School Holidays (28 June to 12 July)

Beth has decided not to sign up for the Council's school holiday program this round. She wants to spend more time at home with Mummy.

So we agreed on a sprinkling of research projects (she has written up a list on the whiteboard but I have not yet taken a look, although I know Adolf Hitler is on the list), Bible study (to reinforce her new faith), piano practice (exams in Nov) and Chinese revision.

After speaking with her teacher on Thu, CA and I have identified areas that we need to work on with her:

• Division
• Fractions
• Introduction to simple algebra
• Balancing her reading with her creative output. She reads a lot but her comprehension, vocab, speech and writing do not necessarily reflect this. So we need to work on her output.

Perhaps the most critical is her attitude. We do not feel satisfied that she has the right attitude for someone of her gifts and abilities. She is often self-absorbed, insensitive to the needs and feelings of others, whining, demanding, unloving towards J and prone to temper tantrums. I would love to blame it on junk food, sugars and food additives. Or sibling rivalry springing from a 5-year age gap. But it could just be her, which is even more scary. CA and I are agreed that this is something beyond our ability and we need God to transform her from the inside. We want her to use her gifts and intellect for God's glory, and not for her own selfish desires, ambitions and gratification. We want her to stay pure and to be a role model for other young people.

¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Tim. 4:12)

It's a huge ask in a material me-first society. That is why we call on the Living God. He heard Hannah's desperate prayer and blessed her. He honored Abraham's obedience, gave Solomon wisdom and made David a covenant promise that his heirs would inherit the kingdom. He authored the earthquake that freed Paul and Silas and converted the jailer. He opened Lydia's heart to receive His message. He is the Master of transformed hearts and changed lives.