The End

Source:  Mod Resdes Prints

Dear Friends and Readers,

It’s not just the end of my time at Lads to Leaders for this year,  I’m afraid it’s also the end of this blog.  I feel bad for just blurting it out like this, but the deadline for L2L Mass Media Stuff feels like a good time for me to wrap things up.

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be

the sign of... the end... ?”

 

---Matthew 5:24

 (taken way out of context, sorry,

but I could not resist).

I’ve been blogging for a whole year, and have LOVED it, but "all good things come to an end" and for Set My Mind as a blog, the end is now.

I am going to spend the five hours a month that I spent writing posts on my blog to write my sermon,  and practice my song leading skills for the big convention.  I am excited because it will be my first convention, and I have never preached a sermon to a bunch of adults, only kids in Home School Chapel on Thursdays. 

Thank you all so much for following my blog for however long you have read my stuff!  

As my Grandma always says, "May the LORD Bless you always!"

A soldier of Christ,

Blaine Chapman

 

Note:  If you would like to read the blog in the order that it was written, please start at the post written on 1/28/14 and select "Newer Post" after reading each post.

ONE Body

"There is one body and one Spirit,
just as also you were called in one hope of your calling. 
one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God,
and Father of all who is
over all and through all and in all. "

-Ephesians 4:5

My memory verse this week is about ONE BODY.  The body of Christ is the Church.  Everyone  in the church is a part of the body.  When something bad happens to one person in our church, everybody is sad, and everybody wants to help.  One part is hurt, and the other parts should help.  Just like when I dropped the heavy wrench on my foot yesterday.  All of me stopped and reached for my hurting foot.  That is how God wants us to be with our church friends, and all of our friends.  It makes sense, and that is how there is ONE BODY.






I am learning basic mechanics
from my Dad at night
after his work
for my schooling
 

ONE Word

I like to memorize verses from
the Bible

My Verse this week is this:

 

"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ

and

Thou shalt be saved and

thy house."

Acts 16:31
 

I learned it from the King James
because my

Grandma taught it to me
and
she

loves that version.

 

She says the only book to live your life on
is the Bible.
 

It is the ONE Word

from the

ONE God.
 

The Bible is very interesting

Be Subject to the Elders (I Peter 5:5)

We have some great Elders at our church! 

They lead us in our church.  They are put to certain tests and they have to do a lot of hard work and take care of everyone in the whole congregation. 

They are my friends. 

"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” -I Peter 5:5

 Our Lads to Leaders kids had a dinner for them.   We all cooked, and did all of the preparing for the dinner.  It took all night Saturday, and then the Dinner was Sunday after services.




Some of the kids made meatballs.

Some of the girls made little garlic bread sticks.

 

As for me, I got to do the cucumber peeling and grating with a cheese grater. 



We made little slices of cucumbers for the salad. 

We set up fancy tables in the basement of the building. 

 It was not hard, but Mrs. Ashley wanted us to set the silverware perfectly. 

 

The napkins had to be placed on the table just so. 

Next, we made Desserts, which were little brownies put in cups, then made in layers of pumpkins and then brownies and pumpkin again.  Then at the top we put whip cream. 









 


We decorated the Tables with acorns and leaves and little pumpkins and pine cones to make it look like Autumn. 









 Last of all, we made salads for everyone.

Each kid had an assigned Elder and his wife to tend to.  I got Mr. Larry and his wife. 

He was fun because he talked a lot.   


 

 We talked about fishing, hunting, Arkansas, getting in our Boat, and just having plain fun.

All the kids served the Elders and their wives. 

Paul Yoder  and Miss Janet

Miss Jennifer and Darren Crowden

Miss Lori and Grant Deitch

Tim Williams and Miss Patti

Making Dessert

Making the Salad

I like having Elders because they can help me memorize verses, learn about the Bible,

 and they are fun to talk with. 

 

 

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,

as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

shepherd the flock of God that is among you,

exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly,

 as God would have you; not for shameful gain,

but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge,

 but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears,

you will receive the unfading crown of glory."

I Peter 5:1-4

 

A Friend Loves at All Times

Proverb 17:17

The Proverbs tell us that to be a friend

means to give of yourself. 

I have a friend who needed help

making a costume. 

 Lauren had fabric and an idea, so My Mom and I invited her to our home for a day to see if my we could help her.  

I I thought it might be fun to join in the sewing. 

 

Here is the drawing of  the idea that Lauren

brought to our home for

her Fairy Costume. 

We worked hard all day,

cutting fabric, measuring,

and sewing. 

 

 

It was hard,

but we also had some fun

while we worked.

 

I had never used a sewing machine before, and it is known to be a Woman Skill, but it was  fun for me to sew using the machine, too.  

 

 

My Dad says that I will need to know my way around a Sewing Machine if I am to become a Small Engine Repair Man.  

 

So I did not think I was "girlie" to use the sewing machine today. 

 Here is the Finished thing. 

Lauren was really happy that day

when she finished the costume project.  

 

 

 

I think this Memory Verse means that a friend loves another friend during all things that happen in life. 

 

Sometimes a friend will stop being nice, or stop wanting to be with me so much, but I think the Bible tells me in this verse to keep on loving that friend no matter how she or he treats me. 

 

 Real friendship lasts in the bad times

and the good times. 

 

I want to be that kind of a friend. 

 

I think Jesus was that kind of a Friend

to Peter and the others. 

 

 

 

  

 

My Typical Day...

here is a video of my daily life

My First Job

When I was 10 years old, My Parents and I talked about a business I could start on my own. 


 
 

We talked about all sorts of things,
but in the end,
I decided that
I would start a Service
 of Refuse Collector Work,
where I took our family's trash and the neighbor's trashcans out,
(and then back in)
on Trash Days.

 It was pretty hard work because I had to get up at 6 in the morning to beat the Garbage Truck.  They paid me 25 cents for each can I moved. 

 I was very ready to start this business, because I needed money for stuff, and I wanted to have a chance to show my Mom and Dad that I could do something like this.

I have learned a lot of Lessons doing my job.  Here are a few of them: 


Hard Work
AT first, I was really excited to be working for money, and helping out my neighbors, too.   But, then I started to hate getting up so early, especially in the winter, because it was icy, or snowy.  On those days, it was hard to get out of bed.  I was getting grouchy and having a bad attitude about that for a while. 







My Dad had a talk with me then, and  told me that my job was important, especially for the old people because they might fall on the ice.  I was really helping people, AND earning money to buy what I wanted WITH my own money.  

My Dad told me to focus on the PAYOFF, which was the $$, and also that I was helping others. 

So I began to grumble less, and get up without so much trouble. 

Now I get up pretty good, I guess because I am used to it, plus I DO like having that CASH to spend!
.

Self-CONTROL

my self regulation Submarine Sticker Chart
I made it to help me get ready faster
without arguing

Self Regulation is a word I learned a long time ago, but I didn't like the word, or what it meant.  I remember when I used to put sticker charts on paper to help me get ready for church and school in the morning.  I had a Submarine Sticker Chart.  It was fun, but it did get boring after awhile. 



I like going and buying THINGS
 

With my business, I get to make all the decisions.  I decided to expand to the next block from our house, but if I wanted to, I  could decide to quit it.  My parents say it is up to me. 

 What I like is that I also get to spend the money my own way.  I do give some to Jesus, some to spend, and I save some in my Bank Account.  But I could spend it all if I wanted to.  My parents let me make that decision, because it is my business. 





I like collecting Hex Bugs and
their Habitats

At first, I spent all the money on toys.  That decision was not wise.  Then I did not have money to give to a Missionary who visited our Congregation one Sunday.  I felt really bad about that.  Now I save a little of the money for things that come up, like Missions, or projects , and for Operation Christmas Child. 




Sometimes I buy Pizza for my whole family,
but it wipes out my earnings. 
Ten Dollars for 2 Pizzas is actually 40 trash cans taken out! 

 I am glad that my parents let me make the decisions myself.  They say it will help me in my future, like when I go to college like my cousins did.  It will teach me about spending, saving, and what they call "budgeting."  It already is teaching me that.