Ben & Phyllis' Blog

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We are two happily married Christians who wish you well! Ben just happens to be a little camera shy. May God bless you! Please note: Unless otherwise noted, all photos are property of Ben & Phyllis and may not be used in any professional capacity without our prior written permission.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Happy Birthday, Joshua!


Happy birthday to Phyllis' brother, Joshua (he's pictured here with his new baby, Zechariah)! We hope your birthday is fantastic and that the year to come is your best year yet!
We love you!
May God bless you!

Azalea Walk




We enjoyed a walk through the U.S. National Arboretum's Azalea walk today. As you can see, there are all kinds and colors of azaleas in bloom at the moment! We love spring here. Cherry blossoms, azaleas, and so much more. We hope you enjoy the photos (both by Ben).
May God bless you!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Happy Birthday, Teresa!


Happy birthday to Ben's sister, Teresa! We hope your birthday is fantastic and that the year to come is your best year yet!

We love you!

May God bless you!

Free books!

Hi Everyone!

Found this cool site and already trading books!

It's paperbackswap.com and they have over a million books. I (Phyllis) was even able to get a new Christian romantic suspense that I haven't been able to find locally!

Basically, you get a credit for each book you send to another member. Each book you get deducts a credit. The other member pays the postage to the book s/he sends you and you pay the postage to send your unwanted books to other members (who want them). So you get "new" books for "free" (you aren't paying anything for the books, just the postage and it's media mail and most cost about $1.60 to send). If you list 9 books they give you 3 credits to get started too. Click this link for more information and to use us as a referral.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?r_by=spectacular@verizon.net

Of course, even cheaper would be a local book swap because there'd be no postage :) But the selection of over a million books probably couldn't be beat locally!

Happy reading!

May God bless you!

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Rabbit Family


We have a little rabbit family living in our yard. We think there are three baby rabbits but they rarely come out all together.
Photograph by Ben.
May God bless you!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

For the Human Family

Our hearts go out to all those affected by the recent shootings at Virginia Tech.

We thought we'd share this prayer from the (online) Book of Common Prayer

"O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed usthrough Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you inharmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Source: http://www.bcponline.org/

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Bird on a Fence


We have a lot of bird feeders. This one seems quite at home on our fence waiting its turn to feed :)
Photograph by Ben.
May God bless you!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

ThanksUSA Begins Accepting Scholarship Applications

We're posting the information below because many of our friends are affiliated with the military and we thought this might interest some of you or someone you know. May God Bless you!

_________________________________________________________________

The ThanksUSA Scholarship Program has begun accepting applications for their 2007 scholarship program. The postmark deadline is May 18, 2007. Only the first 3,000 applications received will be processed. For information about ThanksUSA's Scholarship Program and to download the guidelines/application, go to http://www.ThanksUSA.org/main/scholarships.html.

(Source: NMFA e-newsletter, see www.nmfa.org )

Who is eligible for the scholarships?
All dependent children, age 24 and under (as of the 5/18/07 application deadline), and all spouses of active-duty U.S. military service personnel are eligible to apply for scholarships with ThanksUSA®.
ThanksUSA defines "Active-duty U.S. military personnel" as those who have served in active duty for at least 180 days since 9/11/01, including all those who have been killed or wounded in action. "U.S. military personnel" are defined as members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Members of the military reserves who have been activated to full-time duty and members of the National Guard who have been federalized and who otherwise meet the requirements are both eligible.
Dependent children are defined as natural and legally adopted children or stepchildren living in the military service member's household and/or primarily supported financially by the service member.
Applicants must plan to enroll full-time in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, vocational school or technical school. They must also have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on their relevant academic record (e.g., high-school record for incoming freshmen or post-secondary school record for those already enrolled in a college, university or vocational/technical school).
Awardees are required to comply with all academic and institutional rules, regulations and guidelines and to abide by all governing laws. Awardees who do not attend, who drop out or who are expelled will forfeit their grant. Further, awards will not be deferred for any reason. However, eligible applicants may apply in subsequent years if ThanksUSA is offering the same scholarship program at that point.
What are the criteria for the awards?
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, academic record and demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities. Preference will be given to students who have studied a foreign language.
How much are the awards?
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award of $1,000.
How many scholarships will be awarded this year?
ThanksUSA intends to award at least 1,000 scholarships this year. Up to 500 awards will be issued for fall term and up to 500 awards will be issued for spring term.
Can I use the award for graduate study?
The awards are for undergraduate study at accredited two-year or four-year institutions only and NOT for graduate study.
What are the important deadlines to keep in mind?
The scholarship application period began on April 9, 2007, and the postmark deadline is May 18, 2007, or until 3,000 applications are received (whichever occurs first). If 3,000 applications are received before May 18, 2007, then a notice will be posted on the home page of this site.
Recipients will be informed during July, 2007, that they have been awarded a scholarship. More specific information will be provided at that time related to the timing of award payments and other matters.
How does the application process work?
Applicants are required to submit a completed application, including transcripts plus evidence of active military duty to verify eligibility (e.g., a Statement of Service, a letter or written statement from the Personnel Department or the Commanding Officer, a copy of Duty Orders, a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty or a DD 214). Do NOT send in a copy of your military I.D.
· Please print and complete the PDF formatted application. Note that illegible applications will be deemed ineligible and will not be processed.
· Completed applications, mailed in one envelope, are due on or before May 18, 2007, and only the first 3,000 will be accepted. Scholarship America WILL NOT be able to match up proof of military duty and/or transcripts to applications if they are sent in separate envelopes.
The completed application and the eligibility verification document should be mailed to:
ThanksUSA Scholarship ProgramScholarship Americac/o Shellee HintzOne Scholarship WayP.O. Box 297Saint Peter, MN 56082
How do I learn more about these Scholarships?
To learn more about ThanksUSA Scholarships, please Contact Scholarship America. (shintz@scholarshipamerica.org) 1-877-THX-USAS (1-877-849-8727)

Source: http://www.ThanksUSA.org/main/scholarships.html.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Cherry Blossoms by Kayliegh




Phyllis and Kayliegh enjoyed a walk through the cherry blossoms today. We really enjoyed the walk and the beauty of the cherry blossoms and blue skies.

Photographs by 11 year old Kayliegh DeMunnik.

May God bless you!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Happy Easter! He is Risen!!!


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.


1 Peter 1:3-5


Without Christ's birth, death, and resurrection, Christianity would be meaningless. But because of it, we have hope and eternal life. Praise God for His unfathomably fantastic gift of love, mercy, and grace.

May God bless you this Easter and always!

Friday, April 06, 2007

Cherry Blossom Walk


We love walking around all the time, but especially when the cherry blossoms are blooming!
Photograph by Phyllis.
We hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!
May God bless you!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Cherry Blossom Time!


We went to Kenwood, MD to enjoy the cherry blossoms.
Photograph by Ben.
May God bless you!