The Danger of Not Knowing God

In China in the early 1930s a missionary couple, John and Betty Stam, were captured by the Chinese Communists and marched through the streets of the village to a chopping block where each was beheaded. If they had been willing to recant their Christian faith, their lives would have been spared. Given their commitment to Christ, such a choice was unthinkable. They placed not only their lives but the life of their baby, Helen Priscilla, in the hands of God, confident that God could protect them if he chose, and, if He chose not to, it was safer to be in those hands than anywhere else in the universe. Like thousands of Christians before them, they preferred the sword to disobedience, believing that the danger of not knowing God is infinitely greater than any other danger. ~Elisabeth Elliot

The baby, Helen, was found two days later by a Chinese pastor who took her home and took care of her. Reverend Lo Ke Chou and his wife then took the baby girl to her maternal grandparents. As for Helen's parents, a small group of Christians found their bodies and buried them on a hillside. The Stams' gravestones read:

John Cornelius Stam
January 18, 1907
"That Christ may be glorified whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20

Elisabeth Scott Stam
February 22,1906
"For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

December8, 1934, Miaosheo, Anhui
"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." Revelation 2:10

The story of their martyrdom was much publicized and inspired many to become missionaries. ~Wikipedia

Bob Books

Bob Books are great beginning readers. Their website has a few coloring sheets for extra fun while learning to read.

bobbooks.com

Lore and Legends

Clear moon, frost soon. Halo around the moon,
rain soon.

No killing frost will arrive after the martin comes to stay.

Leaves of three, let them be.
(This maxim holds true across the country; it applies to poison ivy and poison oak.)

Plant your seeds in a row.
One for the pheasant, one for the crow.
One to rot and one to grow.

When swallows fly low, rain is on the way.
(This old saying has some scientific basis: When the air pressure falls rapidly, many airborne insects descend toward the ground, hotly pursued by swallows and swifts eager to consume them.)

If you see the underside of the leaves
in the gentle breeze,
it will rain before you sneeze.

~Martha Stewart Living

Mistakes That Worked

40 Familiar Inventions and How They Came to Be

A man named Spencer Silver was working in the 3M research laboratories in 1970 trying to find a strong adhesive. Silver developed a new adhesive, but it was even weaker than what 3M already manufactured...four years later, another 3M scientist named Arthur Fry was singing in his church's choir. He used markers to keep his place in the hymnal, but they kept falling out of the book. Remembering Silver's adhesive, Fry used some to coat his markers...3M began distributing Post-It Notes nationwide in 1980 - ten years after Silver developed the superweak adhesive. Today they are one of the most popular office products available.

~Charlotte Foltz Jones, Illustrated by John O'brien

Pascal Quote

Pascal wrote, "I have discovered that all the unhappiness of man arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber."

Character

n. [“to cut, engrave”]

The stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determine his response regardless of circumstances.

~American Dictionary of the English Language

Five-Cup Fruit Salad

1- 8 ounce can pineapple chunks
1- 11 ounce can mandarin orange sections, drained
1 cup coconut
1 cup tiny marshmallows
1- 8 ounce carton sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1 tablespoon juice. In a bowl combine reserved juice, pineapple chunks, mandarin orange sections, coconut, marshmallows, and sour cream. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours. Before serving, sprinkle with pecans. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

~BH&G New Cookbook

All in the Name of Fun

Spite and Malice is a card game my husband's grandma taught us years ago. We learned to play with an ordinary deck of cards, but the updated version might just be a little more fun.

Fat Frogs on a Skinny Log

When ten fat frogs try to squeeze themselves onto the same skinny, wobbly-bobbly log...look out! Words and pictures by Sara Riches. Great for counting and practicing the "S" sound.

Beauty Tip

"Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks."~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

People Manners

When we are gracious, we show kindness and warmth.
When we are courteous, we show good manners toward others.
When we are considerate, we are thoughtful and attentive.
When we are respectful, we admire and appreciate others.

~The Family Book of Manners

Note Trainer

Online music flashcards, a fun way for kids to learn notes.

Note Trainer

Hey, Al

Both man and dog agree: There really is no place like home. Story by Arthur Yorinks and pictures by Richard Egielski. 1987 Caldecott Award.

Party Cakes

31 Birthday Party Cake Ideas - Thanks Gabrielle!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cocoa. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Set crust aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk; beat well. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until smooth. Toss 1/3 of the miniature chocolate chips with the 1 teaspoon flour to coat (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Mix into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off oven (do not open oven door) and leave the cake in the oven to cool in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate before removing sides of pan. Keep cake refrigerated until time to serve.

Turtle Cheesecake:
Before refrigerating the cheesecake add chocolate syrup, caramel topping and chopped pecans.

Gratitude

As in all of life, the critical thing is whether we take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
~G. K. Chesterton

To Be A Friend

The Ten B's
Be sincere
Be compassionate
Be understanding
Be considerate
Be kind
Be supportive
Be honest
Be courteous
Be strong in your moral convictions
Be trusting

~The Family Book of Manners

Make a Bird Treat

Use a cookie cutter to cut a heart shape out of a slice of bread. Poke a hole in the top with a pencil or crayon. Brush an egg white onto the bread and press birdseed on top. Let it dry. Then thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole and tie it to a tree branch as a treat for the birds.

A "Tall" Tale

~based on a true story

Author's note:

Martin Van Buren Bates was born a baby of normal size on November 9, 1845. But he continued to grow until he was twenty-eight years old, reaching a height of seven feet eleven and a half inches...After the war, he joined the circus and was billed as "The World's Tallest Man." While touring with the circus in Halifax, Canada, he met Anna Swan. Anna Swan stood almost eight feet tall!...In 1871, they were married in London and became history's tallest known married couple.