Archives for August 2008

Kudos to the Staff

August 30, 2008 1 Comment

This column is for readers to write about something good someone has done for them, whether it’s God’s blessings or another person’s. I want to tell you about what the Pierce My Heart volunteer staff has done. Volunteers on staff range from fifteen to eighty years old, and include men and women (but mainly women). The women are students, wives, mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, active church members, and workers in and out of their homes. The men are husbands, fathers, preachers, and teachers who work long hours at their jobs. This volunteer staff, above everything else, loves God and has come together with one united goal––to spread the Word of God to as many people as possible, with direct efforts to reach young women across the nation, and someday, the world.

These people are not paid; they take the time out of their schedules for free to create and maintain the magazine. Nothing you see on this website is there by accident; everyone has worked so hard to get the magazine to where it is now, and people continue to work to improve the magazine. Pierce My Heart has been a labor of love from the volunteers who long to share Christ’s love with others in order to help spread the gospel to all the earth (Mark 16:15).

Thank you, volunteers at Pierce My Heart! The magazine wouldn’t exist at this level without each of you! Keep up the great work, continue to live faithfully, and when the end comes you will be greatly rewarded (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

– Davonne Parks

Filed Under: Heart to Heart

When Short is Too Short

August 29, 2008 1 Comment

How to Dress Modestly at School

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9

These days provocative clothing is everywhere, on television, in shop windows, and everywhere on the street. Mini skirts and short shorts are the standard summer-wear, along with halter tops and spaghetti straps. Most girls wear such provocative clothing because they want to fit in or because they like the attention others give them. After all, they say, everyone else is dressing this way, so there’s nothing wrong with it. Right?

It’s hard for young girls not to fall into this trap. Abercrombie and Fitch boasts its “highest-quality, casual, all-American lifestyle clothing for aspiring men and women.” I want everyone to look closely at the following pictures from their website and ask yourself, what would people who wear these clothes be aspiring to be?

Now read the following Bible verse and see if any of these clothes are appropriate according to God. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which becometh women professing godliness with good works” (1 Timothy 2: 9-10). Would you feel comfortable wearing these clothes in front of your minister? (Especially considering the first one is a dress!) What’s really sad is that all of these clothes are a very common sight anywhere you go. Even in school, girls are dressing more provocatively. How can we expect our young men to learn anything when girls wearing only two inches of material are constantly distracting them? Mini shirts and short shorts are everywhere, from popular teen stores at the mall to Wal-mart. If you refused to shop at any store that sold clothing like this, there would be nowhere left to shop! The key is to always keep in mind how God wants us to look. Christian girls can shop at most stores; we just can’t wear everything that store sells. American Eagle sells tiny shorts, but they also sell capris. The same holds true for almost any store. Just keep in mind that you have a choice in how you dress, and that what you wear reflects who you are and how people perceive you. The world judges us on how we appear, and so we are to be a light to the world, leading them to God. The problem is, how can we lead people to God when all they notice is the skin that should be covered up? We must consider God in everything we do, say, and wear. Everything reflects upon us, and when we tell people we are Christians, it reflects the congregation you attend and, most importantly, God himself. Keep this in mind the next time you’re talking to your friends. How do your friends really see you?

We all want to look cute that first day back to school; we just have to remember that we can look great and please God at the same time. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Remember that while what you wear may seem like a big deal today, life goes on, and in ten years you won’t even remember or care about what you wore in middle and high school. Your clothes make a statement about who you are, so let your statement be for God.

Let’s look at some cute—and modest!—clothes (and accessories) that are perfect for going back to school.

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Wal-mart Bermuda Shorts $14.72

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American Eagle Demin Capris $39.50

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American Eagle Empire Waist Dress $19.99

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Kohls $25.20 Tops $24.00

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JCPenney $39.99 Active Wear $19.99

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Payless $19.99 Shoes $11.99

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Old Navy $12.50 Bags $19.50

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By Alicia Marie Sargent

Filed Under: Style Sense Tagged With:

Tales of Mary; Episode 3

August 28, 2008 1 Comment

Filed Under: Gifted Girls

Mansion Mystery

August 27, 2008 3 Comments

Now that school’s in session, some of us may want to watch a fun school-related movie to help us get excited about the new school year. A great school movie that I’ve recently seen is the new movie, Nancy Drew.

Back to the Books

This Nancy Drew movie derived from the Nancy Drew book series which began in 1930 with The Secret of the Old Clock. As of 2001, The Secret of the Old Clock alone had sold over 2.7 million copies. Over 550 Nancy Drew books have been written since she completed her first mystery. There is a series for children under ten, and young teens. Too old for that? No problem! Nancy Drew also has a series geared toward high schoolers and even college–age girls! Amazon has a great selection of Nancy Drew books.

These books concentrate on solving various mysteries with Nancy as the lead, but with others chipping in to help as well. While some of the story lines and friendships in the series build on previous books, each book is a separate mystery, allowing the reader to skip books without becoming confused.

Nancy Drew––the movie

Nancy Drew is a fun movie to watch with a friend, a younger sibling, a parent, or a grandparent. The movie is simple and fun enough to appeal to a younger audience and has enough substance and timeless appeal to attract the older viewers.

Nancy Drew is a smart, confident, and friendly high school detective. In this mystery movie, Nancy and her father temporarily move from River Heights to Los Angeles, where Nancy enrolls in a new school. She sews her own retro-inspired clothing, drives a little blue convertible, and befriends a twelve-year-old boy named Corky who tries to help her solve her latest mystery. The case? A mysterious death in the mansion Nancy and her father are currently living in. This wholesome teen tempts people’s taste buds with homemade sweets in order to get information she needs to help her solve her case. Does it work? Watch the movie and find out!

Titus 2:7-8: “In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” This year, let what you don’t watch make a statement about who you are!

By Davonne Parks

Filed Under: Media Matters

Backyard Basics

August 26, 2008 1 Comment

Photos submitted by Angela Hambelton

Filed Under: Gifted Girls

Cafeteria Food: Friend of Foe?

August 25, 2008 3 Comments

While schools are supposed to provide well-balanced meals, the question is whether or not they are actually healthy. I remember having fries with my pizza or burgers, while the soda machines were calling my name. Salads were also provided, but they were usually pitifully small side salads. I remember Ranch, French, and Italian dressings, and I remember dumping a lot on my salad. In today’s schools, you don’t have to do much to stand out at lunchtime—all you have to do is eat a healthy lunch.

Even though avoiding the greasy food is a good start, it isn’t enough to assume that just because a food sounds healthy, it is. What really gets me today is that many people seem to think a salad is healthy, but they may be fooling themselves. Lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli are all healthy choices on your salad. But when you add bacon, croutons, and salad dressing, everything changes. A normal serving of dressing is usually 2 TBSP, but most of us end up putting two or three times that on our salads. Take, for example, Hidden Valley Ranch – the original, light, and fat-free versions. Just by looking at the nutrition facts, you can see the difference. If you’re adding more than 2 TBSP to your salad, the calories can really add up. It’s not just what you eat that you have to watch, it’s also how much you eat. If you’re not sure how much 2 TBSP is, measure it out.

Based on the above chart, if you were to eat a salad with the usual amount of dressing (which is typically 2 or 3 times the serving size), you would be consuming up to 420 calories—just from the dressing on your “healthy” salad!

By simply switching to the light or fat-free versions of salad dressings, you can save yourself a lot of calories. But if you don’t like these versions, there is something else you can do. Have your salad dressing on the side and dip the salad into it; you’ll use a lot less that way. You could also try out much healthier dressings like vinaigrette’s or olive oils. If you have any questions about the nutrition facts of something, you can look it up.

Another major calorie trap is the soda and snack machines placed throughout the building. Schools have these machines for one reason– they make money. The net gross profit of a soda machine is $4,082, and $3,276 for a snack machine.

These machines don’t usually provide healthy choices because the companies wouldn’t make as much money but there is a big difference between the sugar and calories in a regular soda and a diet soda. This chart compares a regular Sprite and a low-cal Sprite Zero:

The easiest way to compare two food choices is too look at the nutrition facts. Manufacturers are required to have a nutrition label on their food products.

Your best bet is to ignore the percent daily values – they provide an idea about how much you eat of a particular nutrient, but unless you are eating ~2000 calories a day, your percent daily values will be slightly different. What you really need to pay attention to is the serving size. The serving size refers to how big the portion is that the manufacturer is providing the nutrition facts for. Often there is also a “servings” category that tells you how many of the serving-size portion there is in the package or container.

For every unhealthy food that you eat, there are likely to be other equally nutritious foods that will satisfy your hunger, and craving, with fewer calories. A good goal is to gradually change your diet to include more nutritious and filling foods and less unhealthy and unsatisfying foods. Make a statement at your school by teaching your friends about taking care of your body, the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).

By Megan Skinner

Filed Under: Health and Fitness

Sexual Harassment

August 23, 2008 1 Comment

It seems inevitable that during high school we will all, at some time or another, witness or experience sexual harassment. Whether it is a catcall, an obscene gesture, or a crude comment, they are all the same thing. Understanding why this happens is not easy, but knowing what to do when it happens to us or someone we know is important.

So, what is sexual harassment? How will we know when something is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment consists of any verbal or physical behavior that is sexual in nature. It can include gestures, comments, inappropriate touching, or brushing up against someone.

I will be the first to admit that sometimes it seems as though the claim of sexual harassment is used any time anyone gets offended. However, the problem is when the offense does not stop. Harassment comes when someone continually does something to make you uncomfortable. It is always important to remember that everyone interprets things differently. But, if it offends you, then it could be sexual harassment. If someone is doing something or saying something that offends you, tell them to stop. If you do not tell them, they may not be aware that what they are doing is offensive. However, if the person continues to offend you by acting this way, it becomes harassment.

As women, most of us have personally been harassed or have witnessed it. I personally have experienced it. After I graduated from high school, I worked at a local pizza place. One night while I was closing my station, the guy from the station next to me came over and brushed up against me. At first, it didn’t bother me. I thought it was an accident. But then he started laughing and came over and did it again. This time, I knew that it was on purpose. But, nothing had really happened. He was “just” brushing against my back.

The next day, I was at the salad bar cleaning up, and he brushed against me again. This time, though, it was not my back, and he stood there touching me a little longer. I stood up and told him to stop. He just laughed and said he didn’t know what I was talking about. I was not sure at all what to do. If I told, I knew he would just say it was an accident. I didn’t want to lose my job. I was also afraid if I told, it might actually get worse.

So, for a week or so, I just endured it. I mean, I didn’t know what to do, and I figured that if I just insisted enough, he would stop. Finally, one night, I could not take it anymore. I found the manager and explained the situation. He said to go about my work and he would watch carefully so that he could stop the guy if he started harassing me. Sure enough, when it came time for clean up, the guy came to my workspace and started saying things to me and brushing up against me. My manager popped out and asked why he was in my space rather than cleaning up his own. The guy had no answer. Then the manager told him that he had heard what was said to me. The manager moved the guy to a different part of the store and put him on probation. While I personally would have liked to have seen him fired, the fact that at least it had stopped was enough for me.

Remember that just because someone is sexually harassing you, it does not mean you have done anything to cause it. It could happen to anyone, at any time, in any place. Whoever is doing it is wrong. Not only in the eyes of the law, but also in the eyes of God. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16).

Being scared and angry is understandable in that kind of situation. But it does not mean that you should not alert someone to what is happening. By not telling, you are not only hurting yourself; that person could be doing the same thing, or worse, to others. Tell someone. You can tell a trusted teacher or a parent. You could find any mature adult with whom you feel comfortable. Tell a friend and have them go with you for support if that makes you feel better, but do not let it go. If the first person you talk to does not take you seriously, find someone else. It is not always easy, but it is important that you continue to search until you find someone who can stop this person from harassing you and/or others.

While I know that this is very difficult to do, especially in situations such as these, it is important that we forgive the person. Even if someone does not ask for forgiveness, it is important to forgive them anyway. Not for their peace, but for our own. We have to be able to stop the situation and then let it go and move forward. By harvesting that pain caused by this person’s actions, we only make life miserable for ourselves. I know you will never forget what has happened. I haven’t forgotten what happened to me, but I do forgive the person for acting the way he did. He obviously did not have God leading him.

I am not going to say that any of this will be easy. It will be hard to tell what happened to you, it will be hard to forgive, but by doing these things, it will show your strength and faith in God. Let Him lead you through difficult situations and others will see His light in you.

By Sarah J. Ancheta

Filed Under: Tough Stuff

Food Statement

August 21, 2008 1 Comment

It’s August. We’re back in school and summer’s over, but what can we do to make a statement at school? There are plenty of ways to reach out to our friends through food. We could take the Chips Ahoy ice cream sandwiches to lunch and invite new people to sit with us. If we reach out to different people, we might make new friends, and that would give us new people to tell about Christ. The food can help to break the ice so we can befriend them, and work up to conversations that could lead to inviting them to church or to a drop-in on a Friday.

Try something different this month and bake some cookies or a cake and take it to a teacher who may be unpopular among the students. You can make a difference just by cooking, and using that food to reach out to the kid who sits by herself at lunch, or the teacher everyone thinks is uncool. There are opportunities everywhere to teach people, and food can be your tool. Remember Deuteronomy 10:18, “He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.” This school year, make a statement by letting God use you for His glory in all that you do, including cooking!

Better than a Sandwich:
Cheese Quesadillas
Bacon Bagel Club
Cool Crunchy Ham and Cheese Pita
Biscuit Buddies
Turkey and Tomato Tortilla Stacker

Lunch Box Sides:
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
VELVEETA Cheesy Tortilla Corn

Desserts to Share:
CHIPS AHOY! Cheesecake Sandwiches
Frosted Peanut Butter Marshmallow Crispy Squares

Before school family pleasers:
PEBBLES Confetti Pancakes
Hot Dog Morning Burrito

By Alexia Hammonds

Photos and recipes provided courtesy of Kraft Food & Family magazine, http://www.kraftfoods.com. For more information or to sign up for a free subscription, please visit http://www.kraftfoods.com/magazine.
Filed Under: Cooking Corner

Cheese Quesadillas

August 20, 2008 Leave a Comment

Prep Time:
1 min
Total Time:
1 min
Makes:
1 serving
Ingredients
1 TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Flour Tortillas
1 KRAFT Singles
Instructions
PLACE tortilla on microwavable plate. Place Singles on half of tortilla. Fold tortilla in half to cover Singles. Cover.

MICROWAVE on HIGH 20 to 30 sec. or until Singles begins to melt. Cut into wedges to serve.
TACO BELL® and HOME ORIGINALS® are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Serving Suggestion
Try serving with crisp apple slices, celery sticks and KRAFT CATALINA Dressing as a dip.
Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
Prepare as directed, topping Singles evenly with 2 oz. (1/3 of 6-oz. pkg.) OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips or OSCAR MAYER Southwestern Seasoned Chicken Breast Strips before folding tortilla in half to cover filling.
Use Your Stove
Assemble as directed. Place in skillet on medium heat. Cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned and Singles is melted.

Filed Under: Cooking Corner

Biscuit Buddies

August 20, 2008 Leave a Comment

Prep Time:
10 min
Total Time:
10 min
Makes:
1 serving
Ingredients
2 small baked biscuits (3 inch), cooled, split
2 tsp. KRAFT Ranch Dressing
2 tsp. KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
6 slices OSCAR MAYER Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast
Instructions
SPREAD bottom halves of biscuits with dressing.

SPRINKLE with cheese; top with turkey.

COVER with tops of biscuits.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Serving Suggestion
Serve with a mixed green salad and your favorite fresh fruit to round out the meal.
Make Ahead
Prepare biscuits for dinner the night before. Save two of the biscuits for your child’s lunch the next day. Store in tightly covered container or resealable plastic bag until ready to use to prepare sandwiches.
Substitute
Use two small dinner rolls in place of the biscuits.

Filed Under: Cooking Corner
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