Monday, September 10, 2012

Greetings one and all,

Here is the homework for a Monday night:

1.  Math:  pages 75 and 76
*notes were taken in class and would be helpful, bring home your math notebook

2.  Read independently for 20 minutes

3.  Writer's notebook officially decorated for Tuesday.

That's all folks.

Mr. K

And Seminary begins...

I was thinking of starting a completely new blog about this experience but decided why reinvent the wheel when it just needs to be dusted off and pumped up abit.  So for now our "Klanderman Family" blog is going to be some thoughts, meditations, or struggles with the new adventure in our lives, Amy's Seminary Days.  I would think most of these posts will be from me, Amy, since I'm going through this first hand...but there may be times when others chip in.  Just want to have a place where I can keep track of the process and...you never know...possibly help someone else along the way.  So here goes...

I began official Seminary classes this week (last week I had one morning of orientation) at Western Seminary in Holland, MI.  After my first week here are a few thoughts:

1)  When they say Greek is hard, this is not an understatement.  I studied 8 hours for my first quiz (took 5 minutes to do) and that was just for the alphabet.  I'm so glad that God is bringing me into this gently (only 3 classes) because if I was going full time and being a mom...honestly that would not be possible in my life.

2)  I love all my classes.  (Yes, even Greek.)  I go to class 2 days a week (T & Th) and this is my schedule.  8am-NT Greek, 9:40-Chapel (not a class but an amazing blessing to worship with others who are going through similar things...such a gift!), 10:30-The Practice of Discipleship, and 1:15 on Tues-Worship Foundations.  Why do I love them?  Greek:  Dude, I get to read the Word of God in the language that it was copied down in for centuries, before Bible translations were made.  I still can't believe that I will be able to do that...Go God!  Discipleship:  Trying to bring back the idea of discipleship...living out our faith and sharing that with others, walking together in discovery and learning, and growing more into the people God created us to be.  Worship: Looking at all the different forms that people use to worship the Living God, I'm excited about the things I will be challenged with and the opportunities God will give me to explore some I'm not traditionally inclined to do.

3)  New Friends:  When you struggle through these classes with basically the same group of people you hear people's hearts and work through things with them, and when you are left standing and changed at the end you can't help but be better for it.  I can't wait to see what God's going to teach me through them.

4)  The Professors are amazing!  A group of God loving people who truly have His purposes for our lives at heart.  Not cram it down your throat-type people, not get this or get out type people, but here are some things we have learned...how can we help you to grow type people.  Ones who reassure you that if you feel like you have no idea of what's going on you are in the perfect place, or ones who say we know you can't read everything you have been assigned...Get to the stuff that speaks to your heart and let God work through that.    Amen! 

So this is enough for a beginning!  If you have questions, comment and I'll try to get to them.  If you have prayer time you are looking to spend on someone, I'd appreciate your prayers.  For now just that God would help me find balance in my life and that each day I would grow more into the person He created me to be.  So we'll end with this thought...

My first quiz of my seminary career was my Greek alphabet quiz this morning at 8am.  I studied at least 8 hours for this quiz, every family member ran through the flash cards with me, and I spoke and wrote it out (sounding like an idiot trying to make spit fly on my "chi") and used every resource available to me to make sure those letters were stuck well.  This morning, getting that blank piece of paper with some lines for the letters and then an open space to write all the names (in order) was amazingly nerve wracking.  When I was done, I was pretty sure I had done a good job, but I would just have to wait and see.  When I got the graded paper in my mailbox, before I left this noon, it brought tears to my eyes.  Beside all I had written out in pencil, there were just two red words at the top, "Well done."  Not a bad start to a seminary career.  Go God!  (Matt. 25:21)

At His feet,

Amy

Blogging Block...?

So we made it to WA and returned to Hamilton after an amazing summer. Now after another school year we are staying here for the summer. Sorry for the year of suspense. =) Hoping to have people visit. =) I'll probably add some pictures and try to use this more again. We'll see. Blessings all and hope this finds you well. At His feet, Amy

I will blog more when I get a chance, but...

What a couple of days it has been. We left MN on Thursday morning with an interesting forecast...a whole day of severe weather. Hit the first storm, hail included, but drove through and hit some clear skies afterward. Then heard a forecast that warned us about severe weather near Fargo so we pulled off until it was by and didn't even get a drop on our car. Then...the sky stayed cloudy so we were hoping we were through it. But just as we got to Bismarck, ND a warning about high winds and severe weather came across the radio, and with one look at the ominous sky we pulled into the exit that was the last one for miles, and pulled the van & trailer behind the first gas station we came to and sat there. But then the wind came blasting around the building and the van started shaking so we ran for the building and ducked inside. The wind came with a fury and we stood inside the very sturdy, clean, and comfortable gas station/super market/Quiznos watching the cigarette ash catchers get blown across the parking lot. But talking to the manager this was pretty typical and he said it will be over in a few minutes. In 20 minutes we were back on the road, newly purchased root beer barrels from our little sanctuary from the storm, under sunny skies. It was amazing...a true miracle of God's timing in helping us maneuver through the day of storms and truly come through unscathed! And today...a beautiful day in Montana...just amazing views and breathtaking space. A glorious way to spend our last full day of traveling. Tomorrow we hope to be at camp by early afternoon. Can't wait! Thanks for the prayers everyone and keep them coming...they have been answered so far and can't wait to share more witness to the power of our God!

Made it to MN...

Our first day of driving was pretty good. A little slow just past Chicago where there was an accident. Then an extra bathroom break about 10 miles before we got to Grandma Rita's, then the police warning about going 45 in a 25 zone 100 yards from Grandma's. He graciously let us get to our anticipated stop without a ticket and a great couple of hours were spent with Grandma and about half the Smith clan (around 30-40 people). We love you guys so much and treasure each moment we had to spend. Our trip then to St. Cloud for 2 hours was pretty uneventful except the stop for some construction about 6 miles out of Woodville. We arrived at about 9:30pm. The hotel was great and we are rested and hope to be on the road again in 30 minutes. Thanks for the prayers everyone. More later!

Happy 14th Anniversary

Where has the time gone! An amazing 14 years it has been and the coming year looks to be pretty special as well. Celebrated last night with errands for our upcoming trip, Chinese food...sooooo good, and a movie...and surprisingly it was pretty good! Today was spent finishing up tasks around the house. I believe our 8am departure time tomorrow is very doable with only a very few last minute things to throw in. We hope to spend some time with Aaron's Grandma Rita in the afternoon and stay in St. Cloud, MN for the evening. It is quite an ambitious day but hopefully there is not too much construction and traffic, we'll just have to see. Thanks for the prayers for our travels and we hope to blog often during our adventure ahead, especially with pictures. All His love from our hearts. And thanks God for the wonderful man you blessed me to spend my life with. Here's to many more great years...Go God!

The Klanderman's Summer Mission 2010

Beloved,

Just a quick note to begin the posts for this next adventure in life God is calling us to...a summer at Tall Timber Ranch in central Washington. More to come soon. But we would be blessed if you would pray for us and the staff at the camp that we are ministering to. Blessings! At His feet,
The Klandermans

Tuesday, January 26

Greetings on a Tuesday.

Here's the Homework for tonight:

1. Math: 129 and 130 (Wed)

2. AR goals are due this week Friday!

3. Science Packet/Journal (this is not for everyone, but check with your son/daughter if they need to finish this up for tomorrow)

Have a great night.

Mr. K

Released Time

Released Time is not a program. It is an opportunity for parents to have their children participate in religious education during their school day. It is an opportunity for our children to connect the principles that our schools try to instill in them with the real reason for those principles to begin with...the truth found in God's Word. And if we aren't taking these times to share the truth with our communities and help in the guidance of our children down the paths that lead to life, we are truly missing an amazing opportunity to minister. So check out this link and pray about how God is calling you to be a part of this opportunity.

http://www.releasedtime.org/sitert/
This link that you can explore that gives most details about what Released Time is and where the laws and rulings came from. Make sure to click on the state by state information for specific Michigan Laws and the history section is fascinating.

http://www.rtce.org/pages.asp?pageid=32784
This is a link to a newsletter from Released Time Education. All the articles talk about the ways that Released Time works to stay in the parameters the law allows to minister to our school and our kids.

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2007/12/michigan_school_starts_release.php
This last link is to an article written against Released Time...just to give you an idea of what opposition is out there. And to give you the feeling of urgency because this is one of those rights we have as parents that if we don't use it, there are those out there who would also take it from us. It is food for thought.

Pray about these things and contact me (amykman@gmail.com) if you are interested in hearing more...and check back to this blog for more updates in the future. At His feet, Amy

Continued Beginnings...

I'll go wherever you go, give you my heart and my soul, nothing can take me away, now and forever I'm yours...Another Vota song that ministers to me but also one that gives me courage to begin seeking God's purpose in the promptings he's laid on my heart.

So God called us back to the States. Honestly wasn't expecting that. February one marks a year ago when we prayed for the month about where God was calling us...to stay in Guatemala or return to Hamilton, MI. Here we are. Many tears were cried but the conviction that God laid on our hearts was undeniable. And something that God has been prompting my heart for years about has been rekindled...looking into beginning a Released Time Program at the school where my children attend. I have been helping to coordinate the program at one of the local elementary school where I used to teach and which is near our church. But my children attended a different elementary school with more than 3 times as many kids and the sheer numbers overwhelmed me. But after spending a year in Guatemala and hearing (and giving) testimony after testimony of our Mighty God working in mighty ways, I am pressing on with what God has laid on my heart. A few friends and I have been praying about it this past fall and yesterday I shared with a few moms at Blue Star Elementary and through their encouragement today continues the seeking of God's will in this specific program for our elementary.

Here's what you can do:
1) Pray. Pray that God will soften hearts, open doors, and draw us all closer to him by seeking his will in our lives.
2) Find out more information about Released Time. In the following blog I will place links for more of the technical information available.
3) Communicate with each other about how God is working in our hearts about a program such as this at Hamilton Elementary (especially those who have a heart for the school, the kids, and the surrounding community). I would love to share my experience and begin talks about where God could be leading us in all this.

Please contact me by e-mailing me at amykman@gmail.com if you are interested in any aspect of this, from needing more information to just waiting for an opportunity to serve. Thank you and God, we are yours. Use us in your mighty ways.

At His feet,

Amy

Hard Core Bible Study Lesson # 1

From Sept. 30, 2009

Title: Why are we here?

Questions:

What job do you want to have when you grow up?
What kind of a person do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you want people to remember about you when you are gone?

Scripture:

1 Samuel 13:5-14 & 1 Samuel 16:1-13

On Your Own:

1. What stories do you remember about David?

2. What do you think it means to be a person “after God’s own heart”?

3. Why does God reject Saul as King of Israel? (1 Sam. 13:13-14)

4. Which of Jesse’s sons would Samuel have chosen if it were up to him to choose a king & why?

5. How does God choose people for his work? (1 Sam. 16:7)

6. Can you think of any reasons why David should not have been chosen king?

7. What happened to David after he was anointed king?

8. Do you want to become a person after God’s own heart? Why or why not?


Together Time Notes:
*Go through questions together! What are some things that you could do to help you become a
person after God’s own heart?

*Why you should come to this Bible Study? Come and find out!

Prayer time:

Praise & Worship Time:

This week’s challenge: (Homework for next week)
1. Pray daily asking God to help you become a person after God’s own heart.
2. Make a list of 5 things you could do that would help you become more of a person after God’s own heart.
3. Memorize verse 1 of Psalm 51.

Song that has Inspired me lately...

So my favorite new band (Christian Rock) is a band named VOTA. Rocking music with the spiritual content I need to grow as I listen. My favorite song on their premier self-titled album is a song entitled "Free to Fail." I'm writing the lyrics here, and pray that they would challenge you as they have challenged me. God bless, Beloved, & all His love from my heart. Go God! At His feet, Amy

Free to Fail by VOTA

What if the end is just the beginning
What if the stars were meant to be reached
What if your heart was made to be broken
You've nothing to give, that's all that you need.

You are the one who's breaking my heart all over again.
Nothing I do or say can change your mind
You are the one who's given me more than I could repay
You lived your life so I could live mine

My heart has done all my hands never dare to
Fooling my mind to believe we were free
Love came in like a whisper screaming
Your guilt and your shame were meant for me

You are the one who's breaking my heart all over again.
Nothing I do or say can change your mind
You are the one who's given me more than I could repay
You lived your life so I could live mine

We are free to fail
We are free to fail
We are free to fail now
You are the one who's taken my heart all over again
You are the one who's given me life

You are the one who's given me more than I could repay
You lived your life so I could live mine

We are free to fail now
We're starting over

The First Day of School

8 am-Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009-Caden,-4th grade, Maya-2nd, Lily-one more year.

In front of our home.

Bus is taking quite a while the first morning so we sit by the pond.

Get a picture with our sign.

Neighbors come over. Maya, Caden, Lily, Makayla, & Trenton.

The kids with Shantae.

It's finally here. Good walking everyone.

There they go...Now what shall we do Lil? Her response? "Can I have a snack?" =) Some things never change.

The Last of the Family Summer Fun-Sept. 7, 2009

Last day of Summer, 2pm West Michigan Whitecaps game...Great afternoon. Amy's Bro Chad with Maya & Caden.

A daddy with his girls.

Grandpa & Grandma with Cotton Candy, does life get any better?

Great seats, beautiful day.

The game gets a little intense during the final innings.

Rally caps in the ninth...afraid it didn't help. But the game came down to the last out. Maybe next time, Whitecaps.

Great ending to a nice long summer.

Sunday, August 16

Dear Everyone,

You are invited tomorrow morning to Overisel Reformed Church as we share during the morning service our year in Guatemala and how God worked in our lives in amazing ways. We will be sharing at 9:30am and hope you can come. If you can't, we will let you know if we will be sharing another time.

God bless! At His feet,

The Klandermans

Wednesday, July 22-Lily & Lilies

The day began as a normal Wednesday...actually kind of quiet. Aaron had taken Caden & Maya to town to scout out bike info for Caden in his quest to spend the money he's earning this summer, and I was getting a great jump on laundry & housework, getting ready for our trip out to Iowa this weekend. Lily was playing outside with her friend Shantay from next door and I could hear them playing pretend as I stood in the bedroom folding clothes. At about 11:30 Lily came inside asking if she and Shantay could have a drink. I asked why and she told me they had just eaten some yucky berries and they needed a drink. You know as a mom you hear certain words and your heart beat goes up about 20 bpm. I had her show me where and she walked me around the north side of our home where we grow some Lily of the Valley plants (Yes I hear all of you botanists gasping...and I'm getting to that in a minute) and she showed me some little green round seeds (berry looking pods) on the stems of the plants. A little more urgent I asked them how many they "ate" and Shantay said she had one in her mouth but it tasted yucky so she spit it out. Lily told me 4. So on my quick walk back into the house I gave the "we should never put plants in our mouth" speech and got on the computer to look up the flowers. Aaron pulls in the driveway and a second "we should never put plants in our mouth" speech commenced, but when my scroll down to the bottom of the web page showed me the word poisonous written in red...The day turned from quiet to urgent very quickly. A call to poison control had us packed up in the van with plant specimen, and backing out of the driveway when Aaron said that Lily had told him she spit out the berries because they were yucky. With Lily in tow I headed back to the scene of the crime but no "berry" bits could be found...considering they were green bits in green grass not too hard to miss. And feeling time was of the essence headed out to the nearest trauma center...15 mins away. They checked us in and brought us back to a room within 10mins and after another 10 mins waiting, the staff came in and said they were sending us to the emergency room because she needed to ingest charcoal as soon as possible to bind the poison...for Lily of the Valley plants are used to make 38 different heart medications...good when you are 78 not 4. So not able to wait for the ambulance we made the 10 minute trek across town and reached the emergency room about 1pm-ish? We checked in and they took us into a room in the ER where they hooked Lil up to an EKG and then the charcoal procedure came. At least a cup or more of powdered Charcoal mixed with water needed to be taken...I can't even describe it for you...I've tried to block it from my memory. How do parents do such things? By the sheer grace of God and the help of 4 nurses we got most of it down her (the rest was on her and we looked like the 101 Dalmatians when the ordeal was over). That's when the nurses came in and said that Poison control called and said Lily needed to be taken to DeVos Children's Hospital to be monitored for at least 24 hours. We came to find out that the plants cause the heart to slow down and are very potent. Mom & Chad showed up to see Lily & take Caden & Maya home, and Aaron ran home for Boo-Boo Bear and other essentials for a night. Around 5pm we were packed up in an ambulance and rode 30 minutes to DeVos Children's Hospital where Lily was hooked up to more machines & stayed for the night. She was able to eat something around 7pm and was thrilled to watch High School Musical 3 while she let the machines check her vitals. We "slept" there and this morning were the first stop on the doctors rounds and they sent us home with a good bill of health. Miracle 1: Lily never had any heart issues and she is just fine. Miracle 2: All the people we encountered throughout our tour of the fine medical system we have here were amazing...each purposeful in preserving Lily's health, and absolutely caring and generous with her & her parents who had to watch their daughter go through so much. Miracle 3: Things worked out fine for Caden & Maya to stay with my parents...this past month has been so crazy with traveling & many other things that not many other days would that have been possible. Miracle 4: We do not have a new washer & dryer...My current washer & dryer are on their way out and there was this great deal so we purchased them two weeks ago...Monday we realized as good of a deal or how much we needed them was irrelevant, we shouldn't get them until Aaron gets paid...so we cancelled our order and returned them...they were supposed to be delivered yesterday afternoon..Doesn't God have a good sense of humor? And he helped us pay for our ambulance ride! Amazing...I'm sure this tale is not done but I am for now. Insurance...we'll have to see how God works to provide for our needs, how he uses this experience for our future work, and what will come out of all of this. We do know that God's strength and love brought us through and hopefully Lily's lesson of "Don't put plants in your mouth" will never have to be taught again. God is so good...

Life on the other side...

Here we are at the beginning of July 2009. Hard to believe we are here already...yet I sit typing to you from the living room of our home in Hamilton, MI. In some ways Guatemala seems like a dream...some great times that could have only been a fantasy in my mind, but then you get e-mails and facebook notes from your loved ones there and the reality sets in. Hard to be the ones not there...but...there's always a but....but our decision to return to the states has been reaffirmed again and again in God's amazing ways. Through needs, through conversations, through what we see or hear, through the miracles of God's perfect timing in so many things...impossible to doubt a God who has orchestrated things so perfectly. For instance, our last two weeks we were in Guatemala my grandmother got very sick. We started thinking about how we would make it back as we were packing up our lives but in God's graciousness we made it home and had a chance to see her in the hospital and talk with her and see her smile at her great-grand-children. Then we went to Mendy & Steve's, and she was doing better and they moved her to a nursing home to recouperate, then she took a turn for the worse again. But once again God provided mercifully and we were able to visit with her, in a weakened state but very responsive and very happy to see pictures of Mendy & Steve's family doing so well. Early this past Sunday morning she died, surrounded by her children, and yesterday we had her funeral and all 17 of her grandchildren (and many of the 24 great-grand-children) had the blessing of being there and celebrating Grandma's life together. We figured out that the last time we had all been together was at my cousin's Julie's wedding in Texas, June of 1995, 14 years ago. It was a sad day, but glorious as we gathered for pictures and enjoyed company, knowing that this unique opportunity may not come again. What a treasure and one I will continue to thank God for. What an awesome God we serve, merciful and loving. And he takes care of us. I pray that that testimony is my legacy as God works to shape me into the person he's planned for me to be. Thanks God!

Too Facebooky!

The title is my only excuse for not adding more here in the past month. Forgive me So I'll add a few things now!
Photos of our trip to WA: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26400&id=1268589118&l=46daa30161

Our last newsletter is going out today from our time in Guatemala...hard to say good bye but hope we can still share in other ways how God is working in our lives. Crazy to think about that year going by so fast...yet here we are. Can't wait to see what he has in store for the year ahead!

I'll try to be on here more and update with news. Praying for Aaron's job (which one he will receive not if he will receive one) and ministry opportunities that will open. Thanks for your prayers.

The exodus begins...

Days we've been in Guatemala: 310
Days left in Guatemala: 4
Bags we have packed: 2
Bags open to be packed: 5
Bags yet to be begun: 3
Items to put in those bags: Seems like millions.
Good byes said: Many
Good byes yet to say: Not as many
Tears shed: Thousands
Knowing God is in control of it all...priceless.