12/19/2009
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
by Nastya Andreyevna
FOR YEARS, OUR FAMILIES have had a tradition of caroling to the elderly in convalescent homes. Every Christmas, the moms make a trip to the grocery store to buy candy canes in mass amounts, we children gather together and sing through all the beautiful carols we know, and everyone piles into the vans to make a day of spreading the message of Christ’s birth.
“Oh, Come….all ye Faithful…”
THIS YEAR WAS extra special – our group of homeschooled carolers almost doubled and we had several extra guests that decided they wanted to join in on our effort.
NOW – WE HADN’T PRACTICED with any of these new people. My family and Miss Felecia’s family are quite familiar with the program and the way things work (namely, sing as loud as you possibly can so the old people can hear, smile huge, and make sure everyone gets a candy cane) but the others had to jump right in without any rehearsal whatsoever. Fortunately, most of our new members could carry a tune quite well and there were no issues.
my mommy tuning up before we start…yes, we were accompanied by a harp…and yes, it was a hit!:)
our enthusiastic audience 
Carol, one of our “guest” carolers, and Miss Felecia
Priscilla in the process of handing out candy canes
My sister Grace playing “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen”
The Girls – Carol, Grace, Miss Felecia, Alexis, and Eva
Miss Felecia and Carol in the process of making music
The gentlemen being…er…gentlemen
Lunch break! the girls chatting
Priscilla
…strange things begin to happen.
Lunchbreak doesn’t last long if you’re businessman…
“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed…”
Carol trying out the harp
WE VISITED A TOTAL of 4 resthomes and sang for probably over 150 people. Going to these resthomes is a very unique experience – sometimes more than interesting . Most of the time the old people are well taken care of and in their right minds – however, that is not always the case. Some of the resthomes aren’t so fancy, and the inmates not so sane. It can be a little disconcerting to try to sing above the growling, mumbling, and babbling of the elderly whose bodies are bent into queer shapes or are shaking uncontrolably.
BUT SINGING FOR THESE people is such a rewarding experience. We walk into a room full of old, wrinkled, frowning faces who have no hope but to live out the rest of their days in that very building. We begin to sing and the poor faces light up in delight, joy, and happiness. It’s worth every effort we put forth to make those people happy and show them where to find hope. When we leave, we are given such enthusiastic thanks and we’re begged to come back again. And to make them so happy…well, it makes us so happy! All in all, I don’t know who gets the bigger blessing – us, or them!
MAY YOU HAVE a wonderful Christmas, and may you find a way to help someone less fortunate see the real meaning of Christ’s birth this season!
11/19/2009
HOLIDAY EXCITMENT
WELL EVERYONE, the excitement of the coming holidays is upon us! As you may have noticed, we have done a bit of slacking on the job here lately in posting articles and one of the reasons is because of the business that comes about this time of year. Plenty has gone on, the subject of this post being to update you all on a little of what we’ve been doing.
NASTYA has been busy with school. She is currently enrolled in a few classes in a nearby community college: orchestra, voice and Russian. Of course, she has plenty of homework assignments. With that and chores, she is kept plenty busy during the day and even on weekends (oftentimes much to my displeasure since I would wish to do something with her ). She has also been given the place of organizing and leading the choir for the church’s annual Christmas special. Picking about eight girls between the ages of 6 and 14, she has had her hands full trying practice with them and teach the songs as well as their own parts. She is a busy young woman, but still has her vip, vem and vigor! Nastya is looking forward to the holidays as well too. Her family usually always spends Thanksgiving with mine and the tradition has made it one of our favorite holidays, one that we look forward to with great anticipation!
AS OF right now, I am sick. Yes, sick! 
About a month ago, Nastya had gotten sick when she was spending some time with me at my house. Her whole family came down with it, but I waited to get sick until just a short time before Thanksgiving! *-* It has been a very nasty sickness, but I’m doing better and I thank God SO much for that! I am still volunteering weekly at a local hospital in out patient recovery. Recently, I went through the “Informal Interview” (or orientation) to become a senior volunteer. Once you are 18 years old and out of high school, you are eligible for becoming a senior volunteer and no longer a junior. So I am committed to at least another year of working for them unless something comes up. I would like to eventually train in another department (ER or nursery would be my ideal), but we will see what God wills. I am continuing my work helping to build the website for the church congregation in Kenya, Africa. I have been posting articles weekly that the brother has written. It is a blessing to be able to help out in a small way!
LAST MONTH brought about the celebration of my younger sister’s 14th 
birthday. My sister is has very mild cerebral palsy and seizures. She almost didn’t live at birth. The doctors said she would be in the hospital for at least 30 days, but the church prayed earnestly for her and in 11 days she was home! She was a miracle baby and is still a very special person in our family. My Aunt Sherry kindly opened up her home and my family and Nastya’s gathered for a little party. We had enchiladas for dinner and my mom made a delicious cheesecake. A bit later a few other friends stopped by to visit and give my sister a gift. We all had a great time together and my sister had a fun birthday!
NASTYA & I also had a great time together on our trip to Apple Hill with my family and a couple of friends. For those of you who don’t know about Apple Hill, it is hard to explain. It is a beautiful place up in the foothills that becomes alive during the fall season. All the family owned shops and bakeries there open up. Vendors bring their goods to sell. The smells of pine, cider and baked goods pervade the air. There are many festivities, crafts, booths and shops. It is hard to portray exactly what it is like in writing, but it is a lot of fun to visit. We spent one Saturday afternoon up there, grabbing Starbucks on the way. We came back with a few nick-knacks, a half bushel of apples and very tired, but happy! Nastya was planning on doing specific post just on the adventures of the day with more pictures, but I don’t know if she’ll ever get around to that!!!
Warm, sugared apple doughnuts and chilled apple cider
OF COURSE, as you all know, last month ALSO brought around that time of year that is so meaningful to us – Alesya’s birthday and 1 & 1/2 year anniversary since her death. On the day of her birthday, I went and visited the grave but Nastya was not able to go with me that time so I went alone. A few weeks later, we were able to go together and take a bunch of pink/peach colored roses to put on the grave. There were some flowers there already and Nastya had to arrange them and take some of the old ones out so that they’d all fit in the space. As
she did so, she remarked something to the effect, “Alesya, it must mean you are REALLY loved when we can’t fit all the flowers in!!!” When she was done, the compartment to hold the flowers was STUFFED and as she was trying to stuff in one last stem with three little roses on it, she came up with the idea to save it and put the little buds on some of the babies graves that we’d seen there. We strolled around looking for some special little child’s grave to place a rosebud on. It was really a beautiful day, though it always is a bit sad and our drive back is generally a lot more quiet than the one there, especially the first half of it. God’s ways sure are a wonder and past finding out!
THIS COMPLETES my update for now! I hope you all enjoyed getting a peek into what we’ve been doing and what’s been going on in our lives. I encourage you all to keep your eyes on Christ Jesus, no matter what! Our goal is Heaven and that is worth more than any passing pleasure in this world!!! As we enter the holiday season, the celebrations, gifts, shopping, business, all being madly rushed upon us, let us not forget our Lord in it all. Let us not forget to stop and pray, to include Him in our celebrations! He is the reason! God bless you all!
The BEHIND THE SCENES column appears at least once a month to give an update on the activities and events on our personal lives.
09/12/2009
FELLOWSHIP MEETING FUN
WELL, THIS IS our debut post for our “Behind The Scenes” column. This column is just to update you all on some of the things we’ve been up to in our personal lives. I hope you all find it interesting and enjoyable!
ONE WEEKEND IN August, Nastya and I were able to hang out with our friend Inna at the Fountains. Many of you have met Inna. She is a sweet girl. This time she brought along her two nephews ages 2 and 5 years, I believe, Jason and Roman. They were very shy with us at first, but super cute and warmed up as the time passed. After hanging out some at the Fountains, going through the shops and sitting down to enjoy hand-dipped chocolate-covered strawberries, we headed over to her sister’s house to hang out for a bit. By the time we left, the boys were talking to us and telling us this and that. The older one was showing Nastya his fish and telling her she could stick her hand in the water and touch them if she wanted. Then he climbed up on the counter, opened the cupboard and produced the fish food. He then proceeded to feed the “balls” to his fish. lol. 
They were both really cute and we had a good time. We were happy to be able to see Inna since we had not seen her for a few months, so it was great to be able to see her and talk to her again! Unfortunately, Nastya, being the mischevious personage that she is (wink, wink), did not include any of the pictures of us together with her in them when she sent them to me. Sighs. I’ll get her in here though!
OF COURSE, Nastya and I had to spend a weekend together before she went back to school (college) so it worked out for us to do so when our brothers and dads went on a long-awaited camp trip together. She stayed with me for the weekend and that is when we put our initial “re-opening” post up. We also did a photo-shoot together (our usual thing, both being into photography) and many of you have seen some of the pictures that resulted. We also had the opportunity to go visit Alesya’s grave. It was technically the same weekend that we had first gone to visit her two years ago. The time is flying! It was very beautiful and peaceful up there. There was like no one there since it was at dusk just before the sun set. Again, we had to take pictures as usual!
WE ARE ALSO currently helping out with building websites for other congregations both here and internationally. We work with a brother from church who lets us know when there is a need that we can fill. A month or two ago, we were privileged to actually help start the website for a church in Nigeria, Africa. I have also helped a little bit with the congregation’s site for Kenya, Africa. Recently, we divided up the work so that Nastya is now in charge of the work on the Nigeria church site, and I for the Kenya church website. It is a blessing to be able to help out even if it is just in a small way. We also may be helping congregations in Arizona and Florida build sites. So this has been exciting. If you think of it, pray for us that God would help us and guide us in this work!
LAST, BUT BY FAR THE LEAST, we had an awesome Fellowship Meeting at church over Labor Day weekend. This is an annual event that we all look forward to a great deal! We are encouraged, strengthed and challenged
through the messages and thoughts brought to us by the different ministers and souls are once again given the blessed opportunity to be saved! This year we had a young girl of about 12 or 13 give her heart to God. She has been coming in to the services with Nastya’s family for some time and Nastya’s little sisters had been praying for her salvation for several years. God moved on her heart and it was a blessing to see her go forward in 
the start of the service while everyone was singing, tears streaming down her face, to give her heart to God! We had ministers and saints come from all over the United States, representing God’s church standing in those areas: Idaho, Arizona, Illinois, Colorado (Nastya’s grandma from CO just got saved this past summer and this was her first time being able to be in this meeting!), So. California, Florida . . . perhaps there are a few I am missing. In times past, we have also had saints from Cuba, South America, Mexico and other places come as well! It is such a blessing! Even though we may not speak the same language (i.e. Spanish/English), our hearts speak the same language of love, fellowship and unity in Christ’s body! After several of the services, we gathered in the back hall for food, fun and fellowship. It was all such an encouragment and blessing! On the first night Oksana’s family came and on next night, my family picked up her and her sister. It was a blessing to have them along too! We were so happy to have them come! All in all, it was a wonderful meeting and God really blessed! If you were not among those of us who went, you sure missed out on a huge blessing!
The BEHIND THE SCENES column appears at least once a month to give an update on the activities and events on our personal lives.
08/14/2009
RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT
AFTER NEARLY A YEAR, the daughters have returned. From the remotest corners of community colleges, from the secluded wastes of the rural countryside, from the mountains of Central Asia (ok, not REALLY…) they come. They unite. They return.
THE DAUGHTERS have arrived.
IT IS WITH GREAT desire and purpose that we return. Yes, it is quite true that we have neglected this poor work sadly. Yes, our lives have been incredibly full of school, church, trauma, and all the rest.
BUT NOW, SCHOOL IS OUT. So we have returned to our cause once more – the cause of reaching out to young women and trying to influence them to seek God and follow Him. We both have been praying and seeking God on this matter, and after much supplication, we have come to some new and exciting conclusions.
DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT is returning. And it is changing.
YES. CHANGING. Old posts have been remodeled, new pages have been opened, and fresh articles are in the making. Here are some of the new things that you may look forward to in the near future!
~ THE EDITOR’S PAGE: Our brand new page on the editors of Daughters of Light has just been opened! View it to find out what new authors will be editing the blog, what they will be writing, and when! We are very excited to announce the arrival of a completely new editor – Mrs. Elizabeth Ann, a Christian mother who has agreed to be the featured writer for our “A MOTHER’S PERSPECTIVE” column. VIEW HERE.
~NEW CATEGORIES: We now will have a regular schedule of articles being posted on the blog weekly. Calenders of when each category will be featured will be available shortly. New categories include -
- ARTS OF HOMEMAKING – recipes, crafts, and other articles on housewifery
- BEHIND THE SCENES - updates on what’s happening in the editors’ daily lives
- INFLUENCE – articles on girls’ influence in society today and ways that we ourselves are impacting the world for Christ
- INSIGHT – articles featuring a Christian’s perspective on all things pertaining to our world today and in the past
- RELATIONSHIPS - thoughts on a girls behavior in relationships with parents, siblings, friends, the opposite sex, and people in general
- THE CHRISTIAN GIRL UNVEILED - the essence of what it means to be a true Christian for a girl of today
- THE CONSECRATED LIFE - thoughts on seeking a deeper, personal relationship with God and consecrating ourselves to His service
- THE KING’S DAUGHTER – tips on healthy bodies, minds and attitudes as well as striving for true beauty, modesty and femininity in today’s society
- A MOTHER’S PERSPECTIVE – our monthly edition brought to us by a Christian mother seeking to advise and encourage younger women
- SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK- this column will contain new scripture each week to encourage, to challenge, to inspire
WE WILL RESUME our schedule this coming week. We sincerely hope that God will bless this effort and that you will be encouraged in your walk with God. Feel free to drop us a line and give us your thoughts or ideas on the RETURN OF THE DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT ( daughtersoflight@gmail.com ). Until next week!
~FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
07/30/2008
THE RETURN OF REBEKAH
IN MONDAY WE all headed over to the twin’s house to celebrate Rebekah’s return from Montana. When all the girls went up for the camp meeting there, Rebekah decided to stay behind for awhile. So we decided to throw her a surprise party to welcome her back – and a surprise it was!:-) For us, too – she walked in with her big bear shirt and talking the praises of the wilderness. She says she wants to move there as soon as she’s 18:-). WELCOME BACK REBEKAH! WE MISSED YOU!!:-)
Here are some pictures from the party.
Amber, Imani, Felecia
Amanda and Katrina
07/12/2008
MONTANA TRIP
So, those of us girls who went to Montana had a great time. It was really beautiful up there and the fellowship with the Montana saints was great! Here are a few pictures from our trip. Hope you all are doing fine. I will try to get a devotional up soon! Sorry! *-* ~_~ Have a great week and stay true! 
~Felecia
Amber and Me
Katrina and Amanda
Rebekah
