End of Summer Cleaning?

Guess how I have been using my freetime the last two weeks? Cleaning! Actually, I have been de-cluttering, and organizing our hallway and two attic closets. The garage is coming soon. ;o)

It has been a very, uhm, unique undertaking to say the least. So far approximately 6 large garbage bags have moved from our house to the dumpster! We now boast an organized hallway, and two semi-organized attics. My parent's attic was slightly more difficult, as mommy has 25 years worth of 'special' things stored.

Following is a list of interesting items located in our closets:

1) Mouse traps!
2) Porcelain nick-nick high heels, and one doubles as an exotic pin cushion!
3) A bag of brain teasers that my aunts have faithfully bought daddy every year for Christmas.
4)Miscellaneous papers that have no purpose.

After it was all over, my mommy gave me this really quaint old music box that looks like a cottage / water wheel. It is really cute and well made. I love it!!

And, now that all the organizing is done I get to dig into my school work. Algebra 1, History, Science, Spanish, Piano, Violin (Lord willing!), and Canning!

Well, we're supposed to be going out to dinner with my great-uncle Bruce tonight, so... it's time to go.

In Christ, Brooke

We Are Servants!

To Be a Servant =Service to Others

I wrote this for an assignment last March. This has been something that the Lord has been laying on my heart this year.

In your minds eye you see a hill in front of you. There stands a cross with a man hanging upon it. A man who was a servant in the truest sense of the word; Jesus Christ. For though I am free from all men, yet I made myself a servant, that I might gain the more.
1 Corinthians 9:19

You could say this verse was Jesus’ mission statement. He was a holy King who lived in beautiful heaven, but humbled himself to come to earth and hang on that cross for us.

Another picture flashes before your eyes. A tired man climbs into a boat and heads across a lake for needed rest with his followers. When he reaches the other side, he is unexpectedly met with a large group of people clamoring for his teaching. He lays aside his own needs to care for them. This and many other accounts tell of his selflessness. Yes, Jesus was a servant.

If you look at the characteristics of a servant, Jesus possessed them all. He was humble, gentle, patient, self-controlled, and conducted his life with peace.

It is not an easy thing to do; this becoming a servant, living with joy in every circumstance and dying to ourselves to serve others. But he who gave his life for others has promised: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:26

In June, I wrote a poem about this topic as well. Being a servant does not come easily to me. Often I just want what I want, and tend to forget that I am here to serve others, not myself. It is something that God has been teaching me. (Most diligently I should say!) :

A Servant

A servant, Lord Jehovah let me be:
Someone who reaches out to help men see.
Although the way be rough and lonely,
Help me find my joy in serving only.

The hard and dismal tasks;
“Give to me!” is what my heart asks.
Give the strength and joy to carry on;
Take my pride, my will be gone.

To be a servant for my Lord!
Far better than any golden hoard.
“For in finding more of you and less of me,
I will find the person You want me to be.”

Marathon Thursday

Hello! Isn't it a lovely day?

Today was our marathon shopping day. Every Thursday, my mom and I make the 1 hour trek to Olympia for groceries, appointments, etc. This is also the day I take piano lessons, teach piano lessons, and take swimming lessons. ;o)

Gracie (my 6 year old niece) is still staying with us, so that made the day a bit longer. "Hey Grandma, when will we get to..." "Aunt B? You will play with me when we get home right?? We'll play outside together?" Ya'll get the picture, right? ;o)

Teaching piano was so fun today. The 7 year old little boy that I teach is really fun! Today we had extra time, so he told me a short, yet interesting tale entitled, "The Experiment Gone Wrong." It was a gory boy story about several bloodthirsty rabbits living in a forest. He told me all about their unique adventures. (which all involved killing by the way.) It really was cute though, so I told him he should write it all down. "Uhm" he said thoughtfully, "I can't write very well." Trying to cheer him on I told him he would learn to write very soon. "But I'll forget my story by then!" he wailed

So, I offered to write it for him, and I am now sucked into penning the words of an imaginative 7 yr. old. ;o) Well, I need to get some sleep now. Tomorrow is another day of club, and that afternoon I am going to the Kempton's house to learn the art of canning. Mrs. Kempton is planning an all night canning party. Poses to be interesting.

~Brooke

P.S. I am learning the hymns from the hymnbook right now. This week I am playing "Be Thou My Vision." Guess what? I'm hoping to begin Fiddle lessons in the fall! As far as memorization goes, I am learning Psalm 119 this summer!

Clubs, Cookies, and Craziness

This week is pretty crazy because my 6 year old niece, Gracie, is staying the week with us, and I'm teaching 5-Day club all week long as well. In case any of you are wondering what a 5-Day club is, I'll give you the general description. ;o) They are taught by teens trained through Child Evangelism Fellowship, and they run for about 1 1/2 hours every day. We teach the children Bible stories, sing Bible songs, memorize scripture, hear missions stories, play review games, and witness to the children using the wordless book. We also give invitations ( to accept Christ) at the end of every Bible lesson. They are very time consuming, (lot's of planning to do) but this one is especially difficult because it is mostly toddlers. ;o) I really have to go over the preschool section, and fit the lesson to it. Gracie loves it, and says she is having a good time. I asked her to tell my blog friends something about club. She says: "If they don't trust in God, they can learn about God at club. We played Tic-Tac-Toe."

I am baking cookies for club right now, and my mommy is telling me to dry dishes. So... I must take leave of all of you. Have a jolly day! COME TO CLUB!!!

~Brooke

P.S. This Friday, I get to do an all night canning session at the Kempton's house. That should be a unique experience, as I get really sleepy nearing midnight, and I have never canned tuna (or anything) before. Saturday I'm hoping to get some swimming in up at the lake with Elizabeth Shoemaker. On the schedule for Sunday is my cousin's baby shower in Oregon, church, and Sunday night party at Endicott's house. ;o) Yup, I sure am busy this week. ;o)

A Trip To Holland

No, not really. But I wish!! Our family vacations in a quaint Dutch town in Northwest Washington every summer. Lynden is approx. 25 minutes from the Canadian border. It was originally settled by Dutch immigrants, and most of the current inhabitants have strong Dutch roots. What brings us there, (most of my family knows this, but not many of my friends do) is the annual Puget Sound Antique Tractor and Machinery Association's Steam and Tractor Show. (Wow! That's sort of a long name. We just say "goin' to Lynden") My daddy and both of my uncles inherited steam yarders (used in logging) when my grandfather passed away, and my dad does most of the 'events' with them. For this one though, my dad helps one of my grandfathers old friends, Bob Sorenson, run a steam powered saw mill. It's pretty interesting to watch! Bob's saw mill is set up year round in Berthusen Park on the outskirts of Lynden. The family joke is that daddy works harder on vacation then he does the rest of the year. ;o) So... while daddy is working, my mom and I explore the town, do a little early Christmas shopping, and have a jolly time. ;o)

One thing that kind of bugged me though was the fact that I didn't get to play my piano before we left. I thought, "Oh, it's okay. I'm sure I'll come across a piano in our travels." Sure enough, on our trips through the unique little shops, I saw several rare, old, and very beautiful pianos. My fingers itched to play, but upon further inspection there was always a neat little sign saying, "Please do not touch." Drats. And I actually believed that there would be a nice piano to play!! Oh well, not the end of the world by any means. For any one that is interested I am currently learning "Be Thou My Vision", "Unchained Melody", and "Canon in D." So far I have Canon in D memorized! Yeah! Speaking of memorization, some friends of ours and I are racing to see who can memorize Psalm 119 first this summer. (They are probably winning.)

Talk to ya'll later! ~Brooke