CBS efforts

Not really sure what to name this post, to be honest.

I am part of the servant’s team this year at CBS.  I am the teacher for the Baby Class, that means kids under 18 months old.  I watch the babies while their moms are in their core groups and teaching time.  I certainly dropped off my kids for hundreds and hundreds of hours at CBS from 2002 through 2021, and I am glad to be on the volunteer side of things in this way.

However.

That means I have to arrive at 8:30AM so that we leaders can have our core group and praying time.  And by default, that means Johanna and Katriel have to also go at 8:30AM.

We leave our house by 8AM.  They bring a LOT of school work to do from 8:30AM to 10:15AM.  Then they go to their class.  I pick them up around 12:15PM after all the babies have been picked up and my room is clean.  And then we head home.  And if we are really lucky, we start OUR school by 1:45PM, after we have eaten and unwound a smidge.

It is really hard.
We are tired.
We are behind in our lessons.  Too many Thursdays we don’t have the wherewithal to start looking for split infinitives and quadradic equations at 2:45PM.

But if it was easy, it wouldn’t be an offering.  It seems really hard to imagine doing this for another 20 weeks.  So we just focus on one week at a time and trust that God will help us to sow good things.

New year for CBS

Not only is this the first day of the new year for CBS, but it is the first day of me being the teacher in the baby class.  That means we have to go at 8:30AM and Johanna and Katriel bring lots of work to do while I am in my core groups. 

Last day of CBS

It was “Sharing Day” and at our new CBS in Greenville, the youth also participate.  Both Johanna and Katriel shared about what they learned from the study of John this year. 

There is a reason CBS is the FIRST THING on my calendar every year.

CBS birthday love

Katriel’s sweet CBS teacher celebrated her birthday today, complete with some yummy donuts.  We have been blessed near and far by CBS.  And now donuts, too!

God’s Good Gifts–CBS version

If you know our family, you know that CBS has been a staple in these Disciples’ lives since before most of them were born.  Only Stewart did not attend as a newborn.

As a matter of fact, in 2021, as John would sit on the computer looking at prospective jobs around the country, I would sit in the chair nearby and use my phone to check to see if there was a CBS in driving distance.

Yes – it has been that important to me.

When we moved here, the closest option was the CBS in Greenwood, SC.  It was a 61 minute drive from our house to the church, and we did it most weeks (we took February off last year for a driving break).  We knew we couldn’t keep up that trek this year with the very large amount of time it took and the cost of gas.  I was delighted to learn a CBS went live just 20 minutes from our house, however, I couldn’t make the Thursday mornings work in the fall around the classes Tabitha was registered for.

Then – just days before Christmas, it clicked --- with Tab’s upcoming schedule, the girls and I might be able to make it fit in our week.  I reached out and they DID have room for us.  It is a very small class, but they did have space in the children’s program!  When I told the girls, I wasn’t sure if they’d be up for a schedule change so late in the school year.  Their reaction?  Utter gladness!  They were delighted!

So here we are.  Our first day at Greenville CBS Day Class.

Like a giant GOD HUG!

It is directly across the street from BJU, too!

Lessons from the Sea

At CBS many years ago (I could try to count back and figure it out exactly, I suppose), the year we were doing Egypt to the Promised Land, my core group leader, Mrs. Patricia, gave us all these little bowls with sea glass in them at the end of the year.  She reminded us that it takes years and years for this beautiful sea glass to form.  It has to be tossed and turned and dragged and driven by the waves and the wind.  But eventually, it becomes soft and beautiful.  It sits on the windowsill in the school room.  And as I turned to look at the sunshine this morning my eye caught the glass and I was delighted by the reminder. 

It’s been a few years of waves.  I love knowing that the battering will yield some great results in the end.

I sent Patricia a hello this morning.  God has put so many wonderful people in my life.  Many I will very likely never see again on earth.  It’s lovely to know that we have eternity to catch up. 

Post-CBS lunch

We meant to do it two weeks ago.
Then last week.
But stuff kept coming up.
So today, after CBS we met Daddy at a diner in Greenwood and had the best cheeseburger in my memory

CBS–Greenwood

Since 2002, the first thing on my calendar every year is CBS.

Since 2006, it has been with my CBS family in Finger Lakes Day Class.

This year we drive ONE HOUR each way to attend the CBS in Greenwood.

It is much smaller, but still has a homeschool program (Thank you, LORD Jesus). This morning as I was asked multiple times, "How much longer?" we talked about how around the world there were people who traveled in secret to other Believer's homes to hear parts of the Bible. And there are people who huddle near radios listening to static ridden broadcasts of teaching in their own language. Those folks might marvel at how we travel in an air conditioned passenger van every week to have this type of study.

It's still a long drive.... but it is perspective.

Today I had to run back out to the car for Katriel's journal and got to the door just in time to hear her leader praying over the class. Her prayer moved me deeply. Community Bible Study leaders are a gift from GOD. I am so grateful for the ministry and all the leaders who have been in our lives.

CBS – techno-version

Katriel, Nan, and I headed to Canandaigua on the 9th to pick up our CBS books for this year’s study.  It is nothing short of AWESOME how much of an effort the leadership dove into in order to provide such comprehensive start-up bags for the kids’ programming.  With labelled envelopes to open at specific times through the months, this is clear that our loving volunteers poured themselves into the ministry.

Marie and Tab even got ESV Scripture Journals of the Gospel of John.

There were glitches (oh – Zoom – you never knew you’d be so popular),

But there was a lot of gladness, too.

I’m going to get a lot of exercise going up and down the stairs between girls as the technology comes in and out, but it is totally worth it.

CBS Christmas concert!

And why do I only have pictures of Katriel?
I was doing the video camera and Nan was doing a video for me on my phone.  I guess I should have considered getting still shots?!

None the less, I want to remember how many times I was blessed by my little ones (and not so little ones) singing at CBS.  We’ve been attending since 2002.  To God Be the Glory!!!

Sweet Katriel and CBS singing day

The photo is grainy, but the singing was crisp.  Sweet Katriel sang her heart out at the children’s song today.

CBS Christmas offerings

Another year of CBS blessings, as the students gathered to sing praises to God for His indescribable gift of Jesus.

Johanna and Katriel majored in enthusiasm.  And my images pretty much stunk.

I guess I was too busy enjoying the singing.

First Day of CBS - 2018

At my peak, I was attending CBS with six children, and Nan.
These days it is four girls and Nan.

This is my happy place, for sure. 
We first started attending in 2002.  Nigel was two months old, and Stewart had just turned two.  We attended at Browncroft until May 2006 and switched to Canandaigua in September 2006.  We’ve attended every year except the 2008-2009 school year, when the homeschool program was not offered due to a lack of teachers. 

Marie’s group has the option, this year, of attending the lecture the adult women are attending.  She’s eager to hear the teaching go a little deeper.  Tab is in the girls-only middle-school group.  Johanna is in the Primary level and Katriel is still in the pre-schooler level.  That is based predominantly on age/population.  We are all beyond joyful for the return to this staple in our lives.

CBS–preschoolers

This sweet lamb sang for us today with CBS.  How did she get so grown up?

Twins day

An early morning email.
Some rapid fire texting.
And these two jewels got to be “twins” for “Twins Day” at CBS.

Phew…

Dress as a Bible person day at CBS

Can you guess who Marie is?

Johanna is being the woman who drew Moses us out of the water…

because I wouldn’t let her be Potiphar’s wife.

Katriel’s age group was necessarily included in the dress-up activity, but YOU try telling her that!!!

John 1:17-
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

(PS – Marie is being Jael…. funny girl!)

Crazy hat day at CBS

Last month there was “Wear Your Pajamas to CBS” day.  But Mom didn’t realize Johanna’s group was participating in that.  So she didn’t wear pajamas to CBS.  Mama felt so sad for her that she ran to Wal•Mart and bought her some penguin PJs.  Today we didn’t miss the chance for Hanny to participate.  And her crazy hat was precious.

Last day of CBS

Last day of CBS for the year.  The girls were excited to dress up for their performance.

Students’ CBS Play.

It’s that time of year again.  The older kids got to be a part of the annual CBS play.  Stewart has been doing FLCC Biology class this semester and was not part of the production, but he DID get finished in lab early enough to come over and watch it!

Well, her middle name IS Summer!