Going Postal – Round Two

A few years ago, we received a large care package from one of our supporting churches. It had all kinds of goodies in it. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the package had been contaminated with some type of chemical substance. The whole box was saturated with an oily, foul smelling substance. All the food items in the box were ruined and had to be thrown out. I hated to throw those things away. As my helper was going out the gate that day, I noticed that she had a package of butterscotch chips that she had taken from the trash. I tried to explain that they were not any good, but she would not be convinced . . . until she tried one.

I asked some other ladies from the Baptist Missionary Women group for their input about mail received. One lady said that she received three cards from the same person all on the same day; the only catch was that they were mailed out over two months apart. Better late than never! Some packages and letters are never received.

One family on deputation receives packages in different towns by general delivery. One of their packages was immediately returned to the sender because the post office thought it was a joke. The town name just happened to be the same as the family's last name.

Going to the post office is not always a pleasant experience. One must fight to keep their place in “line.” Many people do not know what a line is! In Africa, there is no such thing as “personal space!” If you want to be “in line,” your toes had better be touching the person's heels in front of you. This goes against everything we were taught as children, but after standing in a line and doing “what is right” and watching “rude” people who had cut in line getting served before you, your programming gets an overhaul!

Sometimes it takes a long time for packages to be received. Missionaries sometimes receive Christmas items around Valentine's Day and Valentine's Day hearts around Easter. In countries that have seasons, one may receive things such as “hot hands” during the summer months when it was intended for the winter months. But, every little thing is greatly appreciated and will come in “handy” eventually. Occasionally winter gloves are received by those who live in a country where it is hot year round; maybe they could be used as potholders! A family who had all teenagers received a box of baby clothes; sometimes there is a little mix up when the box is sent, but it is the thought that counts. Somebody there probably needed those baby clothes!

One family received a large package, but the box had gotten wet. Everything had fallen out the bottom of the box, but the post office did not say a word about it as they handed them the big, empty box.

Another lady was told that there was an item in her package that had to be confiscated. Can you guess what that item was? Girl scout cookies! They claimed that the cookies might contain drugs. I guess that postal worker had a sweet tooth!

If you have a funny story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at loconsford@gmail.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

Fellowship Fridays

Today, I am sending you over to Patty.  She has been blogging a series on Raising Your Children to have a Heart for Missions.  Go on over and check it out.  There is lots of great stuff there!

Click here to read all about it!

Mother's Day Craft Ideas from Pinterest

Mother's Day is just around the corner!  What special crafts do you have planned for your Sunday School class?  Here are a few we have pinned on Pinterest...

Come follow us on Pinterest.

Breakfast Time: Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I've not done a breakfast recipe in a while, but after making these babies last week, I knew you'd love them.
I love them.
That means you should love them, too!

Do you like cinnamon rolls?
I surely do, but I HATE that they take so very, very long to rise.
Really, though I'm a reforming night owl, the thought of getting up an extra hour or so early to let that yeast rise just doesn't appeal to me one little bit.
Behold, the magic of the biscuit cinnamon roll.
Absolute brilliance {and beautiful picture} coming from Joy the Baker.

These are so good and so easy that I've made them twice in the last week-and-a-half!
Even if you have a great cinnamon roll recipe, give these a try.
You'll love them!

Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

For the biscuits:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/4 c. shortening (can also substitute butter)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk, cold
1 tsp. vanilla

For the filling:
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (opt.)
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. butter, melted plus a bit more for topping the biscuits before baking

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease two 8x8 inch square baking pan with butter and set aside.
In a small bowl, make the filling by mixing together sugars, spices, and salt.
Set aside.
Set melted butter aside as well.
In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cut in butter {and shortening, if using} until mixture resembles coarse meal.
In another bowl, combine egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat lightly with a fork.
Add the liquid to flour mixture, stirring only enough to make a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured board and knead about 15 times.
As the butter needs to remain cold, quickly shape into a disk, and on a well floured surface, roll dough to a little less than 1/2-inch thickness.
{*Note ~ My dough is usually about 12-inches long and 10-inches tall.}
Brush dough with melted butter.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Carefully begin rolling from bottom into a fairly tight roll.
Continue rolling until you have a cylinder.
Using a sharp, floured knife, slice into log, about 1-inch thick.
Place rolls in prepared pan.
Brush tops with melted butter and bake for 13-15 minutes, until slightly golden brown on top.

These are best served warm the day they're made with a smear of butter on top, but they are also delicious as leftovers straight from the fridge!
Enjoy!

Missionary Monday ~ Homeschooling on the Field

I really enjoy talking to other homeschooling moms about homeschooling.  It is fun talking about  our children, their curriculum, and homeschooling styles.  I want to learn from experienced moms and help moms just starting out.  And best of all, they get it!

The one great thing about our group on facebook is that we can have these kinds of discussions, although not face to face, there is still a kinship between us all.

So, here is a chance for you to listen in as we discussed the topic of homeschooling a few a weeks ago.

Discussion Question:

Please share what homeschool curriculum you use and why.

~ We use CLE. Christian Light Education. It is a Mennonite based curriculum. When we started deputation, we needed something that would fit our schedule. This works. We had five kids at the time, and I could not possibly use DVD's or videos because of the prices. All my kids were in different grades!! Three of my boys are done and have had their diploma test and received their diploma, and there will be one more this year. Then, just one more teen to get through!! Yaaa, almost done. One bit of advice for all you moms: stick with what you use and don't change every couple of years. The kids need that stability, and you will not find that perfect program. There are problems with all of them, but one will work for you and will work for your schedule. Because of what we use, we can stop for a period of time if needed. We are missionaries, and have responsibilities others may not have. - Christine
 

~ A Beka academy with accredited DVDs:) We use it because our kids used Abeka in school before we went on deputation, and we wanted to make the transition easier. We also wanted to be safe as it is a bit difficult to homeschool in Europe, and we are going to Spain. Abeka programs are a bit on the high side as far as price, but I love the accountability in turning in grades and staying on top of the kids. My kids are in 8th and 6th grade; so it can be a bit difficult and time consuming, but God has been so good to us!!! Everyone has a different program and opinion, but this one works great for us!!!! God bless:)  - Jen H.
 

~ We currently use A Beka (not dvd's) for Math and Language. I feel they are very thorough, although advanced. We use Apologia for Science. We love Apologia. We also purchased the student journals. (Our homeschool co-op also uses this; so it is a bonus doing it with a bunch of other kids.) We use ACE for Spelling (Word Building) and Creative Writing/Literature. We are currently using Rod and Staff for History, but honestly, I do not like it. I am planning to purchase the Mystery of History next year. Our homeschool co-op also has art classes. We do lapbooks for holidays to switch things up a bit.  - Jen B

 

 

~ We use the A Beka DVDs. I have not been given the gift of teaching; so I love that all the teaching is on the DVDs and I get to be the backup. The curriculum is challenging and keeps my daughter on her toes.  - Carol
 

~ We have art projects and sketching/ photography since our kids are older. For PE, three out of four of us are huge runners; so we run together dragging our daughter along in complete misery. She will thank us later. I will say that I am not a huge fan of high level A Beka math. Our son is in Algebra, and some of the wording is a bit hard for him. Otherwise, they love their teachers and the set-up. It is so convenient!!!!  - Jen H.
 

~ We use all A Beka traditional method for all three of our children. No DVDs. I like their higher standard, and thus the child is well prepared for college.  - DeeDee
 

~ We started with the traditional method. Although I'm academically strong, I realized that I didn't have the time to devote to all the preparation once our children reached junior high. I don't regret switching to DVDs (videos back then). All three are academically doing well, and the two that graduated from high school scored high on the college entrance tests.
I used A Beka for elementary with BJU Bible.
7th and 8th Grades - A Beka English, Saxon Math, BJU everything else.
9th - 12th Grades - Saxon Math and BJU everything else.
Why? That's what our home church's Christian school uses, and this has allowed our children to transition well during furloughs.  - Sue
 

~ We used the home school plus for all 5. The one thing I did change was the math. Up until a couple years ago, they used Alpha and Omega, which my kids had a very hard time using; so, we did use ACE for that. Tim used the CLE algebra last year though, and the other math will not be ready for a while. That is okay; we are almost done anyway! Another thing that we liked so much is that we were able to do the CAT testing. Our schedule is so irregular at times, people coming, us doing things - I love the flexibility we have with HS.  - Christine
 

~ I still do not homeschool my son, but I grew up on the mission field, and we used Christian Liberty Academy. They have some of their own curriculum, and they also use A Beka for Science and Math and then Saxon Math on the higher grades. We really enjoyed it!  - Jessica
 

~ I started homeschooling with all kinds of opinions, many of which have fallen by the wayside. :) I used A Beka kindergaren for my three daughters, and it was okay. The only problem I had with it was trying to do all the cute little do-dads that come with it on the road with my two oldest. They struggled with their reading, and I believe that is why - I don't blame the material. I made a mistake! Then next girl did pretty well learning to read after we settled in. Last year was a struggle. I gathered first grade material from here and there for my youngest girl, and we had found an online curricullum for the two oldest, time4learning. They did well with 2nd grade, but 3rd grade was an epic fail. They forgot almost everything they learned in math! Thank God, we were accepted for Operation Lighthouse, and I am so happy with how the kids are catching up. They are learning the basics and learning them well with ACE. I used to think poorly of the ACE math, but now I know that the basics are vital; so advanced math is pretty much useless if you can't remember what you learned before. I have always enjoyed the motivation program, and my kids are excited about it too, and for the first time, they are really motivated to get through their paces! Once a month, we have a really heavy week where they will try to finish all their paces in a week for a prize. Then, we go back to the regular schedule. It has been such a blessing, and we are very grateful for this opportunity.  - Sarah
 

~ I agree about not switching curriculum every few years. Each year builds on the other, especially math and English. Like she said, no curriculum is perfect. If your child is really having a problem, then switch; but do not allow yourself to change with every new program that comes out or second guess yourself every time a friend tells you of something really great. How do I know this?? Well...personal experience. We ended up settling on BJU DVDs. I always wondered if they would be prepared for college. My oldest son went one year to Bible college and found that he was well prepared for the academics. Then he has so far done a semester of community college, and he is doing well there too. He has felt prepared for everything except deadlines and projects. It is important to incorporate assignment deadlines with your children. It is easy when homeschooling to go with the flow, but this is not real life and definitely not college life. He also found he had to do a lot of projects and had a hard time keeping up. Once he figured that out, he was fine.  - Tammy
 

~ We use BJU Press for all of our kids. I teach them using the curriculum until 3rd, and then they begin using DVDs. They are finishing grades 11, 8, 3, and 1. The oldest will finish his Senior year in the States at a Christian School. The others will do the same if it works. I use BJU because it is complete; I do not have to put it together, and I love their English/Literature classes for all grades. Our oldest is doing Saxon Math advanced this year because he finished the BJU math early.  - Cathy
 

~ We use BJU DVDs and love it. The kids really enjoy it, and they love calling each other into their room to show them something they are watching. We actually have sent our kids to Kenyan schools up until 5th grade, and then we homeschool. They have all gone into our Christian school in the U.S. while on furlough and done very well. I am not a huge homeschool fan; so the DVDs work great, and I try to keep up on grading daily so I know how they are doing and help them when they do not understand. I agree about not switching. I think it is best to pick one way and keep up with it. One nice thing about BJU is that they allow you to keep the DVDs for all your kids, so very affordable for missionaries. We have bought workbooks for all the other kids in case they change editions.  - Tina
 

~ We use A Beka with all our kids. ( Now finishing grades 11, 8,7, and 4) We started our oldest daughter with Christ-centered curriculum in K4 & 5. At that time, they only went through 1st grade; so I was scoping out curriculums back then (around 1999). I chose A Beka for a few different reasons...1. The phonics method that she learned was the same way that A Beka taught it; so it was a smooth transition. 2. I did not train to be a "teacher" like lots of missionary wives; so I was a little apprehensive about the responsibility of teaching my kids. At that time, there were other missionary wives that already used A Beka; so I knew that I could ask them if I had any questions. (This was back before email and Internet were easily accessible.) When I got the curriculum, I loved it!! It is very friendly for homeschool parents that are not "teachers." I teach my kids the traditional method through 4th grade; then we go to DVDs.

~A Beka is very strong in Language Arts. I know some MKs that have taken A Beka throughout all their schooling, and they tested out of the freshman English classes in college. I agree that there are stronger curriculums in the higher maths, but it has not been a problem for us because math/ science are my strengths.

~As has been stated before, find a curriculum and stick with it. There will always be something that you do not enjoy or wish that it was a little different.

~I was so glad to see her comment about deadlines!! My oldest daughter has had a tough time this year because she has had a lot of projects and papers. I have been pretty strict about it and told her that she would love me for it in a few years. It is teaching her time management as well :)

~I have heard from several others that A Beka customer service is not good. Personally, I have always had good experiences with them. I always have our curriculum sent to my parents and then sent to us somehow from them. They ship books and DVDs separately. This year, we bought some new classes. The books arrived, but the DVDs did not. We searched and searched, and it ended up being UPS that delivered to the wrong house, but the DVDs were never located. A Beka shipped a whole new set without us having to pay a dime.  - Paige 
 
~  I know this is not about the curriculum, but just wanted to say... Moms, when starting school, make sure you have a set time every day. Make a schedule and stick with it. We always started at 9 and finished around noon or shortly after, when the kids were younger. As they grew older, the time was different. Make sure (when the kids are younger) that you are there with them to answer questions. This was the time when I graded tests or did the paper work. No phone calls or house work - I waited until later. As my kids grew older, that also changed. The most important thing is to be consistent. I loved home schooling. But, I know there are moms out there that don't. You don't have to love it, but if it's what the Lord wants, then try to be the best you can be. There are others here who can help and give suggestions!!  - Christine

~ We started out with A Beka and switched to BJ DVD's. My kids have done great with them and find school to be so interesting. Like someone else stated, they are always asking if their sisters can watch certain parts with them because of how interesting it is. One of the main things I like is how much reading it incorporates into each subject. They send the suggested books right along with the textbooks, and they are almost always great Christian biographies. My girls have read so many good books through their school assignments.  - Sarah

~ We do BJU Press, and here's the long story why... We finished our first furlough when our oldest child was only 2. Looking ahead into curriculum was a bit daunting when potty training was the challenge of the day! Thus, our schooling choices were made largely on customer service and ease of picking out the needed books. I really liked A Beka, as that is what I grew up using (mostly), but their customer service (and prices!) made it seem like not the best fit for us. Another missionary recommended Veritas Press, and I liked their catalogue, but it seemed hard to forsee the needed fillers, and if the child whizzed through a certain book... I liked the pre-set curriculum because I knew she'd be getting everything needed for that grade in the pack. We don't do video school yet, but I like that if we do, it won't be a curriculum change. Also, there's an umbrella school option that we're considering for high school... :-) See, told you- long winded!  - Lisa

~ Just something I was thinking about along this line as you said you want to use this to help others. When I came to Kenya, I found myself looking at others and thinking I had to do things just like them! I have since learned that everyone is different and every family is different! I'm glad it is that way too because it would be a pretty boring world if we all did everything the same.  - Tina 

~ We used ACE for everything except for Algebra I, II and Geometry. We used Saxon Math for that.  - Marty

~ We started out with A Beka DVDs. Our kids are now in a school that another missionary started; they also use the A Beka DVDs. Each child is different and has different areas in which they struggle, but they do not seem to have a problem keeping up with the fast-paced curriculum.  - Laura

~ I use ACE. I didn't homeschool; so I am not a homeschool buff by any means. My husband used it all growing up and was real happy with it; so that is why we use it. I have been happy with it also because I am not the best teacher, and it allows my kids to do it themselves, and I just check their work. I do help out if needed and read ahead to see what they are doing that day, if they need any help, etc. It is easy even for me, and that is another bonus in my book!  - Amanda

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Please keep in mind that every family is different, and what works for one family may not work for another.  What may work for one child will not work for another.  I always enjoy hearing about what curriculum people use and why, and I hope this was an encouragement to you.

If you have anything to add, please leave a comment.



Going Postal

A few days ago, we received a package from the States. It had a printed postage tag in the corner where it normally is, but apparently the postal clerk charged for a domestic package instead of an international package. Instead of just printing an additional tag, they used stamps. The box had 98 postage stamps on it, if I counted correctly. We laughed and laughed when we saw the box. The lady at the post office here in Takoradi, Ghana, even asked why it had so many stamps on it.

Several years ago, there was a certain postal employee named Essi who made it a nightmare to receive any package. We would go to our post office box, find a package slip, and then make the dreaded trip down the hallway to claim the package. Normally, receiving a package is a happy occasion, but Essi did not make it a very pleasant experience. It would take no less than one hour and as long as three hours once we reached Essi's window. There were two different windows side by side. She took the slip from you at one window; then, she went in search of your package. The next step was for the package to be inspected to determine customs and duty fees. Essi was also the person who did this, but you had to go to window number two for this process. She opened the box and looked at each item. She had a book that was about ten inches thick; she would attempt to look up every item in her book. The only problem was that she did not even know what half of the items were. She would write down a price beside each item. Then, she went to a desk in the corner of her office to tally up the total. At that point, it was time to go back to window number one to sign for the package. There was just one step left in receiving the package – going back to your seat in the hallway so that she could call you back to window number two to receive the package. We were so thankful the day that Essi was transferred to a different location; we actually hoped that she had retired so that no one else would have to go through her dreaded process. The process is much simpler now. It is all processed at one window, and most of the time they just glance inside the package instead of removing every item!

Brenda Booth, missionary in Panama with her husband Franklin and their three children, shared a good package story with me. Did you know that you can enjoy grits even if you do not eat them? About two years ago, the Booths received a package from a supporting church. The church had asked them what they wanted and needed. Her husband, Franklin, is from South Georgia and asked for grits. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the package. When Franklin went to pick up the box at the post office, one of the three cans of grits that had been sent had exploded. There were grits everywhere inside that box. As the post office clerk opened the box, Frank had quite a time trying to explain the white grainy substance! The minute he got home,they took the box outside and sat down to dig out their surprise gifts and shake out the grits. They ended up throwing the grits up in the air and pretending it was snow. Brenda said that she personally does not care for grits, but they will never forget the fun that they had with those grits!

Stay tuned next week for more package stories. If you have a package story or some other funny story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at loconsford@gmail.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

Fellowship Fridays

This post was written by Rachel, missionary wife in Estonia.  I had the privilege of meeting her and her family last summer.  She is as sweet as she appears on her blog.  I am blessed to call her my friend.  Please visit Rachel over at her blog, Rachel's Reflections.  I know you'll enjoy it!

 Seasons

Spring has finally arrived!  Do you enjoy the changing of the seasons?  I sure do.  Well, except for winter changing to spring.  This is my very least favorite time of year in Estonia.  After a cold winter with lots of snow,  I long for sunshine, warmth, green grass, leaves on the trees, and birds singing.  But the in-between stage is just not a beautiful season.  The snow that once so beautifully covered the city gets dirty and melts away.  As the snow melts, it leaves the ground slushy and soggy.  Once the snow is gone, it reveals dead brown grass, ugly dry weeds, and trash. YUCK!

However, as I was talking with my kids the other day, I shared with them an important lesson that I have thought about a lot lately. The truth is that whether I like it or not, every step in the changing of the seasons is necessary.  We will never enjoy the colors, smells, sounds, and warmth of summer if we do not first have spring.  Although I wish I could skip the season I do not enjoy, it's just not possible.  The same is true in our lives.  Every stage in life has a purpose.  I find myself wanting to skip the lessons and circumstances that I do not enjoy.  Sometimes God uses our least favorite season to prepare us for the next season of our life.  It is at that point that we must look for the beauty in the season in which we find ourselves. 

So while I am currently in my least favorite season, I do absolutely LOVE getting more and more daylight.  It just "brightens my day" (pun intended {smile}).  

Daylight at 8:30 p.m.  is so enjoyable when just a few months earlier a blanket of darkness covered the city by 4:00 p.m.

The exciting part is that we continue to gain daylight each day.  So as I wait for all the joys of summer to arrive, I'll be thankful for the extra light that brightens my day.

What can you be thankful for even during an unpleasant season of life?