Family

The love of a family no one can surpass.

The kindness of a family is like a wild flower forever in bloom.

Their understanding is like a gentle breeze on a lake.

They are always there to pick you up when you fall.

There is a river of joy constantly overflowing.

How can you ask for anything more?

When you are with your family, there is no reason to fear anything.

You can ask for a hug without feeling silly.

There will never be an emptiness when you are with family.

You never need to ask for help, they always seem to know.

They will always give you support when you need it.

How can you ask for anything more?

Family- Someone, or multiple people, who you can love, trust, depend on, enjoy and run to in time of need.

This weekend my family spent time with some friends of ours (post soon to come) and there I found one definition of family. A family does not have to be your blood relation. Through the Lord, it could be a church body or close friends. I have been learning that for the last year, but it hit me hard this past weekend. Because of Jesus Christ, I have a sister in England and two Aunts here. I also have a fellowship that loves me and who I would not trade for anyone in the world. I have brothers and sisters all over the world. We all have the same Father. I count it an honor to be related in the Lord to the family we spent the weekend with, my church group, and my immediate family members. I love you all!

The Promise of A Sunrise

The Promise of A Sunrise

This last school year, my sister and I started a writing program called One Year Adventure Novel. As you can tell by the title of the program, it is not your average writing program. Daniel Schwabauer, the teacher, teaches how to write an adventure novel. It is a very fun program. :) There is a student forum where you can meet other kids from across the country.... I mean across the world, who also love to write.

Anyhow, I have been wanting to post some of my novel for awhile. Here is a small summary of what I have written. In The Promise Of A Sunrise, Margaret is reading the following letter:

Dear Captain Taylor,
I am writing to tell you that everything is going as planned. I need you to write to my sister, Margaret Kennedy. On the little sheet of paper I have enclosed, is her address. No one must see this address except for you. I fear my family is in danger. I looked around the desk to see if there was a little scrap of paper, but to no avail. Captain Taylor must have hidden the paper. I continued to read. She needs to know what is going on. Do not tell her the plan in your letter. I have 8 other siblings, who sometimes can be very nosy. You are a smart man, Zachary, find a way to get her to the camp. Then take her far away... away somewhere were she will be safe. You know what to do after that.

Second Lieutenant M. Kennedy


P.S. Don’t worry about the rest of my family right now. I will take care of them. Margaret is the one who is in the most danger.


When I finished reading the letter, a thousand questions spun in my head. ‘What does Matthew mean by ‘everything is going as planned’? What plan was Matthew talking about and why hasn’t Captain Taylor told me anything about it yet? Once Captain Taylor got me to the camp, then what? How is our family in danger? What danger am I in?’





Stay tuned for more......

A Winter Ball

In February, my friend and I put on a Homeschool Winter Ball. We had a blast. It was held at the Sisters Community Church here in Oregon. We did civil war dancing and there were all types of costumes there. We had about 300 people and it was a little hard to dance, but the last Homeschool Ball was 2-3 years prior. So, I can understand the excitement. :)

Here are a few pictures of the night.

My family and my friends family (the one who helped to put it on) got to the church about 2-3 hours early so that we could set up. So, there was a little bit of hairdressing in the bathroom.:)



The lovely flowers sitting on the food table.


This is one of my little ballet girls. She and her family were able to come and I think they had a great time.


Our dance caller. :)


A friend of mine and me.


PEOPLE!!!!!!


MORE PEOPLE!


We did a married couples waltz. Taylor, two friends of ours and myself played Ashoken Farwell. (left to right: Me, Taylor, Becky K and her brother Tobin K.)


The waltzing couples. :D


More music.


Taylor dancing :)


Taylor with one of her partners and Jarod (his back to the camera with the green shirt) with one of his.


More people and more dancing.


How about that for a lot of people?


Our dance caller and his daughter.


From left to right: Me, Taylor, my friend who helped with the ball, and one of her friends.


CLEAN UP!






CLEA.... whoops, that is not part of the clean up. :P


THE END!

Our God Of The Universe

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." ~Psalm 19

About two weeks ago, my family and I watched a movie called Apollo 13.



If you have not seen it, it is about the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. It is a good movie. I am afraid that if I tell anymore, I will give the movie away. :) One day later, I slept out under the stars with some friends on their tramp. I was in awe. Our universe is so big, so gigantic, that we can only reach the moon. When I looked up at the stars, I felt small and insignificant, yet a God who is bigger then the universe and who can measure it with the span of His hand (Isaiah 40:12), can love me. God can name every star in the sky, yet He still loves me.

"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." ~Psalm 147:4-5

Another Camping Trip ~ Part 2, The Rest Of The Trip

I know this post is long over due.....

The night we arrived at the ranch the owner decided to kick off the branding by blowing up a bomb. This is something you do not try at home. That was just a little bit of excitement that happened. :D


Chad and the oldest boy had lots of fun sword fighting with plastic swords when there was a lull in the activity. Here is a small video that I put together. :)




When we were not watching the calves being branded, we were playing airsoft, laughing about silly things, playing games, and playing on a big tube that we would walk across the yard. Here are a few pictures. :)


When we got bored pushing it around on the grass we found a new way of doing it. :D
Looks like trouble, right? Well, take a look at these next pictures. Can you see the foot in this picture?





Yes, we actually pushed him down the steps.....

We had fun time out there and hope to go back. Thanks G family for having us! :)

Another Camping Trip ~ Part 1, Branding

This past weekend we went back out the ranch that I have posted about before, click here if you don't remember. While we were out there, they branded calves. That was pretty fun to see. I have never really seen it done before. Here are some pictures......


This one is down the road from where we were staying. Sorry, I just had to put it in. :P


Grooming before hand


Dad


The boys (Chad, Jarod, and two boys of the family we went to see.)


The boys


Herding the cattle











Let the branding begin!




I love this picture!




"No! I don't want to go"












Jarod branding a calf


I think this picture is cool too. :)


It was a cold day, but it was fun to see. We got up to the barn about 8:00 am for breakfast and shortly after we ate, the branding started. It went until 2:00 or 3:00 pm. After that some of the group went shooting. Those pictures will be in the next post. For dinner we were back at the barn again.
Thanks to my wonderful sister for the amazing pictures!