Soon we were matched with a little
Hong Kong girl with Down syndrome. I
eagerly looked forward to the day when
she;would;join;my;family.;On;June;24,
2012,;we;received;a;phone;call;from;our
caseworker. Our little Mali Grace had
gone Home to be with Jesus as a result
of lung failure. We were aware that Mali
Grace had chronic lung disease, heart
problems,;and;several;other;issues.;The
hospital staff said she had been doing
better;over;the;past;few;weeks,;and;they
had observed no warning signs that her
lungs were failing her.
The;news;of;Mali;Grace’s;death;stunned
me. I grieved that I would never be with a
child I had already fallen in love with, yet
I;was;grateful;for;the;provision;and;grace
of our heavenly Father.
I;spent;time;reflecting;on;the;fact;that
we;had;prayed;over;this;special;little;one
by name for six months. Prior to that, I
had;prayed;for;a;year;and;a;half;about;the
child;that;God;would;have;us;adopt.;I;be-lieve that God gave us little Mali Grace
so;that;she;would;have;a;family;praying
for;her;in;her;final;days.;I;may;never;have
met;her,;but;she;was;part;of;my;family.
She;is;an;orphan;no;more!
The hospital and orphanage staff in
Hong Kong held a memorial service for
our;little;Mali;Grace;and;sent;pictures
and letters to us. She was such a beauti-ful;child.;I;feel;so;very;privileged;to;have
been;called;to;pray;her;Home;into;the
arms;of;Jesus!;That;is;something;I;will
cherish always.
Sometimes the Master Gardener must
prune;the;plants;in;the;garden.;My;least
favorite;part;is;when;I;am;that;plant;that
needs such care. Pruning hurts; prun-ing;means;that;there;will;be;suffering.
Pruning also brings new growth and new
fruit.;Yes,;I;want;to;be;even;more;fruitful!
Growth is never easy.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is
the husbandman. Every branch in me that
beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth
it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John
15: 1–2).
When;I;think;about;a;garden,;I;don’t
think;about;suffering,;though!;I;think;about
beauty,;leisure,;and;rest!;Christ;suffered;in;a
garden—The;Garden;of;Gethsemane.
“Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye
here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will,
but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26: 38–39).
Jesus carried out the will of His heav-
enly Father. I am learning to let go of my
will;so;that;I;can;experience;the;blessing
that;my;Master;has;planned;and;that;oth-
ers may be blessed by His glory in the
beauty;of;this;garden.;He;never;promised
us that this life would be easy, but He did
promise;that;He;would;be;with;us!;That;I
can;count;on!
“These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
Minutes Per Day Words Read Per Year
Books Texts Books Texts
98 65.0 67. 3 4,358,000 4,733,000
90 21. 2 33. 4 1,823,000 2,357,000
80 14. 2 24. 6 1, 146,000 1,697,000
70 9. 6 16. 9 622,000 1, 168,000
60 6. 5 13. 1 432,000 722,000
50 4. 6 9. 2 282,000 601,000
40 3. 2 6. 2 200,000 421,000
30 1. 8 4. 3 106,000 251,000
20 0.7 2. 4 21,000 134,000
10 0.1 1.0 8,000 51,000
2 0 0 0 8,000
Percentile
Rank
VOCABULARY IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO SUCCESS
in school, business, and life.
Company Position
Executive
Manager
Superintendent
Foremen
Floor boss
Vocabulary Score
236 Points
168 Points
140 Points
114 Points
86 Points
Study by the Johnson O'Conner Research Laboratory
Source: R.C. Anderson, 1992
Picture Words - The New Breakthrough Method to
Increasing Vocabulary and English Language Skills
• SAT & ACT
• K- 12 & College
• GRE & AP
• ADD & Dyslexia
• 10+ Games
PRUDENCE PRUDE
NCE PRUDENCE
PRUDENCE PRUDE PRUDENCE definition (n.) caution; discretion Prudence at a crime scene is important for preserving the vidence. synonyms austerity, concern, sagacity antonyms disregard, recklessness
prudence 441
prood-ns
definition
(adj.) expressed without words
The students were tacit in their decision to learn the new
student’s sign language when they simply followed his hand
movements.
synonyms
assumed, implied,
understood
antonyms
explicit, express
tacit 505
tas-it
Picture Words--In a Flash!
www.MariesWords.com
"The importance of vocabulary to school success, in general, and reading comprehension,
in particular, is widely documented." -Becker, 1977; Anderson & Nagy, 1991, 1977
.;.;.;When;God’s;call;to;adopt;came;in;January;2012,
we;prayerfully;said;yes;and;stepped;out;in;faith.
