MERRY CHRISTMAS

Mary Did you Know

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?

Did you knowThat your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you knowThat your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that youve deliveredWill soon deliver you

Mary, did you knowThat your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Did you knowThat your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?

Did you knowThat your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little boyYouve kissed the face of God Mary,

did you know?

Mary, did you know?

The blind will seeThe deaf will hear

And the dead will live again

The lame will leap

The dumb will speak

The praises of the lamb

Mary, did you knowThat your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Did you knowThat your baby boy will one day rules the nations?

Did you know That your baby boy is heavens perfect lamb?

This sleeping child youre holdingIs the great I am

Have you ever wondered, Just how much did Mary know?

Imagine being the mother of the King of Kings,

Of heaven's perfect Lamb

What a privilege, what an honor, what a responsibility

What was Mary thinking that night that Jesus was born?

I'm willing to bet she had know idea what to do,

or how to raise such a child.

I'm willing to hazard a guess and say that she had to depend and trust

God one-hundred percent, trust that he would give her wisdom

and protection.
Let us to trust, even when we don't know.

But especially when we do.

The Death Sentence

By - Lydia Froemming

Only slightly less frightening than a charging rhino, a little less agonizing than a bad tooth ache, and very nearly as painful as a fast fall down three flights of stairs is ones very first speech. There you stand, in front of thousands of angry-man-eating goblins, well maybe not, more like two judges and your mom; but still it’s got to be the most terrifying experience of your existence. All you can think is, “only 10 more minutes till this is over, only 10 more minutes till this is over..” this thought rages over and over in your head completely eliminating any thought of what your supposed to be speaking on. Suddenly the stunning revelation hits you – you can’t remember what it was you were supposed to say, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Life is over, your dead; you will never live down this humiliation, then and there you swear on pain of death never, ever, ever to speak in public again. Thus begins the life long adventure of “Public Speaking”


Public speaking has a way of getting a hold of you, no mater how much you hate it or how hard you try to avoid it; at some point in your life you will undoubtedly find yourself facing an audience and having to actually speak. However, this fear of public speaking is not only foolish it’s also unnecessary. Today I would like to take you on a voyage of discovery as we dive head long into this fear of public speaking, how to overcome this fear, and the amazing benefits you will acquire.

Today in the United States public speaking is the number one fear; it even tops the fear of death! That means that the vast majority of people today would rather be the one in the casket at a funeral than giving the eulogy. But why do people fear public speaking so much? Well I’m not sure, but I think it might have something to do with that strange nervous sensation you get right before it’s your turn to speak. It’s really very interesting if you take the time to study it out, it starts in the pit of the stomach deep down there almost like a heavy weight pulling down, down, down. Some people will mistake this for the stomach flu or any number of other strange

diseases, but it’s not. After lodging it’s self in your gut, this deadly foe then climbs to your arms and hands, soon you may find you no longer have control of these important limbs, your hands may start to shake uncontrollably. After devastating the hands and arms, this mesmerizing presence then climbs to its final destination – the brain – once securely there it affects your mouth, you begin to stutter, uh, uh, uh, um, ah, yeah, well, anyway…. Soon you may find to your infinite horror, you no longer know what you were supposed to say, or why. After sinking into your chair, a silent failure, you wonder why you couldn’t say anything, since your entire speech is now coursing through your mind at near light speed. Thus begins your introduction to that enemy know as the “Fear of Public Speaking.”

Jeff Meyers, a prominent speech coach and influential speaker, once said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, courage is action in spite of fear.” Despite all the terrible things that could happen when you get up to give a speech such as, forgetting your speech, tripping on the way to the podium, talking at 20million miles a minute so no-one can understand you, or falling over dead; One thing that is sure not to happen, you will never fail! The courage to get up and try has already launched you far past the failing stage. Failing is not having tried, insisting you can’t, or giving in to that enemy of fear and quitting.

I still very clearly remember my very first failed attempted at speech….. I had been preparing to give a book report at a small Homeschool gathering. The night came and I was very excited, I had been planning and preparing this for weeks and now the big night was here! As I watch the other kids get up and give there book reports I started to get nervous, that slow growing knot in my stomach was starting to take control of me. Finally I was beyond any cure, I couldn’t get up in front of all these people and talk, it was impossible, so I didn’t. After the book reports were all given, minus mine, we had dinner and then – let the fun and games begin! For every one that is except me, I was so mad and frustrated with myself for not giving my report that I spent the entire night crying on my dad’s shoulder. (That night I failed.)


About 5 years after that first failed attempt at speaking in public I was in a speech class with our local Homeschool co-op; I was to give a speech, the first I had ever written, and performed in front of a live audience; I prepared carefully and was both excited and nervous. As mom drove my brothers and me to class that day I made a rather dumb wish, “I hope I can be very last” my mom and older brother both informed me that I didn’t want to be last, but I was persistent. However, I finally conceded, and determined that what I really wanted was to be second-to-last. Oh’ foolish child that I was, my dreadful wish came true, I sat through what seemed like hundreds of other speeches with each speech firmly confirming my belief that mine was worst of all and I’d never be able to get up and actually do it! Somehow I did manage to survive, I gave my speech with a minimum of stuttering and umming, it probably helped that I was allowed to us my script! Looking back I now know that never again will I wish to be last! But as time passed, I gave other speeches for this class. Then my brother and I decided to try debate; it was then I found out that the only way to overcome this fear of speaking in public is to just-do-it!

The Just-Do-It mentality is what I tell people who ask me how to get involved with Homeschool speech; if you never try you can never succeed. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

Besides gaining complete control over your crackling voice, you will gain a host of other benefits from mastering the art of public speaking. The memories you will gain are among some of the most entertaining and haunting ones that you’ll ever have. I still remember my first speech tournament; I did this really short humorous poem that wasn’t funny. I can still remember parts of it…. “…the hand that rocked the cradle, but there is no such hand – it is bad to rock the baby they would have us to understand…” My first round I messed up really bad, well actually I didn’t mess up at all but I thought I did so I covered my face with my hands and moaned (I’ve never been terribly good at moaning so that was quite an accomplishment) and in so doing I acquired one of my most embarrassing moments. All my memories of speech tournaments aren’t bad though, some are down right ugly! Well, I guess I do have a few good memories…like the time we got second in duo (even though there were only 2 duos) hey seconds still second! Then there was the time I spilled coffee all over my shirt right before it was my turn to speak, or the time I had to do an instant re-write on my dramatic because I skipped the entire beginning, and of course the time I spilled the judge’s water all over while shaking their hand.

The memories are great and abundant but better still are the friends I’ve made in my short and some what haphazard speech career. I have met so many awesome people, not just other competitors, but judges and coaches as well. It’s a social event and being somewhat of a social person, I love it! I often tell people that even if they don’t care about learning how to speak effectively in public, they should still do speech for the social aspect! Hey, that’s why I got involved.

Last but by no means least, are the skills you learn and the way in which you will prepare yourself for future events. Colossians 4:5&6 says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” I have had countless opportunities to put into practice the skills I have learned from this frightening thing called speech. One Christmas I gave the dramatic piece I had prepared for competition that year twice for our church, once for the Christmas program and then after that our pastor ask if I would do it again for the Christmas Eve service. Another time I gave an impromptu type speech at a girl’s discipleship conference, in front of 500 girls and mothers I was very glad to have had previous speaking experience! Two years ago a very close friend of mine was preparing for her wedding; I was floored when she asked me to do a scripture reading for the wedding service. What an honor, and was I ever glad that I had over come my fear of speaking in front of people! After the service I was told by so many people how calm and in control I looked, ha! Really I was shaking in my boots (or dress shoes, which-ever you prefer) I had just learned to put my fear out of mind and not think about it.

The truth is you may never stop getting that sinking feeling right before you speak, I still do, I can guarantee that I felt that same feeling not 10 minutes before a speech when I realized that soon I will be speaking in front of a group. You just have to get past it, learn to control it, and make it work for you and not against you. One speech coach I had was very fond of saying, “Every one gets butterflies, the trick is making them fly in formation.” So I encourage you, get past the fear, swallow that lump in your throat, and Just-Do-It. You’ll never get over your fear any other way, and without doing it you’ll never reap the benefits of all that speech can bring you.

~ Bright Lights Leaders Training ~

2006

The "Minnesotans" that all rode down together!

I've learned so much at this training, I feel like I have grown closer to God, and really been bestowed with a burden to serve & minister.

~ In Christ Alone ~

This is the song that really impacted me this week

In Christ Alone LyricsIn Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, mystrength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heightsof love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, whenstrivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here inthe love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He ismine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power ofChrist in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme ofman
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

WHOOPING COUGH

Well we have "it", yes the lovely, never ending coughing that leaves you breathless and feeling like your drowning out of water. My younger siblings have turned every shade of red, blue, purple, and green that's humanly possible (and some that arn't!)

Thankfully I don't think I every actually got "it". My dad and I took the drugs so that if we did have it we wouldn't be contagious and if we didn't have it we, hopfully, wounldn't get it. I'm coughing a little but I think it's still from the cold i've had for the last 2 months.

Mom took all the kids up north to my Aunts cabin, she needed to get them out of the house, but the're not supposed to be around people; so she had to find somewhere she could take them where there are no people. They should be having fun, staring out the windows at a lake that it's to cold to do anything on, and going crazy in a little cabin (well actully I'm pretty sure the're going to watch TV the whole time.)

As for me, i'm sitting here in our freezing house, we have no heat, trying to write my debate lesson for tonight! Yes, that's why i'm updating my blog, I have debate class writing block. Anybody else want to teach my class tonight?

Yes, life is fun (and at the moment COLD!) I'm looking forward to being done writing my lesson, thus I should probably get back at it.

Ya'll need to come visit me sometime, I'm lonely!

In Christ ~ Lydia

~Random Update ~

***************************************

Well I'm officially crazy now, I thought that if I took a year off from school I'd have the time to do some of the stuff I've been wanting to do but never had the time for. Guess what? I was wrong! Life is keeping me plenty busy, and I'm loving it! I love being busy.

I'm teaching 2 speech classes Tuesday mornings/afternoons, a 4-6 grade class (I have 11 ADORABLE 4-6th graders) and a 7-12th grade class (I have 20 not quite so adorable 7-12th graders). And a debate class every Thursday evening. It's been fun, but a challenge to in a lot of ways, I can see God really using the classes to develop my patience and work on my time management skills (or lack there-of).

I've also had the time to do a few fun things, although preparing classes keeps me pretty busy, this last Sunday I met my amazing friend Marit in St. Cloud and took her senior pictures, it was a blast!!!!!!!!!!

All in all my life is pretty crazy busy right now, just the way I like it! A lot to do, no time to be bored and hundreds of millions of things stacking up that I really should be doing instead of writing on my random blog-thingy.

Well that's all I can think of for now that's going on in my life. Nothing to exciting. My prayers are with all of you, my amazing friends, may God bless you in un-imaginable ways!!!!!!!!

My Grandpa died this last Sunday, August 2o, 2006, it was not a huge suprise as he has been struggling with cancer for the last few years. But we will all still miss him. My Grandpa loved to hunt, fish , and help those he loved. It was my Grandpa that forced me to learn to put a worm on my hook, and who taught me which fish to keep and what to throw back. I have many memories of fishing with Grandpa and of him and Grandma weeding our garden and helping us build our house. I remember Grandpa out in the field helping dad plow and plant when we were farming, and I also remember him in the plant working along side us all when we had the Chicken Processing Business. He was always there for us, and now he's gone, to a better place I'm sure but I'll miss him just the same. I'll miss his hugs, his smiles and even his teasing words. Every time I play cribbage I'll think of him (he used to beat me every time) and every time I smell a fish I'll remember his face and him refusing to bait my hooks. I love you Grandpa. . .

. . .Until we meet again . . .

~ Lydia ~

Be Thou My Vision

~ Dr. Gillbert R. Hull~

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me,

Save that thou art:

Thou my best thought,

By day or by night

Waking or sleeping,

Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom,

And thou my true word;

I ever with Thee and thou with me,

Lord:

Thou my great Father,

I thy true Son,

Thou in me dwelling,

And I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, or mans empty praise

Thou mine inheritance,

Now and always

Thou and Thou only

First in my heart

High King of Heaven

My treasure thou art.

High King of Heaven, My victory won

May i reach heavens' joys

O bright heavn's sun!

Heart of my own heart

Whatever befall

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Your Best


Deep in my heart, in darkness,
I waited for your best
I wanted you to fill my heart
So I begrudgingly took the test

You asked me if I was willing
To give up all my dreams
I answered, “Yes Lord”
But I wined about the pain

You never said it would be easy
I didn’t expect that
I guess I was just wishing
I could take a dream or two back

You lovingly guided me onward
Though I drug my heels
And wished that every hill
Wasn’t so steep and still

I wanted your best, it’s true
I thought I could pay the price
But I didn’t understand
That your best- is you


“Why can’t I have it now?”
I asked with tired eyes
And it was then your answer
Took me by surprise

“This is my best my child
If you will never depart
You’ll live each day in my best
As I gently guide your heart”

Suddenly I realized
That deep within my heart
You’d removed the darkness
And took my dreams apart

Now your dreams not mine
Live deep within my heart
And every day I can sing with joy
At the grace that you impart

As I follow your best
I find that every day you
Gently guide and guard
My heart in your best – the only way

God's Boxes

I have in my hands two boxes

Which God gave me to hold

He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box

And all your joys in the gold."

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes,

Both my joys and sorrows I stored

But though the gold became heavier each day

The black was as light as before

With curiosity, I opened the black

I wanted to find out why

And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole

Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused

"I wonder where my sorrows could be

He smiled a gentle smile and said

"My child, they're all here with me.."

I asked God, why He gave me the boxes

Why the gold and the black with the hole?

"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings

The black is for you to let go."

Ok, well here are my Fourth of July pictures! A little late, but hey, better late than never. We had a really cool 4th celebration in Kingston that our Church hosted, it is becoming an annual event! It was sooooooo much fun, but went way to fast. Hope you enjoy these pictures.

Root-beer floats were a nice treat for such a warm day!


The fiddle band was VERY good, Faith (third from right) had a blast playing in it this year!

Carl and Josh Kingery playing mini golf, they are both way to cute!

The cast from our play "heroine of the Battle Road" It was fun to put together but we really could have used a little more practice! below a scene from the play with Abby and me

And the Cornerstone church tradition......Volley ball!

I had a wonderfull fourth of July, I think the 4th is my favorite holiday! I love being an American, and celebrating our country's birthday and Godly heritage! It reminds me of all that our forfathers had to go through and what it took to get us were we are today, as well as what we'll have to give in order to get us through the future years! I havn't got my pic of the 4th on my computer yet, but when I do i'll post some for ya'll!


Last night (the 7th) I went to Hannah & Johnny's wedding. Hannah was a Knock-Dead-Gorgeous bride! Johnny wasn't half bad looking himself, but with a bride like Hannah he didn't have a chance! I hope and pray they will be richly blessed as they start their life together!

Here are a few pictures I took at the reception..........

This is a lovely pic of the newly-wed couple, so cute!
All Smiles!

Kelly, Sarah, Hannah, Erin, Me, and Jen, all of us former CLC photo students. It seems only yesterday we were all at the school running around like crazy people acomplishing nothing! What fun! I miss ya'll sooooooo much hope to see ya again soon!

Well God Bless and Good Night! ~ Lydia

I love princess stories, they are soooooooooooo much fun! So i decided to take a shot at writting my own one day. I hope you enjoy it! It's was fun to write and in alot of ways i feel like it's a little glimps of my own "princess" story!

The Making of a Princess

By ~ Lydia Froemming

Slowly the small girl placed her small dirty hands under the gently flowing water. It felt so good, she rubbed softly, than a little harder, than as hard as she possibly could. With tears in her eyes she removed her hands and stared at them, just as dirty as ever, was there nothing she could do to wash away the awful dirt and grim? With a sad sigh she turned to walk away from the fountain, as she did so a finely dressed young man laughed at her calling after her retreating figure, “You’ll never get those filthy hands clean, you were born with dirty hands! You’ll never be any thing but a no-good beggar!”

With tears streaming down her face Reanna ran as fast as her small legs would carry her. She didn’t know were she was going, there was no were to go, maybe he was right, maybe she would wander the streets all of her life as a filthy no-good beggar. Collapsing beside a small stone fence she wiped the tears from her eyes with her dirty little hands and sighed, “I have no right to be any thing more than a beggar; I’m nothing, no body. Why would any one want to love me? I’m dirty and ugly, I’m small and uneducated. Yes all I’m good for is to beg on the streets.”


One fine day a magnificent knight rod into the small country village, he had an important announcement to make. Pulling himself up to his greatest height and looking as important as possible he slowly and dramatically read a proclamation from the King, “To All my loyal subjects……..My son and I will come to your village and choose a Princess from among your daughters. She shall be both Noble and Pure. Of good Faith, of Gentle Priceless Beauty, a Jewel among Jewels; Be ready for soon I shall come.” And with that the knight mounted his horse and galloped off to the next village. All the villagers gathered around to talk of the Kings visit, who would he pick, would it be one of their fine daughters? All the village girls ran off to ready themselves for the Kings arrival, they prepared there best clothes, practiced their most beautiful songs, and readied themselves for the coming of the King.

Slowly little Reanna, turned and walked away, what was this proclamation to her? The King would never choose her, she had no fine clothes to wear, her hair was dirty and matted, he dress torn. She didn’t know how to sing she knew no clever words or manners to impress the King. She was nothing only a dirty beggar girl. With tears in her eyes she realized that even if she had all the beauty of the world she had still done too many bad things to ever become a real princess. Why just that morning she had stolen an apple from a market women’s basket when she wasn’t looking. And not long ago she had broken a window in a rich man’s house.


The day came bright and clear, the King came tall and handsome, his noble son standing at his side. All the village gathered round, waiting for the King to make his choice. The village girls pushed and shoved trying to be the first to see the King, and trying not to ruin their fine dresses and extravagantly done hair. Suddenly a beautiful girl pushed her way to the front an ran towards the King, breathlessly she burst out, “ Oh’ King……why look any farther….for a princess…..when it is obvious that only I am worthy of the position you offer! For I am the most beautiful, accomplished, witty girl in your entire Kingdom! Look no farther, here I am!”

The King looked at the girl and said, “I have but one question for you, fair one, what makes a princess?” Without a second thought the girl laughingly replied, “why of course it’s what she lookes like and acts like, for if you don’t look like a princess, surely you can’t be a princess!” The King shook his head and all the other girls rushed near shouting out why they should be chosen, what their special gift was, and how their beauty far surpassed all the rest’s.

Soon the King grew tired of the noise and looking over the crowd say a small dirty little girl walking silently and dejectedly away. With a quick word to his son and a motion of his hand the small girl was brought to him. Bending down and looking lovingly and kindly in her face he asked, “What is your name precious child?” Frightened and ashamed of her poor, dirty appearance she fell to her knees crying. “Oh’ mighty King, I am not precious, I am nothing but the dirt of the street. Nothing but a poor little thief and liar; My name is Reanna, and I’m naught but the town beggar.” And with that she burst into tears. Gently lifting her he asked, “What have you to give, why should you be my princess?” Looking up into his kind face she wondered if he was mocking her, why should he ask such things? What had she to give? Nothing! Such was her answer, “All I have is sins and dirty hands.” She said holding her small hands out to him “nothing more, that is all.” And she once again hung her head in shame.

The King looked up with a smile. “I have found my Princess”, he said. She is all that I require, for she is of a humble spirit, and a beautiful heart. The making of a Princess is not on the outside, but rather what she posses within. The heart that knows it is nothing is the heart that pleases the King. For it is the heart that will show true gratitude and love for Her King.”

And with that the King mounted his horse with his new precious Princess seated behind him, and with his son and attendants rod off. Reanna looked back in wonder on the village and the life she had left behind. She didn’t understand why, all she knew was never before had anyone loved her like this. And that was enough; she loved her King and would follow him to the ends of the earth. She was a Princess, in the truest sense of the word.

Here is a little more serious poem. A friend of mine forwarded this to me and i thought it was really good. It reminded me of just how much we owe all the brave men and women who are defending our country, or those who's loved ones are over seas so we can have the freedom and privalge of having our loved ones near. It is really good to stop and think every once in a while about what it took to get us were we are today as a nation. I pray God blesses each one of our soldiers away from home this 4th and comforts their family's. This Fourth of July let's look beyond the food and fireworks and remember the men and women who lived and died to make and keep us FREE.

Freedom Isn't Free

I watched the flag pass by one day
It fluttered in the breeze
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease..

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea

How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?

No, freedom isn't free

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times

That Taps had meant "Amen,"

When a flag had draped a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,

the mothers and the wives,

Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington .

No, freedom isn't free.

Thank You to all our Millitary Past, Present, And Future!

I'm Blogging! Or trying to, we'll see what comes of it! So stay around and we'll find out together what kind of a blogger i am!

Ode to an Espresso Bean
By : Assorted Persons

On top of my coffee, all covered with cream
Sat my precious chocolate covered
Espresso bean
When somebody screamed

I threw up my coffee it fell on the floor
And then my espresso bean
Rolled near the door

In came my brother dressed for the beach
And kicked my chocolate covered
Espresso bean
Out of my reach

I got down beside it
And reached out my hand
And then something happened that
I hadn’t planed

A largish type lady sat down with a flop
And then my poor chocolate covered
Espresso bean
Took one giant hop

It fell in a daisy pot on the front stoop
And now my poor chocolate covered
Espresso bean
Is nothing but soup

I scooped it out quickly
It looked rather sad and now my poor
Espresso bean
Taste really bad

Then all of a sudden, to my great surprise
My eyes started popping and
I broke out in hives

I stayed in the hospital for nearly a week
And all of the staff there
Thought I was a geek

When I was discharged I staggered
To the door and
Made up my mind to go back for more