Texas Bible Bowl Awards Ceremony

Abs 1st Place 6th-9th Grade

Abigail, so happy!








Caleb tied 1st for 10th-12 Grade



Happy Momma!













Jr. Inexperienced Division

Elementary Individual







1st Place Team 10th-12 Grade, even though Abs is 6th Grade and Ryan 8th Grade!




After a morning filled with testing and an afternoon of goofing off at the park, it is finally time for the dinner banquet and awards.  I get so nervous for the kids because I know how hard each of them have worked, if it were up to me there would be awards for everyone.  I know, their treasure is in heaven where they are storing up their knowledge but it is gut wrenching waiting to hear their names called! 

 

We begin with the Elementary Division, Zach and Keygan both placed in the top eight for this division!!  There is no team competition on the elementary division.

 

Next was the Jr. Division (6th-9th Grade), they offer an Experienced Jr. Division and an In-Experienced Division.  The In-Experienced is for teams of four who have never competed in Bible Bowl.  We had one team in the Jr. In-Experienced Division, Ethan, Ian, Roy & Blake.  These kids also took 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th in the Individual In-Experienced competition, (they were the only 4 kids and only team in this division).  But what a wonderful way to start off, talk about a shot in the arm, to walk away their first time with a first place trophy!!! I love that they offer the In-Experienced and Experienced Division, because there really is a huge learning curve for the new guys!

 

In the Experienced Jr. Division Individual (6th-9th Grade), Abigail took first place with 228 correct answers out of 250 questions, and Ryan was right there with her with a score of 220!

 

In the Experienced Sr. Division (10th-12th Grade) I played Abigail (6th Grade) & Ryan (8th Grade) up with Caleb and Richard (9th Grade).  Together as a team they were awarded 1st place team! In the Individual portion Caleb tied for first place with a 12th grader with 242 correct answers out of 250 possible. 

 

I am humble by the amount of Bible knowledge the kids have mastered over the years of Bible Bowl, God has blessed their efforts!  The friendships formed through years of spurring one another on is inspiring! 

 

 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Texas Bible Bowl

Sissy and Padme'

The 'Power' behind these great kids!

Stache Bags

Picnic Lunch











Last Minute Studying



Roy, Roy, Roy!

What a day!!!  We began with a short devotional, and then three hours of testing!   Armed with their Stache Bags the kids had a good supply of snacks and sugar to keep them going.  When the testing was complete we headed to a local park for a picnic lunch and games.  This gave everyone time to run off a little pinned up energy. 

 

So very proud of the kids and the parents the time and effort each family dedicated to make this successful is overwhelming!  

 

The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,
will send his angel with you and make your journey a success,

Genesis 24:40

Texas Bible Bowl Devotional Night

In April of 2009 Abilene Christian University hosted its final National Bible Bowl and in 2010 Oklahoma Christian stepped in to fill that void.  Now in the absence of a Christian University stepping up to encourage this worth while pursuit, several churches of Christ have worked together to host the Texas Bible Bowl.  Youth from Texas and surrounding states prepare and compete on the first weekend in April. 

 

One of the great things about the group in Texas is they really strive to have lots of activities for the kids to spend time together.  It is wonderful to see these like-minded youth get together and instantly bond because they have focused so much of their energy in the same direction. 

 

The night before competition the kids have fun and games with a devotional. 

 

 they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.:16

Turandot at the Dallas Opera

 

Tonight we traveled to Beijing, China, or maybe we traveled to the Dallas Opera's premier of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot.    It is the story of a barbarian prince traveling to Beijing, where he is reunited with his long-lost father and a faithful servant before taking on his greatest challenge — answering three riddles to win the hand of Princess Turandot, although failure will cost him his life!

 

The barbarian prince faces questions of family loyalty, faithfulness to duty, and honesty to oneself.  The prince gives up the love of the faithful family friend for the desire of the lovely Princess Turandot.  The faithful family friend gives up her life to not betray the barbarian prince.  Jon's advice to Caleb, 'don't throw away a lovely friendship for something newer and shinier.'  Jon's advice to the girls, 'don't give up your life for the sake of a stupid boy that can't appreciate who you are.'

 

The show was lovely, the sets, the orchestra, the costumes, everything was wonderful!

Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:13

I 'Mustache' You a Question

The Texas Bible Bowl is getting closer and I'm busy putting the finishing touches on goodies for my teams.  This year we have been studying the book of Matthew and one of my favorite parts is Peter making the good confession.  With Matthew 16:15 in mind I designed the kids shirts with "I Mustache You A Question" and the back says, "Who Do You Say the Son of Is?"

 

The goody bags I prepared for the kids have all kinds of mustache fun: mustache gummies, mustache rings, mustache necklaces, mustache suckers, mustache chocolate bars and more!  Who knew there was so much stuff with mustaches!!

 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:15

LTC - Drama 9th & 10th Grade

.
The boys (a.k.a Richard, Caleb and Blake) drama performance was entitled, 'Assignment Hinderance.'  Caleb and Blake are demons serving as stumbling blocks assigned to believers.  Caleb has been assigned to one of our McDermott Ministers, Mark Bryson, portrayed by Richard.  Blake is serving as a distraction to would be follower, Alexis from Texas.  Love these kids!

If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—
to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large
millstone hung around their neck and
to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Matthew 18:6 

LTC - 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Drama

Christian drama is wonderful, there are so many things we kind humor in human nature and laughter is always golden! The funniest part of this skit to me is Baylor playing Momma and Ryan as her adult son!  Baylor is great, she is unrecognizable in her costume, so funny!

Yes, that is the cardboard Jesus that Caleb cut out and I made which you have seen in previous posts.  He just looks so inviting!

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,
and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

Genesis 21:6

LTC - Speech

Rich, Caleb S. & Caleb

Richard



Leadership Training for Christ encourages youth to discover their talents for the Lord's work.  In their lives there will be the need to profess their faith before others and speech is a great avenue to get them comfortable with professing their faith. 

 

 

 

 

There is a girls speech and boys speech, each gives a five to seven minute speech on the LTC topic, "Extra Mile."  Caleb took his speech in the direction of how easy it is to go the extra mile in the wrong direction like the Pharisees and Sadducees had done.  Abigail used Ruth from the lineage of Christ in Matthew as an example of a female going the Extra Mile. 

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those
who speak maliciously against your good behavior in
Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

I Peter 3:15-16

LTC Chorus

Abigail's Leadership Training for Christ Chorus was in the 3rd-6th grade division.  This year she had new coordinators for chorus and she loved the ladies working with her group, but also missed Ms. Vyneta!  Ms. Vyneta was her groups coordinator for the last three years and they have a sweet bond!

The kids did a wonderful job performing 'Seek Ye First', 'There is a Redeemer', and 'Breathe of Heaven' (including ASL signing).  Having watched Frankie participate in LTC Chorus and Caleb, it is so sweet to see Abigail enjoying singing! When listening to the kids sing there is no doubt why God loves to hear His children's praise !

 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.

Exodus 15:1

LTC - Bible Bowl

Abby, Tate, Roy & Abigail

Caleb, Rich, Blake & Ryan





Panoramic view of the testing hall from a couple of years ago.

Bible Bowl, one hundred questions, multiple choice over the book of Matthew.  Each year the subject matter switches from Old Testament to New Testament.  As the kids get older, Bible Bowl gets easier.  When they are younger they have more time but they have a lot to study, sometimes just defining the words before they can master the material.  Now they are familiar with the vocabulary and have other Bible knowledge to add the new material too, the studying is much easier. 

 

Abigail competed with Abby, Tate and Roy, definitely a winning combination!  I know she was thrilled to be on a team with girls this year!  Caleb was of course with his amigos, Richard and Blake and Ryan.  The boys are competitive but it brings out the best in them. 

 

This year Caleb chose to help teach the younger kids in Bible Bowl on Sunday nights, so before the competition he ran around to the younger kids giving the last minutes high-fives and encouragement!

let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another

Hebrews 10:24-25