Sunday, we went to an awards ceremony for my daughter, Asherel. I was pretty proud of her. She didn't want to go to the award ceremony particularly, but I felt it was important she go. She is an excellent artist and won a "Gold Key" award for the picture on the screen above. She herself is on the left stage out of the view finder. What made this particularly nostalgic for me was that only two home-schooled students won a Gold Key, and secondly, when I was Asherel's age, I won a Gold Key myself. This art contest is the premier, venerated art contest for high school students. It has been around for at least forty years since that is about how long ago it was when I won my Gold Key.
I have been perusing old scrap books looking for photos from my childhood for a book I am writing. Lo and behold, I found my Gold Key announcement in an ancient scrap book. It was one of the proudest moments of my high school career, winning the Gold Key. It was for a pastel of a horse by a lake. I still have that picture. It's up in my attic.
I didn't sit in the parents' section during the Awards ceremony. I was told to sit in the Teacher's Section.This is the fun part of being a home-school parent. We are both parent and teacher. I even got to go on stage with all the other teachers and announce my name, and school. The audience laughed after all those well-known area schools when I said, "I'm Vicky Kaseorg, of Kaseorg Home School."
I
did teach Asherel art. I taught her from the time she could hold a paintbrush.
I knew early on she had talent, and it warmed my heart.
As she grew older, we moved on to new mediums.
And my heart's desire for this child of my dreams was that she would use her talent to serve others and glorify God.
She did, and I hope and pray she will continue to do so.
We are all given talents, and gifts by God. To whatever extent we have been blessed is the extent to which we should bless others. Our talents were never meant to be buried, but to be used to draw others to seek the God we serve and love.
So please forgive me for my pride in my girl. Her name means "blessed of God" but my prayer is that she will go forth always as a "blessing for God." Personally, I think she's on her way.
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As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good
stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks
oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that
God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through
Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us
use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our
serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in
his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who
leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his
servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five
talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his
ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at
once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he
who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received
the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
...
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a
stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your
light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and
give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your
reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid
back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Amen!
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