Week of June 18-23rd

This week our Hero of Faith is Abel. We learned how he gave his best to God. That God sees our heart and He wants our best. Our verse was Colossians 3:23 In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for men.
The week started out when we picked some of our best vegetables and put them on our makeshift altar, (the grill). It was hard giving up our vegetables we had been waiting a long time to taste them, but it was ok, we could give up our vegetables for God. Then I asked the kids to give up Hailey, Jodene’s little dog, she is the closest thing we have to a lamb. We tried really hard to give her up on the altar but we couldn’t, but then we learned we didn’t have to give her up, because Jesus gave up his life for us, so now we don’t have to have a blood sacrifice. In that little exercised we learned why God asked for blood sacrifices instead of produce. The heart is connected to other living beings it is so hard to give up something that is living, it truly is a sacrifice. Abel gave up a lot giving his best lamb, it must have been hard for him too. We can only imagine how much it must have hurt God to give Jesus, his holy sacrifice for us.
We learned that instead of sacrifices God wants our heart, He wants the best from us. So all week we tried giving God our best- our best attitudes, behaviors, sports, worship, attention, learning etc. We learned that giving your best to God and others is hard too, but with God’s help we can do it. We need to also encourage each other and remind each other to give God our best.

We were on the go constantly my week started at 7:00 getting Pierrie to work, Icky to Basketball camp, picking up Icky, picky up Pierrie, picking up the rest of the kids and then at 12:30 starting our Obasi day, with more running around, 4 of our girls went to Basketball camp in the afternoon.
On top of all of that we had 4 new girls starting. It is an exciting time, but it is also a very awakening time. You get to see how far the other kids have come in so many areas like behavior, rules, spiritually, attitude and writing. It is really good for all of us, to be reminded of all that God is doing in our lives.
God is good, the kids that have left for one reason or another cannot be replaced, but God really has given us some rays of sunshine in our new kids. We are missing little Teijah terrible, she is so positive and appreciated God’s creations. Little Miss Jada is a light too. She is so smart for 5. People smart, asks so many questions and is so funny. She keeps us in stitches all day. Jameca is very positive and loves to learn new things, her smile is a gift. Iyisha is very sweet, is visiting her Dad for the summer and will be leaving the end of July. We only have her for a short time but she is also a gift. Very sweet and tries so hard. She has been through a lot in her short life but she is very upbeat and loves the Lord and eager to learn more about Him. Dominique is also with us till the end of July, Iyisha’s cousin. Dominique is so gorgeous when she smiles. It’s getting her to smile that takes some work. She looks bored most of the time, but is the one who is ready to try the next thing. Please pray for these girls and us, as we learn more about each other and God together.
Miss Brenda What I did today was basketball camp, then the other thing I did was golf. I played from 1 to 19 courses. I hit the ball in almost every course once but I lost all the games. The I came home to Brenda’s house and played Rummicube and I got stuck but I almost won both games but I lost them. And Bibleman (Pierrie) won.
I will give God my life. Giving Him my track, a good attitude, my brain and my talents.
Kemonterious

When I do my best at basketball practices it makes me proud to learn new skills. Like pass, make shots. This means a lot to me and my whole family. I would love to give a song that He would love. About how He made everyone happy.
Jameca

I like to sing and help my friends. Yesterday and today I worked very very hard at basketball camp and I tried to run a little bit too, because I like to run and play b-ball. (comment: if you run and work out a lot then you can get better at b-ball).
Dominique

Well today after I got off work which was good for the most part, I had fun joking with my co-workers. Yesterday we talked about the story in the Bible when that one chick used her hair to clean Jesus’ feet. It was great they are just godly people. But anyway at work we went and pulled weeds for the 2nd day in a row but it’s all good.
Then I came to Obasi and me, Dez, Icky, Jada and Jodene with golfing it was fun. Dez got a hole in one then we came back to Obasi and played a game.
Pierrie

Nothing like a popsicle on the porch swing on a hot summer day.

Jesus made Jada and others. He loves me. I sing a song. Today we had Popsicles for snack. I golfed. Yesterday I learned the difference of weeds and plants.
Jada

I like to sing, and I love to write, but I haven’t written any books in a while. The time I started singing is when I was about 5. I had fun learning new skills in basketball and today I went to a book store and read a few books.
Iyisha

Mrs. B gives Dominique some puppet tips

Dez, Icky and Mrs. B go over their puppet skit.

Mrs. B helps Jada sew her lamb purse.

Jada shows off her lamb purse with bubbles in it.

On Wednesday Laura Mach comes and does a snack with us about our lesson. On this day she first came to our picnic with a loaf of bread, saying that she had forgotten snack and was late and all she had was some bread. The kids looked at the bread really funny and were really disappointed. Then Laura asked how they felt getting bread for snack, they said like you don't care. Laura said that is right, I would never just give you bread for snack, unless that is all I have, that wouldn't be giving you or God my best.

She went to the car and brought us the best snack ever. A lamb cake, which was too cute to eat, although the kids did manage to finish it off. And....

... fruit kabobs and a box of special popcorn for us. Plus ice cold water for a warm day. The kids got the point of giving your best in a very tasty way.

On Thursday we celebrated Steve Osenbaughs birthday. We gave in a superman picture with his face on it- and the letter Pierrie had written about him being his hero. Steve is a hero, he does so much for us and always gives us his best.

This is my favorite picture so far this summer. Our youngest Jada and oldest Pierrie. They both have great personalities and it shows up on this picture. Pierrie is so good with the littlier kids and they look up to him as a great role model.