Good morning from Iowa

Even though the calendar says it's still summer, the air has the feel and smell of fall. Perhaps not so surprising since fall is only a week away, but I'm not ready for this season of the year. I'm not ready for the frost advisory that has been posted for most of the state. Brrrrrr.

I much prefer the earlier days of the year when life is "springing" up around me in beautiful pastel colors and I know the warm days of summer are just ahead. I live in a location that truly has the four God given seasons. Winter and the bone chilling cold is not my favorite time of the year. But it does make me appreciate the other three .

As so many people around me have said, "Where did the summer go?" What did I do with those days? What did you do with those days. For me they were filled with family, friends, festivals and BSFK. Draw, draw and more for illustrations.

I am at a season of life where a good many of my friends are "retiring." Planning to rest and relax they say. As for me, I've embarked on this new adventure. I've been praying, planning, writing, illustrating, meeting new associates, reading mail from around the world and I'm grateful to be doing it every day. No retirement here. This mission will not retire. God's work is never done. I am committed. Some would say I need to be committed ... but that is from those who do not understand.

Jolene Griffith is our new "Featured Writer" for the website. She has so much enthusiasm and love for the Lord that it just spills out. She tells me she hasn't had this much fun in a long time. She is writing the "Devotional Gems" by Jolene blog for BSFK and I would invite you to get to know her better and read her devotions. You can find the link in the left sidebar on the home page of http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/ or http://devotionalgemsbyjolene.blogspot.com/ for the direct link.

She is also writing short Bible based fiction for children that will be offered for your on-line enjoyment and teaching experience. Two offerings in the works are a story about the Star of Bethlehem for Christmas and a series of lesson/stories about David and Jonathan called "Friends." The latter will at sometime be associated with a Powerful Points Presentation series about David but the details are still "on the drawing board." Pun intended. :-)

My short one line post just previous to this one was in regard to a very short demonstration about blogs for Dee Dorce of Dorce Ministries in Haiti. She was our missionary for Vacation Bible School and she and her family were staying with me. She was watching the first Powerful Points "Creation" Presentation on my laptop and I could tell she was doing some very serious thinking. She was trying to figure out how she could use it for the 160 children she would be teaching in the new school year. They truly walk in to school from out of the hills. She told me she had little in the way of curriculum. After some discussion and giving the situation to God overnight, we sat down at my office computer and she proceeded to translate "Creation" into the language the children could read instead of being read or translated for/to them. It was very exciting to see the words change into words that I could not read. I pick up the Bible she left behind unintentionally. It feels the same, but it isn't the same, and yet it is the same as it tells the same "Good News." I am humbled that what was put together in Clive, Iowa will be used in Haiti.

The next Powerful Points Presentation will be "The Nativity". We started our Old Testament series at the beginning and we do so with the New Testament. It's going to take some doing and we are about half way there, but it is our prayer that it will be ready in November. God willing and I believe that is the case, we will get it done for the Holy Day's (holiday) Season. Your prayers for good health and nimble fingers during this time for all concerned would be appreciated.

Goodness, I think I've made up for the shortness of the previous message.

You are in my prayers and God's blessings,
Linda