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.



ONE Life

     A friend of our family went to Afganistan.  He was 20 years old.  He was a Marine.  His name was Dane.  He saw all the people that were dying, on his team and on the other team.   Other people got diseases.  He saw all that death, and got depressed. 

     Dane was so depressed that he couldn't eat or drink.   He had super bad dreams and got so scared when he got home.  One day he felt so depressed.  He told his mom "I'll feel better some day."  He was so sad that he got a pistol and he shot himself right in the heart. 

     He died.  The whole family was so, so sad. 

     There was a walk, a 5K, called "Walking out of the Darkness."  This was for helping suicide prevention.  Every fifteen minutes, people die of suicide.  That is not right.

 Dane's Family and my family walked in the 5K,
remembering Dane.
We look happy, but we were very sad.

     The Bible says not to kill.  That includes not killing yourself.  Dane was a Christian.  He went into the Marines because he wanted to help people.   He wanted to help our country.   But he was so depressed because of what he saw and maybe even what he did.  He didn't want to think about that anymore. 

     I wish I could have stopped him.  I wish I had prayed to God to help him not be so depressed.  If I was at his house, I wish I could have found his gun and took it out of his room.   I wish I could have spent time with Dane and comfort him.  But I didn't know he was going to kill himself.  Nobody knew.

 I think Dane is in Heaven.   He is not sad anymore.  He is with Abraham and Jesus in Paradise, with many Angels.  I did this walk because I hate suicide.   I want people to know they don't have to destroy themselves.  There is a friend who loves them, and someone can help them, but they have to tell that they are feeling like they want to kill themselves.  No one can read minds.   We only have one life, and we must not kill ourselves or it is wasted.   That is the reason I did the Walk.  Life is too precious to let it go.

In Memory of Dane


"You are the Light of the world, oh Lord,
And You make Your servants shine,
So how can there be any darkness in me,
If You are the Light of the World,
Yes, You are the Light of the world."
--song by Michael Card
 

One God

 

We went on a Field Trip to "Farm City" today.   We saw all kinds animals, and did science experiments, too

 

 In all of the looking and walking around, I kept

thinking about God. 

 

I thought that He was so

awesome because He made every animal here.

 

 

Baby Chicks just hatched

 

Only God could have made so many different things, like the people, the goats, the cows, the chickens, the horses, and the little tiny baby kittens. 

 

Some people say that the world started with the Big Bang Theory.

 

But this couldn't have been true.  Something had to have MADE this stuff.   Nothing can't just happen.  Nothing is just Nothing. 

 

God told us in the Bible that He made world. 

Of all the other planets, this is the only one that can suit life.

All the other persons that people worship were

either only stone, mud, or humans.

 

For example, Dagon in the Bible was the "god of the harvest." 

When the Ark of the Covenant was

brought in to stand by Dagon,

Dagon fell on his face.

 

The next day, when they put him back up,

Dagon was broken.  His head and arms were

broken off.  God did that.

All the ones who worshipped Dagon

thought he was real until then.  After God

broke Dagon, those people were scared.

 

God made them have Tumors because they

worshipped stones and made up gods.

 

I bet if I went to ancient Egypt, and the Egyptians

were all around, and I went to each of the statues

of their gods, pushed them down and they

broke, they would realize that they were

just statues made of stone. 

 

 

 

 

Bad news for some Christians

 

 I hear in the news that some radical Muslims are killing people who believe in Jesus.
 

God can change their hearts, pray He will- 

to change their hearts about Jesus too,

as He did when He talked to Saul of Tarsus (in Acts 9).

 

"Greater is He that is in us,
than he who is in the World"

Out of My Heart---------Words

I read my Bible to
my little friend, Phoebe

 

   I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. ---

Psalm 119: 11

 

 

One of my goals to help me be more like Jesus is to learn many verses. 

 

I am learning 1 new verse every week.

 

I know lots of verses now.

 

They come into my mind when I need to

do something or

feel tempted to do wrong.

 

 

That is a good thing.

 

working with my Mom outside

Will you help by praying?

 

 

 

There is a sad girl who lives down the street from me. 

  She gets picked on by the kids at school because she has a stutter and her speech is not like everyone else. 

We became friends when we first moved in 2 years ago.  She is Jewish. 

She is not allowed to go to church with us, although she wishes that she could.  Her parents won't let her. 

She is really a nice girl, and fun to play with.  We play Pokémon and with my Cats. 

If you are reading, this, will you please say a prayer for my friend Margaret?

What Faith with Works Means to Me...

 I read the the Bible every day with my Mom or Dad.  We love to learn about the Bible.    It is God's Word.

I have been thinking a lot about what it says in  James 2:18 

 "But someone will say,
“You have faith and I have works.”

Show me your faith apart from your works,

and I will show you my faith

by my works." 

 I heard my preacher say that people get confused by this verse.  
I asked my Daddy about it, 
 and he told me to research it
and
write an essay about it
for my English Composition class.  

                

It was not easy to write,

but here are my thoughts about

Faith and Works.   

I think it means that if someone says, '' I am a Christian!''  and punches, kicks, abuses, swears like crazy, makes fun of others, and never, ever gives any second chances,  he is also a liar!   He says he has Faith, but what does his life show?

But another person says, ''I am a Christian!'' and does the opposite of the first person.  He is telling the truth!   I want to be more like this person. 

  In my life, I show my Faith in God by helping other people.  At least this is one way.  I helped my Daddy dig, insert pipes, and re-cover the pipe and hole with the dirt.


It was hard work, but it was better than a flood in the basement! I saw my Daddy hurting because he was working so long and his back was sore. 

I had Faith and wanted to help him.   I showed my Faith by my Works... Digging and Helping.  This is all part of becoming a Strong Leader for Jesus.