BH - 3rd Quarter

8/7/2019 BH - 3rd Quarter

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Whats In Your House?When I was a little girl, I dreamed about the house I would live in one

day. It would have a large pool, lots of bedrooms so that no one had toshare a room, a bathroom to go with each of the bedrooms (again, so noone had to share), and the list went on. I also dreamed about what wouldhappen in my dream house. There would always be lots of company andtons of laughter; no sadness, no complaining. Everyone would get alongwith each another.

What a beautiful home I've always longed to live in a place like this.

Always dreamed of a room in your house, where I could sing for joy toGodalive! (Ps. 84:1,2 The Message). The Psalmist was doing the samething I did. Close your eyes for just a minute. Can you picture whatGods house looks like? Can you picture what will be going on in Hishouse? I know one thing for sure. It will be clean. In Gods house there isno room for jealousy, selfishness, malice or sin of any kind.

When David wrote Psalm 84, he knew that Gods dwelling place was tobe found in the Temple. The Temple was lovely, not only because of itsdesign and features, but because it signified Gods presence with Hispeople.

Because Gods dwelling place today is in each of us, it is up to us tomake sure that it is indeed a beautiful place. When people come in con-tact with you, what do they see? Do they see someone who is loving and

who genuinely cares for others? Do they see someone who loves God andloves singing praises to Him? When Gods presence is in the house, it isan amazing place. It is beautiful and others will want to come in.

God calls us to be His dwelling place. First Thessalonians 5:24 says,The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it. When we ask theLord to live in our hearts, we can know from this verse that our heart willbe a beautiful home that reflects who He is in all we do. What do youneed Him to clean to make you fit for His dwelling in you? Are you will-ing to allow Him to do it? Remember, The One who calls you is faithfuland He will do it (1 Thess. 5:24).

Clean Inside and Out FellowshipApril 2010Major Suzanne HickmanEastern Territory

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Find the Cleaning ProductPlace cleaning products around the

room. Give the women clues about theproduct. They must write down thename of the product being describedand where it is located in the room.

For example:Clue 1: This product needs no bucketor water.

Answer: Swiffer Mop

Clue 2: This product can wipe upanything.

Answer: Paper towels

Clue 3: No need to worry about thatspill, this product is Loud and getseverything out.

Answer: Shout

Clue 4: Do you have tough stains?Wipe them out with this product.

Answer: Mr. Cleans Magic Eraser

Clue 5: You cooked all day, now letthis man clean up.

Answer: Mr. Muscle Oven Cleaner

Clue 6: You might say this when

someone does a good job.Answer: Fantastik

Clue 7: This happens at the oceanevery day.

Answer: Tide

Clue 8: Each day in school childrenbegin the day with this.Answer: Pledge

Clean SweepDivide the women into two teams

and have them line up one behind theother. The first person in line must

sweep the dust ball to the other sideof the room and back. This could be awad of paper or a Nerf ball. Thebroom is then passed to the next teammember. This is repeated until allhave swept the dust ball.

Spray and WashHang a clothes line from one end of

the room to the other. Hang ten longpieces of toilet paper (at least sixsquares) side by side on the line.

Divide the women into teams of five.The first person in line must squirt atone piece of toilet paper until it fallsfrom the clothes line. Then the nextperson in line will do the same thing

until all of their teams strips of toiletpaper are on the floor. The winner isthe first team to complete sprayingand washing their toilet paper.

Organize Your RoomPrior to the start of the game place

items of clothing throughout theroom. Divide the women into twoteams of five. Give each team a list ofitems. The lists should have the samenumber of items, but they do not haveto be identical lists. The first person inline collects the items on her list and

places them into a laundry basket.When she completes the list, the next

person in line must go back andspread the items again throughout theroom. The third person in line willtake the list and collect all the items onit. This continues until every team

member has had a turn. The team tofinish first is the winner.

Clean Inside and OutSmear the inside and outside of eight

mugs with things like mud, jelly, but-ter and syrup.

Divide the women into two teams offour. The first person on each teammust wash one of the mugs in a dish-pan full of soapy water. When thejudge says it is clean, they go back totheir team and the next person in line

does the same until the whole teamhas had a turn.


2/12

A Peaceful Dwelling PlaceMy people will live in a peaceful place, in safe homes and quiet places

of rest (Isa. 32:18). This verse describes where we would all like to live.We see a picture of a peaceful dwelling place, a secure home and anundisturbed place of rest. Cant you see the lush green grass with the cob-blestone path leading up to the small cottage? Theres a fence all aroundthe property but it isnt a fence for protection or to keep the neighbors outbut instead a backdrop for the morning glories to climb. There are rosebushes on each side of the weathered front door and cheerful pansies thatline the walk where many visitors come to call. This is not just a home forthose who dwell within, but a haven for the world outside to come in andrest.

God desires that all of us live in that peaceful, secure, undisturbed

home, but because of sin in the world many people go home every nightto violence, abuse or neglect. Angry voices fill the air while children hud-dle together for safety. Therefore, it is important for us to make ourhomes, no matter how humble, that friendly haven for Gods children.

The only way we can do that is to keep ourselves close to Him at alltimes. We dont have the answers on our own, but He does. Is your dooralways open for the neighbor who needs a cup of coffee and the chanceto talk? Do the neighbors children gather in your yard? We need to sharethe blessings God has given us with those Hes placed around us. Is yourdoor open to those who need a safe, comfortable place to rest?

House HuntersEducationApril 2010Major Pamela KigerCentral Territory

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Program IdeasDiscussion1. If money were not a consideration,describe your dream house.

2. What things are important to you

in a home?C Formal dining roomC Large closetsC 2 bathroomsC A front porchC Close to schoolsC Close to shoppingC Close to public transportationC A large yardC Safe, friendly neighborhood

3. What things could you eliminate ifnecessary?

SpeakersInvite a realtor to talk about the

following:

C How to go about finding thehome you can afford

C Financing a home purchaseC Costs involvedclosing costs,

points, insurance, interest ratesC Necessary inspectionsC Foreclosure homes

A speaker from the CommunityHousing Development Organization

in your area would be able to addressaffordable housing for low incomefirsttime home owners.

OutreachThis would be a good opportunity to

reach new women by promoting thisprogram in the neighborhood withflyers and radio announcements.Allow time to get to know the newwomen who come to the program.Get their addresses and telephonenumbers for follow up.

House Hunters

Tape the television program HouseHunters, which is shown on HGTV.Prospective buyers are shown threehouses from which to choose. Let thewomen vote on which house theythink the couple will pick. Give a prizeto those who choose correctly.

Houses Ive Lived InInvite the women to bring photo-

graphs of the houses theyve lived in.Have them share stories or insightsfrom their time living in that home.

A Treasure from HomeAsk the women to bring an item

from their home that is important tothem. This could be something thathas been in their family for a long time

or an item that reminds them of ahappy occasion. Invite them to sharethat item with the group.

TransitionsMany of the women may be elderly

or dealing with parents who are nolonger able to live in their own homeswithout assistance. Help the grouplearn about the options available inyour community as they or a familymember move to a new stage in life.

Plan a tour of a transitional home inthe community and have a staff mem-

ber talk about the benefits of livingthere. They could ask a resident whohas a positive outlook on the situationto share as well. Or invite an individ-ual who deals with transitioning theelderly from independent living toassisted living to speak to the group.

Its In the Bible1. Who said and to whom, Returnhome, my daughters. Why wouldyou come with me? Am I going tohave any more sons, who could

become your husbands?Naomi to her daughtersinlaw

Ruth and Orpah (Ruth 1:11)2. Whose home country was in Urbut moved to Haran and thenCanaan because God told him to?

Abraham (Gen. 11:31, 12:14)3. Who did Jesus tell that He muststay at his house?

Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5)4. Where did the wise man build hishouse? On the rock (Matt. 7:24)

5. To whom did Jesus say, Get up,take your mat and go home?The paralytic (Matt. 9:6)

6. Who said it and to whom, If any-one will not welcome you or listen toyour words, shake the dust off yourfeet when you leave that home ortown Jesus to the disciples

(Matt. 10:14)7. Whose home did Jesus visit often?Mary, Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10)8. Whose hometown was Nazareth?

Jesus (Matt. 2:23)


3/12

Excess BaggagePreparation

At the front of the room place a table with nothing but a freestandingcross on it. With a magic marker, write the following words on bookmarksize strips of construction paper: Love, Humility, Courage, Generosity,Compassion and Patience. On the back of the bookmarks write out thefollowing verses: LoveLuke 10:27, Humility1 Peter 5:5b, CouragePsalm 27:14 KJV, GenerosityLuke 6:38 KJV, CompassionEphesians4:32, PatienceJames 1:4 KJV. On another bookmark write out Matthew

11:28,29, with nothing on the other side. As the women arrive hand outthe bookmarks to those who like to read aloud, indicating that you willcall on them during the devotional.

Using a magic marker print each of the following words on a separatebrick: Hate, Pride, Fear, Greed, Apathy, Impatience. Place them in a largetote bag. Put the tote bag on your shoulder and lean in that direction witha pained look on your face. Say, My bag is so heavy! Feel how heavy itis! Have several women hold the bag without looking inside. It justseems that as days go by, my bag gets heavier and heavier! Walk aroundthe room carrying your bag, huffing and puffing and complaining abouthow heavy it is and how miserable you are. Do any of you ever do this;fill your purse up with things you dont need? I do it all the time. Prettysoon it gets so heavy that you have to clean it out.

Look inside your tote and say, Oh my, I can see that I am carrying a lotof excess baggage in here. Set your tote on the table next to the cross andbegin taking the bricks out reading what is printed on them. As you takethem out make comments like, I remember putting that one in here.Boy, I really lost my temper that time. This is so embarrassing. Whenyou take out Impatience, say, "Yeah, I remember that checker at the gro-cery store who was so slow. Once you have all of the bricks out on thetable, say, I didnt realize I was carrying all this excess baggage. I won-der what Gods Word says about this.

Have someone read the bookmark printed with Matthew 11:28,29.That sounds like I can give Jesus my excess baggage and He willexchange it for something light and easy. Hold up the Hate brick and setit down in front of the cross and ask, What would Jesus trade me forhate? Love. Have someone read the back of the Love bookmark andthen hand it to you. Place the bookmark inside your tote bag. Do thesame thing with each brick. Once all the bricks are placed by the crossand the bookmarks are in your tote bag read Colossians 3:1214.

Put the tote bag on your shoulder and say, Ah, that is so much lighter.Jesus does not want us to be burdened down with heavy loads of care.The Bible tells us, Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares foryou (1 Pet. 5:7). I encourage you to let Jesus take the burdens you carryaround on your shoulders. They may not be the same as mine. But Ipromise you, if you give your cares and anxiety to Jesus, you will findthat His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:30).

In the Bag ServiceApril 2010Captain Tracey CzajkowskiSouthern Territory

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ServiceProject

Hold an auc-tion of new,donated pursesfilled with gift

items and cer-tificates. Themoney raisedcan go towardthe womens

ministries World Services goal.

PreparationAhead of this program send out let-

ters to department stores, boutiquesand gift stores explaining the projectand requesting donations of purses.Send another letter to serviceorient-ed businessesbeauty salons, day

spas, manicuristsrequesting dona-tions of gift certificates or merchan-dise to fill the purses. This could bedone as early as January. One monthlater, send out followup letters. Ifyou have no responses from the let-ters, consider calling establishments inyour neighborhood using the businesspages from the phone book.

Decorations and SetUpCreate a fashion show atmosphere.

Prepare a runway type auction areawith rectangular tables placed in a T

formation in the center of the room.Cover the tables with a single colortablecloth, so as not to distract fromthe purses for auction. Scatter costume jewelry bought at the thrift store, inbetween the purses. Place chairs in aUshape around the runway tables,leaving the top of the T open for apodium where the auctioneer willstand. Place the donated purses on therunway and number them. Prepare anumbered list to give to the womenthat describes the purse, lists itemsinside as well as the suggested value.

Dont start the auction until after youplay the game Lets Make A Deal.

Lets Make A DealA week before this meeting, ask the

women to be prepared to bring theirfavorite purses filled with unusualitems so that they can participate inLets Make A Deal, which is basedon the old TV program.

The game is played with the hostsaying, I will give this prize to the

first person who can show me a _____from her purse. Ask for things like astick of gum, a Q-tip, a paper clip, agrocery store receipt, a used Kleenex,a lipstick, a bill, a clothes pin, a postit

note, a traffic ticket. The costume jew-elry could be used as prizes.

Purse AuctionStart the auction by indicating that

the women should follow the list pro-vided. The auctioneer determines thestarting bid, keeping in mind the

financial status of the women and theactual value of the items.


4/12

The Real BreadRead John 6:1-40

How many of you have ever had the experience of feeling so hungryyou couldnt even think straight? When you are really hungry, all you canthink about and concentrate on is food and how to get it. Where is thefirst place we head? To the kitchen, of course? Only food can satisfy ourhunger physically, but what about our spiritual hunger? Christ is the onlyone who can sustain us spiritually.

Physical food will eventually spoil, but the spiritual food that Jesusoffers will last forever. We can eat and eat but eventually be hungry again,but the bread Jesus gives provides eternal nourishment. How many of

you found peace when you found Jesus? Why was this so? You foundpeace because you found spiritual satisfaction.

John 6 is an account of Jesus feeding a crowd of 5000 people. After thismiraculous meal, the people wanted to make Jesus their ruler for all thewrong reasons. They were thinking of their stomachs and not their souls.This led to an interesting conversation between Jesus and the people. InJohn 6: 2529 Jesus challenged the people to think about their reasons forfollowing Him and what they really wanted. When pointed to spiritualthings, they referred to Moses and asked Jesus for a sign that He wasfrom God and asked why they should listen to His words. Jesus hadgiven them bread, but suddenly that was not enough for them to believeHim when He challenged them to think on spiritual things.

Jesus then reminded the people it wasnt Moses who provided the

manna in the desert, it was the Lord. It was also God who sent His oneand only Son into the world. Read John 6:33. God provides for His people.Christ is the provision for salvation. Bread gives life to a hungerrackedbody; so Christ does the same with our spirit.

The crowds reaction to Jesus statement about the bread of heaven wasimmediate. They said they wanted the bread, but they did not realizewhat Jesus was telling them. Read John 6:3540. Finally Jesus made thestatement, I am the bread of life. He referred to salvation over six timesin this passage. I think it is safe to say He wanted to get His point acrossabout believing in Him.

Jesus had a missionto save a lost world desperately searching forguidance and answers. Christ came to give all the answers to their ques-tions but even today we still want a miraculous sign to prove He isindeed the bread of life.

Discuss: We rarely neglect our physical nourishment. So why do we neglectour spiritual nourishment?

We can search for spiritual fulfillment in many different places but willalways end up dissatisfied. Only Christ can offer eternal life and peacefulfulfillment. God doesnt want you to be spiritually empty. Dont allow lifeto rob you of spiritual nourishment.

Sing Song #650,* Break Thou the Bread of Lifein closing.*The Salvation Army Song Book

WorshipApril 2010Captain Courtney StrattonWestern Territory

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DecorationsUse pots or mixing bowls filled with

fresh or silk spring flowers as center-pieces. Intersperse them with thekitchen utensils that will be used in

the game Whats Its Use.

RefreshmentsServe an assortment of breads from a

bakery. If possible, bake a coupleloaves of bread or rolls using frozenbread dough near the meeting roomso that the aroma fills the room.

Cut the bread into small slices so thatthe women can try several kinds.Serve with a variety of dips. Check theInternet to find interesting recipes.Instead of regular coffee and tea usethe flavored varieties.

Program IdeaCooking Demonstration

If there are bread bakers in thegroup, have them demonstrate how tomake bread or contact a local restau-rant or bakery.

GamesWhats Its Use

Assemble a variety of unusualkitchen utensils. There are a numberof different ways to play this game:

1. The leader describes the utensilsuse. The women must decide if she istelling the truth.

2. Each woman is given a utensil.She must describe its use. If she doesnot know, she makes up a description.The women decide if she is telling thetruth.

3. The women list what they think isthe utensils use.

Guess the ScentsAssemble a variety of kitchen spices

in unlabeled jars. Divide the womeninto two teams. They must decidewhat the spice is and tell how it isused in cooking.

Recipe SharingInvite the women to bring a favorite

recipe and share the memory associat-ed with it. For example, every time Imake apple pie, I am reminded of mymom teaching me how to bake. Myimportant job was to sprinkle the

sugar and cinnamon on top of the piebefore she put it in the oven. Collectall the recipes so that they can beduplicated and given to the women ata future meeting.

You Are What You Eat


5/12

Wonderfully MadeIt is no secret that in our society a tremendous amount of importance is

put on outward appearance. All we need to do is look at magazine coversand commercials on television to see that thin is in. Yet, these images areunrealistic and most often air brushed to look flawless.

A study was done to see what the Barbie doll would look like if shewere real. It turns out she had to be seven feet two inches tall and have aneck twice that of humans. Her measurements would be 392333. Thatsunrealistic for sure!

The great news is that Gods idea of beauty is completely different thanmans. In Psalm 139: 14, David praises God saying, I praise You because Iam fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I knowthat full well. This tells us we are Gods idea and His precious creation.

What the world considers beautiful is fading and fleeting. Scripture tellsus: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such asbraided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, itshould be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quietspirit, which is of great worth in Gods sight (1 Pet. 3:3,4).

So what does this mean to us? Do we let ourselves go and not worryabout our appearance? Of course not. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20 weread: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, whois in you, whom you received from God? You are not your own; you werebought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. We need to takecare of our bodies because they are a gift from God. At the same time weneed to work on our inward life through prayer, Bible reading and fel-lowship with other Christians.

God tells us that we are beautiful in His eyes. When we know that, wewill be able to share His love and beauty with others.

Beautiful In His Eyes FellowshipMay 2010Major Katherine LongcoyEastern Territory

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IntroductionThis program is designed as a spa

night for the body and soul. It is toremind the women that they are truly beautiful in Christ. It is intended toappeal to young mothers and workingwomen who would benefit from atime set aside just to relax. Althoughdesigned to be a fun time, it will helpto deepen fellowship and encouragespirits as well.

Program IdeasSet Up

The meeting room should resemble a beauty salon and spa. Place chaiselounge chairs with brightly coloredcomfy pillows around the room. Thisis where the facials would be done. Setup an area of the room to do mani-cures and another for pedicures. Inanother area put a foot massage andfoot bath machine. You will want toput plastic underneath the bath toprotect the floor. A small table with

womens magazines next to the footarea is a nice touch.

When the women arrive, play musicin the background and have lit can-dles placed around the room. Let thewomen know that they may choosefrom any of the beauty stations andmay proceed to each one at theirleisure.

Beauty TeamRecruit the teens in the corps to help

assist with the facials and doing thewomens nails. Assign at least two

individuals to each station to instructand assist the women. It is a good ideato give the teens some training beforethe evening so that they will feel com-fortable with their assignments.

Supplies NeededO Manicure set and nail polishO Facial mask cream, washcloths andtowelsO CandlesO Magazines

O Foot bath and massager(Someone in your group may own theseitems that you can borrow.)

O Chaise lounge chairs and pillowsO Music

DemonstrationContact a school of cosmetology to

see if some of their students would bewilling to show the women how toapply makeup.

Beauty in the Bible1. Her husband lied, saying she washis sister as he was afraid that themen of Egypt would kill him becauseof her beauty. Sarai (Gen. 26:7)

2. One of these sisters was describedas having weak eyes, while the

other was described as lovely ofform and beautiful.

Leah (weak eyes), Rachel (beautiful)(Gen. 29:1618)

3. She was an intelligent and beauti-ful woman, but her husband was

surly and mean in his dealings.Abigail (1 Sam. 25:3)

4. The king saw this beautiful womanbathing and wanted her for himself.

Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:24)

5. She had 12 months of beauty treat-ments before she was presented tothe king. Esther (Esther 2:12)

6. In what book of the Bible does theword beautiful appear most fre-quently. Song of Solomon

7. Where in the Bible is this quotefound: Charm is deceptive, andbeauty is fleeting; but a woman whofears the Lord is to be praised?

(Prov. 31:30)

8. Who said: Your beauty should not

come from outward adornment, suchas braided hair and the wearing ofgold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead,it should be that of your inner self,the unfading beauty of a gentle andquiet spirit, which is of great worth inGods sight? Peter (1 Pet. 3:3:4)


6/12

A Resourceful Woman Is Honored by GodClutter is something we all experience at one point or another in our

lives. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements advocating theidea that having more possessions means that we will be happier.Unfortunately the more we accumulate, the more we have to deal with.It ends up in our attics, garages and basements. Finding order in thischaos overwhelms the best of us.

We have all experienced clutter in our homes andsearch for solutions. Webecome overwhelmed because of lack of time to organize and we put stuffaway hoping to deal with it later. It may be that we have recently movedor just dont know where to start. For these reasons and others we find ourhomes filled with clutter. The American Heritage dictionary describes clut-ter as a confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble.

Many times clutter cannot only physically fill our homes but also affectour well being. We may become stressed or overwhelmed as a result ofthis chaos. The God we serve is a God of order and does not want disor-der in our lives. So it is our daily challenge to take care of our belongingsand maintain organization.

Read Proverbs 31:1030. My parents instilled in me that each day I need-ed to do my best. By applying this characteristic to our dealings with clut-

ter we will be able to relate to the Godly woman mentioned in Proverbs31. In verse 1618 we read about how she is determined to do her best.She purchased a field and planted a vineyard. She then worked diligent-ly in that vineyard. Verse 18 also reminds us that as she acquired newresources (the grape crop) she wisely chose to part with the unneededportion in order to gain a profit. She worked hard and was able to achievesuccess. She also chose to continue to press on and work late in order tocomplete her task.

What a great lesson we can learn from this proverb. When we apply ourstrong characteristics in dealing with clutter in our lives, God rewardsour efforts.

Clean SweepEducationMay 2010Captain Kelli TrejoCentral Territory

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IntroductionThis program is de-

signed to help the womenformulate a plan of actionto clean their garage at

home.

Cleaning the GarageAs there will be plenty of

sorting, moving and clean-ing, be sure to involve the whole fami-ly. Plan on spending a day or reserve anallotment of time that you think will beneeded to complete the task. Be sure tohave an incentive or reward for thehard work that is completed.

Arrange four areas near the garagefor sorting items that are to be kept,sold, donated or trashed. If you areworking with children, assist them indetermining which category an itemshould go in and then affirm theirdecisions. Make it a game to encour-age a child to part with wanted butnot needed items by having themmake a swishing noise when placingthe items in the trash. When they putan item in the sell pile, they can yellout cha-ching. Make a decision eachtime an item is moved, so you do nothave to touch it more than once.Separate the garage into sectionsallowing you to tackle one area at atime.

When all the items have been sorted,sweep the garage in preparation forthose being kept. Store them in sec-tionslawn, tools, holiday, campinggear, sports equipment or longtermstorage. Utilize new storage or shelv-ing units that have been labeled

SpeakerInvite an organizer to come and

speak about efficient ways to organizeand store belongings in the garage.

Garage SaleF Set the date in advance.F Check to see if a neighborhood salehas been scheduled. Entering thatsale will attract more people.F Start the sale in the morning on aweekend.F Advertise in the local paper.F Post signs in the neighborhood.F As people like to bargain, dontprice the items too low but fairly so

that they will sell.F Dont put the unsolditems back in the garage.Box them up and take themto the ARC.

FundraiserSponsor a garage sale at the

corps. Ask for a $10 donationfor the use of a table, which

would go to the womens ministriesgroup. The seller keeps the profit fromthe sale of her items. The womensministries group could also sell foodand drinks during the event to realizean additional profit.

EBayAnother way to sell items is on

EBay. Set up a computer to demon-strate how this works. The followingwebsite gives instructions: www.ebayuniversity.com/gotraining/How_To_

Sell_Audio_Tour. If some of the wo-men have used this method, ask themto share their experience.

Phrases That Deter from

Disposing of Unneeded ItemsIt was a giftIf you needed it, you

would already be using it. Dont con-tinue to hold on to something that youdont like or wont use.

It cost a lot of moneyIf you donot have a need for it, sell it to receiveback some of the money.

This will be useful somedayIfthe item has been in the garage for awhile and you have not used it, youwill not be needing it any time soon.

I might be able to sell it some-dayThere is no time like the pres-ent. Make plans now to sell theseitems.


7/12

I Will Be With YouJoseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each mans silver back

in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey (Gen. 42:25).

I remember my first experience of going to camp. It was exciting, butscary. This was my first time being away from home. I was the onlycamper from my corps attending Sunbeam camp. Being six years old, Ikept asking my mother if she was sure that she wanted me to go.Sunbeam camp lasted 10 days. I was hoping she would say no. She never

did. She packed my suitcase and sent me on my way.

When I arrived at camp and unpacked my suitcase, I found specialthings my mother had packed to keep me from being homesick. Sheincluded a picture of us together, a picture of my family, notes telling meeverything was going to be all right and that she would write me. Yes, shedid write and I was happy to hear from her. I wrote her and told her allabout my days and how I was having a great time.

In Genesis 4:25 we read that Joseph gave orders to fill his brothers bagswith grain, put each mans silver back in his sack and give them provi-sions for their journey back to their father. My mother did that for me.She provided me with all I needed for my camping experience. LikeJoseph, Jesus gives us all we need for our journey at no cost to us. Thepoorest are invited to partake. He already paid the price for our sins onthe cross.

Not every moment in our life is cheery and bright, but we know thatChrist is always with us. We can rest in Him. We dont have to worrywhen we are away from home, as He is always with us and makes pro-visions for our daily needs. He will never leave us or forsake us. Joshua1:5 tells us that God promises, No one will be able to stand up againstyou all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you;I will never leave you or forsake you.

So, the next time you are away from home, remember you are not alone.

Away From Home ServiceMay 2010Major Lois S. AllisonSouthern Territory

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Camping ProgramThe Salvation Army summer camp-

ing is designed to provide an opportu-nity for young people to experience atime of fun, education and spiritualgrowth in an outdoor setting. Whilethe program is primarily for the bene-fit of the campers, it also ministers tothe young people who work as campstaff.

Service ProjectsSponsor a Child

Invite the women as a group tosponsor a child so they can attend asummer camp. Advise them of thecost involved and camp schedules forthe various age groups. Althoughmany of the women do not have a lotof money, they may surprise you as tohow much they will be willing to con-tribute when they understand wheretheir money will be spent and how itwill impact the life of a child.

BackpacksProvide backpacks for campers filledwith items they will needa newtowel, washcloth, soap, shampoo,toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, brush,mouthwash, flashlight, notebook, pen.Ask the women to donate these items.Have the backpacks on hand for thosechildren whose families would have adifficult time providing them for theirchildren.

SpeakerAs many of the women would not

know what camps are held and whatthe children do each day, ask a youngperson who has served on a camp staffto tell about the summer camping pro-gram. Ask them also to share howworking at camp influenced thempersonally.

Discussion@ Did you go to camp when youwere a child? What camp was it?Were you homesick? Share a memory

of that experience.@ Did you serve on a camp staff?How did it influence you?@ Have your children been to camp?How did you feel when they were

away from home?

Camp SongsIntersperse the discussion time and

other program elements with songsassociated with camp.

Camp SkitsSome of the women probably served

on a camp staff. Ask them to put on askit that they remember from theircamping days.

Hand GameEveryone sits at table in a circle with

their hands flat on the table in front ofthem. Then they move their righthand in between the persons hands to

their right creating an alternatinghand pattern.

The leader calls out the tappingdirection, left or right, and slaps theirhand once on the table. The personwhose hand is closest to the first slaptaps the hand of the person next tothem in the named direction. The nextclosest person continues the tappingpattern.

When it is their turn to tap, anyonecan change the direction by either giv-ing a double or single tap. A single tapkeeps the taps going in the same direc-tion; a double tap changes the direc-tion. If someone taps out of turn, theyremove one hand. When both handsare removed, that person is out. The

game is over when there are only twopeople left. Try to go faster as thegame progresses.


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Leisure TimeWe all love to have time to relax and enjoy the things that bring us

pleasure. It is lovely to have time to swing in a hammock, read a book orwork in the garden. Doctors tell us that it is important to take time awayfrom work and chores so that we can reenergize.

For a Christian, leisure time should be treated like any other time in ourday. We should do everything possible to guard our hearts and mindsand remain centered in God even during leisure time.

The worlds way of using leisure time may not be how we should useours. In a Christian home sitting in front of the television to watch a showwith questionable moral situations and foul language does not glorifyGod or nourish our souls. Neither should we use our time to gossip withfriends or to indulge in eating or drinking what harms the temple of God.

An important lesson Christians should learn is that the devil loves totempt us with unclean thoughts. It is especially easy for him to do sowhen we are relaxing. Once our guard is down, he can get our attentionand dangle all sorts of evil ideas in front of our eyes. He would have usdishonor God and destroy our faith.

In Matthew 22:37 Jesus gave the greatest commandment, Love the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind.As Christian women, we should strive to see that our free time is spent inGodly ways, even as we guard our hearts from evil in every activity of ourday.

PrayerDearest Heavenly Father: I thank You for the time I have to relax. I regard Your

command to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind as a steadfast rule for mylife.Teach me to turn from what would draw my heart away fromYou, and to turnto that which will refresh me and keep me in Your will. Amen.

At Home With GodWorshipMay 2010Major Willdonna RichWestern Territory

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IntroductionGod gives each of us 24 hours every

day. We should use that time wisely toserve Him in every activity. Thatincludes our leisure time. This pro-

gram will draw the womens attentionto the responsibility we have to devotetime to serving the Lord.

The SettingPut solid color tablecloths on each

table. In the center display items thatwould be used in a leisure activityapile of books with a pair of glasses ontop, a tennis racket, binoculars, butter-fly net, TV Guide and a bag of chips, apaint set and small easel. Or ask thewomen to bring in something they usein leisure activities and let them set up

a display.

Program OutlineWelcome

Program Idea(Choose one or two from the list)

Scripture ReadingMatthew 22:3440

ActivityHours In My DayDiscussion

Chorus, All My Days andAll My Hours

Search the Scriptures

Devotional, Leisure Time

Song #475, And Is It SoThe Salvation Army Song Book

Closing Prayer

Program Ideas1. Ask a couple of the women to give abook report on a Christian book theyhave recently read.

2. Show a clip from a movie that holdsan important Christian truth.

3. Ask one of the women who faithful-

ly journals to read something from her journal that is funny or has touchedher life and helped her to become astronger woman of God.

Hours In My DayPrepare a list of the following activi-

ties with a space for the women torecord the number of hours in 24 theyspend on each activity.

1. Caring for family members2. Religious/civic activities

3. Eating and drinking4. Household chores5. Work outside the home6. Work brought home7. Watching TV

8. Shopping9. Personal care10. Sleeping11. Phone/online/email12. Educational activities13. Caring for nonfamily members14. Leisure/other

DiscussionThere are a number of Internet sites

that report the national averages.Using your favorite search engine putin Average time spent on activities.Share some of the national averages

with the women. Discuss how closetheir results were to the survey num- bers. Do they feel they spend toomuch time on one activity? Whatactivity do they wish they couldspend more time doing?

Search the ScripturesRead Proverbs 4:2327 from The

Message. Ask the women to list theitems given in this Scripture that theyshould control to keep the heart pure.

Read Thessalonians 3:13Who willhelp us? (We have Gods help in keepingour hearts clean.)

Read Mark 13:32,33Why shouldwe always be alert to ways in whichwe use our time? (We do not know thehour of Jesus return, so we should stayalert and be aware of what we are doingwith our time.)


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You Are Like a Beautiful RoseHand out the quotations to several women to read at the appropriate time.

Read Colossians 3:1517.

Some of us have a green thumb and can grow anything. Others havewhat can be described as a brown thumb. No matter how we try the plantfades, withers and dies. We need to learn that the condition of the soil in agarden is the most important component necessary for anything to grow.

Whatever is planted in nutrientrich soil will grow stronger, bloom longerand produce more substantial fruit, as long as it is faithfully watered. WithGod as the Master Gardener of our heart, He grows beautiful fruit in ourlife. Scripture tells us: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts Let theWord of Christ dwell in you richly (Col. 3:15,16). Quote #1.

God wants to encourage the word of Christ to dwell within our hearts.We are all very different and still God loves us unconditionally, helpingus to remember that we are valuable in His sight. Quote #2.

God knows our strengths and weaknesses. He wants to help us makesomething beautiful of our lives. Quote #3.

He sees our hearts completely and loves us deeply. He doesnt separatethe good parts of our life from the painful. He sees us all together, blos-

soms and thorns and tells us, You are beautiful; you are valuable; youare exactly who I made you to be. Quote #4.

Gods peace in our life brings sweetness that connects us with Him andmakes us want to live a life that pleases Him. The fragrance of His peaceaffects the relationships we have and permeates every contact, allowingus to breath the sweetness of Gods peace in our life. Quote #5.

We need to avoid the temptation to compare our lives with others. Godis only asking us to live our own life and promises to help us be the bestperson we can be. If we desire Gods input in every part of our life, Hewill help us feel like a bouquet filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kind-ness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol. Quote #6.

God involves us in tending the garden of our heart, helping us know we

need to stay close to Him. The Word of Christ dwells in us richly whenwe continue to pray, listen to Him and read our Bible. James 4:8 states,Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Keeping in close con-nection with God will nurture the spiritual connection we have withHim. Quote #7.

Gods love for us is unconditionaldeep, wide and strong. It will notexpire or fade. It is present forever. When the Word of Christ dwells in us,He nurtures us and presents us as a beautiful offering to the world. Godslove grows in our hearts, transforming and empowering us. It promptsus to do the things that please Him and provides us with the opportuni-ty to do everything in His name.

Everythings Coming Up Roses FellowshipJune 2010Captain Jessica S. IrwinEastern Territory

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Rose Garden SettingCover the tables with light green

tablecloths. Construct centerpieces byhot gluing small, white picket fencematerial, 3inch high, into a 6inchsquare. Place four roses in the center.Use a lattice trellis with white lights andflowers to create a garden atmosphere.

Rose Garden SnacksRemove the crust from white bread

to make small tea sandwiches. Spreadthe bread with strawberry creamcheese or chive cream cheese with thincucumber slices. For dessert servefresh seasonal berries on shortbreadbiscuits with whipped cream.

Rose Garden ChoraleTune: #451,What a Friend We Havein Jesus, The Salvation Army Song Book

We are growing in Gods garden as

we walk in faith each day.We are growing more like Jesus whenwe trust, obey and pray.

The word of Christ dwells in usrichly, showing us just where to start;

Calling us to live and love as thepeace of Christ rules in our heart.

Websites for Rose Gameshttp://www.ars.org/Funhttp://www.santalady.com/xmas-games.htmlAlthough this is aChristmas site, it is included for theRight Left Game and the line, Hischeeks were like roses.

Quotes for Devotional#1.The splendor of the rose and thewhiteness of the lily do not rob the lit-tle violet of its scent nor the daisy of itssimple charm. If every tiny flowerwanted to be a rose, spring would loseits loveliness. Therese of Lisieux#2. Man is harder than iron, strongerthan stone and more fragile than arose. Turkish proverb.

#3. The optimist sees the rose and notits thorns; the pessimist stares at thethorns, oblivious to the rose. KahlilGilbran#4. But friendship is the breathing

rose, with sweetness in every fold.Oliver Wendell Holmes#5. A single rose can be my garden a single friend, my world. Leo

Buscaglia#6. You are responsible, forever, forwhat you have tamed. You are respon-sible for your rose. Antoine de SaintExupery

#7. A relationship is like a rose. Howlong it lasts, no one knows. Love canerase an awful past, love can be yours,youll see at last. Rob Cella


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HeirloomsAt the beginning of the devotional, ask one of the women to sing the song

Heirloomsby Amy Grant or if this is difficult, play the CD of that song.

Do you have a treasured possession, a family heirloom? Perhaps this issomething that has been passed down through several generations.Maybe it is an antique ring, a necklace or a piece of furniture. It may bephotographs of loved ones that have no monetary value but are near anddear to your heart. Heirlooms are timeless treasures which remind us ofthose in our lives who have had a significant impact on who we are andwho we want to be. They remind us of where we come from, what welive for and where we want to go in the future.

While there is nothing wrong with having mementoes to remember our

loved ones, these are not the most important reminders of who we are andwhere we come from. In Matthew 6:1921 we read, Do not store up foryourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and wherethieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break inand steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

More than a ring or a photo or an antique dresserall things that canbe destroyed or stolen by thievesI want to pass along to my loved onesa deep, passionate faith in Jesus Christ. I want them to treasure Himabove all.

I want to pass along to the next generation love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol. Scripturecalls these attributes the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). I want to

teach my family to be trustworthy, caring, truthful, fair, generous,encouraging and respectful of others. These are the real treasures, whichare priceless when passed on from generation to generation.

Conclude the devotional by singing song #600, Jesus, Thou Art Everything toMe from The Salvation Army Song Book, followed by the closing prayer.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to know that there is no treasure on earth thatcompares to the wonderful gift you have given through your Son, JesusChrist. When I am tempted to store up my treasures here on earth, helpme to remember that those treasures are fleeting. The only lasting joycomes from You. Jesus, Thou art everything to me. Amen.

Threads of HomeEducationJune 2010Majors Charlotte Hall and Jackie BowersCentral Territory

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Program IdeasSpeaker

Ask an antiques dealer, or the ARC inyour area, if they have someone ontheir staff knowledgeable concerning

antiques who would be willing tospeak on this subject to the group.Have them cover how to determinethe worth of an antique, how best tostore them and the cultural heritageinvolved in the collection of heir-looms. Invite them to bring a fewantiques, which would be availablefor sale to the women.

Family HeirloomsInvite the members to bring a small

family heirloom or antique. Ask themto share its significance. Stress that

this need not be an item of high mon-etary value, but it should be some-thing that is important to them. Set upa table for the display. Before themeeting, check with the guest speakerto see if they would be comfortableappraising a few of the antique items.

Antiques Road ShowShow a clip of an appraisal from the

TV show Antiques Road Show. Be-fore the appraiser gives the value, stopthe tape and have the women guesswhat they think the item is worth. TheInternet site www.pbs.org/roadshow

provides clips of appraisals from theshow.

Internet WebsitesThere are many sites on the Internet

that give information about how todetermine the value of antiques.Using these sites, demonstrate howthe women can research the monetaryvalue of some of their heirlooms.

RefreshmentsAsk a few of the women to bring

cakes and sweets from recipes that

have been passed down from lovedones and are their family favorites.

Candy Slogans of YesteryearMatch the slogan with the candyadvertised.1. Its all in the mix. Twix

2. Melts in your mouth, not in yourhand. M & Ms

3. Taste the rainbow. Skittles

4. Makes mouths happy. Twizzlers

5. Isnt life juicy? Starburst

6. Dont let hunger happen to you.Snickers

7. Sometimes you feel like a nut.Sometimes you dont.

Mounds and Almond Joy8. If he kissed you once, will he kiss

you again? Certs

9. Double your pleasure, double yourfun. Doublemint Gum

10. Give me a break. Kit Kat

11. Theres not a wrong way to eat a_____. Resses Peanut Butter Cup

12. A lighter way to enjoy chocolate.3 Musketeers

13. Get the sensation.York Peppermint Patty

14. Put a ____ in your mouth and geta bang out of life. Tic Tac

15. The great American chocolatebar. Hersheys

16. How many licks does it take toget to the center of a _________?

Tootsie Pop


11/12

A Recipe of CaringThere are moments when life seems to stand still, when your world

comes crashing down around you. I experienced one of those momentsin my life during the loss of our unborn child. The day began as an ordi-nary one. I was making preparation to leave for vacation. This being myfirst pregnancy, I had scheduled an assurance appointment with my doc-tor before my husband and I departed for our journey. I had been to thedoctor two weeks earlier and my husband and I joyfully tried to deter-mine the gender of our baby from the strong heartbeat that we heard atthat time. But this day would be different; no heartbeat was evident.After what seemed like an eternity of searching for a heartbeat, an ultra-sound revealed that our baby had died in my fifth month of pregnancy.

During the days that followed I came to understand why the Bibleinstructs Christians to help bear the burdens of others. The apostle Paulurges believers to carry each others burdens (Galatians 6:2). Duringthis time of suffering in my life I discovered some very practical ways tocarry one anothers burdens and live the commandment to love as out-lined in John 15:913. Read this portion of Scripture.

Pray. We very casually say the words, I will pray for you. Yet, in a cri-sis moment it is vital that we honor those words and pray. Pray for theindividuals in crisis, but also pray for yourself seeking Gods guidancebefore you visit, asking Him to help you say and do the right thing.

Be there. You may not know what to say in a moment of crisis, but yourpresence will speak much louder than your words. Your presence will be

of great comfort to those in need. As you visit, be there as a healing pres-ence to comfort, support, and listen.

Be a nonjudgmental listener. Be accepting of whatever feelings areexpressed, even if the individual expresses anger toward God, remem-bering that anger is an important part of the grief process.

Dont force your faith. It is important that you avoid comments about theincident being Gods will. Instead, gently remind the hurting individualthat God is constantly present to help us through whatever life maybring. When it seems appropriate, share some comforting Scripture.

Remain in touch. Many will come during the crisis, but few will remainfor the days of healing. As others become less available, your visits,phone calls, and notes of encouragement will be a welcomed friend.

As a Christian caregiver, our role is to faithfully live out Jesus com-mandments in John 15:913. It is not ours to know why God chooses thepath of suffering for His children. Yet, we do know that we serve a lov-ing God who wants only the best for His children. While we dont under-stand, we are instructed to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and leannot on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, andHe will make your path straight (Prov. 3:56). As we care for others dur-ing crisis moments, may we love each other as Christ loves us; gently tak-ing their hand and walking with them down the path of trust andacknowledgement that God is directing their path, even through therocky places.

Reaching Out ServiceJune 2010Major Susie EricksonSouthern Territory

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Words of ComfortWhen family and friends face diffi-

cult situations, we often dont knowwhat to say, especially when their cri-sis appears so overwhelming. In suchmoments you can share the followingwords of comfort from Gods Word.

A God is our refuge and strength, aneverpresent help in trouble. There-fore we will not fear (Ps. 46:1,2).A For My thoughts are not yourthoughts, neither are your ways Myways, declares the Lord (Isa. 55:8).A He heals the brokenhearted and

binds up their wounds (Ps. 147:3).A Blessed are those who mourn, forthey will be comforted (Matt. 5:4).A I will not leave you comfortless; Iwill come to you (John 14:18 KJV).

What Not To SayInvite an individual from the hospi-

tal chaplaincy program to conduct aprogram on what not to say whenvisiting individuals in crisis.

Service IdeasLove Baskets

Waiting is particularly gruelingwhen you are expecting the news of aloved one facing a life or death situa-tion in an intensive care unit. Forthose who wait, the effects can be dev-astating on their emotional health,physical well being and financialresources. A love basket is a wonder-ful way to remember those who wait.This gift of love will provide physicalnourishment during long hours at thehospital, as well as assist with some ofthe financial strain that can occur fromeating meals in the hospital cafeteria.

Before getting started with this projectcheck with the hospital to find out whatitems they will allow. Once you havethis information, invite women todonate a variety of those items. Somesuggestions may be: protein snacks, breakfast items, dried fruits, boxedjuices , packaged muffins, water, pret-zels, nuts, peanut butter or cheesecrackers, trail mix, Gods promise books, inspirational reading material,

magazines. Remember to include infor-mation about the corps programs andcontact information in thebasket, as cri-sis moments often lead unchurchedindividuals to seek spiritual guidance.

Nuggets of TruthInvite scrapbookers to prepare inspi-

rational scripture cards with messagesof comfort and hope to leave in theintensive care waiting room.


12/12

Rest In the LordIntroduction to the Prayer Stations

Family, work, school, corps, children, diapers, cooking, cleaning, driv-ingthe list goes on. Is it any wonder that at the end of the day were

exhausted? We women are very busy. We get so caught up in the every-day tasks that we end up living a life of doing for the Lord instead ofbeing for the Lord. We sometimes get so exhausted that we dont feellike doing anything.

We need to learn how to rest in the Lord. Scripture tells us that evenGod rested from all His labor (Gen. 2:13). God wants us to be able to liedown in green pastures(Ps. 23:2). Doesnt that sound good? He wants togive us the rest that we so desperately need.

In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller says that sheepneed to experience four different freedoms in order to be able to lie downand rest. We, like sheep, need to experience those same freedoms in ourlife in order to be able to rest:

Documents

BH - 3rd Quarter