For 6 winters now, every other Monday night, Julia has plans.. I’m really not totally sure how Girls Club started. My memory tells me that it is a branch off from a vision of an ESL teacher with several of the boys in his classroom.. So they started spending time with boys and eventually saw the need with girls as well..

But it seems like a great program. Julia has faithfully taught the craft side of things. So I’m always on the look out for something fairly simple for 9-11 yr olds to do. Julia loves it. She returns often with a story, or an update on which girl’s family is moving where, or is planning something extra curricular  to do with her co-teacher and their class. Their heart is in the work..

I’m really not sure why I’d never tagged along with her. I’ve often thought I’d love to get involved, but realize with my unpredictable schedule that it’s not realistic for now.. But Monday night, I didn’t have anything going and Julia said, “Come to Club with me..” So I went..

I was totally impressed. Van drivers wheeled in with their passengers. The girls met in the cafeteria at Berea and enjoyed board games and just connecting with their teachers and friends. Then headed to their classrooms for a Bible lesson and a craft..

I loved listening to their chatter.. Batting Spanish back and forth.. Teasing each other.. “Hey, Julia! Did you know that Jesus saved my mom and me?” (The day before we had experienced a wintery mix..) “Well, my mom and I were driving along and it was snowy, right? And we met a truck like from the interstate-I don’t know what you call them.. And the windshield got all blurry, right? And all of a sudden we were heading for the side of the road! My mom lost control of the vehicle.. But then Jesus helped her get control again.. But if He hadn’t we would have been dead…Right?”

Because this was the last class for this year, they met back in the cafeteria for perfect attendance and Bible Memory awards, before snack and dismissal..

As I watched, my thoughts ran in a lot of directions.. It’s so easy to want immediate results.. I’m guessing for those who have given a lot of time- they can watch these beautiful young girls, and see what difference this is making.. And sometimes-that can be discouraging- because we can’t see.. But I was just impressed with the need to be faithful.. Bless those who are doing so much to provide a little bit of stability.. Who are selflessly giving of their time, energy, and resources to make an impression on a child..

“Suffer the little ones to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven..”

Bonus pics:

My Christmas project this year included these candy sleighs.. Attempting to gift wrap starbursts is quite the experience.. 🙂

Poor Rolo.. She became MIA while we were in Fla.. My parents knew how upset Deborah would be, so they didn’t report it to her, and apparently Father was up most of the night calling for her.. Our neighbors are well known in the community for their trapping endeavors.. Once they snared their own dog, ending its life.. And once they laid a snare on a well worn path-to discover that was the neighbor lady’s daily hiking trail.. Ooops.. Anyhow so poor Rolo spent an entire night out in the bush waiting for them to check their traps.. They thought she was uninjured, but apparently her foot was sliced by the iron jaws.. It’s gotten remarkably worse.. So Deb invested in a canine lampshade to discourage her from licking it.. Rolo doesn’t understand her new limitations, and used it as a bulldozer blade.. So that was short lived.. It splintered.. Hopefully somewhere Deborah can come across the perfect combination and rescue the health of her best friend..

For my parent’s Christmas this year, I got the idea to hire David Showalter with Ville View Photograph to take pictures of our farm. Along with my idea came the brainstorm to do it over chopping season. Not everyone was in agreement that it would be great to have an action shot.. So he graciously shot two sessions.. I’m thrilled.. Well, we all are actually. The ending results are fabulous! He gave permission to share some of them with you..  Enjoy.. Thanks so much, David!!!!

And extra bonus:

This pic kills me.. I obviously wasn’t bothering with the camera smile on this one.. Guess this must be my “no nonsense, focused on the task at hand” face.. Lighten up, Kendra! I really do love my job, lol