussed two big ways our tongue can go astray: through complaining and unkindness.

Complaining:   Often times we complain because we want an easy life. The Bible tells us to do everything without complaining (Phil. 2:14, 1 Thes. 5:18).

Common unkind/rude comments we can make:

• Drawing attention to blunders people make and laughing at them.
• Making fun of people (or telling funny stories about them) when they aren’t there to defend themselves.
• Comments about attire or pointing out things that are amiss in front of others instead of telling the person privately where it won’t embarrass them (e.g. someone left their zipper down or has something in their teeth).
• Interrupting people when they are talking with your own story or comments that draw attention to you..
• Speaking angrily to people when they wrong us or upset us.
• Gossip (slander, discussing people for amusement, saying things we wouldn’t say in front of the person).
• Lying

Third, and last of all, we discussed how we can use our tongue for good (Eph. 4:29)  It is important to know that our words come from our heart (Luke 6:45).  If your heart is jealous of someone then your tongue will be tempted to say unkind things about them. Or if your heart is ungrateful, your tongue will be tempted to complain. You cannot fix your tongue problems until you fix your heart problems. You can only fix your heart problems by humbling yourself before God and asking Him to help you get rid of the sin in your heart.  We can use our tongue to do good by:

• Looking for ways to commend/praise good deeds, to build each other up.
• Use gentle words in a way that won’t offend when correcting someone.
• Encourage and offer to pray with people who are sad or upset.
• Listen first, before speaking. It gives you a better idea of what would be best to say.
• Tell others about how God has given you grace that day or answered a prayer.
• Telling people about God and the good news of the gospel.
• Speaking kindly, instead of angrily, when we are wronged.
• Always telling the truth

Overall, our tongue is under the same commands that our actions are: to obey God, to glorify Him in all we do, and to love one another  (Ps 19:14, 1 Cor. 10:31, Eph. 4:31-32).

Application:

“We should ask:  ‘is praise for God consistently on my tongue?’ and ‘How is my tongue an influence on others?’ Jim Martin*

What is one specific thing you need to train your tongue to not say? Pick one thing to work on between now and our next meeting.

_____________________

*Jim Martin, “Taming the Tongue”, Sermon given at Sovereign Grace Church, 3/1/2006.

Meeting Recap (February 11)

MEMOS:

As a group, we collected almost $150 last night to donate to Mission E4.   If you missed last night, or need more time, you are welcome to bring your donation to any of our future club meetings.  If you still need the details, click here.

ASSIGNMENTS:

STARS CLUB:   Work on your weaving project and bring it with you to the next meeting.

FRIENDS CLUB:  Plan to bring your (or your family’s) digital camera to the next several meeting.  If you do not have a digital camera, just let Miss. Hannah or Mrs. Elizabeth know.  We have a few extras you can use in class.

LESSON SUMMARY: Submission

Tonight we discussed submission.  Submission is not a popular word in our society today. It is often times viewed as old fashioned or out-dated. However, submission is something that God created, not man. Because of this it is important to understand what it is and as Christian girls/women seek to apply it to our lives.  When we submit, we are choosing to yield to the authority God has placed in our lives.  Submission does not come naturally.  In Feminine appeal, Carolyn Mahaney said that:

“Because of the curse [God gave Eve after the fall], we now have a sinful tendency to want our own way and to resist our husband’s [or parents] authority.” Carolyn Mahaney, ⁱ

Often times our desire to have our own way is so strong that we do not want to chose to submit. God is the one who gives us the grace we need to give up our desires and choose to submit (Ps 28:7, Heb 4:16). When we choose submission, it serves and honors our parents and helps create unity in our home.

A few other points we discussed:

• God instructs us to submit to our parents, or our husband (Col. 3:20, Eph. 5:22).
• We submit to please and obey God (Col 3:22-25)
• Our parents/husbands do not use our submission selfishly, they want good things for us.
• We should submit cheerfully and willingly (1 Jn 5:3).  The more we practice submission and see its fruits, the more it becomes a delight to do.
• The rewards of submission are:
  1. Protection.  God leads us in his will through our parents.  He gives our parents wisdom to help us make wise choices (Eph 6:2-3).
  2. The Gospel is displayed through godly behavior.  People notice when we act differently than the world and this gives us a chance to share the gospel with them.
  3. Joy and peace in our relationship with our parents/husband.

Submission is not viewed as a virtue in our culture today. Instead a lot of women/girls try to manipulate their parents/husbands to give them what they want. Most people think submission makes you weak and helpless.  This is not true. It takes much strength to be able to resist our natural temptation to fight for our own desires and choose to submit. We need humility and grace from God in order to choose to submit to our parents when we disagree with them. Remember that even though God gave different roles to men and women, they are both equal in value and worth. Choosing to submit does not make you less important, instead it reflects the glory of God and shows a clear picture of how Christ loves us and cares for us as we submit to him and God’s commands for our life. Jesus is our example in this as he willingly obeyed God and submitted to death for our sake (Phil 2:8). By following Christ’s example we are bringing glory and honor to God.

“We can view [submission] as a burden, a punishment instead of a ‘delight’ and a ‘relief.’ But submission is the doorway to a joyful, enduring marriage [or family] and a host of God’s blessings.” Nicole Whitacreⁱⁱ

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iCarolyn Mahaney, Feminine Appeal (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2003), pg 123.

iiNicole Whitacre, “Book Club Chapter Thirteen” 9/14/07 GirlTalk blog post: http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/Book_Club_Chapter_Thirteen

Meeting Recap (January 28)

MEMOS:

Regarding the Silver and Gold Bible Merits: We’ve figured out that the best time to turn in your Bible Merit Devotion Sheets is when you finish a book of the Bible, not a whole merit.  Your teacher will keep track of which books you have completed towards a merit.  This way the teachers do not have to rush to check off tons of devotion sheets after the last club meeting (May 13).

ASSIGNMENTS:

EVERYONE is encouraged to complete the Keepers’ Haiti Challenge.  Click here for details.

STARS CLUB:   Bring your weaving project and equipment to the Feb. 11 club meeting.

LESSON SUMMARY: Character that Adorns the Gospel

The first thing we talked about tonight is why godly character is important.  It is important because we were created in God’s image (Eph. 4:24) , to reflect his character to those around us.   Matt 5:16 says to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”  Our character (the way we act and behave) can either turn people’s attention to the gospel or away from it.  It is important to remember that we do not strive for a righteous and godly character to bring honor to ourselves, but to bring honor to God.

Next, We looked at Proverbs 31:10-31, 1 Pet. 3:4-5, and Titus 2:3-5 for instructions on how a christian woman or girl is supposed to behave. (Eph 4:24) Proverbs 22:1 tells us that “a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.”   Although these verses present a long list, they are attainable.  There are many women, both in the past and in our church, that exemplify all of these qualities.  God has given you your mom as your example to help train you in these areas.  He has also given you the context of your family to practice the character qualities.

We talked about five main character qualities that can be found in a godly women:

1. She has faith and trust in God that comes from diligent prayer and study of God’s word.
2. She is diligent and willing to work hard, cheerfully.
3. She is kind and does good works (“deliberate deeds that are helpful to others” Jerry Bridges.)
4. She is self-controlled and modest (does not let bad habits or laziness develop, controls her emotions , is not easily angered, wise with money, dresses appropriately)
5. She is submissive (our next lesson is on this topic)

We concluded by reading the story of Dorcus in the Bible (Acts 9:36-42).  Because of her character and kindness the people who mourned her death sent for the disciples who God allowed to raise Dorcus from the dead.  Because of this act, many people were saved.

Application Questions:

• What are you known for?
• What is one character quality that you need to develop? Write it down and share it with your mom so she can help you and hold you accountable to working on it.

Keepers’ Haiti Challenge

Proverbs 31:20
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

The Challenge:

1. To work to earn $5 for relief work in Haiti by the next Keepers meeting on Feburary 11.
2. To spend 5 minutes praying on your own for those in Haiti this week.  You can pray for:
   • Lots of people are living in the streets because their home collapsed.  Pray for safety and shelter.
   • Food and clean water is limited.  Pray that rescue teams can get aid and supplies to people in need.
   • Lots of people are dying from injuries and sickness.  Pray that the sickness would not spread and that God would heal people.
   • Pray that people would hear the gospel and believe in God.
   • Pray that God would show you how you should help out.

Links:

~Keepers’ Letter -  If you do work for a neighbor or have a yard sale/bake sale you can use this letter to tell about the Mission E4.
~Mission E4’s website, their Disaster Response Plan. and Updates from Scott Long, Mission E4 director.

The Details:

• We heard about Mission E4 through a friend of a friend who was in Haiti working with Mission E4 when the earthquake hit.
• Bring your donation in cash on February 11.
• You can donate as much (or little) as you are able to earn
• We will not be tracking donations or giving out donation receipts to people.  If you offer to do work for your neighbors and they would like to make a donation and receive a receipt, they can donate directly to Mission E4’s fund online.

The Why:

The Bible tells us to care for the poor ans sick in order that they might come to know Christ as their savior and Lord.  Often times this requires us to make time in our schedule to serve or pray for these people.  There are many people in Haiti right now that do not have homes, food, clothes, or medical supplies.  By donating money to the local ministries and churches we can help them provide people with some of these things which opens up the doors to share the gospel.

Ideas:

Here are a few ideas to raise money.. If you choose to do anything with people outside of your family, you might want to print off the Keepers’ letter above telling about the mission and where the money is going.  That way people know you are being responsible with their money.

• Do extra chores for your family
• Do odd jobs for your neighbors
• Sell hot chocolate or baked goods – either by yourself or with a friend.
• Sell some of your toys or clothes in a yard sale – either by yourself or with a friend.

Meeting Recap (January 14)

MEMOS:

Girls in Stars and Friends received a information sheet on the revised Keepers at Home Handbook.  If you lost the sheet, see the info in the last blog post (click here).  The Little Keepers book was not revised at this time.

ASSIGNMENTS:

ALL CLUBS:   To prepare for our next discussion, read through Proverbs 31:10-31 and write down a list of all the character qualities exemplified by the Proverbs 31 woman.

LESSON SUMMARY: Biblical Femininity

Tonight we started a new unit on Biblical Femininity.  Our first discussion was on what Biblical Femininity means.  Websters dictionary defines feminine as “characteristic of or appropriate or unique to women.”ⁱ Biblical Femininity, are the things that God has said is “appropriate” and “unique” for christian woman and girls. The Bible is full of instructions on the roles of females and how women and girls should act and behave (Titus 2:4-5).

“Biblical Womanhood, simply defined, is God’s perfect design for women as revealed in the Bible”  Carolyn Mahaneyⁱ

We also discussed the roles God gave to men (spiritual leadership and authority to make decisions for the family)  and the roles God gave to women (a helper, primarily responsible for caring for the home and daily needs of the children).  Being a ‘helper’ does not make you less important, although some people may view it this way, it is simply a different role that God has given you. God also gives very special characteristics to women to enable them to care for others and their home. He made them extra compassionate and sensitive to the needs of those around them. He gives them creative talents they can use to make their home a cheerful and welcoming place to be (Gen. 1:27, Eph 5:23, Gen 2:18).

The third thing we discussed is our attitude towards these roles, often referred to as “loving the home.”  Having a “love for the home” means that you choose to believe that God’s way is best for us. It means that you cheerfully and willingly pursue and fulfill the tasks he has given you and do your work “as unto the Lord (Col. 3:17).When you do count it a joy, it become a means of much satisfaction and happiness in your own life.  The two aspect of  loving your home involves:  1. cheerfully caring for the home responsibilities and 2. loving, caring for, and enjoying the presence of your family.  These instructions are given to women and girls no matter what your season of life (a child, in college, married, working single, etc..).  You can apply homemaking now by assisting your mom with the care of the home, by taking the initiative to pick up after yourself, keeping your own room and belongings tidy, and doing your assigned chores thoroughly and on time. You can apply loving your family by praying for them, encouraging them, and by being aware of their needs and helping them out (examples: if you sister wants a drink of water, or your brother needs a band-aid, or listening and praying with them when they are afraid, or serving your mom if she is sick).

God’s way is not popular.  However when you follow his design for girls and women, you will be blessed many times by the fruit that comes when you practice homemaking and deal with any sin issues that might prevent you from enjoying your family. Cheerfully embracing this role brings glory to God because it proclaims his love and power to those around you since without his salvation from sin, it would be impossible for you to enjoy this role. Your home life can be a witness to others that God is loving and good. It can open up doors to share the good news of the gospel with those that admire your family and wonder how you can enjoy being around your family and be happy at home.

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i“feminine” def. 2. Merriam-Webster online dictionary. http://m-w.com/dictionary/feminine. 1/2/2010.

iCarolyn Mahaney, Girl Talk (Wheaton, IL, Good News Publishers, 2005), pg 24.

New Keepers at Home Handbooks

The Keepers of the Faith program has released a new, updated version of the Keepers at Home Handbook with lots of new merits in them.   Click here to see the updated table of contents.  Just to clarify, this is just the older girls handbook, not the Little Keepers handbook.

Unfortunately we are not able to replace everyone’s handbook but if you are interested in the new merits here are a few options:

1. Purchase your own book. You can do this through the Keepers of the Faith website.  Please note that THESE BOOKS ARE ON SALE through February so act quickly.   You might want to order with other families to save on shipping.

2. You can make copies of the new merits for your own family’s use.   In accordance with the Keepers of the Faith guidelines,  please do not make copies for anyone who:

• is not currently in the Keepers at Home program AND
• does not own a old edition of the Keepers at Home handbook (this includes siblings).

If you do not have access to a new handbook for copies, I will have one so just email me and let me know which merits you want.

Teacher needed!

Our Stars Club (G3-5) is in need of a second teacher for January – May.   Your main responsibilities would be to assist Bekah in the actual teaching and planning of club activities.  If you are able to help out please comment below or contact Elizabeth Ehresman.  You must be approved for Children’s Ministry to serve.

Meeting Recap (November 12)

MEMOS:

The Award Ceremony is December 10.  Please drop your daughter off in the 1st/2nd grade classroom promptly by 7:00pm, dressed in her formal uniform.  Don’t forget to replace the Missionettes logo with the Keepers at Home pin on your daughter’s sash.

Our next club meeting will be on January 14, 2010.

BRING TO CEREMONY:

1.  Refreshments (if you received an assignment)

2.  Any completed projects you would like to display.  Please bring a label displaying your name and the badge the project was for.

Sample:   “Your Name, Candle Making”

 

LESSON SUMMARY:

Tonight was an activity night with no lesson.  If you want, you can review with your daughter some of the points she wants to remember from the Faith Unit and talk about areas she desires to have more faith.

Merit Deadline and Requirments

Anything turned in after a merit deadline will be counted towards the next award ceremony. If you will be absent, please make arrangements with your club leader to turn your merits in before the deadline.

To make sure there is no confusion, here is what you MUST do and turn in to get credit for each merit.

Please read carefully and if you have any questions you can comment below ( or call me – I don’t mind at all! ) before the deadline.

Activity merits:

• When completed, have your parents sign and date your Little Keepers/Keepers at Home handbook
• Show your handbook to your club leader to get credit for the merit.

Bible Merits:

• Your parents  should initial EACH devotional sheet as you complete them.
• Once you have completed all the sheets for a book of the Bible, show them to your club leader.
• Double check that you have completed a devotion sheet for each required passage.
• Be ready to turn these sheets into your club leader.  You will get them back.

Character Merits:

• show your completed book to your club leader.  This includes the 30-day journal section.

Camping Merits:

• Parents should sign at the top of the completed packet and initial the indicated spots throughout.
• Show your completed and signed packet to your club leader.

Keepers Challenge: this is awarded only at the May award ceremony.

• Recite the required number of verses to your club leader without prompts.
• Turn in your book report to your club leader.