The $5 Savings Plan

  In September of 2012, I was browsing Pinterest (again) and came across something called the $5 Savings Plan.  It sounded pretty easy, so I began!

  For the $5 savings plan, you never spend a five dollar bill.  You get it as change, or the teller at the bank hands you a few when you're withdrawing cash, or someone's paying you back the money they owe you...never spend a five dollar bill!  It was a little difficult at first to remember, but I just stuck it in a separate pocket in my purse and it became easier and easier.

  I didn't know what I was going to save them for, but it was going to be for something big.  So in August of 2013, when we decided we were going to Mexico, I decided that all the 5's were going toward that.  By the time December came around, I'd been saving for 15 months and had a total of 500 dollars saved in five dollar bills!  And when I came home, I had some left over, and started all over again!  And within the past three months, I've saved over $200.  Although, it's really helpful when you pay for a $10 pizza with a $50 and the guy gives you $40 change in 5's.  :)  The key is to not ask for fives in change or cash in any setting!  I decided to set this money now aside for a little trip I may be taking in May.  Otherwise, it's just going to be set aside for vacations.

  Another thing, I don't ever spend change.  One, I hate taking the time to count it out at the check-out.  But two, you usually get change back when paying in cash.  And that change can add up quickly.  Not as quickly as five dollar bills, but still... :)

  I just wanted to share this little savings plan with you because it's really worked!  It also makes me more aware of what I'm spending.

  If you've tried this before, what did you think?  If you haven't, let me know what you think of this idea!

Sierra

From a Homeschool Graduate

  I recently had the privilege of sharing a bit about my homeschool journey with our local group of homeschool moms.  I thought I'd share on here, too, for any other homeschool moms who are interested in knowing what my mom did right and what we could have done differently on my homeschool journey.  Also, if you're not a homeschool mom or a homeschooler at all, maybe this will put some of your questions at ease. :)

  First of all, I am SO glad that I was homeschooled.  I wouldn't have had it any other way.  I remember in maybe 5th or 6th grade, I was behind in some of my school work.  It was around Thanksgiving, and my parents told me that if I didn't catch up by Christmas, they were putting me in school in January.  That was possibly the worst punishment, in my opinion, and I got down to work and caught up on that school! :)  I realize that homeschooling isn't for everyone, but for me, it was the right thing.

  My dad is actually the one who wanted us kids to be homeschooled.  My mom was a public school teacher for 12 years until my sister was born (I was 4).  I went to public school for kindergarten, but after that, my mom pulled me out and we started homeschooling.

  One thing I have to put to rest is that YES, homeschoolers have friends!  This is a common misconception - one that actually prevents other kids from befriending you.  The majority of my friends were also homeschooled.  I can only name two other people who were friends with me in spite of being homeschooled.  But, right after starting to be homeschooled, we started attending a local homeschool co-op where, twice a month around 30-40 families got together for three hours and the parents taught/supervised and students went to three different classes.  The classes changed throughout the years, but they included a geography class when I was younger, a logic class (my personal all-time favorite), science, creative writing, gym, art, and as high schoolers, we got a game hour to just have fun with each other.  It was a great place to meet new friends and build that initial foundation of friendship.

  I also attended a discipleship group for girls with several friends, before I started my own when I was 14.  Going to this group was a highlight, twice a month, where I learned more about living a life for Christ and also got to spend more time with friends.  But besides, those structured times, my mom was really good and purposeful about getting together with friends for my siblings and I.  We had friends over all the time, whether those friends lived in our neighborhood or 30 minutes away.  My mom recognized how important socializing was and made every effort to help us develop friendships.  I remember one year, my mom did a creative writing "class" just at our house with 4 or 5 of my friends and we got together for maybe four sessions and at the end had a mother's day...day where we presented our moms with an acrostic word project we'd made.  Every Christmas for a few years, my mom would organize a mother-daughter Christmas Tea with several other mothers and daughters we knew. We'd have a couple games, a devotional, singing, and had amazing food!  Because we didn't celebrate Halloween, we would invite about seven other families who also didn't celebrate it and just have a "harvest party".  This event often included a potluck, a campfire, and night games.

  My mom was also big on birthday parties, which she often allowed me to help plan!  I remember having a water-park birthday, a Hello Kitty party at a playground, a scrapbooking party/sleepover, a Nancy Drew computer game race birthday, a mystery dinner party, a soccer-themed party, and then my extremely memorable 16th birthday (which was a surprise).  She even let me and one of my best friends plan that soccer-themed party all on our own!  By helping plan those parties, I learned what all went into party-planning: invitations, RSVPs, decorations, games, food, cleaning, etc.  And now that I plan about a half-dozen parties for LIVE every year, I realize how important that experience was for me!  And as you can see, I never lacked time with friends.

  When I was in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade, I went to band at the public school, where I played flute.  I had a good friend who had started full-time public school the same year I started band, and although she was a year older, it was fun to be able to see her after school.  However, after 7th grade, I quit and just took private lessons.  People create stereotypes and oftentimes, all it takes is one person.  Just as it might take one homeschooler for every public schooler to be against them, it can take one public schooler for every homeschooler to not be so positive about them.  In 7th grade, we were supposed to play seven songs at the Spring concert.  By the time the concert came around we could play three or four.  That year was the worst!  My band director walked out crying twice because the kids were so disrespectful, I hardly learned anything that year, because the majority of the kids were disrespectful, and not enough students practiced at home nor paid attention in class to learn the assigned songs.  It was very frustrating to me, and I know that not every class is like that, but I was very glad that year that my parents homeschooled me, because of that experience I had.

  There are many things that, had I gone to public school, I would not have been able to do.  One of the biggest things is leading my discipleship group.  I started when I was 14 with girls in my neighborhood and it was then that I started writing curriculum, too.  I loved leading the group and those girls were so special to me!  My family moved in 2011 and that's when I started LIVE, with girls from our local homeschool group.  I cannot imagine what it would be like not having these girls in my life!  College has crossed my mind a few times, but the primary reason I won't go is because I would no longer be able to lead LIVE.

  Another thing is traveling.  My family has always taken vacations at least once a year with several camping trips crammed in, especially when I was younger.  Lots of families take vacations, I know.  But we would be able to start school a few weeks early and then, once school had started for everyone else, we would pack up and get out of waiting in lines and having those crowds!  One fall, my parents made the very hasty decisions to purchase a vehicle online...in North Carolina (and the funny thing is, that wasn't the only time, either!).  After they won the eBay bid, it went back and forth about who was going to go pick it up.  First, it was just my dad.  Then, I was going to go with him (I was 10 at the time).  In the end, two weeks later, all five of us were on a plane to NC.  But it wasn't just to NC that we went...we ended up driving to Williamsburg, VA!  That was one of the best vacations, ever!  In fact, we even decided to stay longer than originally planned because we could!
  One year, in 8th or 9th grade, I did a research paper on the Amish.  And that same year, my brother did a project on Gettysburg.  So on our vacation to Washington D.C. (which, by the way was SO much fun and SO much learning! :D), we stopped in Gettysburg so Aidan could see his project practically come to life.  And on the way home, we stopped in Ohio and stayed with an older Amish couple for a couple days and I learned so much after I'd done my paper!  That same trip, we also went to Assateague Island and Maryland City.
  Another year, it was a week and a half before Christmas and we got a call from my dad's uncle, who we didn't really know that well.  He told us they had some vacation points that needed to be used within two weeks and they wouldn't be able to.  He said he had two suites and asked if we knew any other homeschooling families who would be able to with us.  Of course, we said yes and invited three other homeschool families and four days later, we were on our way!  Oh, the joys of being able to drop it all and leave! :)
  We've also gone to Colorado, California, Wisconsin Dells (on other occasions), Mexico, and South Dakota.
  Last year was the first year that my parents allowed me to travel alone.  I was able to put school (both high school and college, thanks to CollegePlus) on hold and go to Virginia for a week.  I was able to take a mission trip to Haiti, go to Texas, leave on four days' notice to Florida with my dad, and in January/February of this year, I went to Colorado with three weeks' notice.  Traveling is something I love to do and it looks like I'll be able to more of it this year!

  Having a close relationship with my mom is something else that I don't think would have been possible had I gone to school.  I began growing closer to her in high school, which if I were in school, I probably would have been gone 9-10 hours a day, if not more.

  Also, being homeschooled provided me with opportunities for some jobs!  One year, a neighbor came over to our house to ask if I would be able to get her autistic son on and off the bus when she worked.  He rode a different bus than his siblings, so it actually came later in the morning.  If I had been at school, I wouldn't have had that experience.

  One more big thing is doing CollegePlus.  I did their CollegePrep program when I was 14 and by the time I was 15, a Sophomore in high school, I had 12 college credits.  By the time I graduated high school in 2013, I had 58 credits and was a Sophomore in college, and I currently am a Junior with 81.  I will be (Lord-willing) graduating in June of 2015 with my BS in Organizational Leadership through Thomas Edison State College.


  There are some things that my mom and I wish we had done differently in my "high school career". I hope maybe it will be helpful to you homeschool moms. :)

  Science.  I am not a science person at all.  My mom found a science curriculum one year and I...strongly disliked it. :)  I'm not sure what it was called, but it was boring and I didn't learn all that much.  And, when the time came for me to take the science CLEP test to earn college credit, I did not have a very strong foundation in science.  Yes, I did study (for four months, in fact) other resources for the CLEP, but honestly, I felt like I was starting completely from scratch.  I ended up failing the Natural Sciences CLEP...twice.  I realize that it's not all the curriculum's fault, but I do believe it played a role in it.  I think had we done Apologia, it would have been fine.

  Math.  So I'm not really a math person either.  Let me rephrase that...I love math when I understand it.  If it's easy for me...it's all good.  So I loved math up until 10th grade.  In 10th grade, we started Algebra II and I didn't understand it.  So, we switched to Geometry.  However, not only did we switch to Geometry, but we switched curriculum, too.  And I didn't not like this curriculum.  I think it's important that you have a curriculum that your student can understand and enjoys.  Otherwise, we're not going to get as much out of it as we should.  And the beauty of homeschooling is that you have dozens of curriculum options for each student!

  Foreign Language.  My mom and I would suggest you allow your student choose their own foreign language.  You can approve, sure, but let them choose.  My mom chose for me...Latin.  She thought that learning Latin would make learning any other language easier.  I did not want to learn Latin the first place, which made those three years kind of miserable.  I would have much rather learned French.  Yes, Latin may have been useful had I been a science major, but as we discovered with the failing of two Natural Science tests, that was NOT going to be the case. :)  Most people I know who have been out of high school for a couple years do not remember the foreign language they learned.  So by the time I ever get around to learning French, if ever, that Latin wouldn't be any use to me anyways.  Just something to keep in mind. :)

  Deadlines.  One thing, I wish my parents had been more strict on is deadlines.  It wasn't that my mom didn't set them, I just usually got out of them if I wasn't finished with m paper by then.  And when I started taking CLEP tests for college, there was no structure there, either.  For those tests, I was in complete control.  I ordered the books I thought I needed, I made my own study schedule, and set my own goals.  Because CollegePlus is flexible (which is awesome), my college degree could take me six months or six years...it didn't matter.  Now, I'm not hitting the six year mark, but I certainly didn't get it done by high school which was the original goal.  Because I was in complete control, I could push my goals further and further back over and over again.  And by the time I had to take my first online course, I was like, "Wait, what?  I have to get ALL this done by midnight on Saturday?!"  It was very stressful for me.


  I hope you found this post insightful into a homeschooler's life and somewhat helpful. :)  I am so glad that I had my parents as my teachers for my whole academic life, and that I get to have the SAME teachers for the rest of my life in all other areas. :)

In Christ,
    Sierra

Imitators of Christ

  Quite a while ago, I watched a Youtube video (unfortunately, I couldn't find it) of a mom and daughters on a talk show.  This trio were Christians, yet spent the entire time on the show spouting out judgements.  Their judgements were made in a very inconsistent manner and were also not made in a Christ-like manner.

  After finishing the video, it wasn't hard for me to believe that some people have a hard time with Christians.  As humans, we set stereotypes...perhaps especially after seeing a video such as the one I watched.  It's no different for anything else!  If a Mormon, atheist, evolutionist, homeschooler, etc. were to go on TV, we'd probably come to believe that all Mormons, atheists, evolutionists, homeschoolers etc. believe exactly what they do!  But that's not true!  Not all Christians believe the exact thing, nor do all Christians act the same way.  I know people who judge others a lot and out loud and have often felt judged by them myself.  But not everyone is like that.

  Sometimes, on Pinterest, I'll run across a pin that sort of has a controversial saying...or people think it does.  It's interesting to read the comments on the pins (although you have to be careful of language sometimes).  Recently, I was scrolling through comments on a pin about a specific person.  There were a few people commenting who claimed to be Christians yet the words which followed after that claim included curse words along with very rude and unChrist-like statements directed towards that person and also a group of people.  Again, after seeing those comments, it's not hard to imagine that people have a hard time taking Christians seriously.  If we're claiming one thing, and then acting another way...should we be taken seriously?

  The following four verses/passages often remind me how important it is to not judge others.

"When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, 'Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'"

~John 8:7

  And then comes this verse which puts it all to rest.

"As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one.'"    ~Romans 3:10

  And in Matthew,

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."      

~Matthew 7:2

And another:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."      

~Matthew 7:3-5

 Now, I do not claim to never cast a judgement on someone.  This post is a reminder to me just as much to anyone else.

 Today, I saw this quote and it inspired me to write this post:

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

~Gandhi

  Honestly, I wouldn't be too open to someone who claimed to believe one thing and saw their actions said otherwise.  Not everyone, but a lot of people know what's in the Bible.  They know that the Bible says to not judge others.  So when they hear or see us making a judgement, it isn't lost on them that we just went against the Word that we claim to be our life book!  When they see how we are rude to others, strangers or acquaintances, they recognize that we've gone against the Lord's second greatest commandment.

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

~Matthew 22:37-39

The last verse I want to share pretty much sums it all up:

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children."

~Ephesians 5:1

Let's strive together to show the world how Jesus would act towards them.  He loves them just as much He loves you and I.  Let's be imitators of Christ.

In Christ's Love,

    Sierra

three doors -- only one left open

I gotta start with a little background first before I go into this really cool story about how God has been working in my life.

 In January, I started cleaning for a homeschool family twice a month.  Since it wasn't all that often, it worked well with my school and my schedule in general.  It left me worn out, but I enjoyed talking to the kids as I cleaned and hearing their stories about Tonka trucks, camping trips, and forts.  This family has four children, but the mom's parents lived with them, also, due to health reasons.

 At the beginning of March, I "accidentally" stumbled across an internship opportunity at the Target Corporate Center in Minneapolis.  It was an internship for the job as a Business Analyst.  Long story short, that job had always sounded very interesting to me and for a really long time, I'd wanted to work at the Target Corporate Center (and truly, I have no idea why...).  So after long nights putting together a resume that actually mattered, a high school transcript, and filling out the application form, I applied for this internship.  I knew that whether or not I got the internship, that whole applying experience was good for me.

 When the middle of March rolled around, my dad took me out for breakfast and told me of yet another opportunity.  First, let me say that he is the co-owner of a small business that builds elevators - nothing electrical, just "the box".  His company builds custom elevators and you can see their work in Chicago, Santa Monica, even Dubai in Abu Dhabi!  Anyway, his two sales men have been asking for a "third person" to deal with emails and some phone calls and handle other odd jobs to help them so they can focus on the bigger things that may (and do) come up.  My dad's co-owner has a son who is my age, and they were thinking that together, this summer, we could fill this position for these sales guys.  My dad told me at breakfast that morning that they were only just considering opening the position but wanted to know if I'd be interested.  I said yes, I'd be interested.

 So when I got home from breakfast that morning, my mind was reeling with questions like, "If I got the internship, what would happen with the cleaning job?" and "If I got the internship and my dad's position, I'd still have the cleaning job - how do I go about that?".  I was worrying about having to make the decision of which job I would have to keep, because I could only take one.

 Well, the week following breakfast with my dad, I got a phone call from the mom of the family I clean for.  A position opened up and she was able to put her parents in a nursing home.  Due to the fact that this opened up a lot of time for her family to be able to keep up the cleaning duties, she didn't need me any longer to clean.  Although I was kind of counting on that extra income, I knew that it was probably for the best, and I wasn't upset or even disappointed.  I had a peace about it.

 Last week, when I was in Virginia, I got an email at 1am as a group of us were sitting around the table playing games and talking.  I could see it was from the Target Corporation and it said that my status had been updated on my account - I had to log in to see it.  So I tried.  Due to several reasons, such as the fact that I was on my phone, plus, it was one o'clock in the morning, I was unable to remember my account information, so I had to wait.  The next morning, I still had no luck, so I texted my sister back home and had her get on my laptop and find my account information.  Finally, I was able to log in!!  What I saw made me almost sigh in relief.  I had not gotten the internship.  My heart barely sank, I was totally fine with it.  Yes, it would have been completely amazing had I gotten the internship, but the months leading up to this summer would have been stressful, I would have been nervous, and I would have been commuting almost an hour and a half each way every day.

 I called my mom and told her.  She said she agreed - it was probably a good thing I didn't get it.  I called my dad.  He didn't answer.  When I got a hold of him 30 minutes later, he said he had been in a meeting.  He had been meeting about that "third person" position (I'm going to have to find a title for that position).  They decided that I could start at the end of April!!!

 Now, if you didn't catch the exciting thing in all that, I will say this:

I had three very open doors.  And one by one, God shut the doors until there was one left open.  And it happened to be the door that I would have felt most comfortable walking into; the one that is more likely to lead to bigger possibilities; the one that I get to work for/with my dad! 

 Only God could do that.

I thank Him I only had to wait in the hallway for a little while...

 I just had to share that with you.  I don't believe in coincidences.  I believe in a God who orchestrates everything according to His purpose.  You probably hear a lot of people say, "we just can't see the bigger picture yet".  Sometimes, in life, people have to wait a long time to see just a glimpse of the bigger picture.  This time, for me, I didn't have to wait very long.  Only three weeks.  But what would have normally been disappointments, got me more and more excited that God had something better in mind.  I didn't have to make that decision.  It was made for me and set before me.  I couldn't ask for anything more.  

 In my Bible study group last night, we read from Ephesians 3.  This is what verses 20 & 21 say, which I believe fit very well with all that I just said:

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen."

To Him be the glory forever and ever!  AMEN!!!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."     ~Romans 8:28

God bless,

  Sierra

This Christmas

 Today, I had thoughts like this running through my head, "I need to wrap those presents at the end of my bed", "I still have so-and-so to buy a gift for...wonder what I should get them".  Today, dozens and dozens of children were trying to shake the horrible memories from Friday.  Today, kids all over the country went to school with fear.  Perhaps teachers did also.  Today, 27 families probably began to think about funerals for their family members, whether they were 6 or 56.  Some of them even buried their loved ones.  They cried once again at the thought of what they went through.

 Over 2,000 years ago, a tiny newborn baby came into this dark, sin-filled world.  And He gave hope.  He gave hope of God's eternal and enduring love.  Hope that we will one day be with Him in heaven.  Hope that, if we just accept Him, we are cleansed from our sins!

 Next Tuesday, twenty homes will be missing a 1st or 2nd grader.  There will be one less child running down the stairs to rip open the presents.  One less child getting dressed up in their new Christmas outfit.  One less child listening to the Christmas story.  It will be a sad, sad day for those families.  Some of us might feel a bit guilty that we are having such a wonderful day with our family.

 When Jesus came as a baby, He gave hope.  He gives us hope everyday.  This Christmas, not even two weeks will have gone by since the horrible tragedy of the Connecticut shooting.  But, this Christmas, Jesus can and will give hope again.  Hope that He is with us always, even when it doesn't really seem like it.  Hope that one day, if the families accept Him, they will see their loved ones again.  Hope that we all can be free from our sins!  Hope that one day, there will be no more pain.  No more tears.  Just smiles, dancing, love, and peace because God give them to us.  He loves us so much!

 This Christmas, be grateful you have your family near you.  Hug each family member and tell them you love them.  Have hope in God.  But most of all, celebrate Jesus' birth.  Celebrate His life that He lived and died for us.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."    ~Revelation 21:4

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.'"    ~Luke 2:13-14

God bless,
    Sierra

good talk.

 As you know, I lead a discipleship group (LIVE for Christ) for girls.  A few weeks ago, as I do every meeting, I gave the girls a challenge to take home to complete by the time the next meeting rolls around.  The two meetings in October, we talked about Courtship.  As I was writing the lesson for the first meeting, I realized I couldn't give them an hour long lesson; so I settled for two meetings instead.  I enjoyed teaching these lessons and learning even more about this way of relationships which is so diverse from what our culture practices today.

 I remember when my mom first told me I'd be "courting".  I was younger, so I didn't completely understand it, and therefore, wasn't able to completely accept it.  But as I've gotten older, I've learned more and decided that I wasn't going to court because my parents were making me.  I was going to court because it was a personal conviction of mine.

 You may be wondering: just what is courting?  Well, it's an alternative to dating.  How is courtship different than dating?  I'll give you a few differences which I showed my LIVE girls a few weeks ago.  This information is taken directly from the book Before I Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally.

•  People date in order have a good time 'right now'.  Many times they're not even ready for marriage.  They aren't planning on a long-term commitment.  But why date and get attached to someone who isn't going to be your life partner?  The world's way is "now oriented" and God's way is "future oriented".
•  Most people plan to date a number of people in order to get to know a variety of people -- then decide whom would be the best to marry.  They don't realize that the process that forms bonds begins with the very first relationship.  And the break-up process is very painful.  The world's way involves the pain of separation.  God's way involves no separation.   
•  The dating we see today is "me oriented" -- to bring me security, enjoyment, fulfillment, etc.  But true love always puts others first and focuses on their needs.  The world's way is to get.  God's way is to give.  1 Corinthians 13:5 says, "...[love] is not self-seeking...".
•  The dating we see today is "me oriented" -- to bring me security, enjoyment, fulfillment, etc.  But true love always puts others first and focuses on their needs.  The world's way is to get.  God's way is to give.  1 Corinthians 13:5 says, "...[love] is not self-seeking...".
•  People start dating long before they are considering marriage.  Just think of all the "dating" happens even in middle school!  Boys and girls "date" because it's a thrill or a tempting experiment - not because they are committed to this person.  The world's way is for pleasure.  God's way is for commitment. 
•  The Bible doesn't give any positive examples of anything even close to dating.  In our modern world, everyone is comfortable with dating simply because everyone does it.  The world's way is built on human thinking, tradition, and culture.  God's way is always based on the Word of God -- biblical standards, principals, and goals.
•  People date, planning to break up if things don't work out.  This seems like practice for divorce -- not marriage!  1 Corinthians 13:7 says, "...[love] always perseveres."  The world's way is temporary.  God's way is permanent.

  I really enjoyed this pin I saw.  Mostly because I can relate.

 The other night, I sat down with my family.  I also needed to complete the challenge I gave 16 other girls to complete.  My dad has always said that us girls (it's just me and my sister who is 13) will only be allowed to date when we are 63 and he is dead.  It's been his answer.  We've just laughed.  I thought it was time we knew.  I will be 18 in three months (eeeek! :D).  I need to know what the process will be.

 He certainly didn't want to talk about this.  In fact, he started off the discussion with "not 'til I'm dead". But we made him get serious.  He said for my sister, nothing is up for discussion.  There will not be any talk of it.  However, when he turned to me he said if any guy came to my dad right now, he would say "no" - that I'm not old enough yet.  I asked, "and what would you say three months from now?"  He said, "Obviously, it would depend on the guy, but it would be a possibility."  Now...you may be thinking: oh my word, that must've been the most unproductive talk ever.  You have no idea just how productive that was!  

 Because he's always been so closed-mouth about it, I've just set standards myself.  But it's really nice to know where my dad stands - and that the standards I've set for myself align with his.  I'm looking forward to entering this stage in life as a team with my parents.  I won't be by myself.  I don't know what I would do without their guidance.

----

341. getting an 'A' on my first college course -- and 3 more credits!

342. scrapbooking and watching the movies for a whole weekend

343. such a blessed LIVE meeting

344. the anticipation of an upcoming party

345. knowing that God is in control

346. God's amazing ways of teaching me things

347. getting a postcard in the mail

348. understanding math

349. beginning to think about a grad party

350. a good night's sleep

 Love in Christ,

    Sierra

in His hands...

 Like many of you, I am disappointed with the results of last night's election.  God has laid it on my heart to search the Scriptures that pertain to this time.

But remember God's promise in Jeremiah 29:11: 

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord.  'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God has got it under control.

 He has it in His hands.

"He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?'  Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves and it was completely calm."   ~Matthew 8:26

God has got it under control.

 He has it in His hands.

 Recall the words to that Sunday school song, "He's got the whole world in His hands!"  

"...the authorities that exist have been established by God."

~Romans 13:1

 God's got it handled.  How can we doubt Him?  He's proven Himself to us over, and over, and over, and over again!

 I believe we do not have the right to judge the one God has appointed in charge of our country.  We need to trust in the Lord that He will work everything out for the good of those who love Him!  Yes, our country may be in trouble right now, but...we have hope.  We have a promise.  In Jesus!

 God bless America!

~Sierra

Example of Leadership

Last week, I started my very first college course.  Yes, I've taken several tests, but as far as courses with assignments and deadlines go, this is the first.  So far I'm liking it!  Of course if you were a fly on the wall at my home, you would think otherwise, but that's just because it's a stressful week this week and next. :P  But, I am enjoying it and learning a lot already!  I'm so excited as this 8 week course continues because I'll be able to apply what I'm learning immediately in my LIVE for Christ group and also as I'm co-teaching Sunday school...and any other leadership the Lord brings me this year or in my future.

 So in the first week, I have to read a book called Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  In this book, Goodwin talks a lot about different leadership skills -- especially those of Abraham Lincoln.  I'm sure everyone has probably heard that Lincoln was a humble man.  Reading this book (the whopping 3 of 26 chapters that I've read), I've found out what he did in his humility.  Below are some notes I took about how Lincoln was humble and a good leader.

• Lincoln was a loyal friend
• during the 1860 presidential election, he was patiently awaiting the outcome, and would accept whatever it was
• though he experienced many disappointments in his life, he never gave up, he pushed through.  Yes, he got discouraged, but he kept going - he moved on.
• Lincoln was a great public speaker
• he was very consistent - people trusted him
• although Stanton said rude things to and about him, Lincoln forgave him and moved past it.  He rose above his hurt and actually gave Stanton the highest post of power that was in Lincoln's authority to do: secretary of war.  I wish I could rise above previous hurts and offenses like that.  It's something I definitely need to work on.
• He put himself out there and got involved with the public.  While he did this, Lincoln was attentive to those he conversed with; paid attention to what the public wanted.
• he purposefully kept a good track record during the running in case "people gave up on their first love", he would be someone they could fall back on, and wouldn't regret doing so.
• Lincoln always reconciled any differences between he and others
• he was ambitious; he wanted to win just like any of the other candidates did.  However, he didn't allow his want for success to destroy or damage his relationship or his character.

 I admire Lincoln for his humility and his "down-to-earth" personality.  These are great attributes of a good leader and I pray that the Lord will help me acquire some of these characteristics.

This week month I'm thankful for... [I know, it's been a month already since I've last done this!  I'll get better at posting these again...I hope :) just take note that these are from this past 30 days.]

281. the Lord providing me opportunities to lead
282. a great turnout for the LIVE pool party
283. hanging out with Lydia
284. long phone calls with Cassie
285. dipping cake pops with Emily
286. the opportunity to serve someone in need with my youth group
287. the surprise of Laura coming to stay
288. the blessing of meeting and seeing again CP friends
289. an all-girl video call
290. friends who pray for me
291. completing all my assignments my first week of my first college course!
292. a renunion with the Brazil team
293. finding out one of our translators from Brazil is coming to visit us
294. Lydia allowing me to stay at her house this past weekend while I'm in her area for a job
295. my sister filling in for me at work while I was gone
296. my dad helping me study for a test
297. finally getting a song out of my head (yes, it's that song. :P)
298. getting good grades on my first assignments
299. my mom helping me with school
300. God's sustenance through this past weekend

Love,
    Sierra

Public Love for Jesus

 I'm sure by now, almost everyone know who Gabby Douglas is.  The 16-year old, two-time gold Olympic medalist gymnast.  But that's not all she is.  And she hasn't been hiding it.  She's a believer.

 It's hard to share your faith.  Especially if it's on [inter]national television.  When Gabby won all-around gold, she publicly gave all the glory to God.  In her words, "It's a win-win situation: all glory goes up to Him, and all the blessings fall down on me."  There may be quite a few Olympians in London this year who are believers.  Maybe even some have publicly made that known -- we just haven't seen it.  But there are definitely some who don't want it known.  They don't want to be judged or to have a stereo-type placed on them.  When asked what motivates her, Gabby said meditating on Scripture -- and that the Bible was very important to her.  This young lady also said her cool-down music playlist includes Christian artist Natalie Grant.

 You can't pin point what you would say in a hypothetical situation.  But I pray and hope that I would trust in God and give Him the glory publicly and not hide what I believe.

 I watched a video of Gabby's pastor interviewing/praying over her before she left for London.  He sent her away with one of my favorite Bible passages.

"You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."   ~Matthew 5:14-16

 She certainly took that Scripture with her in her heart and mind to London.  Congratulations, Gabby, for winning Gold at the Olympics, but most importantly, for unashamedly glorifying our Lord and shining your light for Him.

This week month I'm thankful for... (since I haven't done this in forever, these are going to be from the past month or two):

261. seeing God work in very evident ways

262. having the privilege of staying with my grandpa for a few days

263. God providing me with jobs

264. having the opportunity to co-teach Sunday school this fall

265. rainy days

266. a warm bed

267. air-conditioning

268. my new laptop

269. friends who I get to meet in 3 weeks!  eeek!! :-D

270. getting post cards and letters

271. four Bible verses of the day all surrounding one topic

272. swimming on hot days

273. Toby Mac's new song, Me Without You

274. watching the Olympics

275. shopping with my mom

276. planning this LIVE year

277. comfy socks

278. random discounts at stores

279. shopping with my sister

280. going to the movies with my brother

Love,

  Sierra

The Avengers vs. Jesus

 Last weekend, I went to see The Avengers with some friends.  I wasn't really expecting to like the movie since I'm not really into superheroes and I knew nothing about any of these heroes.  Of course, I'd heard my brother talk about them, but besides their names, I couldn't have cared less. :)

 So when I saw The Avengers, I was very surprised that I liked it!  I didn't just like it as in "oh, it was okay for a superhero movie".  I liked it as in, "Woah!  That was awesome, let's quote the movie all the way home!". :)  But that night, as I was doing my devotions, my verse of the day was Psalm 33:20 which says, "...He is our help and our shield".  I thought it was funny how God put that verse there for me to see that night.  He was reminding me that He is THE superhero!  There are six main Avengers, which, put all together are a forced to be reckoned with (by humans).  However, Jesus is one -- just one -- whose qualities and abilities surpass these six superheroes all together.

 Steve Rogers, once a puny, soldier-wanna-be, became Captain America in the 1940's when Mr. Stark (Iron Man's father) did an experiment on him, which resulted in him becoming super strong.  Captain America's weapon is not only his strength, but his shield which is made of the remaining of a rare element.  As seen in the movie Captain America, he sacrifices his life to save New York City.  He crashes an aircraft and supposedly dies, yet, when the aircraft is discovered in 2011, he is found frozen -- but he's still alive.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield..."   ~Psalm 28:7

Romanoff: they're basically gods. [describing Loki & Thor]

Captain A: Ma'am, there's only one God and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that.

 One part of the Captain America movie that stood out to me was when Steve Rogers was still the weakling.  He had enlisted in the Army and was in training when a sergeant, who didn't believe Rogers was good enough to be in the Army, threw an object and shouted grenade.  The other soldiers in training all ran and hid, but Rogers jumped on top of the "grenade" to protect everyone else.  That shows what kind of man Steve Rogers is.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."   ~Romans 5:8

 Thor, the Norse god of thunder, also has out-of-this-world strength.  He has some back-story, but since I haven't seen Thor, the movie, I don't know what it is. ;)  His weapon is a hammer which, I think, has some magnetic pull to Thor, so whenever he reaches for it, no matter where it is, it flies at him.

Banner: I don't think we should be focusing on Loki.  That 

guy's brain is a bag full of cats.  You can smell crazy on him.

Thor: Have a care how you speak....He is my brother.

Romanoff: he killed eighty people in two days.

Thor: He's adopted.

"Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"  ~Jeremiah 23:29

 Bruce Banner is a regular man who becomes Hulk -- an ugly green giant.  Although Banner can work hard to control himself from becoming Hulk, when he transforms into the monster, he is no longer in control of himself and ends up hurting those he cares about.  Hulk's strength is just as great as his size.

Loki: I have an army.

Stark: We have a Hulk.

I liked Banner a lot better than Hulk.  Plus, I thought Hulk was scary.  Hence this photo.

"...And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear..."                          ~1 Corinthians 10:13

"my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.  He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior -- from violent people you save me."                                         ~2 Samuel 22:3

 Iron Man was created by multi-billionaire, genius, and head of Stark Industries, Tony Stark.  Stark has designed an iron outfit that can make him fly, can endure tons of strength, and is embedded with the latest technology.

Rogers: Stark, we need a plan of attack!

Stark: I have a plan: attack!

"...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."   ~Matthew 6:8

"...He is their stronghold in time of trouble."   ~Psalm 37:39

 Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, is a main character in this movie, however I don't think she's very "superhero-y".  She can certainly fight, and aim guns, but I don't know if she's actually a superhero.  

Stark: Guys, I'm bringing the party to you!

[Iron Man leads bad guys to rest of The Avengers]

Romanoff: I don't see how that's a party.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."   ~Proverbs 31:30

 Hawkeye.  I'd never heard of him before.  He started as a bad guy, but then he converted. :)  He could shoot his bow and arrow like a pro and he's scaling a building in the photo below! 

Romanoff: This is just like Budapest all over again!

Hawkeye: You and I remember Budapest very differently.

"But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down."    ~Psalm 64:7

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."    ~John 10:28

 Now, that verse was God talking!  No earthly, man-made superhero.  A heavenly, Creator of earth, out-of-this-world superhero.  One who didn't get His strength from being an experiment's guinea pig, or from lightning or from inventing his own iron suit complete with advanced technology.  God isn't superficial.  He's not "too good to be true".  He's as real as the air we are breathing.  He's "the way, the truth, and the life".  

 The Avengers was a good movie.  I can see why little boys like pretending to be superheroes -- they get to save the day!  But no Superman, Iron Man, Captain America can compare to my superhero.

Jesus.  He's my superhero.

Love in Christ,
   Sierra

Do Everything

  In 2011, Steven Curtis Chapman released a new album called re:creation.  The first track on this album is titled Do Everything.

  This song reminds us that "Little stuff/Big stuff/In between stuff/God sees it all the same".  God made us to do everything for His glory.  So we would bring a smile to His face.  No one else's.  God's.

 I used to think that "doing something for God" would be hard, no matter how big or small, it's difficult and not desirable.  How wrong I was!  Over the past week, I've been looking at the ways I've been able to serve the Lord.  Who I feel called to?; How I am to reach them?;  What will I reach them with?.  I wrote more about this in my post Great Expectations.  Anyway, as I've been looking back, I've noticed something I hadn't actually noticed before.  I feel called to serve young ladies (ages 8-18).  I knew that.  God has provided me ways of using my calling.  I knew that.  I've led small groups of girls of all ages, at discipleship groups, church, and even at a video conference.  I've taught lessons at multiple discipleship groups (including my own), and church.  I've started two discipleship groups; and one of those I "founded".  As those experiences came to me, they came one at a time.  But as I look back, every single one of those opportunities match my calling perfectly!  They all have to do with leading/teaching young ladies ages 8-18 (sometimes younger)!  Back to the first sentence of this paragraph.  Yes, sometimes God does give us difficult tasks.  But it certainly doesn't mean everything he wants us to do is hard!

 Leading LIVE, and when I used to lead Bright Lights, I love it!  I love preparing the lessons and the rest of the meeting, I love having the meetings and seeing the girls, but most of all, I love seeing the girls grow.  Same as with those opportunities I had, when I see one of my LIVE girls each meeting, I may not notice the difference right away.  But if I look back to when we started and where they are now, they've grown up, they've grown more mature, they've grown in the Lord.  That has to be one of the biggest blessings.  But seeing them grow, is not the only way God has shown me that what I'm doing is what He wants.  The girls enjoy coming which is another blessing!  If they can't come, they're disappointed.  They show their excitement by completing the challenge their given, by smiling when they walk in the door, by opening up and being silly sometimes, by having fun in the games and song time.  Another way God has shown me His approval is that the parents support this ministry.  I get emails from parents saying they appreciate what I'm doing, they bring their girls each meeting, they allow their girls to take time and complete the "homework".

 But it's not always easy.  I have to admit that there are some days when I'd rather not make the effort to plan and prepare.  It's not always convenient to clean the house on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  And for my family, on those "some days", I get stressed and it's not easy to live with me.  But also on those "some days", those are the meetings I most enjoy.  Those are the days when the meeting didn't just go well, it was fun for everyone including me.  It's almost as if God is telling me, "I never told you it'd be easy.  But it is worth it, isn't it?"

 Do Everything is a blunt reminder of what we are all here on this earth for.  We were created to please God, to worship and glorify Him, to bring a smile to His face.  And if that's not our purpose, what is?  We wouldn't have one.  The answer to the time-old question of, "What was I put on this earth for?" would be, "nothing".  Can you honestly imagine being put on this earth for no other reason but to be here.

 Remember our purpose.  Remember to make God smile.  Remember to do everything for His glory.

 God bless,
   Sierra

Living in the Moment

 I read something in the Bible the other night.  It's found in Luke 10:39-42 and it says,

"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!'  'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed -- or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"

 This was part of my Christmas Bible plan I'm going through right now.  Especially during this time of the year, how often do we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season?  Many people this time of year are thinking about Christmas plans, Christmas gifts, school mid-terms, and getting distracted by so much more. I, myself, have been very wrapped up in school this month so far.  Studying for the Introductory Psychology CLEP test has been difficult, and if you know me, you know that I don't deal well under stress.  I encourage you not to get caught up in "tomorrow", but live in the precious moment you're in.

"Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future.  Today is a gift -- which is why they call it the present."    ~Bill Keane

 In other news, I passed my Introductory Psychology CLEP test this morning!  That brings me to 27 college credits!  I have one more test to go before I become a college Sophomore!

This week I'm thankful for...
141. fabulous performances of my church's Christmas play
142. being able to be a part of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
143. willing, helpful friends
144. another great LIVE for Christ meeting
145. seeing The Gospel According to Scrooge with my family
146. making cards all day
147. Grandpa visiting
148. girls' movie night with my mom and sister
149. prayer call with people around the country
150. passing Introductory Psychology

My favorite Christmas album this week is: How Many Kings - Songs for Christmas by Downhere

 In Christ,
     ~Sierra~

Following a Mission Statement

 Recently, I was reading a book by Mindy Starns Clark.  In this book, the main character works for a very rich and generous man who gives grants to non-profit organizations.  The job of this main character is to research about the organization and determine whether or not they are deserving of this grant; she checks to see if they're using their money wisely, etc.  It is noted in the book that she always starts off by reading the organization's mission statement to see what they claim to do and be and then goes on to see if they actually follow this statement.

 About a day after I read this book, my mom and I had a long discussion on following mission statements while we were on a walk.  In my post Great Expectations, I included my life's mission statement.  What my goal is for my life.  Anyway, on this walk, we talked about how it is so easy to stray from the mission statement that we have set either for our own lives, maybe a business, etc.  The phrase "easier said than done" applies very literally to this topic.  You can write an awesome mission statement in five minutes, and even mean it, but it takes patience, diligence, and God's help to actually follow the statement.

 As you may know, I lead a discipleship group called LIVE for Christ in my home.  When you start a business or a Bible study, or, in my case, a discipleship group, you should have a mission or vision statement.

  The mission of LIVE for Christ is to direct young ladies ages 8 to 17 to live their life honoring their heavenly Father.  Lessons focus on respecting the Lord, others, and themselves as they walk with the Lord.  Learning to fear Him, not man, and make the Scriptures a vital part of their lives is the main concept of LIVE.  Through lessons, games, and at-home challenges, girls are encouraged to live their lives fully for God as His daughters and be example to others by shining their light.

 For me, it is sometimes challenging to make sure everything I plan in a LIVE meeting, ties back to my mission statement.  This also allows the girls' parents to know what their daughters are attending.  There are no surprises as far as activities they won't approve of.

 This planning takes careful consideration.  I can't imagine how churches, youth groups, and large organizations can make sure their activities follow their mission statement.  I'm sure we can all come up with at least three church related activities that haven't matched their mission statement.  These inconsistencies can cause people to leave a church, can cause hurt relationships, and even cause a slow straying from God.

 So what's your mission statement?  What's it for: your life, business, group or Bible study?  And, most importantly, are you following it?  Am I following mine?  Are we asking God for His guidance and help?

 Have a blessed week!

 Sierra