March 2008

From the Editor's Desk

We are so happy to introduce to you our March issue of Growing in Grace! Within this issue you'll find articles relating to Easter as well as St. Patrick's Day, and as you can see we have a new layout! On the right side bar you'll see a March Calendar and the code so you can enjoy it on your site as well. Each month it will automatically change to the next month's calendar so you will not need to switch the code ever again.

We'd also like to introduce three new contributors to our team. Miss Brielle, and Miss Alyssa.

Don't forget to get your new link to the new magazine cover in the left side bar. Next month you'll have no need to change that again either.

Editor-in-Chief
Growing in Grace Magazine

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Special Announcements:

View the entire magazine in one post

A special thank you to our sponsors this month!
You'll find their ads and links throughout our site and listed below.

Have you ever thought about contributing to Growing in Grace Magazine? Do you have a gift for writing and a desire to please the Saviour in what you write? Come read this very special announcement about how YOU might be a part of our team.

If you're a business who'd link to partner with GGM and donate something for a giveaway, please contact us at ggmads@gmail.com.

Featured Articles:

GGM Interview: Miss Rebekah
by Sisterlisa

A Bit o' Ole Irish History
by Lady Jess

The True Lamb
by Lady Olivia

Sunday School With Mary
by Sister Angie

Pet of the Month- "Buddy"

by Miss Monica June

Better Now Than Later
by Miss Alyssa

Monthly Columns:

Healthy Steps: Towards a Better Smile
by Lady Jess

Precious Paws- Just Washin' Up
by Miss Monica June

The Fact of the Matter: The Principle of the Matter
by Sisterlisa



The Faith Factor: It's Elementary
by Miss Monica June, featuring Lady Olivia

Portfolio de Couturier: Colonial Fashion
by Miss Jocelyn and Miss Brielle

Gracious Reviews: 'Little Faith'
by Lady Rachel

Remote ConTroll: Television Rating
by Lady Jess

Fun Stuff:

Just Ask Gracie
by Gracie

Think on These Things
by Sisterlisa

Graphics coordinated by designer G's
Some photos from iStockphoto
and sxc.hu Stock Exchange
For ad information please contact our



Editor-in-Chief: Sisterlisa




Special thanks to:
Layout Coordinator: Sisterlisa at designer G's
Mrs.D and Miss Amanda for putting together magazine layout

Salvation, It's Elementary

Each week I have an opportunity to go on an outreach in my community to invite people to my church. Sometimes I get to tell them how they can know for sure they can get to heaven. Some people call this evangelism. One very important thing to know before doing this is if YOU have trusted Jesus as your Savior yet. This month I would like to share with you how Lady Olivia made her decision. In her story you'll learn how easy it is to teach a young girl how to accept Jesus as their Savior. It's a wonderful way to share His love with those who may be too young to even read yet.

I have always known about Jesus. My mom says that His name was actually
one of my first words! When I was a toddler, or so, my mom would sing songs to me like "Jesus Loves Me" or she and dad would tell me all kinds of stories about Him. But there was definitely a time in my life when I
really wanted to know God, not just know about Him.
I wanted to know Him personally, but first I had to:

1. Admit I was a sinner and was in need of God.
2. Believe that Jesus died and rose again for my sins.
3. Confess Jesus as Lord of my life.

It was as easy as ABC and because I was only six and learning my
alphabet and how to read, this was an easy way to understand how to be
saved. Now, I pray to Him every day by just talking to Him. I praise Him every
night which means I like to sing to Him before I go to bed.
He is always there when I need Him, like when I have problems at school
with friends. He also helps me when I take a test or have to make a
speech. Jesus is real to me. I am sure glad I know Him. You can get
to know Him too. ~Lady Olivia

If this was your first time learning about how to trust Jesus as your Savior and you have just believed in Him as you read this, please let us know.

Now for a giveaway!! We have a small New Testament Bible with God's Precious Promises especially highlighted from the publisher. It's a handy tool for leading a person to the Lord and it's free to one person who would like to have it. Simply have your mom e-mail our moderator to submit your name for the drawing.

Just Washin' Up

Just last night I had my dog, Lady, hop in the shower and I gave her a good washin'! Her coat is always so much prettier when it's clean. Here are some quick bathing tips for dogs and cats.

Dogs- Brush dog at least twice a week. Check with your vet on your specific breed, because some dogs require more baths than others. Don't bathe your dog to often, or there skin will get dry.

Did you know that baking soda will clean your dog or cat? Just rub the baking soda on and be sure to rub into the coat. Let set a few minutes and brush off! The doggy smells will be all gone, and you don't need to get all wet Cooking Time: 30 minutesMakes: 8 cups (approx. 2 liters)

Cats- Cats generally bathe themselves by liking them. But if they are short haired cats you can brush them once a week. If your cat has long hair then you can brush there hair every other day.

Don't ever brush a cat's hair the opposite way, going the wrong way can irritate there skin and would make her/him want to leave the scene when she sees you pull out the grooming supplies next time.

Miss Rebekah

I had the pleasure of meeting with Miss Rebekah this last week for a photo shoot and interview and had a wonderful time getting to know her. Miss Rebekah is one of the finest young ladies I know in my town. Miss Rebekah has some wonderful hopes and desires for her future and I am happy to be able to share them with you. ~Sisterlisa

GGM: Tell me about your home that you grew up in.
R: I loved where I lived, which was in our home on a 5-acre parcel.

GGM: Did you have any pets?
R: We had sheep with The 4H Club. I had a baby lamb; it was called a bummer because it was the smallest. A couple of times a farmer we knew had triplet lambs and the bummer wouldn’t survive if they stayed with their mom so, we would keep them in the laundry room, fed them with the bottle, and kept them warm. We put baby diapers on the lambs so that they would not make a ‘mess’ in the house. Sometimes we would send them to other farms once they reached 6 months old. I took horse riding lessons from a friend, I loved horses! We had a llama named Chewy who was SO rambunctious. He protected the sheep.

GGM: Tell me about what you liked about 4H.
R: I did sewing with 4H. My Grandma and Aunt sew very well, so my cousin and I would sew together.

GGM: How many siblings do you have?
R: I had two brothers; I’m the youngest and the only girl. We’re each about 3 ½ years apart. I am twenty-three years old.

GGM: I'll bet that was nice having two older brothers, tell me about your relationships with your them.
R: In some ways I wanted a sister, but I liked being alone as a girl with my mom, and my brothers always stood up for me and I love my sister-in-law. One of my brothers is on the east coast. My family means alot to me. Having him live so far away from my makes me miss him.

GGM: What’s your favorite memory you have with your dad?
R: I always remember my dad taking me on dates and make me feel special. He would always buy me Easter outfits with all of the accessories, hat, purse, etc. I always felt so special and so loved by my dad.

GGM: What kind of things do you remember doing/learning with your mom?
R: I did everything with my mom. She is so patient and kind. Some of the greatest times I had with her was at night when she read to me. We would end up reading character books like ‘Little Women’. I love to read! We enjoy baking sugar cookies together and we still bake together!

GGM: Do you have any pets now?
R: I have a Jack Russell terrier. She is just over a year old. I always loved animals. Growing up we had large dogs and I loved them, but this is my first small dog. She’s my baby. Her name is Lucy.

GGM: Do you have any hobbies?
R: I enjoy sewing, knitting, reading, exercise. I love riding my bike and I used to hike a lot.

GGM: Do you have any favorite books?
R: Yes, ‘Anne of Green Gables’. I have read all of them, along with the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ books.

GGM: What are your goals for marriage and family?
R: I pray that God will bring the right man for me when the time is right. He will, by faith, bring me what I need. I pray that I will have a good relationship, like my mom, dad and grandparents have. I hope that I will have many kids. I love children so much! I want to have a family like the awesome families around me. I am happy being single until God’s timing. But, when that time comes, I want to be a stay at home mom no matter what. I know I would need to make it work. I know so many children who come to our church through our bus ministry and they really need their moms.

GGM: What kind of education did you receive growing up?
R: I attended a private school until 5th grade. From sixth grade and up I attended a public school in a very small country town. It was a very small school with conservative families, but I still struggled to stay away from the wrong crowd. It was tough to see such bad things during my attendance there, but I knew that my parents were praying for me. All my cousins went to school with me too, so I received support from them.

Thank you, Miss Rebekah, for sharing your childhood and future dreams with us at GGM. I also attended a public school and my mother worked full time. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom and I was jealous of the girls whose mothers stayed at home. I am so glad I am home with my children too. I believe God has a plan for your dear friend. May the Lord bless you, and remember that He wants to give us the desires of our hearts, especially when it aligns with His Word like yours do. Although I wasn't raised in a Christian home I am glad to be able to turn that around for my own children and raise them to be wonderful young ladies who have a desire to be a wife and mother as well.

Dental Hygiene

We just recently visited the dentist. I was SO relieved to find that I only had some small cavities that could be fixed just by brushing and flossing more. I was thinking about this as I was thinking about what to write about this month and decided on dental hygiene. Sometimes people today think that problems can be solved by using expensive toothbrushes and toothpaste. But the reality of it is, that you just need to know how to take proper care of your teeth and do it on a regular basis. Here are some tips to good dental hygiene.


1. Brush you teeth at least twice a day. Brushing helps to get rid of plaque from the tooth's surface. It would be even better if you can brush your teeth after every meal. Each time, devote around three to five minutes to brushing.

2. Use toothpaste approved by your parents.

3. For more reach, use floss to get to that tiny space in between your teeth.

4. Use mouthwash every night after you brush and floss your teeth. It can get rid of the bacteria left even behind after brushing.

5. Visit your dentist every six months or so for checking and professional cleaning of your teeth.

6. Soft drinks and coffee are likely to stain your teeth and erode your teeth's enamel. If you can't seem to let go of your favorite drinks, one way to work around the problem is to drink them through a straw.

7. When taking in something sweet, remember to drink water while eating it. Drinking, in this case, act like dental floss, the water will reach in between the spaces of your teeth and stops the sugar from doing too much damage.

8. Drink as much water as you can each day; if possible, add fluoride into the water you drink.

9. Eat fruits like apple everyday. They say an apple a day keeps the dentist away, and indeed this is true. Fruits like apple help in fighting tooth decay. In addition, it makes a better snack, then say, a chocolate bar. Avoid eating snacks between short time intervals. This does not give your saliva enough time to repair the damage done by the last snacks you consumed. If you really crave for something, grab an apple.

10. Buy a toothbrush that has the ADA (American Dental Association) stamp of approval. Also make sure it is soft and has round bristles. Besides that, replace your toothbrush every three months or after getting over the flu or a cold.



Here are some tips to keep a whiter looking smile.



1. Strawberries and tomatoes contain good vitamin C content. These can be directly applied on the teeth. Vitamin C helps in removing the plaque on the teeth and makes them whiter.

2. Rub the white part of an orange peel on the teeth every night before going to sleep. The vitamin C of the orange peel will combat with the microorganisms all through the night, after a while, resulting in white teeth.

3. Baking soda brushed on your teeth with a little water will brighten your smile without you having to buy all of those expensive toothpastes on the market now-a-days.



Hope these help you to keep a nice bright and beautiful smile!

Better Now Than Later

I do not like the word "teenager." Actually, the word "teenager" is not bad in itself. It just has a bad connotation. People usually think of "trouble" whenever they hear the word "teenager." Some people expect teenagers to be irresponsible and rebellious.

Our culture tells us that since we are merely kids or teenagers, it is okay to be irresponsible and do unwise things. They tell us that we can wait until we are adults to be mature and that for right now, we can just goof off! That is not what the Bible says.

I Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

Proverbs 20:11 says, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right."

The Bible says that we should set an example. We should strive to live as God tells us to. We should honor God in the way we interact with our family, in the way we treat others, in the way we speak, and in the way we dress.

If we treat others the way we want to be treated, honor our parents, dress modestly, and do not say bad words, people will most likely notice that we are different. They may even ask why. If they do, we will have an opportunity to share our faith. Besides, we would be living in a way that is pleasing to God which should be our goal.

While we are still young, we have years in which we can serve God without a lot of other things to worry about (i.e. children, bills, etc.). We need to use these years wisely. When I look back at my teenage years, I want to see that I did not waste them. I hope to see that I have made a difference for the better. We all can.

One of the ways we can do this is by realizing and cultivating the gifts God has given us and then using them for His glory. We all have different talents that God has given us and we should ask Him what He wants us to do with them and then do it! We must be seeking His will for our life.

If we do not strive to do what is right and seek God’s will while we are still young, what makes us think we will suddenly be different when we are adults? We need to show that we are different than the world and that not all teenagers are irresponsible and rebellious. We can do this by obeying God and being the young lady He wants us to be.

Can you think of specific ways that different talents can be used to glorify God and serve others?

Can you think of ways we can prepare for adulthood while we are still young?

It's The Principle of The Matter

For those of you who drive, you know that when you see that stop sign it means STOP! It does not mean slow down and casually roll over the line then push on the gas. We know that at an intersection, that yellow means CAUTION, because the light is about to turn red, which means STOP. The green light, of course, means GO; but not if you're speeding. There is always a speed limit sign to inform us of the safest speed in which to drive.(Well, in the US it's like this)



Our government places these information signs on the road for our safety. They tell us what we can and cannot do. If we break those laws we are under judgment of the law and will suffer consequences. God works in a similar way. He tells us what we can do and what we must not do, and He also describes to us what the consequences will be. He does this for our own safety.



God told us in the book of Genesis that He had explained all this to Adam and Eve. He told them that He made the garden of Eden for them. He instructed them to care for the garden and all the animals. He also told them what they could eat. God gave them the trees, even the tree of life. The world today dreams of a mythical fountain of life to avoid growing old and dieing, yet the true tree of life was already given to us and yet mankind did not respect God's rules regarding this.

Genesis 2:9, "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."(KJV)

All Eve had to do was obey God. How much more simple could God have been? "You may eat of ALL the trees, even the tree of LIFE, but this ONE tree thou shalt NOT eat of." Obedience, you see it's the principle of the matter. God's Word is described as bring His principles.



The dictionary definition of principle is; 'a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived'. Fundamental is defined as; 'being an original or primary source'. To me it's clear, simply obey. Obeying is the fundamental principle that God gives us.

We struggle with obedience because we have a flesh that we war with everyday. However, the more we practice obeying the easier it becomes. In order to practice obedience we need to bite our tongues from speaking against our authorities, and just do it! Even if we are struggling on the inside, if we put obedience into practice the feeling of joy through obedience will grow within us.


If we continue to live in disobedience, then we must realize that there are consequences. For Adam and Eve their consequence was to taste death. They no longer could live forever and they had to work with their hands in the field. Eve had to suffer pain in childbirth as her consequence and placed under the authority of her husband to keep her safe from the enemy. She showed, by her example, that she didn't have the strength to avoid sin.





Genesis 2:16 & 17, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."(KJV)

Let's remember God's principle to obey. The word 'obey' is first seen in;

Genesis 22:18, " And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

There's a lot of time between Adam and Eve, and Abraham, yet the word obey does not appear in the Bible before Abraham's time. Let's put obedience into practice and let it not be said that obedience was not taught until our great great grandchildren are born.

Just Ask Gracie

Dear Miss Gracie,

There is a girl from my neighborhood that keeps calling to talk to me and she has been wanting to give me a magazine about Hannah Montana, but I'm not allowed to watch her show. How do I nicely say no to her without hurting her feelings?

~V

Dear Sweet Miss V,

I have had people offer me gifts that I'm not allowed to have too. As a young lady I feel the best thing to do is to tell your mom and ask her to help you sort this out. She may be able to talk to the girl for you. Maybe you can tell her that the actress who plays Hannah, actually learned music by singing at church first.(This is a true story) Then maybe you can introduce her to songs you like to sing from church like, "Jesus Loves Me" or "This Little Light of Mine"

You could consider having your mom help you have a backyard Bible club to help teach the neighbors about Jesus. Sometimes it just takes time for others to understand how Christians live. We each make decisions at different times in our lives and sometimes we need to be patient with others until they understand. Always talk to your parents about things like this. They can help guide you.

***************************************

Dear Gracie,

I have tried to tell my grandma about Jesus, but she won't listen to me. She believes in different things. What should I do?

~Sad About Grandma

Dear Sad About Grandma,

I had a grandma not want to listen to me too. The Lord loves your grandma very much and you can trust that He does work at getting her attention. He wants everyone to get to heaven. Just like in the book of Esther, she was there in that kingdom and God allowed her to be the one to talk to the King about saving her people. So also, you may be the one to try and win your grandma over to the Lord. Keep praying for her and allow God to guide you when you talk to her. God uses everything we say as a seed in His garden and He is faithful to water that seed of hope. Keep trusting God and praying for your grandma.

Think on These Things

Last months winner was Charger01!! Congrats Charger! Here is your award:

<a href="http://growingingraceonline.com"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/designergs/growingingrace/awards/TriviaPrincessGGM208.gif" title="Growing in Grace Think on These Things" alt="Trivia Princess" /></a>

March's Trivia Questions are:

1. Who did Mary see at the tomb the morning Jesus had risen?

2. After Jesus rose from the grave, where did He tell the women to go?

3. Two men went for a walk and while they were on their way, Jesus appeared unto them, however they didn't know who He was. What did they say to him?

Rules:
To get the March Trivia Princess Award you need to answer these three questions with scripture (KJV) The first girl to get all three correct wins!

Pet of the Month- March 2008 "Buddy "

My name is Gracen and this is my puppy named Buddy. We got him from the pet
store this past August. We had a hard time naming him at first because we
couldn't think of a cute boy name. We finally decided on Buddy. My mom still
calls him puppy though.

I love puppy because he is very playful and so cute. I have taught him how
to "stay" and "come". He is a very fast learner. He is always by my side and
he licks my face sometimes.

Gracen
6 years old
Indiana

If you would like to submit your pet for Pet of the Month, simply contact our Photo Department. Be sure you have your parent's permission first then have one of them send us a photo of your pet, and a short paragraph about why your pet is so special to you!

March Desktop and Web Calendar

This month we are happy to add a web calendar for you. Each month the calendar will automatically change on your site and you'll have no need to mess with changing codes to get each monthly calendar. These calendars go in the side bar of your site.

<a href="http://growingingraceonline.com"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/designergs/growingingrace/Marchlayout/GGMMarchCalendar2008_dG.gif" /></a>

We also have our free March desktop for you as well. Simply right click on the link and SAVE TARGET AS to your computer.

No Longer Available

Freebies for Girls

Here are a couple of games from this months issue:
Limited time only. No Longer Available.

These are in .jpeg format and ready to print in most programs.

Sunday School With Mary

Chatter and giggles danced with butterflies in the spring air as young girls gathered herbs from their garden. They could smell dinner cooking in the houses where their mothers prepared a special meal for Passover.

As the fathers prepared to mend fences and the boys collected water for the sheep, the girls carefully placed the collected herbs in their aprons and entered the common house where Mary, the family matriarch sat on a stool by the fireplace. After depositing the bitter herbs in a bowl, one by one they sat at the feet of Mary whose face was now flush from the warmth of the fire.
She peered down at Sarah, the youngest girl, and pulled a flower from her curly hair. “Girls, do you know who made this stool on which I am resting?”



“Jesus!” the girls rang out His sweet name in perfect unity. “That is right,” Mary replied. “This stool is made of the same wood which comprised the door posts of the Israelites’ homes. Who can tell me how God delivered our people from the final plague in Egypt and allowed them to escape from Pharaoh’s heavy hand?”



Rebecca, the oldest girl, stood to her feet and demonstrated to the group how the blood of the lamb from the Passover meal, which God had instructed them to prepare, was applied to the left side, right side, and then the top of the doorposts of their homes. “Look, Miss Mary, it looks like Rebecca is making a cross when she moves her arms like that,” observed Sarah.


“You are correct, Sarah,” Mary acknowledged. “The Passover was a picture of the way God years later would deliver us all from our sin. You see, there is no righteous, not one. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No longer do we need the blood of lambs for sacrifice of sin. God the Father, in His great mercy sent His only Son, Jesus—the perfect Lamb to die in our place. The cross, made from wood, like the doorposts of the Israelites is where Jesus carried the weight of all the wrong we ever did and ever will do.”


The girls sat silently and somberly, listening to Mary. All of them grasped the pain she must have felt as she shared these great truths, for Mary was the humble servant who God chose to be the mother of Jesus. She recounted memories of when as a young boy He accidentally hit His thumb when building the stool all the way to his last moments of enduring the pain of the cross.


The girls were able to comprehend how Jesus suffered as man and yet He was fully God, able to conquer sin and death. Some even shared personal accounts of how He was raised from the dead—able to walk, talk, and eat with the disciples in a resurrected and glorified body until finally He ascended to Heaven and sat at the right hand of God the Father.


Hope filled the room as Mary reminded them that the same Spirit that overcame the grave was living in them if they had accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. Jesus, her son and her Salvation was alive and upholding her even as she was now upheld by that handcrafted stool.
Songs of praise wafted from the windows of that house as mothers finally called their daughters back to their own homes. The time of the Passover feast was nearing.


Each girl treasured in her heart the story of Jesus and their time with Mary, His mother. All that the world had to offer could not compare with these moments of growing in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Remote ConTroll

The last time that I did an article on the RemoteConTroll, it was about a show that was not good entertainment. This time I decided to do an article on something that might provide good entertainment.

There are many programs on television that teach or talk about the Bible. Sometimes they talk about history, or dinosaurs, or discoveries that they have made that prove the Bible’s validity. Those programs include: A&E, History Channel, and the Biography Channel. Sometimes they do talk about things that are contrary to the Bible, although many times they will talk about disasters that took place in the Bible times, or even the discovery of the ark on Mt. Ararat!

It is so refreshing to see the changes from all of the bad things that are on television now-a-days, to some shows that include some Bible based education. Some people may talk about how horrible today’s television is, but in my opinion, educational programs are getting more and more popular. And I am very excited about it. It is a great way to get more education without using a textbook.

Before watching these shows, be sure to look at the information about it on your television. Also, have your parents preview it or research it before you do watch it. They may have inappropriate words in them, or talk of evolution, which might confuse younger children.

Proverbs 15:3 says,
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (KJV)

Since that is so, then I do not think that God would want to see some of the filth that goes on that television screen now-a-days. I think that he would be much more pleased if we were watching something about him or something with good morals and values. Not only should we be watching good things for his sake, but for our own. I do not know if every one here knows this, but whatever you see will stay in your mind FOR-EV-ER!

We owe it to God, much less to ourselves, to view holy things with our eyes. I would feel so guilty if I got married and I had impure thoughts in my mind. If you were to make a sign that says “Rated J”, for Jesus approved, and place it above your television, would you be able to view what you are watching? Just think on these things before the next time you sit down to watch something.

<a href="http://growingingraceonline.com"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/designergs/growingingrace/Jess/virtuerating.jpg" title="Is your Television viewing safe for Jesus to watch?" alt="V for Virtue" /></a>

You may copy and paste this code onto your blog if you are deciding to commit to God your television/movie viewing.