Another Sneak Peek! 

Today Jennifer did the paper layout, which I just got done proofreading. I am so excited about "new updated look" of the Nebraska Family Times, I've decided to give you another sneak peek! 

I consider publishing the NFT as a mission as well as something I love to do, and I am so blessed to be able to use the talents God gave me doing something I love! I want everyone to know His love, to feel His peace, and I pray that the NFT will be part of that.  

I try to print articles that give a unique view of some aspect

The front and back page of the NFT; this is how they look when
they're laid out on the computer. Do you like the new title look? 

of Christian living, and I'm excited about several articles this month, including "11 Differences  Between a College Football Fan and a Church Member" and "6 Things Jesus Didn't Die For." My article this month is titled "The Teacher Was Not Silent During My Test," and was inspired by the popular Facebook graphic that says, "If you don't hear from God during hard times, remember the Teacher is always silent during a test." (Obviously, I strongly disagree!) 

Have you been thinking about subscribing to the "Nebraska Family Times"? If you subscribe by next Wednesday, August 27th, you'll receive the September issue FREE--meaning you'll get a total of 13 issues for only $20! Payment must be received by next Wednesday; click "Subscribe" in the right sidebar or send your check or money order to Nebraska Family Times, 209 27th St. Apt. #13, Columbus, NE, 68601. 

A Sneak Peek at the "Nebraska Family Times" new look! 

I am so excited about the "new look" of the "Nebraska Family Times"! Our mission remains, "To inspire, encourage and motivate you in your Christian walk", and my prayer continues to be to publish articles that will touch the hearts of readers through issues that are important in their lives. 

The inside pages of the paper are set up like the rooms in a home. The "rooms" of the NFT

have been updated and have been given a theme verse and "blurb" that represents that room. In each room you'll find articles that I think will apply to your lives.                                                                                               We have also put our Mission Statement and Faith Statement into words; the ideas were always there but now you -- and new readers -- can easily see what the "Nebraska Family Times" is all about.    

Thanks to Tracy Buzynski for her work in finding the updated graphics--I really didn't know how I wanted them to look but when I saw what Tracy had found, I immediately knew it was perfect! And I also thank Jennifer Gleason for all of her work in doing the paper layout since I took over the "Nebraska Family Times" almost five years ago.                                                                             

Here is a sneak peek at the inside front page of the paper...you can see that the Editor's Letter will be on the new Front Porch page and get an idea of the graphics that will appear throughout the paper. 

I'm so excited to see that new look in "real life"! And I look forward to hearing your thoughts about it!

Bible Verses to Start the School Year

By Shelly Burke, Editor

The Bible truly can guide us in any situation in life. In Deuteronomy Moses commands us, concerning God’s commands and instructions, to “Make them known to your children…” (Deut. 4:9b) Talk with your kids about the following verses and how they can apply them at school, no matter what grade they are in.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:39) Ask, “Who is your neighbor?” Share examples of how kids can love their “neighbor”—teachers, fellow students, administrators, lunch ladies, bus drivers, janitors, and so on. Talk about saying “hello”, being respectful, showing the new student around, sitting with an unpopular student, being a good friend.

“Set guard, Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3) Discuss how gossip, being rude, and saying hurtful things is not showing God’s love. Role-play changing the subject when someone else is gossiping or talking negatively. Discuss how to react to a teacher who is angry or perhaps treating your child in a way that your child feels is unfair.

                                     

“For we all stumble in many ways.” (James 3:2) If one of your kids is a perfectionist, or hard on himself or herself over any mistake, reassure him that no one is perfect (except for God, of course)--the Bible says so! Of course we should always do our best, but “best” doesn’t have to be “perfect.”  

               

“God is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  (1 Corin 10:13b) This is a good verse to talk about when discussing peer pressure and making good decisions. God assures us that there is always a way to get out of the situation. When my sisters and I were teenagers our dad told us, “You have to know what you will do if you find yourself in a situation that involves making a choice—whether you’re with people who are drinking, you’re alone with a boy, or others are cheating on a test.” As age-appropriate, talk with your kids about what they’ll do or say in any of these situations. Many families have a code word or phrase; if they call their parents and say the word or phrase, the parents know to come and pick them up immediately as they aren’t comfortable in the situation.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Remind your children that God is with them in any and every situation, at school and everywhere else. If they are nervous about a test, upset because of problems with a friend, dreading a difficult class, sad because they didn’t make the team, embarrassed because they dumped their lunch tray…God is right there with them. He cares for them. Reassure them that they are never, ever alone. They can pray to God wherever they are, whatever they are doing. They don’t need to fold their hands or close their eyes. They don’t need fancy words; they can just share their thoughts with Him. He cares for them…ALWAYS.

What other verses can guide your kids during the school year? How can God’s Word guide you during your life, every day?

To read more by Shelly, go to.Home is Where the Mom Is 

A to Z Blogging (I can't believe it took me this long to complete it) Z!

Zeal 

I knew I was not quite done with the A to Z Blogging Challenge and it’s been on my list to complete it. But when I went to the blog to see where I was I thought:

Seriously, Shelly?

I mean, really???

You go t through the letter “Y” of the “A to Z Blogging Challenge” way back in APRIL, and you just couldn’t get to the letter “Z” until today, almost the end of JULY???

Next time I think I should blog about “procrastination.”

For your reading enjoyment, long, long overdue, the completion of the “A to Z Blogging Challenge.”

Thanks for reading—and ENJOY!

Zeal

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Romans 12:11

The section in which this verse appears is titled “Marks of the True Christian” and the verses before this verse read, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly (and sisterly!) affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:9-10).

These are action words: abhor means to despise and be repulsed by. Hold fast implies grabbing tightly. My study notes say being fervent in spirit means boiling over with the Spirit. Outdo one another implies everyone working as hard as they can.

Do you abhor what is evil…or just dislike it a little…or even allow it in your life once in awhile?

Do you hold fast to what is good…or let it flow through your fingers or maybe just hope it lands in your life occasionally?

Do you outdo one another in showing honor to the Lord…or are you glad to let someone else do it, whatever it is?

Are you fervent when doing your work for the Lord…are do you do it half-heartedly?

How can you actively show the “Marks of the True Christian” today?

(I’m also finishing up the blogging the A to Z Challenge at www.achristianmomsguide.blogspot.com.

Check it out!)

A to Z Blogging--{Almost all the way caught up!} Yesterday

Yesterday

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Matthew 5:37

In our lives here on earth there is very little we can count on to be the same from day to day. Often our circumstances change dramatically in a very short period of time, with an unexpected death…or the loss of a job…or a devastating betrayal.

Society changes take place almost day-to-day as well. Not so many “yesterdays” ago, it was a given that marriage was between one man and one woman. Life—from conception to death—was sacred. Children were rarely born out of wedlock. Honesty and hard work were something to be proud of, something expected of everyone. Sunday activities included church and Sunday School before anything else.

I am a nurse and in my job at a surgery center—we do mostly eye surgeries—I have seen many changes in the last year—changes in medications, changes in surgery techniques and changes in how different eye problems are treated.

Within the last few weeks I took several classes—ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support). These classes teach the steps to take and medications to give when an adult or child is critically ill. Many times during the classes we talked about the changes that had been made in diagnosis and treatment over the last few years. 

When your head is spinning due to the changes in your life—be they good or bad—be reassured that one thing will not change—Jesus. His Word remains the Truth. You can always count on His promises –He will always keep them—no matter what. His grace and forgiveness will always be free to us, just for the asking. Thank Him today, for not changing.

(I’m also blogging at www.achristianmomsguide.blogspot.com. Check it out!)

A to Z Blogging...{Almost Caught Up!} X-Tra

X-tra

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. And God saw that it was good…

Genesis 1:11-12, excerpted

I am amazed, at this time of year especially, all that the Lord has blessed us with.

He gave us plants, trees, fruit trees.

But not just one single kind of plant, or tree, or fruit.

He blessed us with many, many kinds of growing things. Just in a walk around my neighborhood I see trees bearing white flowers…pink flowers…bright pink flowers. I see flowers of every shape and color. When I go to the grocery store I have many varieties of fruit from which to choose.

The Lord could have given us just one kind of plant, one kind of flower, one kind of tree,  one kind of fruit.

But He did not.

He gave us an almost countless variety of growing things. And we are so very blessed that God gave us so much x-tra—so much more than we deserve or even need.

Thank You, Lord, for the x-tra you give us in variety. You have blessed us with so much; help us to appreciate Your love for us.

(I’m also blogging the A to Z Challenge at www.achristianmomsguide.blogspot.com. Check it out!)

A to Z Blogging {Almost Caught Up!} Wait

Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:14

I am not a very good wait-er--I don’t like to wait.

I want all of the answers, right now.

I want to know—now!-- the direction in which I’m to go in life.

I want to know how situations are going to resolve themselves and I don’t want to have to wait to find out.

I am so often tempted to jump right in and act—call someone!! Do something!! Send an e-mail!! Speak my mind!!

Sometimes I react quickly—in anger, in retribution, in fear and depression.

But the above verse reminds me—twice in one verse, to “wait for the Lord.”

And it doesn’t tell me just to wait, it gives me something to do while I wait: “be strong and let your heart take courage.”

I can be strong, by reading the Bible and praying to the Lord to guide and lead me. I find strength in knowing that He is with me every single step of the way, no matter what. And He is stronger than anything, any circumstance, that I will encounter during my life.

I can have courage while I wait because I know the Lord knows what is happening. He knows every detail about every aspect of my circumstances, even when I’m blindsided by something. He is right beside me, every second.

He knows the direction in which He wants me to go. He knows all the details. He knows the bigger story.

And truth be told, I know the bigger story too. I know the end of the story. At the end of the story, no matter what happens to me here—I will spend eternity with Him.

Knowing that enables me to “wait…” with courage in my heart.

(I’m also blogging the A to Z Challenge at Home is Where the Mom Is . Check it out!)