I would like to share a story with you that is very close to my heart. This is a long story, so you will have to bear with me… but I believe it is worth it.

A few years ago we (my parents and I) went to Dominica (Yes it is Dominica, not the Dominican Republic) to “pick-up” my newly adopted brother.  Kurt’s story is an amazing story, and I may tell it sometime, but for now I want to share with you what God taught me through his cousin.

We had gone to Dominica to finish up the adoption and bring Kurt home.  We had gone over to the family’s hill, (it was a big hill…) and Kurt’s mother’s sister was there holding her newborn. The baby had some kind of growth/sore on his finger, and the mother was telling us that they didn’t know what it was and it wouldn’t go away. (The sores later spread all over his body… we haven’t been able to find out what it is.) The mother asked me if I would like to hold the baby, and I readily agreed. The baby was crying, he was hungry…

I asked the mother if I could take the baby to the top of the hill where the rest of Kurt’s family was and she said yes.  I walked up with my parents to the top of the hill and they started talking to Kurt’s grandmother. I wandered away because the baby had begun fussing, I thought if we went where it was quiet he would fall asleep.

As we were standing on the hill, and I started singing “God of Wonders” to him and he drifted of to sleep. I just snuggled him close and gave him all of the love I could possibly give him in twenty minutes. As I was standing there, I heard God speak to me. He said, “You know, you are holding Me right now. You sang me a lullaby and rocked Me to sleep. You are loving Me right now.” I started crying… God brought to mind the Scripture,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

   I was hungry and you fed me,
   I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
   I was homeless and you gave me a room,
   I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
   I was sick and you stopped to visit,
   I was in prison and you came to me.’

“Then those ’sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-41 (The Message)

He told me ”Loving the poor is not hard to do if you think of it as doing to Me.”

After I stopped crying, I walked back over to where my parents were. They were getting ready to go back to our “hotel”. I had to go back down the hill and give that little baby back to his mother. (They had brought the baby out in hopes that I would take him for good.) It was very hard to give the baby back, I had grown extremely fond of him in twenty minutes and I knew what kind of life laid ahead of him.

I didn’t know the baby’s name for a long time, so my pet name for him is “Tiny” (He was extremely small.) I found out later that they call him dirt. His mother is an alcoholic, and Tiny has severe fetal alcohol syndrome. If you think of Tiny, please pray for him and his family. They live in spiritual darkness and they need the Light of Christ.

Whether or not you believe my story or take it to heart, it doesn’t matter to me. I saw the face of Jesus in Tiny’s face. If you get a chance, download and listen to Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “What Now?” I think you’ll see what I mean…

One way I am currently trying to impact my world is through child sponsorship. I sponsor two girls from the Philippines through Compassion International and I sponsor one girl from India through Gospel for Asia. I also have a correspondent commitment, a little boy from India. (Someone else is sponsoring the child, but I write to him.)

Someday I will try to post pictures of “my family”, but for now, I will just share a little bit about each.

Anita was the first girl I sponsored a few years ago. She is sponsored through Gospel for Asia. I just received a letter and a new picture of her a couple weeks ago. In her last letter she said, “I am very happy with my life. You will be glad to know that I have passed my previous exam and got good marks. I am working hard. I Anita now read in class six.”  She is an excellent artist, and she always draws or colors a picture on the back of her letters to me.

Krisha was the second girl I sponsored. I sponsored her with Compassion International, she is from the Philippines. When I sponsored her, she hadn’t started Kindergarten yet because her family could not afford it. I have sponsored her for almost two years. I  just got an updated picture of her, she has grown up so much! She is now in the second grade and doing very well. Her mother usually writes the letters to me. When Evangeline (the mother) heard that I live in NY, she asked me how my family was after the “bombing” of Sept. 11. I tried to explain to her that I live a long way away from NYC, but in her next letter she said, “It is good to know that in a time of bombing you are already evacuated.” How can you not help smiling? It was so sweet of her to be concerned for me. In the last letter I received form Evangeline and Krisha, Evangeline wrote, “Do not worry, because I never stop praying for you.”

Hanuman is my correspondent child from India. He will be entering the second grade this coming school year.  He likes to play marbles and he is another budding artist. I have only received one letter from him as of yet, but I continue to write to him and encourage him. I can’t wait till my next letter from him!

I don’t know very much about Raquel yet.  I sponsored her just a couple weeks ago. She is my second girl from the Philippines. She is 17 years old and will be graduating next year. Based on the information I received from Compassion I do know that she has more hobbies than I do! She plays the Ukulele, I think that is really cool. I look forward to getting to know her over the next year.

I thank God that He has given me the opportunity to be involved in these kids lives. To be able to provide these kids with an education, health care, food and the knowledge of Jesus Christ costs me about $3 a day. Not a bad deal, huh? I would encourage you to sponsor a child if you are able, the act may not seem like much to you and me, but I guarantee you it means a lot to these kids.

I started Liberty University’s Distance Learning Program a week ago. All in all, I think my first week went pretty well… I’ve made some friends and I started a collection of highlighters and sticky tabs. Granted, there was some stress and a few late, late nights, but as I’ve been told, that is what college is all about right? Ha Ha… pass the Coke please!

Although I can’t say that it hasn’t been an adjustment, (Trying to figure out what I need to study when I’m not used to the format is difficult…  So I prayed and re-read the entire week’s worth of material! Don’t laugh at me, it worked really well, I got a perfect score on my quiz!) I’m figuring it out. All week I have been trying to figure out how to balance God, work, family and study. I don’t have it figured out yet, but I’m getting there.

I’m sure I’ll have some great stories to tell over the next few weeks, but as for now, I’m going to bed before it is tomorrow.

Well, here is part two!

Relating to the Young People

As you know, dear reader, relating to young people grows increasingly more difficult as you grow older. This is only a major problem if you happen to be a youth pastor. (Background information: Sarah is a youth pastor) Here are some pointers to help get you on your way to relating to young people:

• Research what they are into
• Listen to the music they like (If you have hearing aids, you are allowed to listen to the music at deafening levels so as to be able to actually hear it)
• Learn their language yo
• Do not be upset when they come to help you around the house, or mow your lawn (They are only trying to show you, the crotchety old person, the love of God in a practical way.)
• Don’t seclude yourself from them, they have a lot to teach you, (well, okay, maybe not) and vise versa
• A big way to earn bonus points with young people is to bake goodies.

Watch them carefully to find new ways of relating to them, you may develop meaningful relationships with a young person as you go old and gray.

And to close with another Scripture,

Job 9:25 “Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away…”

Rights you Have in Old Age

It is always important to know what legal rights you have. Some rights vary by age and location, however, the rights given to old people are universal.

• The right to drive 15mph on any given road, and 10mph on the highway. If you are Sunday joy-riding, you may drive 8mph on any back road.
• The right to wear really, really old fashioned clothes.
• The right to cut your hair short and perm it.
• The right to soak yourself in perfume, this has often been beneficial when an old person gets lost as family members are able to sniff them out in a crowd.
• The right to pay for your groceries with change and super-duper stamps. (Background information: the Super Duper is a store we have here.)
• The right to make everyone impatient when you hold up a line.
• The right to not stand up in church when the pastor asks if “all would rise”
• The right to fall asleep in church. We understand you were “burning the midnight oil” last night at 8:30pm
• The right to get grumpy
• The right to sit all day watching the Food Network.

And we close with yet another Scripture:

Job 30:½ But now they that are younger than I have me in derision…”

You Know Your Getting Old When…

Lamentations 3:4 “My flesh and my skin has he made old, he has broken my bones.” See there, you better start taking Boniva.

Closing Thoughts

Dear reader, the time has come to close this little book of ours. We hope to have provided you with some insight and/or calm or fears of old age. Do not worry, you will not be in old age very long… you will either die in old age or enter really old age. (30 years old)

I hope you enjoyed this!

Okay, before I post this first chapter from my book “Growing Old in a Young World” I need to give you some background information.

I have a really good friend, Sarah, who turned 20 a few months ago. I was teasing her about her “old age” a few weeks before her birthday and I told her I would buy her the “old age survival kit”. As our conversation progressed, I decided I was too cheap to buy her all the things she would need, so I told her I would buy her a book entitled “Growing Old in a Young World”, unfortunatly, no such book existed… until now! You see, this book was written by me for Sarah and given to her on her birthday. (Yes, we are still good friends, and don’t worry, she got back at me!)  (And another yes, my grandparents have read the whole thing and love it)

So because so many people have now read my book and thouroughly enjoyed it, I will make it available for the rest of my frinds to read! So here goes! Enjoy! (originally written in large print)

                                                        A friendly guide to get you on your way.

Someone the author knows very well

Chapters

1. Items to have on hand

2. Relating the young people

3. Rights you have in old age

4. You know your really getting old when…

5. Closing thoughts

First, gather a container of some sort in which to compile the items you do not need to have out every day. Then start gathering or purchasing these items:

• A pair of spectacles with bifocals
• A hearing aid (make sure you also have plenty of batteries, if you run out at any time, you will not be able to hear what others say about you.)
• A walking cane or stick
• A good pair of false teeth (If you are too cheap to buy a new pair, I find that garage sales are excellent places to find a good pair at a low cost. Just be sure to soak in bleach for a week or two.)
• SeaBond™ (To hold your false teeth securely in place)
• Start buying large print books and/or a Bible (and you thought the large print in this book was just a mistake!!)
• You may want to consider getting one of those handy necklaces you can use to call for help in case you fall down. Which brings me to my next point,
• Boniva™ To help build strong bones in case of falls
• Plenty of vitamins and minerals
• Plenty of 3×5 index cards. (In case you start forgetting what you went to the top of the stairs for, write everything on these cards!)
• A box or two of Depends™
• A box of Kleenex™ (For when you need to cry about your lost independence.)
• The number for the church youth group (For when your lawn needs mowed, etc.)
• A magnifying glass (For when drop your car keys and cannot see them on the floor)
• A respirator
• A hair coloring kit (to get rid of stubborn gray hairs)
• The Jitterbug Cell phone (you don’t need any do-dads or the bells and whistles anymore)
• A rocking chair

There are many more items you can add to this list, please add to it as you feel the need. Now, we will close this chapter with a scripture.

Joshua 13:½ “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said to him, “You are old and stricken in years…”

*Claims have not been investigated, but research shows most people, even those having a survival kit, do not survive old age.

Have you heard their cry today?

Did they smile at you as they turned to play?

Or did they hold out their pudgy hands to you,

asking for your love?

Have you heard their cry today?

Have you heard their cry today?

Did you stoop to kiss a scratched knee?

Or did you hear the pitter patter of childish steps,

sounding out around the house?

Have you heard their cry today?

Have you heard their cry today?

Did you hear their sweet voices,

calling out your name?

Or did you hear their beautiful laughter,

as you read them a story?

Have you heard their cry today?

Have you heard His cry today?

Did you see the Father’s face?

Or did you look into His loving eyes,

as tears streamed down His face?

Have you heard His cry today?

Have you heard His cry today?

Did you see Him hold that baby close?

Or did you see Him welcome that baby home to Heaven?

Have you heard their cry today?

Have you heard their cry today?

Their precious life on earth has been rejected

Can you hear them crying that human life should be protected?

Have you heard their cry today?

I became interested in photography about a year and a half ago. I will post some of my favorite photos every couple of days. This one was taken with a cheap digital camera. (I have since gotten a Nikon D60, I LOVE it!!) I am working towards becoming a professional photographer while I earn my Bachelors degree.

 I love this one because my camera caught the wings in motion.

Copyright Homeschool Grad

Ever wonder how time ever figured out how to move soooooo fast? The older I get, the faster time seems to pass me by.  My life gets so crazy at times, I forget to do the things that matter 

 I get so busy that before I know it, another week has passed, another month, then another year. I stop and think to myself “What have I been doing this past _________” (fill in the blank) “Have I done anything of value? Anything to make a difference?”

Then I think, “I better start doing something that will make a difference!”

Have you been there?

The problem comes when I try to adopt the “change the world in a single day” mentality… I don’t know about you, but I get overwhelmed by having to change the world by myself. So I am going to share something God has taught me that makes changing the world a tad bit easier

I’m not going to give you a list of “how to change the world in 105 easy steps” but I do want to give you three simple words:

“Love the one”

Don’t worry about changing the world for a multitude, it is far too difficult to handle in one bite. Instead, simply love one person who is in your life today. Show them the love of Jesus in a way they may never have experienced. You will be changing the world for one person… and that one person will go on to change the world for one more person, and that person will go on to change the world for one more person…

How easy can it get?

Welcome to my blog! If you have not already guessed from the blog name, I am a homeschool graduate. Class of 08′ to be exact.

As a successful homeschool student, I want to encourage those who are still being homeschooled. I know first hand it isn’t always easy, but you can do it!

 I will share my story later on, but for now, keep up the hard work and enjoy this season of life and all of its struggles and victories!