A Christian Commencement Celebration of a Precious Homeschooled Young Lady

Graciousness ~ Kindness ~ Joy ~ Industriousness ~ Loyalty ~ Sincerity

Erin

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."
Proverbs 31:10

Last month, our family had the privilege of attending a very special event. A type of event that doesn't happen every day, and was a first of this kind for our family. This special event was a truly purposeful, God-glorifying, Christian graduation celebration.




The lady of the hour was a dear friend, a sister in Christ and a beautiful picture of womanly grace and virtue. She is an inspiration to many. And on this day she was not only a graduated student, but a giving servant. Her many touches of love and appreciation were evident from her warm greetings to the lovely gifts that she gave to each family on this day. The day was filled with a sense of honor and gratitude for each person who had invested in her life.



This event celebrated the completion of one season of life and the beginning/continuing of another. A completion of the required studies put before her by her parents, and a beginning of a new period of life after high school. She looks forward to perfecting her already extremely capable homemaking skills which include sewing, cooking, exploring God's providence in history, quilting, online college courses, helping her mother with educating her younger siblings and household duties and more as she prepares in a very practical way to be a keeper at home.



What follows is just a sampling of the many precious moments that touched our hearts.

"It was a wonderful blessing for me to see this dear sister in Christ complete her high school studies. One aspect that greatly encourages me is the way she is using her post high-school time: serving the Lord and her family and accomplishing the goals she and her parents have for her. "

~ Emily Jones, age 17

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6

We were blessed with several worshipful selections played by dear friends.

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods."
Psalms 95:1-3

"It was such a blessing and encouragement to be present when Erin finished up her high school years and moved on to the next season of learning and life that God has in store for her. Her graduation was a time of celebrating the Lord’s faithfulness in her life - a time of thanksgiving to God for the life of a very dear young lady."

~ Lindsay Jones




"I have been encouraged and challenged by her life and character, and it was a blessing to be at her graduation. Seeing godly young ladies live their lives faithfully inspires me to do the same."

Annie Hope Jones, age 14


"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. "
Titus 2:3-5





Some of the wonderful young people.

"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:"
Psalms 144:12

A gift from father to daughter - this was one of my favorite parts of the celebration. We gathered to watch this sweet collection of pictures (both real and beautiful) and read tender words from father to daughter.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

James 1:17

The special hand-crafted gift with the future in mind.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Matthew 6:23

"Part of the beauty of Erin's life is expressed in servant-hearted industry and creativity, clothed in loving gentleness and carefulness. Through this kind of life, her parents are honored, the Lord is glorified, and His people are given hope."

~ Veronica Jones

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."

Proverbs 31:13

"Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. "

Psalms 144:15


~ ~ ~

"Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven."

Psalms 148:12

A Day to Remember

Coming soon...

Saturday Evening Thoughts

Safely through another week,

God has brought us on our way;

Let us now a blessing seek,

On th' approaching Sabbath-day:

Day of all the week the best,

Emblem of eternal rest.

-John Newton, Olney Hymns, 1774

The Works of John Newton (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1985), 3:504

A Wee Rite of Passage - First Missing Incisor

The Liberty Hotel

Last week I posted several pictures of the Liberty Hotel in Cleburne, Tx. Seeing old buildings restored can be an exciting peek into the past. Read a little bit of this hotel's history in this article that was published today.

A Showpiece

Cleburne, TX - When Cleburne businessman A.J. Wright opened the four-story Liberty Hotel in 1924, it was a luxurious stop along the Santa Fe Railway, which built a terminal nearby.

On opening day, a 42-piece band played in the ballroom, and the hotel was a hub of activity, with a barbershop and bus station, [Scott] Dudley said. The Liberty also boasted Cleburne’s first elevator.

There were 69 rooms, 13 of which had private baths, said Ron Lindsey, the Liberty’s manager. "There were telephones in each room, but people could only call between rooms because most homes didn’t have phones," he said.

...But by the late 1930s, the hotel went into a steep decline, first brought on by a yearlong strike by Santa Fe Railway workers.

Then, as in other small towns, railroad passenger traffic dried up after the interstate highways were built. The Liberty fell into disrepair...

Rebirth

In 2004, the Dudleys began the monumental task of renovating the building.

They left the brick facade largely untouched, but inside it was a different story. They took down the interior walls to the studs; new flooring was installed and the terrazzo floor in the lobby was restored, eventually bringing it back to its former grandeur.

"It would have been easier to bulldoze it, but my father wanted to keep the original look," Scott Dudley said.

Read entire article here.

Excerpts from the Journal of a Father and Son Trip of a Lifetime

During June and July of 2008, my uncle took his son, my cousin, Joshua on a a very special father and son trip of a lifetime. From the Sierra Nevada mountains and Yellowstone National Park to a family farm in Indiana and Arizona's Meteor Crater, they explored God's creation while purposefully spending quality and a quantity of man time together. In a time when many boys would prefer to spend time with peers and many fathers are preoccupied with their own life, their example of filial devotion and care was inspiring to many.


They also had incredible assets: a very capable and sweet wife/mother and two dear sisters, who encouraged, cheered, and had a very welcoming home for them. Before they left home my uncle wrote this to his dear bride, "I wanted to take a few moments and thank you, Tresa, for having the vision and wisdom in making this trip a reality. You have been instrumental in helping me with the big and small details."

The purposes were many for this trip, but the over arching reason was for father and son to spend time together, learning, talking and exploring. As Joshua matures into a young man, times like this are very special in binding hearts and casting a vision for life. By the end of the trip, Joshua planned to do something similar with his sons one day, should the Lord will. Recently, my uncle wrote to me commenting, "Do you remember the hats that we wore on our trip? Joshua said he wants to save his for his son(s) when he goes traveling with them one day. "

Even while they were travelling they ministered to people in many ways. The Lord granted them opportunities to pray for people they met, people who called, and people that needed encouragement. They also did something really special. They took time to record the events, conversations and adventures through both words and pictures almost daily. I am so excited to be able to share just small glimpses of their lengthy entries and several pictures from the journey this duo took. Thank you Uncle and Joshua!

June 27, 2008 ~ Indescribable Beauty

"We are here at Grand Teton National Park and we are having the time of our lives! It is incredibly beautiful here. We arrived yesterday around 5:00 pm. We set up camp, made some dinner, and then headed to Jackson Lake which is about 300 yards from our site. The opposite side of the lake has a breathtaking view of the Tetons. Words cannot describe it. The Tetons are quite majestic. It does not get dark here until 10:00 pm, so it takes a little bit of adjustment. We had the chance to watch the sunset over the Tetons. This morning we took another walk to the lake and saw the early morning sun over the mountains. Again, a site that was quite spectacular! We jumped in the truck and went sightseeing throughout the park. At the Colter Bay visitor center, there was an extensive display of Native American Art which included clothing, jewelry, and other items native to the area. Afterwards, we went to the main visitor center for the park and learned about its rich history. The weather was crystal clear in the mid 70's.We had the chance to see buffalo and a moose with its calf."

~ Dad

June 28, 2008 ~ Yellowstone's Surprises

"Dad and I are in Yellowstone today and we are so glad to be here. As we drove in we passed some previous fire damage and it was horrible to look at. To my surprise we saw the goodness of the fire growing at the base of the trees - little pine saplings no taller than four feet."

~ Joshua

June 30, 2008 ~ Old Faithful Being Faithful

"We ate lunch at Fishing Bridge Lodge and then went to see Old Faithful. We arrived in time to see it erupt with steam and water. What a site! I never imagined I would ever be at Old Faithful in person... We toured the rest of the geysers and pools that are within walking distance of Old Faithful. One in particular was Doublet Pool. At the pool, there is a bench. When you sit on the bench, you can feel the ground and bench pulsate like an irregular heart beat. It is from the water and gases moving through the ground and making its way to the top. "

~ Dad

July 5, 2008 ~ Independence Day at Mount Rushmore

"Yesterday we went to Mount Rushmore to see fireworks and it was the best display of my life ever.

It was indescribable. I wish that everyone could have been here with us."

~ Joshua

July 7, 2008 ~ Almost a Tornado Touch Down

"On our way out here, Joshua and I had the chance to see a tornado form. We got caught in a severe thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail."
~ Dad

July 14, 2008 ~ Searching for Diamonds

"Our destination was the diamond mine at Crater of the Diamonds State Park. Boy did we dig! We were at the mine from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. We were hot and tired. The heat index was over 100 degrees. "
~ Joshua

July 14, 2008 ~ Texas Bound
"We decided to go to the Jones's house (Uncle Dana and Aunt Veronica). No one knew we were coming; they weren't expecting us until Tuesday. Change of plans. We were about 45 miles away before anyone answered the telephone. "
~ Joshua

Brother and sister



My uncle, who finds great delight in playing the piano, begins Timothy's piano training.





Important life details - teaching bird calls

"You can take two traveling guys out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of their hearts! "
~ Dad

~ ~ ~

Upon arriving home, my uncle took the time to thank all those that were involved in this trip. Read the precious words that this father wrote to his son.

July 21, 2008

"Lastly, I wanted to thank Joshua. Joshua, when we left Clovis a month ago, there was this young boy who had no clue what he was about do for the next month. You thought this was going to a be a drive with dad out of town and we would be back soon. As I look back at the past month, I began to see the Joshua who has been there since he was born, but needed some time and opportunities to come out. At first, you bumbled with the routine of being on the road, especially when we went head first into the camping part at Grand Tetons, but the conversation on the shore of Jackson Lake that night(remember the part about having greater understanding) told me he was ready to come out. Now, all we needed were some opportunities. And they came and you pulled through in some tough situations like when I banged up the truck or when I was really sick. But the time where I saw you focus the most was the night we arrived at Crater of the Diamonds late at night. I needed that Joshua I knew existed deep down inside, and I mean deep, and you came through more than I could have ever imagined.


Joshua, I left Clovis with a young boy right out of sixth grade. I came home with a holy young man. Joshua, I hope you remember this trip. I know I will. And what I will remember the most will not be the places we went, but the conversations we had at Jackson Lake, Canyon Village Cafeteria, and the Taco Bell in Rapid City, SD. You blessed with me with your words and actions more than you will ever know. They changed my life forever! Thank you for the trip of a lifetime!"
~ Dad

The Land of My Fathers - Cleburne, Texas

When my great-great grandparents moved from family and Texas to California in the early 1900's, little did they know that three generations later their descendants would move back to the Lone Star State. However, by the time our family moved to Texas (80 years later), all connection with our Texas relatives was lost. Today we sought to repair the breach. Our first step in the process: Cleburne, Texas.

The Liberty Hotel in downtown Cleburne.

The Times Review~Established in 1904

Part of Cleburne history

This is one of the 13 remaining Carnegie Libraries in Texas. Now a museum that highlights the history of North Texas and the arts of home life, our group began researching genealogies, a complex endeavor.

Fashioned pillars

Quote of the Day

"Duty is ours; results are God's"

~John Quincy Adams