‘Ink Re-Cap 172: Time to Catch Up With Time
‘Ink Re-Cap 172.
Random Sketches and Scribbles
Time to catch up with time… where did it go?
How long does it take to fill a traveler’s journal?
Depends how many pages it has.
I used to, eons ago, write a diary page a day. If I’d done that since the last time we did a re-cap, we’d have about 3 journals full in 3 months. When Kim left for her Canada respite we were in the middle of VBS prepping. Our orders swept in like a hurricane and we needed every second of every day. The basement looked like the Superdome after Katrina. Shipping boxes, books and craft kits in every step of assembly on every surface.
But this season is fun and rewarding!
I love thinking about all the happy teachers and excited students at VBS time. Someone started a telegram chat (thanks, Kat!) and it’s still going strong. Lots of ideas for attendance charting, object lessons and room décor. One person commented that it was better than Pinterest. I appreciated the heart so many put into teaching. It generates the power in me to begin working towards the next VBS season! Yes, it takes a little every week all year!
‘Ink Re-Cap 172:
One post this week…
Back-To-School Teacher Gift Ideas and a Free Printable
Then check out more Gift DIY and Kid’s Crafts posts:
17 of the Best Secret Pal Gift Ideas: Plus Free Gift Tags
Lettered Wooden Spoons DIY No Laser Necessary
10 Children’s Lighthouse Crafts to Make This Summer
Note: There’s a side bar on all blog pages that helps you get to the topic you most want to read about. The main topics are Weddings, Babies, Kitchen, Crafts and Inspirational Stuff.
* means it’s an affiliate link. If you purchase an item through the link we get recognition for sending you over to Amazon. As if they need any help, but there you have it. They like us better if we do that, even though it doesn’t change any prices. Links without an asterisk mean they are not affiliate.
The Blue Screen of Death
This happened to us 3 weeks ago. When we tried to log on to the kimenink website, it said, “Stop. Danger Ahead!”
When we’d click to go past the red alerts, we could access the website.
Then from red alerts, we went to the Blue Screen of Death. Nada. Nothing. Zippo.
Couldn’t log on. Couldn’t view as a visitor. No one could view. We had not one viewer for the last 2 weeks because instead of no links working, I put the whole site into Maintenance Mode. Without a clue how to proceed. And our hosting company wasn’t getting too excited about helping us. It took 3 live chats, a 2 hour phone call and beaucoup emails before we got a serious detective who knew his stuff.
And then, suddenly, there it was again! Alive and well. And the viewer numbers are going back up again. Thankfully.
And that, my friends, is the reason you didn’t hear from us even after our VBS season was over. It was a discouraging few weeks, wondering what was next. We could have quit. But I couldn’t stand the thought of people trying to follow our links for years to come and getting…. nothing! Obviously, we won’t continue forever. But it can stay alive and linked. Not go into oblivion with red alerts and 404s.
The life of a website owner. Now you know.
Inspiring Inklings of Real Life
The World Outside Our Work Window
This has been the hardest week in memory for some of our friends and fellow Church members.
Four children joined the angels. Children from 4 families across the nation, now thrown into an abyss of misery, with a few wonderful promises to hang onto. Their babies are waiting for them across the Jordan. They are playing in God’s heavenly gardens, by their Father’s side. But their fathers and mothers and grandfathers and grandmothers are left here on earth to remember and yearn.
The tears trickle as I write. We will attend one of the funerals next week. So hard.
Our Fridge Quote is one poem written this week in memory. One of many writings, I’m sure, because many of us find comfort and release in placing words on paper. Rachelle Barkman gave me permission to share this one here…
Favorite Chuckle this week:
In the middle of busyness and sadness, there’s always some light. My favorite is a story from my littlest city g’little. We spent a couple of days this week sewing for their aunty’s wedding. Priceless quality together time.
She told me a story that happened near our church. “Grammaw! The police were there! At that church! The ABC church, you know? And…” I’m nodding and listening, and wracking my brain about an ABC church. I finally decide she means the Jehovah’s Witness church across from our church. We usually shorten the name to “JW” and she couldn’t remember the letters, but knew they came from the alphabet. By the time I figure it out the story is over and I haven’t heard what actually happened.
Books of the week:
by Ruth Alcyon Fleck
Bruce re-read “Child of the Crossfire*” this week. It’s a few years since I read it. It’s an impactful South American missionary story.
Amazon: Oscar was brainwashed, trained in guerrilla warfare, captured, tortured, and orphaned — all before he was 10. His quest to find his heavenly Father and earthly father takes many unexpected twists in this true story of survival and triumph.
You won’t share this book with your littles, so we’ll recommend
HERO TALES: A FAMILY TREASURY OF TRUE STORIES FROM THE LIVES OF CHRISTIAN HEROES*
by Dave and Neta Jackson
I’m sure you’ve heard of this author duo. We have many books written by them in our school library. They are interesting and well-written, and even though I haven’t read this one, I trust it.
Amazon: In this beautifully illustrated treasury, Dave and Neta Jackson present the true-life stories of fifteen key Christian heroes. Each hero is profiled in a short biography and three educational yet exciting and thought-provoking anecdotes from his or her life. Ideal for family devotions, homeschooling, and more, this inspiring collection includes stories from the lives of Amy Carmichael, Martin Luther, Dwight L. Moody, John Wesley, Samuel Morris, Gladys Aylward, and nine others.
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DO ANY OF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR BOOKS WE CAN SHARE, THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU OR YOUR LITTLES? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
Inspiring Quote
Now for the week’s fridge quote. The poignant poem I mentioned above.
How To Get It:
Go to this page and fill in the form. This adds you to our email list, or, if you’re already on it, verifies you’re still one of our GIFTees.
Then comment, “Quote 172” and we’ll zip the file over to you.