phone: 519-539-1492 fax: 519-539-1893 email: johnknox@execulink.com website: www.jkcs.on.ca

Winners of the Legion Poster and poetry Contest were presented awards by Mr. Joe Fohkens.Tjarda Renkema - Poetry- 3rd place; Sarah Haverkamp - Poster 2nd place;

Brittany Boyd - Poster - Honourable Mention.

Our Mission:John Knox Christian School providesChrist-centered quality elementary

education for children of believers toequip them for a life of praise andservice to God through committed

and dedicated teachers, parents andsupporting community.

Our theme for 2007-08

God’s Voiceis Our Choice

INK-LINKSNewsletter of the John Knox Christian School Society, Woodstock, Ontario

April 2008

Upcoming Events

April 9 . . . . . . . . . . Battle of the BooksApril 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rainbow DayApril 15 . . . . . . . . JKCS Board MeetingApril 20-24 . . Christian Education WeekApril 22 . . . . . . . Open House & Lunch

Bus Driver AppreciationMusical 7 p.m.

April 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Musical 7 p.m.April 24 . . . . . . . . . . GrandFriends Day

Musical 2:30 p.m.JKCS Membership Meeting

April 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.D. Day*April 26 . . . . . . . . . . Mom to Mom SaleMay 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Indonesian FeastMay 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music MondayMay 8 . . . . Ascension/Pentecost ChapelMay 9 . . Ingersoll Ways & Means EventMay 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P.A. Day*May 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . JKCS Field Day

* indicates no school

The other day, our kids came home from school with some exciting news! They hada survey from the school that was seeking input about school uniforms. They said that theyreally, really…… well, I shouldn't publicize their thoughts on the subject, but the survey didcreate some lively debate at suppertime that night! A benefit of this debate is that I can posesome questions of relevance to all of us. Do people around us know we are Christians? Howwould they know? Do you want them to know?

Well, first of all, I would ask if you are a Christian. Just because you are affiliated withJKCS in some manner, does not mean that you are automatically a Christian, nor does agraduation certificate give anyone a pass directly to heaven! A sinner who believes that aholy God has graciously redeemed them through the sacrifice of His Son, the Christ Jesus,on the cross of Calvary, and lives a life of obedience out of gratitude and for His glory, isI believe properly called a Christian. Now, if the above statement did not make any senseto you, well then, you should seek out God by reading a book inspired by Him, written bymen, who tell of God's dealings with mankind and it is called the Bible. Read it cover tocover, and then go ask someone to help you understand it. Go now! Don't bother readingthe rest of this editorial; I am not that good a writer. If you do this, I think it may affect yourlife for eternity.

JOHN KNOX CHRISTIAN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS:Chairperson: Mr. A. Renkema 519-475-4391; Vice-Chairman: Mr. S. Panjer 519-469-8073;

Treasurer: Mrs. J. VandenDool 519-469-8373; Secretary: Mr. H. deHaan 519-421-7509; Vicar: Mrs. D. Haagsma 519-485-0766Members at Large: Mrs. G. Miedema 519-421-1603; Mrs. J. DeGier-VanderSpek 519-475-6253; Mr. C. Markus 519-423-6349;

Mrs. B. Bentum 519-421-7157; Mr. W. Broos 519-539-0221; Mr. R. Haverkamp 519-458-8570; Mr. D. Scheele 519-485-3644

You are all invited to attend the

Spring Membership MeetingThursday, April 24, 2008

at 8 p.m.

in the school auditorium.

The spring meeting includes aguest speaker,

Mr. Michael Meinema(Our future principal)

elections for new board membersas well as budget approval. These

are important decisions and weask input from everyone.

If you are a Christian, then howwould I know that? The Bible says that theresults of following Christ, also called fruitof the Spirit, include love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians5:22, 23) These are outward signs of aninward change from sinfulness to salvationand sanctification. One of the first Sundayschool lessons I learned was not to hidelight under a bushel basket, but put it on alight stand so that everyone can see anduse the light. (Luke 11:33-36) That soundslike common sense, but what the parablealso emphasizes is that a light should notbe hid under a covering! Light is wasted ifit is hidden under a basket. And it is hardto hide light. Light still shines throughlittle cracks or holes or any little openingand it will be seen easily in the dark. So, ifyou are filled with the Spirit of Light, whothe Bible says is Jesus, (John 8:12) thenyou will not be able to hide it! Men willsee it, and glorify God (not you) becauseof the Light shining from you. This is howI can know if you are a Christian. I will beable to see changes in how you act, talkand just about everything else about you!

One final thought: what does thishave to do with school uniforms?Uniforms for the students that attend JKCSwould identify our students as members ofthis school. How much better it would be ifpeople did not need to see a schooluniform to know that we are Christian. Ourschool is a practical every day place topractice "…shining like stars…"! (Do youremember our theme from last year?) AsChristians we are commanded to light upthe world around us, so that others willwonder why we are the way we are, andseek God to get out of their darkness. Ourschool exists to glorify God, and we can dothis daily by being a shining light to ourfamily and neighbours. Our family will befilling out a survey, and I think that one ormore of our kids are planning on fillingone out too! I encourage your family tovoice your opinion on uniforms as well,but I hope that our community willrecognize us as Christian by how we act,rather than what we look like.

Dan Scheele

BOARD NEWS

The March JKCS Board meeting washeld Tuesday, March 25. It was reportedthat the Finance Committee is still lookinginto the issue of CEAF to help write offsome more tuition dollars (this issue wasreported on previously). Also the Financecommittee has issued child care receiptsfor the 2007 tax year. Finance alsoreported that tuition collection hasimproved and presented a proposed budgetfor the 2008/2009 school year. The budgetwill be presented at the spring membershipmeeting for membership approval.

A letter was received from LDCSSconcerning de-amalgamation. LDCSS isrecommending this. JKCS is sending aletter to LDCSS asking for specific reasonswhy and would like to set up a meetingwith their committee to discuss theimplications of such a change.

As mentioned, the spring membershipmeeting is coming up. Our future principal,Michael Meinema has agreed to be ourguest speaker at this meeting. This will beanother good opportunity to listen to andmeet our future COO. Members are alsoreminded to try to attend the meeting sothat quorum can be met. At the lastmembership meeting, quorum was barelyobtained and, per our constitution, we needquorum in order to pass any decisions.This is the membership's opportunity tomake itself heard and help in the directionof the school. At the meeting also,membership will be asked to approveClarence Markus to represent JKCS as amember at large to the LDCSS board. TheFinance and Endowment Committees willalso be giving reports at the meeting.

At the meeting a comprehensivemaintenance plan for our facilities wasdiscussed. It was decided that somerevisions need to be made before it can beapproved. The Human Resourcescommittee also made their annual report.In the new structure the HR committee isresponsible along with the COO for allstaff hirings and firings. The committee isalso looking at eliminating the CPC sincecontracts should be part of dealing with

staff issues.The Board is still looking for people

willing to stand on the Board to fill thevacancies left by retiring members. If youare approached please carefully considerthis.

Harold deHaan

FINANCIAL UPDATE

January 2008 Year to Date

Income 126,915.71 823,596.37Expenses 126,544.16 735,080.49Balance 371.55 88,515.88

Donations 6,313.93 74,411.50

It is pleasing to report the financialresults for the first five months of theschool year. Tuition collection to date is at49% of budget which has been a result ofthe new tuition statements which were sentto all families. Thank you to all those thathave provided postdated payments to settleaccounts to the end of the school yearwhich greatly eases the workload of myselfand our admin staff. With the success of

MMMM.... CHICKEN!!! To order chicken for April, please fill out the form below and return to JKCS by Thursday, April 10th. Tentative delivery date is April 15th. Payment is due on the day of delivery. Any questions contact Fund Raising Committee membersBarb VanRooyen 519-539-5388 or Sharon Kiers 519-539-9212.

4 kg Chicken Breast $40.004 kg Chicken Nuggets (Regular or Dinosaur) $35.005 kg Breaded, Cooked Chicken Strips $55.005 kg BBQ Chicken Wings $55.005 kg Honey Garlic Chicken Wings $55.004 kg Italian Style Schnitzel $40.004 kg Precooked Chicken Strips $60.00

4 kg Precooked Diced Chicken $40.00

Total Order $

Other chicken products available: Breast Burgers, Stuffed Chicken, etc. Call for pricing.

Name: Phone:

the fundraising drive to reduce theoperating debt, donation income is wellabove plan and we certainly appreciate thesupport of many of our society whowillingly assisted with this cause. We arefortunate with the success of ourfundraising efforts and tuition collection todate and with that the numbers show that52% of the budgeted income has beenrealized.

Expenses are on target as scheduled.As indicated in previous reports, largeexpenditures are paid at the beginning ofthe school year although with thecollection of income we are ahead of targetfor the bottom line.

The Board and Finance Committee arein the process of finalizing the budget forthe next school year. A package for theApril Membership meeting will be sent outshortly. I urge everyone to review theproposed budget and tuition structures thathave been calculated and proposed by theBoard. These calculations are based on thefamilies that have committed theirenrollment for next year. We encourageeveryone to make an effort to attend theMembership Meeting to become moreinformed about the financial situation ofthe school. As we plan ahead for the nextschool year, may we continue to worktogether as a community to provideaffordable Christ-centered education.

Please do not hesitate to contact meshould you have any questions pertainingto finance.

Respectfully submitted.Julie Vandendool, Treasurer

GROCERY VOUCHERPROGRAM

We have anaddition to the list thismonth — Allan Lumber(Castle Building Centres) gift cardsare available in $50 and $100 values.Pick up your cards before you do yournext home repair or renovation.

Another improvement is thechange in Sobeys to Gift Cards. Theyare in $25, $50 & $100 denominations.For those who shop at IGA, FoodTown, Foodland and Knechtel we arestill stocking the paper gift certificates.

Thank you for your continuingsupport. Remember that every dollaryou spend could have a benefit toJKCS if paid for with gift certificates.

Check the attached order form tohelp plan your monthly spending.

NURTURING FAITH IN OUR CHILDREN

It has been some time since we havemet on these pages. I would like tocontinue to discuss the development offaith in our children and students. Indoing so I want to quote extensivelyfrom some of the blogs that haveappeared on the Christian SchoolsInternational website: http://nurturingfaith.wordpress.com.. Iwould encourage you to peruse it too; itmakes for good reading. The first articlecould well have been written by mesince it parallels so closely what Iremember of the faith walk of myparents, one now long in heaven and theother lost for years in Alzheimer’s, butnot lost to God. I wish I could give youthe name of the author but it was notrevealed. The article was entitled “10Ways My Parents Nurtured My Faith -a Look Back in Gratitude.”

1. Faith through tough times - farmingitself is an act of faith that is furthercomplicated by the unpredictable.

Natural disasters, droughts andfloods, unexpected losses oflivestock, machinery repairs andcosts, and health problems are justsome of the problems faced - yet Isaw a strong faith demonstrated bymy parents in God’s providenceand blessing.

2. Commitment to their marriage -it never entered my mind as a childthat my parents would leave eachother, even though they had somepretty good arguments from timeto time.

3. Respect for creation - animalsand plants were treated with care,yet each in their rightful placecompared to humans.

4. Christian education K-16 - myparents were the first in theirfamilies to enroll their children inChristian day school education and tooksignificant criticism for that decisionfrom their families. Their hard work toget schools established in our smallcommunity remains an inspiration to metoday.

5. Church participation - attendance atservices was regular as clockwork andparticipation in available groups andclasses not a matter of negotiation by uschildren.

6. Eating meals together coupled withspiritual disciplines - regular Biblereading and prayer three times a day -sometimes it seemed too much, but I doappreciate the foundational knowledgethat I now have as a result.

7. Always helping neighbours andsharing - my mom was always sharingfrom our garden and bringing food, dadlent tools and time, and listened tohurting people on his egg route intosome very high poverty areas.

8. Finances - tithing and Christianeducation - my parents always made itclear to us that church donations andschool tuition came first, and then welived on the rest, no matter how little orhow much that may have been frommonth to month.

9. Encouraged my gifts - my mom did alot of chores so I could participate insports and drama. My parents were

always at every performance if possible.

10. Loved those with special needs -having Joe over for Sunday dinner andwatching him eat was not necessarilypleasant for us kids but showed us ourparents’ heart for those with specialneeds. Their regular Sunday afternoonvisits to a home for developmentallydisabled adults modeled Christ’s love.My mom still continues these singing,prayer, and Bible study visits withresidents today at the age of 88.

As I mentioned in an earlier articlethe impact on their children of the faithwalk of their parents can be amazing.The effect of Christian teachers is alsoprofound. Please continue reading thenext article also from the CSI website.Once again it could easily have beenwritten by me both as a parent and as aprincipal. This article is entitled“Gratitude for Christian Education.”

I am grateful to God for classroomswhere faith integration and teaching thewhole child is alive and well. I have anopportunity to observe many classroomsthrough the course of each school year.I am thankful for teachers who helpstudents stand in awe of God and ofwhat He has done. I rejoice withteachers when former students makeprofession of faith and give testimony totheir walk with the Lord. I am thankfulfor teachers who spend time discussing

how to discipline a students withoutbreaking his spirit. I have seen studentsponder over DNA and marvel at howgreat and wonderful God has createdeach person. I have seen students rushto school to see if any eggs havehatched and how many chicks havebeen able to break their shell to becomepart of the wonderful world around us.I have seen students so eager for theirgrandparents to come to school so theycould show them the poem they hadwritten about their grandparents as partof the extended family God has giventhem. Praise God for Christian teacherswho have been given the craft ofteaching Christianly.

What strength there is in thenurturing of children when parents andteachers stand on the same foundationof God’s love for them and their lovefor Him in return. What comfort andencouragement for us all when parentsand teachers together stand in awe at thesovereignty of God. Next time I plan towrite on the power found in thepartnership of church and school.

B. Barneveld

P.R. CORNER

April is again a busy month, with achoir visit, the Woodstock music festival,the Battle of the Books, fund-raisingevents, our spring membership meetingand our annual celebration of ChristianEducation Week that will include severalperformances of the student productionRoamin' Through Romans, an Openhouse and the highlight…Grand Friendsday.

The Senior Choir and the grade 4class choir have visited several churchesover the past few months. The seniorchoir will visit Maranatha CRC on April6th. They are also looking forward toparticipating in the Woodstock RotaryMusic Festival. Several students will alsobe participating at Covenant CRC as theycelebrate Christian Education on April27th. On May 5th JKCS will becelebrating "Music Monday", as part ofa province wide initiative to promotemusic in our schools. The students ingrades 4 and up will be hosting anevening of music to raise much neededfunds to replace instruments, purchasemusic and stands. The blessing ofincreased enrollment has also created aneed for more instruments. Tickets forthis evening will be $5.00 per person,and donations will be gratefullyaccepted.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION WEEKAPRIL 20TH-24TH

TUESDAY APRIL 22ND:Bus Driver Appreciation Day: Let ustake the time to thank our drivers for thegreat job they do in getting our childrenback and forth from school.Open House: It is another TerrificTuesday – but this one is for you. Parentsare invited to bring a picnic lunch toenjoy with their children. If it is nice wewill eat outside, otherwise we will picnicin the gymnasium."Roamin' Through Romans" Musical:7 p.m. at JKCS

WEDNESDAY APRIL 23RD:"Roamin' Through Romans" Musical:7 p.m. at JKCS

THURSDAY APRIL 24TH:Grand Friends Day: We look forwardto treating our Grand Friends to a specialDay. 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.Roamin' Through Romans 2:30 p.m.

FUND RAISING REPORT

Our fund-raising team has been having a busy season this winter, but its been fun andwe've raised some great funds for JKCS as well.

The Concert andDessert Extravaganzawas a delight for all whoattended, with deliciousand creative desserts tocharm the taste buds ofeveryone present. The“Hostess with theMostest” was IreneNugteren who decoratedwith greens, LPs asplace-mats, and a greatthank-you note for herguests under each dessertplate. Mike Boyd wonthe most creative themetable with a hockey icesurface table top, andjerseys on each guest. Allthe hostesses had greatimaginations and the tables were worth a tour. Good Dog Spot entertained with a great varietyof tributes to musicians of the 50s, 60, and 70s, and plenty of audience participation. Theevent was an entertaining break in a long winter and raised about $3,000.

Our 4th annual Crop, Stop & Shop weekend is over for another year. We're pleased toreport that it was the most successful crop yet. We were able to raise over $2100.00. Theschool gym was full of creative, talented women who were thoroughly enjoying themselves.There was a constant hum of activity - cropping, carding, and "shopping". Fun was had byall. We'd like to thank everyone who came out to support this fund-raiser. A big thank you toour vendors; Jacqui Lines (Stampin UP), Lisa Ball (Close to My Heart), Joanne Hourd(Creative Memories), and Lori Elvidge (The Memory Mill) as well as our donators for thesilent auction; Ada DeVor, Elizabeth Boyd, April Werkema, Kristin Markus, JulieVandendool, and All About Scrapbooks. A special thank you to Jacek & ColleenMokrzewski, who owns Mr. Sub in the Walmart Plaza, for donating the fantastic subs whichwere enjoyed by all. And last, but not least, thank you to all those who gave of their timeand/or made cash donations which helped make the Crop possible.

Our bazaar was ahit again as well withplenty of familiar funa n d f o o d - w i t hb o e r e n k o e l a n dcroquettes , dutchcheese and beautifulflowers, but also with asurprise hair-buzzdonation by JoyceDeGier VanderSpek,plenty of arrests adprisoners in the jail,and some great RockBand and Guitar Heroplaying for the musicstar wannabes. Thehigh scorer for GuitarHero was Jordan Wubswith a total of 211,153 points, and the best Rock Band was the threesome of CalvinVanderheide, Kevin VanBommel, and Jordan Wubb with a high score of 237,449 points. Weraised roughly $14,500.

The “Biker” theme table at the Concert & Dessert Evening.

Some “jailbirds” serving time in the Bazaar jail.

Up-coming events are a great opportunity for Moms and kids at theMom-to-Mom Sale on Saturday, April 26th from 8 - noon.

Our annual Fund-Raising Dinner will have a slightly different twistthis year. It will be happening at the SouthGate Centre on May 3 and ourtheme will be an Indonesian Feast (Rijstafel), so be ready for a dining adventure. Be sure to invite Oma and Opa, since the food will bringback memories for them. Surprise! Oma and Opa are more exotic than you thought! Tickets are $25.00 per person. Anyone wishing to learnhow to prepare these dishes is encouraged to call the fund-raising committee to volunteer to help chef Jed Lao prepare the meal. We arelooking for people to help prep, cook and be waiters. Helping with the cooking is a GREAT way for people to learn how to make these greatdishes and sauces!!!

HELP WANTED: Do you have a couple of spare hours each day? Do you wish youcould spend more time with our school aged children? Would you like to be home withyour children on days they are not in school? If you answered yes to any of thesequestions then we have the perfect job for you. Come and join a team of talented andgifted employees – become a bus driver for JKCS. We have full-time and part-timepositions coming up. Please call Patti Reyneveld 519-424-2526 or Rob Haverkamp519-458-8570 for more details.

There was hair-raizing fund-raising at the JKCS Bazaar. A verybrave Joyce DeGier- VanderSpek is sporting a new buzz cut. Sheagreed to the hair cut if sponsors totaled over $1000.00. The actualtotal was almost $1200. Thanks Joyce for being a great sport. RickVanRooyen showed off his barber shop talent in the hair-razingevent.

“Kiddie Korner” volunteers at the JKCS Bazaar.

INGERSOLL DINNER & AUCTION:

will be held on Friday, May 9th

in the Mt. Elgin Hall. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. sharp.

A silent Auction will be held from6:30 - 8:30.

The cost is $40 per family or $15 per person.Everyone is welcome. This is always a funfamily event - a great evening to relax, havefellowship and support our school. Hope to seemany of you there!

MOM TO MOM SALEGet ready for the first ever John Knox MOM TOMOM Sale! Clean out your kid's closets and sell whatyou don't need! RENT a table and sell, sell, sell! Youcan SELL clothes, toys, baby items and maternityitems. Or come out and SHOP!!! Find great deals ongently used children's and baby items! The sale isschedule for Saturday April 26 from 8 a.m. - 12 noon.For more information call Jenessa VanRooyen @519-539-6916 (jjvanrooyen@rogers.com) or NicoleVanderhoek @ 519-425-1562. The money from thetable rentals will go directly to John Knox and you cankeep the profits from the sale of your items.

John Knox Christian Schoolinvites you to join us for an

IndonesianFeast

at our Spring Fund Raising Dinner

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at the Southgate Centre6 p.m. Social — 6:30 Dinner

Biggest Rijstafel in Oxford County!Buy a table of 8 for $200.00 or $25.00 each.

Tickets are available at JKCS 800 Juliana Drive 519-539-1492

49 YEARS AND COUNTING…God is good!The JKCS 50th Anniversary Planning Committee

is already at work … We need your help!

Please enter the 50th Anniversary Logo Contest!Get out your pencils, paper or computer and let those creative juices start flowing.

The theme for the 50th Anniversary Celebration year isReflecting, Renewing and Rejoicing

= The logo must incorporate the theme and the name John Knox Christian School.= Permission must be given to JKCS to use the logo.= It may be hand drawn or computer generated.= It must be presented on a 8½" x 11" paper.= Logo can be black and white or colour.= No age restriction.= Submissions must be forwarded to the JKCS Anniversary Committee by May 31st, 2008.

É

If you have photos, facts, stories or memorabilia that would help us remember and celebrate five decades of Christian Education atJKCS, please share them with us! We would especially like mailing and/or email addresses of JKCS alumni. We also need help indeveloping a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book. If you would like to help in the Writing, Layout, Organization or Advertisingplease contact one of the committee members.

If your sons, daughters, parents or siblings have attended JKCS at some point in our history and are unlikely to see our regularissues of InkLinks, we would like you to forward their email and/or regular addresses and approximate years of attendance (e.g., 1972 to1975) to a committee member, or to the school at: johnknox@execulink.com, Attention: 50th Anniversary. Thank you for your help. We arelooking forward to celebrating God's goodness and faithfulness with you.Anniversary committee members are: Bernice Bentum, Christine Renkema 519-475-4391, Lesa Racicot,Barb VanRooyen, Christa Bakker, Lucille Koopman, and Carol Verbeek.

This month we are honouring our graduates in June of 1983:Anita Bakker, Christopher Berghuis, Marlene Bergman, Gerald Boersma, Lillian Bruin, Kevin Bylsma,

Marcia deHaan, Paul DeJong, Wilma DeVries, Jamila Eshuis, Curtis Fieten, Elaine Haagsma,Francine Haverkamp, Arthur Heidbuurt, Paul Hettinga, Grant Linnell, Carolyn Pool, Pauline Poort,

Carol Post, Melinda Renkema, John Scheerhoorn, Lori-Ann Schut, Kimberly Sjaarda, Ria Sloterdyk,Erik VanDyk, Ingrid VanDyk, Brian Wieringa, Dianne Zekveld, Philip Zwart

and June of 1984:James Alblas, Marianne Bakker, Tami Bergman, Stephen Coulstring, Joyce DeGier, Mary-Anne DeJonge,

Carla DeWeerd, Nancy Dyk, William Eekhof, Brenda Engberts, Darryl Hettinga, Leona Hettinga,Deborah Hoiting, Henry Horinga, Brenda Klingenberg, Darren Klingenberg, Rebecca Matern,

Benjamin Slager, Edward Terluin, Beverly Triemstra, Maureen VanBunderen, Marianne VanSchepen,Diana Veld, Raymond Wubs, Peter Ypma

We are also honouring the Staff Members for 1982-1984.Mrs. Nancy VanDixhoorn, Miss Wilma Wierenga, Miss Marianne VanElburg,

Mrs. Sheryl LaBerge, Miss Linda Bakker, Mr. Rick Zwiers, Mr. Harmen Boersma, Mr. Andy Bouma, Mr. Gary Aalbers, Norma Rouse, Mr. Ray VanderPloeg (Principal).

We have lost touch with some of these teachers.If you know any of the current addresses of any of our past staff members please contact us.

DID YOU KNOW..... that in 1982 JKCS purchased four propane powered buses at a cost of $107,000. An “automotivestore” was held at the school where supporters could “purchase” bus parts. By October a total of $83,700was raised. Two used buses were also purchased...... that in 1983 JKCS performed the musical “The Enchanted Journey”.

MR. HIEMSTRA -GRADE 6

Diaries

Although thereare all kinds ofreasons for writing anonfiction diary, mostdiaries are not meantto be shown toanyone, let alone be published. Diaries are meant to be“secret”, but when they are published, one cannot helpbut be intrigued by the diaries, as each reader becomesmuch more aware of the writer’s thoughts. Unintentionally, diaries can tell a tremendous amountabout the author.

In grade 6 we have studied the life of Joseph, andwe cannot help but be intrigued by this character. Whata life! He goes from prisoner to vizier! And all of thiswas planned by His God! Joseph reassures his brothersand says in Genesis 50:19, “Don’t be afraid. Am I inthe place of God? You intended to harm me, but Godintended it for good to accomplish what is now beingdone, the saving of many lives.”

In grade 6 we have written fictional diaries duringdifferent times of Joseph’s life. God was at work, justas God planned to send a Saviour to the world, therisen Saviour that we have been reminded of this Easterseason. Here is a sample of those Joseph diaries. Wehope you enjoy these entries.

G. Hiemstra

Dear Diary,I overheard my brothers talking about me. I don't

think they love me at all. If they loved me they wouldn'thave put me in this well. I'm afraid, this well is very, verydark. I feel I am so far from home. I have never been soscared before. I know that there are rats and spiders andother bugs that also make me feel afraid. I wish my fatherwould come to help me but he doesn't know where I am.My brothers are going to come back for me and I thinkthey are going to sell me into slavery. I'm so cold andlonely and I miss my family especially my father. I wouldlike to know what my brothers have done with my robewith many colours. It was the most treasured gift I haveever received from my father.

Joseph (Abby Deboer)

Dear Diary,I just ran away from my master’s wife. I have always

been trying to avoid her since the first encounter. I knewthat as soon as she grabbed my cloak that she was going

to try something, that she was going to do somethingwrong. I wonder what she's going to do; she does havemy cloak. There's Potiphar coming home. I wonder what'sgoing to happen. I think I'm going to get in trouble but Idon't know how or why. Oh no, here comes a lot of menand Potiphar is with them. He looks angry. I hope I canhave a say and Potiphar will believe me.

Joseph (Adrian Visser)

Dear Diary,I can't believe that my master trusted his wife! She

lied! Why would she do that? Now I'm stuck in this ratfilled jail. It's so stuffy and there is no bed for me to liedown in. No one is going to keep me any company. WaitGod is with me. God will keep me company! I'm chainedto the wall and my arm is getting sore. Maybe I canwiggle my hand out. I'll be right back. Ugh it didn't work.What will I do now? Why do I have to stay in jail thislong?

Joseph (Shayna Oosterink)

Dear diary, He found me when I was hiding. Now I'm in prison

because Potiphar's wife told a lie about me. I'm in adark dirty prison cell. I made a friend. It's a rat but he'snice to me. I know God is with me because the wardenis favoring me. Guess what! The warden put me incharge of everyone in the prison. He likes me because Igive him success in every thing I do. Thank you Godfor being with me in my time of need. The wardendoesn't care what I do because he likes me and trustsme and I won’t let him down, not at all.

Joseph (Marleen VanWijk)

Dear Diary,Yes I am finally out of that filthy prison and I have

told Pharaoh what his dreams mean and now I am incharge of the whole country! The dreams said there isgoing to be 7 years of wealthy crops and the other 7years mean there is going to be famine on the land.And Pharaoh’s plan is to store food in buildings andpyramids and save them for the famine. Othercountries are going to buy some grain and Egypt isgoing to be rich or people might move to Egypt. Wellwe will see what God will do. I remember being inthat well and now I'm here in charge of Egypt. Godreally does plan ahead. It all started when I was in thewell and I had to tell Pharaoh his dreams and now I amthe head of Egypt and we have lots of grain and food.He is probably really glad that we stored a lot of food.

Joseph (Andrew Haagsma)

Dear diaryI am 38 years old. I am not in jail any more. I have

a wife named Asenath and two beautiful sons. Theoldest is named Manasseh and Ephraim is the secondborn. Ephraim is now a month old and it is the lastgood year of harvest. I am second in command. Godtakes care of me and I’m glad he never lets me down. Ihope I see my brothers soon especially Benjamin.

Joseph (Janelle Hanenburg)

Dear diaryToday my brothers came to Egypt. This is the first

time I've seen my brothers since they threw me into thewell. I don't want them to know who I am so I speak tothem in Egyptian. I told them that they were spies andsaid if they were honest they would bring the youngestbrother they said they had. So I kept Simeon behindjust in case they didn't come back. They left with thegrain and I put their silver back in their sacks so Icould say they stole it. I wonder if they 've changedsince they threw me in the well. I wonder if they will

come back for Simeon.Joseph (Jonathan Westerveld)

Dear diary,My brothers came again and they brought

Benjamin. I am here in my room, weeping fromhappiness. I missed Benjamin so much and now he ishere. And my father, I can not believe he is still alive!THANK YOU GOD! My dreams really meansomething. My brothers are bowing down to me. I amhaving a wonderful time with my brothers. Lots offood and celebration. I do not know when I will tellthem I am Joseph. Everything is good in Egypt besidesthe fact that my dad isn't here. I miss him. Wellanyway my brothers are back and the same withBenjamin and they are bowing down to me! Well, Ihave a party to get back to!

Joseph (Robyn Homan)

Dear diary,I am relieved! I have finally let myself be known!

Oh the look of disbelief on their faces. When I toldthem, “ I am your brother!” Now I am able to see myfather again! Oh I am the happiest man in the world!And Pharaoh is so generous he will give my family thebest in the land. How am I going to greet my dad! Allthose years of thinking I am dead! The look on hisface! I will truly give them the feast of their lives. Ican't wait to live as a family again! But this time I amgoing to give my dad a robe. I wonder how mucheveryone has changed in those years?

Joseph (Min Woo Kim)

Dear Diary,I finally caved, I told my brothers who I am! You

should have seen their faces, I thought their jaw wasgoing to fall out of their head! I told them that I wasgoing to send them with a cart and money to get dadand the rest of the family! The Pharaoh told me that myfamily would get the finest land in all of Egypt, and hewould supply us with food! I wonder how it is goingover there with dad, he is probably so excited that I amalive! I hope that dad is agreeing to come home withthe family and live in Egypt! I don't want my family todie with no food during the years of famine! I cannotwait!!

Joseph (Rachel Hickey)

MRS. ZOMER- GRADE 1

Grade One studied the book“Corduroy” by Don Freeman.Corduroy is a lonely bear who livesin the toy department of a big store.On a walk one night he makes somenew discoveries. He has alwayswanted to experience new things.That got Grade One thinking. Whatthings have you always wanted totry or learn to do? Like Corduroy,there are some things we wouldnever want to experience either.

I've always wanted to live inheaven. I've always wanted to seeAmerica. I never wanted to get abloody nose. I never wanted to see askunk.

Josiah Bakker

I have always wanted to have a treehouse. Then me and Zachary canplay in it. I never wanted to livewith the lions in Africa becausethey are meat eaters

Katie Beacock

I always wanted to have a goldfishin my house. I never wanted to havea truck that makes noise and I neverwanted to have a car that will neverdo stuff.

Kyle Bean

I never wanted to swallow mytooth. I always wanted to have atooth taxi.

Naomi Beimers

I always wanted to go to my home.I always wanted to visit Albertaagain. I would see my best friendMiranda. I would never want to runaway from my parents.

Aileen Boer

I never wanted to go in the girls'bathroom. I never wanted to have agirl friend. I never want to give mynecklace away. I never want to killpeople because that is mean.

Brendan Bouterse

I always wanted a bunny and I havea bunny. I never wanted to be in abear cage because there will be abear in the cage.

Victoria Boyd

I always wanted to go to CostaRica. My mommy and daddy wentthere with my Aunt Marsha andUncle Wayne. In Costa Rica thereare shells just like in Florida. Inever wanted my sister to leave myroom because I don't like it whenI'm all alone.

Julia Branderhorst

I always wanted a baby sister. Ialways wanted a game boy. Theyseem so fun to me. I never want toeat salmon or animals, it scares me.So when I have to eat it I save it forlast.

Tiffany Broos

I've always wanted to ride in alimousine. I have always wanted aparrot. I've always wanted to go toAntarctica.

Abby deHaan

I've always wanted to fly on amagic carpet. I've always wanted tosee God. I never wanted to be in a cage withevery bad animal in the world.That's scarey.

Esther deVries

I've always wanted to have a puppy.They are soft, furry and alwayscute. I would play fetch with mypuppy and give it a name, and giveit some food. I would never want tohave a disease.

Katherine Hutchinson

I've always wanted to fly becausethen I can see everything in a newway. I've always wanted a puppybecause I could take it for a walk.I've always wanted to see NorthAmerica. I've never wanted to meeta bear or a tiger.

Sarah Karelsen

I have always wanted to dowhatever I want. I never wanted togo to war. I never wanted to go tojail.

Julia Little

I always wanted to be in a boat. Ialways wanted to be in a helicopter.I never wanted to live in a cave. Inever wanted to die in a pool.

Samuel Ogunmodede

I've always wanted to go campingand ride my bike. It would be really,really fun. You can have camp fires.I never wanted to kiss a girl. It is sosick. It is aweful.

Derek Overzet

I always wanted to be a singer. I cango on stage and make up songs. Ilike singing and I can sing songs tochildren. I never wanted to kiss afrog because they are green andslimy and stinky and ugly. If Ikissed a frog it might turn into aprince and I don't want to kiss aprince.

Madelyn Paluska

I've always wanted to get a gameboy. I would like to be pink becausepink is my favourite colour. I neverwanted to be in jail. I never wantedto be grounded in my room for twodays.

Annilese Racicot

I always wanted to go home. I liketo go to my friends. I never wantedto see a skunk.

José Roelofsen

I always wanted to go to Floridaand live in a palace and swim in theocean. I've always wanted a parrotso he could tell me jokes. I'vealways wanted to go to Mexico.

Jeffrey Vandendool

I've always wanted to get a robot soI could play with it. I've alwayswanted to get a donkey so I couldride with it. I've never wanted to live in a cage.

Jonathan VanderSpek

I always wanted to be a librarian. Ialways wanted to see Holland. Inever wanted to be in jail. I neverwanted to be grounded in my roomfor two days. I never wanted tobreak a bone of mine.

Monique vanDijken

I've always wanted to have a puppyfor Christmas or for my birthday.Instead I had a horse ride. It wasfun. I never wanted to hurt myfamily not one little bit. They loveme very much and I love them too.

Abby Wassing

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