New Children's Church Classes

I am so excited about our new children's classes at our church (Marshall COGOP). I really enjoy working with the kiddos and we are growing! We now have two Sunday School classes, one for 3-9 year olds (2s can come if they bring a parent!) which I teach and one for our tweens (10-13 year olds) that my sis teaches. We are starting a VeggieTales unit on the Pirates that don't do Anything movie in my class. Then we go out and join the adults for P&W and right before preaching they are dismissed to nursery and children's church. Nursery is for 8 months - 3 years old and I have 4 teams of 2 volunteers that rotate each week. I am so thankful to my daddy, and Amy and Charlie for fixing the wall and painting and vacuuming and putting it all back together to get it so nice for our first sunday. Also to my mama for getting a changing place for it. Children's Church is for 4 - 9 year olds and taught by 3 teams of 2 volunteers that rotate each week. I also teach a children's class on Wed. nights. I really enjoy my time with all our precious children at church! I must say though, I don't know if they are just tired or what but ALL the children's seem extra wild/talkative on wed nights! yes, even, mine! like last night I had to send Keegan out to his daddy bc he wouldn't stay in one place and the last straw was when Chris caught him with an open marker in his mouth!!!! lol, oh, that boy!

some words of homeschooling wisdom

Saw this on fb and liked what she had to say, I have added my own thoughts in double parenthesis. ((like these))
Not necessarily in order.......

1. Know your State's laws on homeschooling
2. Decide how you children learn best (visual, kinesthetic.....etc..)
3. Decide what type of homeschooler you want to be (unschooler, eclectic, school at home etc..)... I find that this changes yearly at our home. ((each year unschooling sounds more appealing! lol))
4. Find some local homeschool groups for fun and support ((don't know what I would do without ours: CHEC))
5. RELAX and BREATHE :) ((I forget this quite often!))
6. Ignore all the dumb questions on how your children will be socialized. ((as if we actually wanted them "socialized"))
7. Do not rush off and purchase curriculum. There is no such thing as a perfect curriculum and they are expensive and occasionally a waste of good money. We use some......but I have purchased them at local homeschool swaps or traded. If your kiddos have special needs, it will be difficult to find the "perfect" one. I suggest you start off with the library and check out some of the amazing sites that offer it for free. We LOVE unit studies and lapbooks. Gives my son freedom to chose what he wants to learn and the I can add what we need/what I want him to learn. Loads of fun.... ((wish someone had told me this 3 yrs ago!))
8. RELAX and BREATHE LOL!! ((lest we forget! lol))
9. Read......read.......read..........read. LOVE our local library. ((and used book sales!))
10. Remember......school doesn't have to "Look" like other schools or even other homeschools. Personalize it to your families needs. ((I always forget this one! need a constant reminder))
11. Remember there will be good days and bad days. It is okay to have some bad days and just skip school. Watch an educational DVD, take a field trip........so many options. :) ((does PBS kids count as an educational DVD, and is it ok that this year we have had days and days of it?))
12. Have fun and enjoy!!! Learning should be fun! ((AMEN))
many blessings and enjoy the ride!!

Big day (not) at the Derr's house

Wow, what an incredibly busy, busy day and yet as I sit here completely exhausted I find myself mentally refreshed, loved my time with my babies today, even got thank yous for taking them places today! Wonders never cease! We started out the day getting everyone out the door for CHEC (our homeschool group) field day. We actually made it there on time!! The babies had a blast, there was so much planned, frisbies, water balloons, races, snacks, face painting (I ended up with two pirates and two Indians and one that didn't want painted till the painters had cleaned up and left!)......just so much fun. Then Glenn brought us pizza for lunch, the babies always love to see their daddy! One of the mama's at the park had a pack n play so knowing that we were in town for the whole day I had Keegan take a nap. Then she volunteered to watch all my babies so I could run to the bank to get change for tomorrow's Book sale in Tyler! I love, love, love books and used book sales are soooooo exciting! I was so glad I didn't have to take all 5 babies into the bank lobby for change! After we left the park we ran by a house to pick up my secret sis gift and then by a garage sale that benifited some youth going on mission trips this summer. After that it was chick fil a for dinner, I love chick fil a! We even had time for ice cream. And then......and then it was time for the African Children's Choir!! Saw them a few years ago, those children are amazing and the fact that they can worship and praise in their situations, just wow! Patsy and David came too and I was so glad to have help with the babies (Honey was working late!). Oh, I just love to see those children praise! Patsy and David bought the babies t shirts and a DVD. I got Kirsten and me some necklaces made out of paper, I will have to post pics on fb. I also got the boys bandanas which one of the ladies helped the two little ones tie them on their heads like pirates. Appropriate considering the earlier face paintings. On the way home we listened to the cd I got for Glenn. So beautiful. Got home and Kayson decided to be hungry after feeding him I sit here typing with him asleep in my lap, Glenn asleep on the couch and watching CSI. wow some people are so strange! I must add that the other babies are in bed too, they CAN'T watch CSI! Kirsten said she almost fell asleep on the way home. :) think we wore them out? I sure missed having my camera today, I need to get the memory card emptied so I can room for more pics! As I close this, I leave you with a question I keep thinking about, can angels drive cars? :)

To grandmother's house we go....

Over the rivers and through tornados, from grandmother's surgery I come....... Wow what an eventful day! PTL, that Meme's surgery went well! Her little brother made it there just as they were taking her back and the guy waited on him to get inside and say hi before wheeling her away! Thank you to my Honey for staying home with the babies! Had to go buy a handheld breast pump though bc I forgot mine electric one at home and thought I was going to burst! Left the hospital around 245 and met Roseanne at a mcdonalds for coffee and cinnamon roll. Watched clouds roll in that had a tornado warning in them, decided to wait it out. Left about 415 thinking I would miss the storms, got to Terrell and realized they were forming and strengthening all across the area! I was so scared! It felt like tornados were everywhere and I was all alone! Stopped in canton at one point bc of a warning, then left there just ahead of another severe storm, drove through some VERY heavy, heavy rain, got down to 40 mph at one point, had another car following me with their flashers on. Spent most of the trip alternating bt phone calls with daddy, Roseanne, honey and mama! Also spent some of it panicking and in tears! PTL, I finally made it home just before 830p. I am so thankful to my daddy for watching all the babies tonic while honey went to class. Oh yea and after leaving canton and getting out of the heavy rain daddy calls and says you might want to drive the speed limit if you can so beat the storm behind you, so I am trying to make good time and realize I NEED GAS!! Had to stop in liberty city but still managed to stay ahead of it till about 3 min from home but I beat the worst of it home! I was also so touched bc Roseanne's parents spent all evening watching the radar and keeping me updated too. I was so touched by their caring. :). Now all is quiet here, boys in bed, no storms, only the clicking of my letter keys, even the weather radio seems to have decided now would be a good break time! I am so tired, mama and I didn't sleep well last night and stayed up talking some. So I should be going to be, probably will be going to bed uon finishing this. I really hope the storms are through for now and I can get some rest! I am so thankful for our weather radio since we cannot hear the cities sirens. I leave you with a few prayer requests of the day; 1) pray my Meme gets to go home tomorrow and that she keeps feeling great! 2) that the men would be able to figure out our wall problems! It's leaking again. :(

From my Godvine email

What Can God Do With 57 Cents?

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded." "I can't go to Sunday School, "she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kind hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school. For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00 a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "acres of Diamonds"---a true story. It goes to show you "What God CAN Do With 57 Cents."

from my guideposts calendar

I received an email from my brother Steve, who does a great job of keeping us out here in Arizona up to date on his family back in Michigan. He began the report on his family with this hastily typed sentence: "Everything is god around here." I'm sure he meant to type good, but after I finished reading his letter I couldn't get that little typing mistake out of my mind.
Everything is God around here. How often can I report that about my life? I spent an hour catching up on the newspaper, yet I'm still behind in reading through the Old Testament. I seem to be able to schedule a monthly night out with my friends but can't make it to a regular Bible study.
Everthing is God around here. I think about that almost everyday now and then take inventory to see how my life is measuring up. There's always room for improvement, but that little reminder makes me aware that everyday, God is ready to be invited into each moment of my life.
-Gina Bridgeman
Yes, God wants to be in every part of our lives, the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the smashed glass parts, the making $ parts, the brushing teeth parts, the eating parts, all of it, He wants to be your friend and have a one on one relationship with you!

sorry its been so long!

wow, it has been weeks since I have blogged anything, things got so extra busy and with Glenn in school it feels like he is never home. I feel so stressed and behind and like I just can't catch up on anything, the house, the babies' school, posting pics on fb, the blog. I still need to blog about family reunion and camping among other things. Kirsten is getting over being sick, a tummy something, Easter is upon us, a very busy week next week, our used curriculum sale for CHEC is tomorrow, I am soooo excited, I LOVE books, especially used, cheap ones! I wonder how much od next years curriculum I can find? I am using mostly BJU next year! Wed night at church we are having communion and feet washing! it has been years since I have participated in a feet washing, I have such fond memories of them! sooo excited! not many churches do them anymore. of course there is still soccer this week and preparing for the egg hunt at church and our family hunt on Sun. I love hunts, all those bright egga with prizes inside all over the place and this year we are having an adult hunt! should be so much fun! and Easter dinner at my mama's house. I don'y know if I will be able to find more blogging time, we shall see how this week goes, by night time, I am exhausted! Hey, though, Kayson is starting to sleep through the night! woke up the other night and he was hugging my arm! sooo sweet! :) well speaking of Kayson, he is awake from his nap and hungry now, talk to ya later!