Auria Plays Basketball at BJA
By Doug | November 22, 2008
BJA organizes a girls intramural basketball competition in November. The four teams this year played a two day season and tournament. About 45% of the players were freshmen. The Jaguars (Auria’s team) took second place. Auria (#2) did very well and played a lot as a freshman! In the final game, she scored two points, had several assists, contributed to the defence, and blocked a shot that fired up her team. Joyce watched all of the games and I saw most of them. The gym is the building right next to my office and I had stacks of papers and projects to grade. Joyce and I both concluded that BJA girls basketball was a big upgrade from junior high basketball and that the wooden bleachers are very hard! We praise God that our children have enjoyed the opportunity to attend a Christian school with strong academics and a balanced sports program. God is good!
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November Thanksgivings
By Doug | November 10, 2008
We have many things for which to be thankful. Please add some of your own to our list!
- Joyce received a good report from the cancer doctor last week. Her chest x-ray was nearly normal. The tumor markers in her blood continue to decrease from 22 in August to 15 in September and then to 8.2 in November. She is active at work and feels just fine most days.
- Auria had a violin recital this evening and continues with many activities in ninth grade.
- Anthony is doing well with lots of heavy science classes this semester.
- Abby is writing a big paper on Timothy Dwight. You will need to asked her who he was…
- Andrew and Mel continue to do well at school and work in Virginia.
- Our flower garden had a late season explosion of color and variety after a long dry summer.
- My tomato plants are producing the best tomatoes of the season in the much cooler weather.
- Our Bible quiz teams at church are doing well.
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18
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Weekend Trip to Virginia
By Doug | October 12, 2008
We had no specific obligations this weekend, thus we decided to travel to Radford, Virginia to visit Andrew and Mel. The Lord gave us great fall weather and a safe trip. We picked up Anthony after classes on Friday and drove up in the evening arriving about 9:30 pm. After sleeping in on Saturday morning, we went to the Highlands Games and Festival at Radford University for the afternoon. Watching traditional Scottish competitions was interesting. Andrew said that the basic theme always revolved around seeing how far people could throw heavy objects. We watched pole throwing and sheave throwing. Better to watch than to participate! We missed hammer throwing! There was also a good variety of animal exhibits and craftsmen. Andrew and Mel treated us to a steak and baked potato picnic at a nice local park for dinner. We then went to a film night at Radford before returning to their apartment for a double birthday celebration. Andrew reached the quarter century mark on October 6th and Anthony left his teenage years on October 12th. Joyce and I praise God for a fine brood of two sons, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, and one son-in-law!
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The Picking of the Apples
By Doug | September 27, 2008
Another tradition in the Garland family is to spend one Saturday in early fall picking apples at Stepp’s Apple Orchard near Hendersonville, NC. We have been going to Stepp’s for many, many years. They have a large variety of apples in well groomed orchards. Their prices are good too. This year we got three bushels. We will use them for applesauce, apple crisps, maybe an apple pie or two, apple salads, and cooked apples. The college students that we have over during the fall particularly like cooked apples. We generally cut up 10-20 pounds of apples and then put them in a pressure cooker along with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and some secret ingredients. The apples are cooked and stirred for a few minutes until soft. Most everyone likes them and will go back for seconds or thirds.
The other part of the apple picking tradition is going to Bat Cave, NC for a picnic lunch or dinner. Bat Cave is a small mountain town with a park next to the Broad River. We eat at the park and sometimes play in the water. The bugs were out in force this year and so we did not stay too long. We did see a rather large water bird (an egret I think) that made a meal out of a small fish. We usually also stop at a local apple company to buy freshly squeezed apple cider. The store in Bat Cave was closed by the time we arrived, but we were able to find another one nearer to Hendersonville. We bought apple cider and a large mountain cabbage.
We thank God for the opportunity to get away for a few hours and to enjoy His creation and one another. Stop by to eat an apple with us!
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Update on Joyce
By Doug | September 21, 2008
Joyce had her last checkup with the oncologist on Thursday and all the indicators were good. She will continue on a hormone treatment for at least six more weeks at which time she will have some more intensive scans. These scans will be compared to the ones from May to determine how effective the treatments have been. She generally feels good most days and seems to be doing just fine. We appreciate all that pray and all that ask about her. We greatly value all of our friends and family!
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Much Learning…
By Doug | September 2, 2008
With the end of summer, the Garland family begins another school year. Most of our efforts and interests as a family seem to revolve around education. Note the following:
- Doug begins teaching tomorrow. His classes include Biblical Missions, Practical Mission Skills, Construction Planning and Scheduling, Architectural Drawing II, and Building Materials and Methods.
- Joyce continues writing elementary school science textbooks. She just finished the student text for 3rd grade and is now working on the cooresponding teacher’s edition.
- Andrew is taking a course in the history of the philosophy of science at Virginia Tech.
- Melanie (wife to Andrew) is working on a master’s degree in speech and language disorders at Radford University.
- Abby is a master’s degree student in English and is taking courses in British Romantic Literature, Colonial and Revolutionary Writers, and Structure of Modern English (makes me tired just thinking about it…).
- Lincoln (husband to Abby) is the reference librarian at BJU and is enrolled in a course on reading German. He is seeking a school to work on a doctorate in history.
- Anthony studies Engineering Sciences and is taking classes such as General Physics, Calculus II, Basic Circuit Analysis, Biology, Bible Prophecy, and Principles of Leadership.
- Auria is a freshman in high school and is taking all the standard courses except for English which she took in summer school.
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Bible Quiz Begins for the Year
By Doug | August 23, 2008
Today marked the first competition in the Bible Quiz year. This year’s material is the Gospel of Mark, I, II, III John, and Jude. Our teams (Hampton Park Baptist) had three wins and three losses. Each of the three teams won one and lost one. Both Joyce and Anthony coach teams. Auria contributed significantly to her team. I enjoyed helping a new coach get started with guiding a team. Normally, I am one of the quiz masters or question askers for the quiz meets. Our next monthly competition is at our church.
Bible quizzing continues to be a family effort for us and a great blessing.
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The Picking of the Peaches
By Doug | August 16, 2008
One of the traditions of the late summer for the Garland family is going to a you-pick-it place to get peaches. Today we went to Fisher’s Orchard in Greer, SC to renew the tradition. Only one type of peach was currently ripe. The lack of rain throught the year appears to have delayed the normal time table. It took about 30 minutes to pick one bushel of very nice fruit. Another type will be ready in about two weeks. We ate a few of the peaches for lunch and dinner. The girls made a “hurry-up peach pie” for our evening snack that we will eat while watching the Olympics. We plan to give some of the peaches to Abby and Lincoln and to friends. Most of the peaches will be frozen for use during the winter. In about 6 week or so, we will make a similar trip for apples.
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On the History and Uses of The Candy Machine
By Doug | August 12, 2008
Abby commissioned me this summer to make a candy machine for her office. The beginning of school is very near and thus the candy machine project inspired me to think about the project in academic terms—-On the History and Uses of the Candy Machine.
The first candy machine many years ago was a gift from Johnny Quesenberry (Grandpa Q). It was a big hit with the Garland family! One year as Christmas neared, either Andrew or Abby needed a teacher present. They asked if I could make some for the teachers and a tradition was born. For several years at Bob Jones Elementary School, teachers looked forward to having a Garland in their classes knowing that the candy machine was sure to appear at Christmas. We learned this summer that at least one teacher still has hers after may years of good use.
Candy machines through the years have been made from scrap wood left over from other shop projects. The current version uses southern yellow pine for the top and bottom and a 2×4 for the body. The most difficult part is cuttig the large rabet at the the top of the body. I use a hole saw for the hole at the top. A Mason jar band is placed into the hole and then fastened in place with two small brads. Candy machines are not of fine furniture quality but they are fun and easy to make.
Abby plans to use her candy machine to reward students for turning in assignments on time. When the student turns in a paper, they may pull the handle and out pops an M&M or piece of candy. This is a good illustration of behavioral learning theory. Reward people for a desired action and they are more likely to repeat the action.
Candy machines are one of the small artifacts of the Garland family. I am glad that Abby plans to use hers to motivate students to excellence!
[Gallery=candy]
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Olympics
By Doug | August 8, 2008
Auria made us a cake with blueberries and strawberries to mark the beginning of the Olympics! Abby and Lincoln along with Kellen and Anna Beth Funk enjoyed it along with us as we watched the opening ceremonies.
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