My day at the beach

On July 30, my mom, sister and brothers, me, and a bunch of our friends went to Jetty Island. One could go out really far and still be able to stand up. our friends Nick and Alex dug and dug in the sand until they struck water. They then stood in the hole and we buried them in sand to their neck. It only took them about 30 seconds to get out! Brady (Nick's 11 year old brother) was sitting crisscross applesauce when we buried him in sand. It took him 8min to get out! It's really fun to go to the beach with friends.

Day 30: A motto or philosophy

A motto I like to live by is “Learn from yesterday; live for today; hope for tomorrow.” If you make a mistake, you can learn from it, and hope that tomorrow will be better. If it isn't, then maybe the next day will be. Some days are bound to be better than others.

Day 29: hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days

On August 4, my family and I are moving across the country to Virginia. The house we rented has a really nice pool. We will attend Harvest Assembly of God. I also have been writing to two people in order to get to know them. I'm excited about all the new movies that are coming out: Turbo, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Despicable Me 2, Monsters University, and Rio 2. I plan to collect as many adventures in odyssey albums as I can over the next few years.

Day 28: a scar you have and its story

I don't have any scars (yet) but I can tell you about my dad's scars: Before I was born, my dad was riding home work on his bike. He never told me exactly what happened, but all I know is that he was hit by a car and his arm went through the window of the car. The helmet he was wearing cracked in half (saving his life) and therefor is very strict about my sibalings and I wearing helmets when we ride our bikes. My dad was airlifted to a hospital and treated. Even though he almost suffered from a broken neck, all he had was a broken rib and the glass in his arm (which caused the scars) I'm really glad that my dad suffered no life changing injuries on that day.

Day 27: a Physical Feature you love

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You're works are wonderful. I know that full well." -Psalm 139:14

I don't have a favorite feature. I love every single part of my body because it was made by God himself.
"He knit me in my mother's womb." -Psalm 139:13

Day 26: A childhood memory

One memory I have is when I was 5,6, or 7 years old. We had a hamster whose name was Domino. One morning, I remember waking up before everyone else and going down stairs. Domino's cage was empty! I woke up the family, and we looked and looked without success. Finally, mommy said that it was time for breakfast. We opened the pantry, and there was Domino in the oatmeal! Looks like Domino had an exciting adventure! That was a very funny childhood memory.

Day 25: A recipe

This recipe is really good to make for Easter. They are called Resurrection cookies. The cookies is really for the kids, but the taste is definitely for everyone.

Resurrection Cookie Recipe

Supplies:

• 1 cup almonds (or pecans)
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Zipper baggy
• Wooden spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Mixer
• Cookie sheet
• Spoons
• Tape
• Bible

1)  PREHEAT OVEN TO 300 DEGREES.  Place one cup nuts into a baggy.  Beat the nuts with a wooden spoon until broken into tiny pieces.  Remind children Jesus was beaten by the Roman Soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

¹ Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

I also included Isaiah 53:5:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

2)  Allow each child to smell the vinegar.  Pour a small amount into a bowl and allow them to taste it.  Explain that vinegar was given to Jesus to drink when he was on the cross.  Add 1 tsp. vinegar into a mixing bowl.

Read John 19:28-30

 ²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

3)  Add egg whites to vinegar.  The eggs in this recipe represent life.  They remind us that Jesus gave his life to give us life abundantly.

Read John 10:10-11

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

4)  Put a pinch of salt in your child’s hand.  Allow them to taste it.  Add a pinch of salt to to the eggs and vinegar.  The salt represents the salty tears cried by the women who followed Jesus.

Read Luke 23:27

²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him

5)  Place a pinch of sugar in your child’s hand.  Allow them to taste it.  Add one cup sugar to the mixture.  Up to this point, the ingredients have been very  bitter, but the sweetness in the recipe comes from the sugar.  The suffering and death of Jesus are bitter, but the sweetness is that Jesus died because He loves us.  Oh, how He loves us!

Read Psalm 34:8

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Read John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

6)  Beat the mixture for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed  (I recommend setting a timer — it’s important to beat the mixture well).   The whiteness of the mixture reminds us of purity and the cleansing of our sins because of Jesus’ death.

Read Isaiah 1:18:

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.

7)  Stir in the nuts.

8)  Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.  The mounds represent the tomb where Jesus was buried.

Read Matthew 27:57-60

⁵⁷ As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

9)  After the oven is preheated, put the cookie sheets in the oven.  TURN OFF the oven.  Allow your child to place pieces of tape and “seal” the oven door.  Jesus’ tomb was sealed with a large rock.

Reread Matthew 27:59

⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

10)  Leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  Your child might feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight (they were probably expecting to have a yummy treat soon – at least mine were).  Jesus’ followers were very sad when the tomb was sealed.

John 16:20-22

²⁰ Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.²¹ A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.²² So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

11)  In the morning, open the oven and have some cookies!  The cookies should be hollow inside.  Remind your child that the tomb was empty.  Jesus is risen!

Read Matthew 28:1-9

¹After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

When I was younger, our family used to make these every year. We thought they were the most amazing things.