Matthews Family Herald

Please forgive me. This photo is out of sequence and so please include it along with other photos of Hannah and the place where I talk about Heather doing Hannah's hair. This is a shot of the back part of her hair. It will all make sense in a moment . . .















Our Homeschool Co-Op held a session end Medieval Themed Celebration last Sunday and I thought I'd share with you some photos. This was the set up used.











Some of the smaller children sang something they had been practicing for awhile. You can see evidence of Heraldry posted up there behind them.










Here's my wife in her costume, along with our newest daughter looking so cute with her little bow.



















Here's sweet Ebby Dear with her knight in shining armor. Those two held hands and walked around and around the celebration area together. It was so cute.

Micah was "King Peta" for this ceremonial meal and he did a great job. Leon is there on the left of him and we are so thankful for Leon's friendship. Many of the useful props our family used were supplied by Leon.

Hannah looking so beautiful in the costume she and I looked up together online. Heather worked very hard to make Hannah's hair look so wonderful.

Hannah here with one of her fellow maidens.

Jacob on the left was the Executioner for this celebration. Thankfully, he and the good knight with him had already carried out the dirty work before the festival and so had a nice appetite worked up.

Nathan decided to stand guard for quite awhile during the festival and so he wouldn't move or talk or anything. He'd asked me questions about whether guards ever move or talk throughout the week. When Nathan first started standing there by the door for a long time, I wondered if something was wrong and why he was being antisocial. I then recalled all his "guard" questions earlier that week and chuckled to myself as I realized the situation.

Another of Nathan's friends showed up in Ephesians 6 Armor and so these knights posed together for me.

Heather had the great idea of making a quill from a feather and having a sign in scroll for the kids; and she had the foresight to assign ME! to arrange it all. With petitions made first to Divine Providence, I believe it all came out quite nicely. And my wife was right on the money because the kids loved it and stood in line to get their turn at using the quill. The ink was spilled at one point and several of the women cleaned it up quickly. It was lots of fun learning how to make the feather pen and researching it. Then drawing the decorative lettering and letterhead. We ought to take the time always to do things like that.

Our family took a few moments to write our Bridge of Hope through Gospel for Asia http://www.gfa.org/ sponsored children two weeks ago. Micah had spent a lot of time making this wonderful drawing and decided to mail it, with a letter, to the boy he had chosen for us to sponsor. But, I am thankful to have gotten a photograph of it before we mailed the letter out.

I'm proud to announce that both of the boys tested in their martial arts classes and Jacob was promoted to yellow belt. I intend to get some updated photos of them wearing their new belts for you soon, but until then I hope you enjoy these.

Here is Jacob practicing defensive moves with his friend here.

Micah was promoted from white belt right on up to green belt. Micah had previously earned his yellow belt some years ago, and so that along with his hard work, practice, and faithfulness to God, Micah was promoted to green belt.

Here's Micah when he was a white belt and standing in one of his fighting stances.

I thought you would enjoy seeing this article appearing in The New York Times about how a company paid a group of homeless men $20 per day, plus tips to carry around wireless routers at a large conference in order to meet the cell phone and internet needs of the conference participants. The homeless workers were provided T-shirts and other items to aid them in doing their job.

Apparently, a person desiring service would visit this website on their mobile device:

http://www.homelesshotspots.org/

and then click the paypal button with their homeless provider's name in order to access the internet or cell phone provider. In following the link, you learn a little bit about the homeless person on the site and suddenly, the whole process makes a homeless person a real human being that we might be able to relate to.

Other than potential health concerns associated with wireless devices, I think it's great that they have this opportunity to work. Maybe I would change the shirt from saying "I'm Clarence, a 4G Hotspot" to "I'm Clarence offering you a 4G HotSpot." He's a person not a hotspot. But otherwise, awesome stuff. I don't make this statement in an unqualified manner either. I've been homeless myself briefly, someone very dear and in my immediate family was homeless for years, and my wife and family have worked quite a bit with the homeless among other Christians and friends. I'll close with 1) a link to the article, 2) a few quotes from that article coming from the three sides of the argument, and 3) a YouTube link where you can hear from Clarence himself (the guy in the picture) talk about the program for about 40 seconds.

1) New York Times Article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/technology/homeless-as-wi-fi-transmitters-creates-a-stir-in-austin.html?_r=1&hp

2) Quotes from the three sides of the argument:

The company says: “We saw it as a means to raise awareness by giving homeless people a way to engage with mainstream society and talk to people,” he said. “The hot spot is a way for them to tell their story.”

The opposition says: Tim Carmody, a blogger at Wired, described the project as “completely problematic” and sounding like “something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia.” (You can see the opposition blog on Wired by clicking on the highlighted words "described the project" in this paragraph.)

The homeless workers said: “Everyone thinks I’m getting the rough end of the stick, but I don’t feel that,” Mr. Jones said. “I love talking to people and it’s a job. An honest day of work and pay.”

3) Clarence on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuykePeqzp8&feature=player_embedded

Hi,

Just wanted to share a couple of recent quotes I've come across. This post comes from reading the book "A Love that Multiplies" co-authored by The Duggar husband and wife team. The quote is particularly relevant right now because 1) I have children who choose each moment who they will hang out with and who they will talk to online, etc., and I want them to be successful in the eyes of the Lord. 2) It's relevant because there is are some folks I know who I'm concerned for. I am watching their recent life decisions while observing who they spend a majority of their time with. I believe there is a co-relation there. I'm not about hurting people and I understand also that Jesus, for example, came to help sinners and outcasts, etc. Well, here's the quote. Goodness, I'd want someone to say these things for me if I needed to hear it. It comes from love and so let me share it here. It's a quote from "Grandma Duggar" that she often shared with her children:

"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future."

Yes, you should pray for people and care for their needs. But Michelle Duggar says they teach their kids not to approach others from the point of view of making friends, but from discipling others. When you approach with that mindset, you'll stay connected with those God either links you with for mutual encouragement, or you'll link with those who are responding to God's working in their lives, but you'll be protected from falling into harmful life choices because your thrust or perspective is for edification and not for self affirmation. God is your affirmation.

So, look at those friends we are around so much and spending time with, okay? I'm talking to we grown ups now too. Are those friends close to the Lord? Or are they all caught up in the world? Are they foul mouthed or speak words of holiness? Are they leading stong Godly families, or are they divorced multiple times and trash talking their current spouse or being unfaithful to their spouse in word, deed, conversation, and thought? Are they deeply involved in their child's lives, or are they seeking after self-improvement, self-entertainment and seem to see whatever children they have as some kind of burden, weight, and distraction? Do they build up their spouse and encourage him or her, or do they tear him or her down both privately and publicly?

You've heard "Birds of a feather flock together." My granddad said something like "Bluebirds are also shot by the farmer if perching with the crows." Not an exact quote there but you get the point. Will Smith's character's wife in the movie "Pursuit of Happiness" said she was not happy as to why she left Will. Will didn't look like he was going anywhere in life, but we know how far he later went. Will made the mistake of telling her "Go get happy" and releasing her spiritually to leave. Are words are powerful and we should guard our tongues and keep from releasing and giving authority spiritually away when we speak. For Will, he ought to have fought for what God gave him.

But also, his wife should have fought for what God gave her too; a husband, a family, a future. I wonder who Will's wife had been spending her time with? How had they influenced her thinking and her perspective? What if she had sought out, instead, Godly women who honored thier husbands for the Lord's sake and spent their time, energy, and efforts on building up their marriage, their home, and their families? Maybe she would have gotten a better grasp on what really matters and stayed in it with her husband. She'll never know, but we can make a change right now.

The Holy Bible, God's truth and Word above all truth that our heart, our emotions, our beliefs, or this world, or our friends, family, etc., may tell us says:

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Deuteronomy 30:19

If a friend is really a friend, they'll respect your decision. If God is calling that friend too, they'll even come with you and then not only are you and your family saved, so are those friends.

But how can I overcome how hard it is, and what about the importance of myself and what I want, need, feel? That's simple. You know Jesus was crucified for our sins with two thieves next to him; one on either side. Remember that one thief who stuck up for Jesus and asked Jesus to remember him? Jesus told that man that he would be with Jesus in paradise that day. Think about that man's perspective while he hung up there. Maybe he had a struggling marriage. Maybe he had many disappointments. Maybe he had large amounts of debt and big plans. Maybe he had been worried about the Roman government and felt extremely mistreated; felt like the government was overreacting by nailing him up there to die. But once he was nailed up there, it was certain. He knew he was dying. None of that mattered anymore. The worldly cares and self interests didn't matter. His perspective was different. "I'm a dead man. I'm crucified." A dead man doesn't care anymore if he's unfulfilled, in debt, mistreated, disappointed. This truth is what sets you and all of us free. We are dead, we need to act like it. God tells us we are crucified with Christ and He now lives in us. So, admitting this is true and acting on the fact that God said so frees us and enables God to make it true in our everyday life. "That me that lived for self is dead, crucified and buried with Christ whene he was crucified and buried. The new me was raised up with Christ when Christ was raised up. I live for God. God lives in me. I can do all things through Christ."

Lord Jesus, help us to make the right choice, turn, repent and be on the right track. Send us Godly company and Godly counsel. Thank you for your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.