Here’s my first oil painting.  It’s unfinished, the background is muddy, and the middle of the shirt needs attention.  I’ll fix it but wanted to get it in here now.

The title is “Waiting” and helps illustrate contentment and patience.

We are waiting on our house to sell here so we can join Bill in California.  By God’s grace I do feel content.  I’m happy developing my art and homeschooling the kids.  Bill has a ministry with several guys in Los Angeles that he wouldn’t otherwise have.  So we “will serve Him while we’re waiting” as the song goes.

Really cute, great kid!  This one is going to go far because he has great character.  Apparently Norman Schwarzkopf said, “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character.  But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”

Timmy’s eyebrow is not as pronounced as I’ve drawn it, but I wanted to play off the Harry Potter theme of being uniquely chosen.  Timothy is not THE chosen one, but A chosen one – called to give God glory.

“I am one of your chosen people, O God, part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that I may declare the praises of You who called me out of darkness into Your wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9

Live model drawing in charcoal from Mr. Gifford Nicolaides class.  (His father wrote The Natural Way to Draw.)

Mr. Nic let me borrow his white chalk pencil and it made a huge difference.  The highlights are much better.

I felt great that the model and her sister loved the drawing.

This was my first commissioned drawing!  I had such fun with it!  The light play yielded several heart-shaped spaces that were sweet to see.  Under the stripes in the shirt I wrote:

“Walk in the light as He is in the light”

“Shine”

“Let your light shine before men”

Laura’s two older brothers were in my art class last year and they were awesome!

Spring of 09 I started drawing portraits and did my wonderful and fun husband first.  I like the proportions and texture here.  I also like it that the photo reference was from a headshot taken at the Renaissance Center, which is our favorite building in Kingsport.  The Theatre, Art Guild, Gallery, and Blender 3-D Animation classes are all housed under one roof here.  There are so many wonderful people we’ve enjoyed here.

I usually have only one opportunity a day to have a spiritual interaction with Daniella.  When that time comes I haven’t been taking advantage of it because I think I’ll have another opportunity that day and I’ll be ready or feel prepared.  From now on, I’m going to listen to the Spirit and see if NOW isn’t the right time.  God loves her so much more than I do and I know he’ll reach her heart somehow.  If he chooses me I’m trusting him to make me ready right then.

A very talented and creative 10 year old boy named Christian wrote the following play for our class. He agreed to let me post it here for others to benefit from his work. If you find it useful please email him at: charsketch@yahoo.ca. He also mentions there is one error in the script that you can change if you want to.

FINDING URANUS

CAST:

Ensemble= Customers, Government Officials, Herschel Children, Audience /Hecklers

William

Caroline

Father/ Walking Dictionary

Mother

Ensemble (GO#1)

Announcer/Ensemble (C#1, GO# 2)

Customer # 3/ Fritz Herschel

SCENE 1

The Herschel who Homeschool

(Enter Mother, Father, William, Caroline, and All Herschel Children)

FATHER: (Speaks with the air of a Very Intelligent Person) Now. Sit down, Fritz, and stop fidgeting, for goodness sake! Ok, now we can continue. Math lesson. (Writes 2+2 on board. William raises his hand.) Yes, William!

WILLIAM: It’s five, Father! It’s Five!

FATHER: Eeer… No, William, just a Bit wrong… (Caroline raises her Hand) Yes, Caroline.

CAROLINE: (Speaks Wisely) Four.

FATHER: Yes, Caroline.

CAROLINE: William was wrong, Wasn’t he father?

FATHER: Eeer… Yes, Caroline. William was slightly wrong.

CAROLINE: Hah! I Told you That you Couldn’t do math, mister Two- Plus- Two- is Five Herschel!!!! (William Sticks out his tongue)

FATHER: Eeer… yes, Caroline… (Slightly more confident) Now. Music Lesson. Repeat: (Sings Horribly) LA!!!!!!!

ALL BUT FRITZ: LA!!!!!!!

FRITZ: Ha, ha! I mean- LA!!!!!!!!

FATHER: Ok that went well. Now, My Favorite; ASTRONOMY!!!!! Ok, now: (Draws the simple star shape) What’s This?

CAROLINE: a Supernova!

WILLIAM: No, you silly girl! (To FATHER) A comet!

FATHER: (highly aggravated) No!!! No, no, no, no! (To MOTHER) YOU teach them! They’re YOUR children! (Goes and sits)

MOTHER: All Right now, If Y plus 17 equals 20, then Y equals…

END OF SCENE 1

SCENE 2

Goodbye, Germany! Hello, England!

(Enter William, Caroline, and Mother)

CAROLINE: Goodbye, Mom!

WILLIAM: Goodbye, Mom!

MOTHER: Oh, no you don’t Caroline Herschel! You are going to stay here and be my servant for the rest of my life!

CAROLINE: No, actually, mom, William and I are going to England!

MOTHER: No, Actually, Caroline, YOU are staying right here and mopping the floors, feeding the fish, cleaning the house, washing the dishes -

CAROLINE: Don’t we have a dishwasher?

MOTHER: Those haven’t been invented yet.

CAROLINE: Oh.

WILLIAM: (from the door) Caroline! I’m leaving without you!

MOTHER: See? See? I TOLD you that you were staying!

CAROLINE: He was just kidding, mom! (To WILLIAM) I’m Coming! (Runs out door)

MOTHER: Oh, then who’s going to mop the floors, feed the fish, clean the house, Or wash the dishes?

FATHER off right) You Will!

END OF SCENE 2

SCENE 3

The tiring opera, the wonderful telescopes!

(Enter ANNOUNCER)

ANNOUNCER: And Now, William and Cordyline Herschel–

CAROLINE: (Offstage) Caroline!

ANNOUNCER: Caroline, I mean, will be Performing…uh…

WILLIAM: (Also Offstage) Jingle Bells!

ANNOUNCER: Jumble Bulls!

WILLIAM: Sigh… Announcers… (Enters with CAROLINE)

CAROLINE: Ladies and Gentlemen! (Everybody keeps chatting and talking) Friends, Romans and Countrymen! (Everybody keeps chatting and talking) Dearly beloved! (Everybody keeps chatting and talking) (Desperate now) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury! (Everybody keeps chatting and talking) SHUT UP!!!!!!!!

PAUSE

Thank You. Now, Jingle Bells!

(Sings Horribly) Ji-i-ingle Be-e-e-lls, Ji-i-ingle Be-e-e-lls, Ji-i-ingle a-a-all the wa-a-ay! (Hecklers yell and throw fruit) (Dodging fruit) o-o-o-oh wha-a-a-a!! HELP ME WILLIAM! (Hecklers chase WILLIAM and CAROLINE off.)

(SCENE CHANGE: WILLIAM AND CAROLINE’S TELESCOPE SHOP)

WILLIAM: Well, That went well!

CAROLINE: I don’t know WHY dad ever got us interested in music! That wasn’t even the worst production!

WILLIAM: Yeah, remember that production in the Shakespeare theatre?

CAROLINE: (Shudders) Don’t remind me! (Both Laugh )

WILLIAM: Sash! Here comes today’s first customer! Now, remember, let me do the talking! (Business- like) Now ma’am-

CUSTOMER #1: No, No, No, I’m Very, very, very, sorry but imp in a big, big, big hurry. One telescope, here’s, uh… (Glances at sign marked ONE TELESCOPE FOR 5 POUNDS) 5 pounds. Thank you very much now bye!

WILLIAM: (glances down at the absent- minded customer’s 6 pounds) Eeer… Ok… (Enter CUSTOMER # 2) Ah! Sir! What would–

CUSTOMER # 2: YOU like for sight- seeing, Do-nny? Telescopes! That’s right! At Herschel’s Telescopes, we know that telescopes make the best Sight-seeing! So-

WILLIAM: Oh, be quiet! (Shoves CUSTOMER # 2 Offstage) Now.

CAROLINE: I think that we should be getting home now. It’s getting late.

WILLIAM: Yeah, I think you’re right. (Packs up telescopes) Last one to the house is a bowl of rotten Mittelscharf! (Both exit quickly)

END OF SCENE 3

SCENE 4

Finally, we discover URANUS!!

(Enter WILLIAM)

WILLIAM: Phew! That was an exhausting day. Now I can sit back, relax, and- hey, where’s Caroline?

CAROLINE: (enter) I’m right here, William. Now, I just saw something through your Exo- super ultra uber-power telescope! It doesn’t look like a meteorite; it can’t be a star–

WILLIAM: Let me look. (Looks in exo- super ultra- uber- powered telescope)

CAROLINE: I think it’s a comet.

WILLIAM: But it looks like a disk! Comets look like – like- little white smudge things!

CAROLINE: what else could it be? It Can’t be a comet, meteor, meteorite, asteroid… Surely it’s not another planet!

WILLIAM: (‘lightbulb moment’) Of Course! Let it be known that on this day, William X. Herschel discovered the 7^th planet!

CAROLINE: All right, all right, but what are we going to name it?

WILLIAM: Well, we’re going to name it George, of course!

CAROLINE: Uh, George??

WILLIAM: After King George, of course!

CAROLINE: Um, shouldn’t we follow the old tradition and name it after one of the roman gods? I mean, it look pretty strange to say ‘Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, George’, Wouldn’t it?

WILLIAM: Of Course not! We’re Christians, not Pagans! We’ll call it George!

CAROLINE: How about … Hmm… Uranus?

WILLIAM: George!

CAROLINE: Uranus!

WILLIAM: George!

CAROLINE: Uranus!

WILLIAM: George!

CAROLINE: Uranus!

WILLIAM: George!

CAROLINE: Uranus!

WILLIAM: Fine! Have it YOUR Way! Then everybody will think that we’re PAGANS!!!

CAROLINE: Uranus! Nice name. Glad you thought of it!

WILLIAM: I didn’t, you id…! never mind…

END OF SCENE 4

SCENE 5

Government Officials at your Door?

(Enter WILLIAM and CAROLINE)

WILLIAM: Well, That was a tiring- (knocking sound) What’s that?

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL # 1: Open up, in the name of the government!

WILLIAM: (opens Door) Hello, Who’s–

GO#1: (Barges in with GO#2, taking notes on a notepad) All right, now, come on the governments waiting for you to make the announcement about you discovering Herschel, the 7^th planet From the Sun!

WILLIAM: Actually, it’s called–

CAROLINE: Uranus!

WILLIAM: You mean, its–

GO#1: Well, why not Herschel? After all, you find it!

WILLIAM: We’re going to call it–

CAROLINE: Following the old tradition, we are naming it after a Roman god, Uranus!

GO#1: Interesting name! Who thought of it?

CAROLINE: William di-

WILLIAM: (shouting )GEORGE!

(Pause; all look at WILLIAM )

GO#2: (suddenly animated) George who…?

WILLIAM: King George! THE King George!

GO#2: uh, what about him?

WILLIAM: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!!!!

CAROLINE: ‘Yaaaaaarrgh?’ What does ‘Yaaaaaarrgh’ mean? And what does it have to do with this conversation?

WALKING DICTIONARY: (enters) YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!: an expression of frustration, invented by William Herschel in the 18^th century, used commonly to express anger when people misunderstand your meaning of GEORGE!(exits )

CAROLINE: Um, What’s with the walking dictionary thing?

CHRIS: (offstage) my sister thought it up! Blame her!

CAROLINE: alright, back to the 18^th century.

GO#2: anyway, you are going to come with us, and find more comets and stuff!

CAROLINE: Ok!

WILLIAM: Ok!

(All Exit)

BOWS:

Ensemble

Mother and Father

Fritz

William and Caroline (William still muttering ‘George, Uranus, Herschel, George, Uranus, Herschel,’ etc.)

I love the way Aaron is learning to study his Bible. Here are my notes for this week’s study. Please let me know if you use this because it’s tremendously encouraging to know. Thanks!

James 2 Week 3

Do three things each day as you read the chapter at least once each day:

1. Using a pen, put a triangle around the words related to God (Jesus, Lord, He, Himself, Father, Him).
2. Circle the time words (but, therefore)
3. Color “faith” green for growing
4. Again, who is the letter to? Draw small blue circles on top of the word “brethren”
5. Using a pen, draw ten-commandment type tablets around the words “law” and “word.”
6. Color “works” brown.
7. Draw a sunburst around the words “see” or “show.”
8. Find the opposites and write them in the margin in blue with a slash between the words*:
9. Using green ink, find the similies and divide them with a colon.
10. List three reasons to not show favoritism (write by the verses)
11. List how the faith and works problem is solved
12. List the two things that perfect your faith
13. Find the key verse of the chapter and circle the number
14. Write a good title for the chapter – what is the theme?
15. Write the topics, like paragraph divisions, in the margin.

* 8. opposites I found: rich man/poor man, love your neighbor/partiality, mercy/judgment

9. Similies I found: law: word of Christ and God, faith: works, body and spirit = life: faith and works = life, body with no spirit: faith with no works.

James

Supplies needed:

copy of James double spaced, with 1 to 1.5 inch margins

ink pen(s) with black, red, green, blue colors

colored pencils or a pale highlighter

Week 1: Read the entire book Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Observe how James introduces a subject then follows it up with more information.

Week 2: Read Chapter 1 every day this week while looking for the following:

Use the right margin for all, except #15. Write that in the left margin.

Do three things each day (see underlined numbers).

1. Using a pen, put a triangle around the words related to God (Jesus, Lord, He, Himself, Father, Him).

2. Circle the time words (but, therefore)

3. Using colored pencils or a pale highlighter, color “faith” green for growing.

4. Who is the letter to? Draw small blue circles (3) on top of the words “brethren” and “twelve tribes.”

5. Color “trial” and “tempted” the same color.

6. Using a pen, draw ten-commandment type tablets around the words “law” and “word.”

7. Draw a red tongue above the word “tongue.”

8. Color the words “doer” and “works” brown.

9. Using blue ink find opposites and list them with a back slash between.

10. Using green ink find similes and divide them with a colon (:).

11. Make lists in the margin using black ink. A. Trials, B. God, C. How to Get Wisdom,

12. There is a progression in v. 14 – 15. Write this out using arrows to connect following events. Label it Temptation.

13. Using black ink make a list of what you learn about God in Chapter 1. Write verse numbers by each idea.

14. Find the key verse of the chapter and write a good title for the chapter. What is the chapter’s theme?

15. Find topics and list them in the left margin.

Was this helpful to you?  Please email me at steelefamily@embarqmail.com and let me know if it is helpful.

While we were at the Zoo last week Daniella wanted a Slushie. I try not to buy anything extra when we go out, so when I agreed the kids were happy! I even went back to buy popcorn. While I stood in line, Bethany came and compassionately said Daniella spilled the Slushie. Refills were only $1.00, but the kids didn’t know that.

I finished in line and walked to the picnic table to see Daniella crying and hanging her head. I gave her the new drink and said it would be okay. The wind was so strong that a blast most likely blew the drink over. Daniella didn’t feel much better so I asked if she’d like to sit in my lap. She said yes! I liked that. I straddled the bench and Daniella leaned back against my chest. I held her around the waist with my hand full of popcorn and she pretended to be an animal eating out of my hand. When my hand was empty she turned it upside down and shook it. We laughed. I got another handful of popcorn and we continued that way until all four of us consumed what was in the pail.