Saturday, December 3, 2011

Happy December!

School is in full swing, sports are in season, and holidays are wizzing by. I love the fall-approaching-winter season, but I always feel the same way—my life is moving way too fast! As soon as the stores start putting up Christmas decorations (which sometimes can be as early as October. Yikes!), I feel like the world starts going into fast-forward mode. With all the excitement, activity, and, yes, homework, sometimes it can be hard to enjoy this wonderful time of year.

I hope all of you are having a great school year so far! And, I also hope that you have been able to spend some time with your SCA Sister. Even when life gets busy, it is important to continue investing in friendships with the people that you care about. Call your SCA Sister, write her a letter, plan a time to get together, or simply pray for her!

Psalm 23 is a Bible passage that has been on my mind lately (probably because I have to memorize it in Spanish for my Spanish class :)). It’s a passage that most of us are familiar with, but I think it is a perfect reminder of how much God loves us. When I read the passage, I am reminded of God’s omnipresence, omnipotence, love, grace, faithfulness, and kindness. I am filled with peace when I remember that God is sufficient for us no matter how crazy life gets. And, He is the best friend we are ever going to have. This Christmas season, take some time with your SCA Sister to talk about how God has been working in each of your lives.

Merry Christmas!!

With Much Love,

Ashlyn


The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Service Project Re-Cap

Hi SCA Sisters!

Thank you to all of you who joined us to serve at Open Doors Ministry last Thursday. Kari, the women in charge of volunteers, e-mailed me and said, “Thank you so much for bringing your young women mentoring group to serve with us. The boys were a great help too!”
For those of you who weren’t able to make it, we missed you! We hope you will be able to join us next time. If any of you have any other ideas for a service project (or fun SCA Sister event in general), please let us know!
In the meantime, let’s all remember to encourage our SCA Sisters to serve other this fall!

Love,

Ashlyn and Tessa





Tuesday, August 23, 2011

SCA Sisters' Service Project!

Hi SCA Sisters! 


     Please join us for a fun service project on September 15th from 12:30-2:30pm! 

For several years I (Ashlyn) have worked as an intern for Open Doors Ministry. I'd like to share with you my passion for the cause of Religious Freedom.

Open Doors Ministry recently launched a campaign about standing up for persecuted Christians. You can check out more information about the One With Them campaign at http://www.onewiththem.com/

Let's meet at the Open Doors' Office to learn more about religious persecution, and to help package bracelets for their new campaign.

We are hoping to car-pool up to the OD office in Santa Anna, so if any moms are willing to drive, please let us know. Parents and siblings are welcome! Please e-mail or call Ashlyn or Tessa ASAP to let us know if you will be coming. 

Please eat lunch before you come. Other than that, just come with hearts willing to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution for their faith!

Monday, August 22, 2011

What are you doing today? :)

“What are you doing today?” When my (Ashlyn’s) Little Sister Sarah texted me last Monday, I didn’t know how much fun I was going to have that afternoon! After I got off of work, I drove over to her house. We baked, talked, ironed (seriously!), made crafts, and discussed one of our favorite activities—reading. I had so much fun getting to know her! Sarah was ready to be spontaneous and to take initiative to make sure we spent time together. You don’t have to have an elaborate day planned to have enjoy being with your SCA Sister. Sarah and I raided the shelves to find cookie ingredients, and we had a blast!

So, what are you doing today? :)



Friday, August 19, 2011

Summer Activities


Allyson, Ellysa, and Carissa recently took their SCA Sisters (Denise, Elise, and Ollyvia) on a group date! They went to watch Winnie the Pooh and to eat lunch together. Allyson said, “These girls are amazing, and I’m looking forward to getting to know not just my SCA sister (Denise) better, but also my sisters’ SCA sisters too.” Going to movies and going out to lunch are two perfect activities to do with your SCA Sister! And, we love the idea of getting together with other sister pairs. :)

What have you all been doing with your sisters?  


Friday, July 29, 2011

Cheering for our SCA Sisters

I (TessaJoy) was so blessed to have my little sister, Naomi, come to cheer for me at my Junior Olympic Swim Meet. She even made me a great sign! Just as Naomi cheered me on, we can all be cheering on our little and big SCA Sisters to live for Jesus. 

What have you done with your SCA Sister lately? 



Friday, July 8, 2011

Words

Words are powerful. We probably all disagree with the cliché, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” As you deepen your friendship with your SCA Sister, be conscious of the words you use.
            Unfortunately, as girls, we can fall into the trap of gossip. Proverbs 16:28 says, “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” It is easy to  tell the latest “juicy news” about somebody else, but consider the impact that it has on that other person. In your conversations with our SCA Sisters, let’s choose to instead talk about things that would glorify God.
            Instead of gossiping, use your words to encourage one another! Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Even when we are not discussing Biblical topics,  we can use our words as a tool to encourage our sisters.
            It is our prayer that we can all be an encouragement to each other using our words! So, write a note, or give your sister a call this week! :) Happy summer! :)

Love,
Ashlyn and Tessa

Here are some ideas of topics to discuss with your SCA Sister:

Also, check out our website for devotional ideas: http://scasisters.webs.com/devotionals.htm

Friday, June 10, 2011

Kick-off Event!

Our kick-off event was success! Thank you to all who came, and to all who prayed for fun fellowship. Many of our sister pairs were able to connect, and some girls met each other for the first time! After sharing one interesting fact about each of our new “sisters,” Dani gave a little devotion about unity, which encouraged us all to grow closer together as sisters in Christ. Decorating over 150 cupcakes was the highlight of the event! From talking to playing soccer to jumping on the trampoline to snacking on many desserts, we all enjoyed getting to know each other better.

Happy summer, everyone! Please check out our website for some fun ideas to do with your SCA Sister! http://scasisters.webs.com/activityideas.htm Let us know about your adventures! :)

Love,

Ashlyn and Tessa

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Sister Pairs have been Announced!

We just sent out an e-mail to all of our SCA “Big Sisters” announcing the Sister Pairs! If you are a Big Sister, please check your e-mail and contact your Little Sister, inviting them to our June kick-off event. If you are a Little Sister, your Big Sister should be contacting you shortly. :) If for some reason you are a Big Sister and didn’t receive our e-mail, or a Little Sister and haven’t been contacted by your Big Sister by the end of the week, please let us know.

We hope you enjoy getting to know each other a little bit before our kick-off! If you are looking for ideas of fun activities to do with your sister, check out our website: http://scasisters.webs.com/activityideas.htm Feel free to post your own ideas in a comment to this blog post!

Love,

Ashlyn and Tessa

“We were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” ~1 Thessalonians 2:8

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Update :)

Tessa and I are almost finished with the sister pairs! In a couple of weeks, we will meet with the big sisters and reveal the pairings, then have a big kickoff lunch where you can begin your hopefully life-long friendship with your new SCA Sister! We can hardly wait!

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Life-long Friends

Last week, I had the privilege of spending time with another “little sister” of mine. I have known Lizzy since I was about six, so we have a wealth of memories together. Now, she is maturing into a beautiful young woman, and I have enjoyed watching her grow up. Lizzy has been involved in many areas of my life ranging from ballet classes to debate. Our friendship has included many long conversations, late nights, and lots of laughter! It is so much fun to grow closer to friends as the years progress.

When we were together last week, we reflected on the many memories we have together. We also created new memories, like, our quest to make cheap coffee taste good. I can imagine many new adventures together because soon she will be in high school!

Monday, February 28, 2011

Progress Report! :)

Many of you SCA girls have sent us applications to be big or little sisters! We are prayerfully beginning to make the pairs and so looking forward to our “sister kick-off” in May. Keep the applications coming, and stay tuned for the dates for our big sister meeting and "sister kick-off"! :)

(If you are just joining us, please check out our website: http://scasisters.webs.com/)

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Tribute to Our Mom

From setting up little tea-parties for us when we were younger, to supporting us by cheering for Tessa in a swim race, or by watching Ashlyn’s debate rounds, our mother holds a special place in our lives.  Over the years, she has always taken the time to lovingly decorate our rooms, make birthdays special, or create fun memories and traditions.  Our mom has faithfully prayed for every aspect of our lives, and for ways to help us to develop our gifts and talents.  This special friend and confidant also whole-heartedly encourages us to pursue our passions.  We know how fortunate we are to have her unconditional and deep love!  She is the truest of blessings to us.
 Being the likeable person that she is, our mom constantly reaches out to others, and gives them encouragement.  It is not uncommon for her to take the time to help a mom get started with home schooling, to make a meal to share with a sick friend’s family, or to leave a special surprise on someone’s doorstep.  She often includes us in these endeavors and so we get to share her joy in blessing others!
Besides reaching out to the people in her life, my mom also cares for our each and every need.  With the huge commitment she has made to home-school us, our mom has a tiring job!  Regardless, she finds time to support us, to stay by our side through tough times, and to encourage us to each have a strong walk with the Lord.  We are sure that at least once every week of our lives, she has written us notes of encouragement in one form or another!  What a gift!  Some of our favorite  “Olson girl” things to do together are to cook and bake, serve others, work out at the gym, explore museums and historical sites, study the Bible, shop, take long walks, and talk and talk at all hours of the day and night.  Probably the most fun we have are our frequent “girls only” nights where we watch a special movie and eat our “traditional” foods: brie cheese, roasted garlic, bread, and fruit!  J
One of the most important things our mom has done for us is to teach us to be true friends with each other and with our brothers.  The four of us siblings are a team!  Because of what our mom has modeled for us, making banners to celebrate each other’s achievements, attending events that are special to each other, and just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company, come very naturally to us.  And, since we were very little, our mom has helped us to appreciate and enjoy the gift it is to have a sister. Without a doubt, the two of us are best friends, and we are sure that her influence has helped us to get there!
 Finally, our mom is a Godly woman, who not only spends time with the Lord, but influences others to do the same.  One of our mom’s best qualities is her dedication to her spiritual life.  By watching her stand strong in her faith, and seeing her commitment to grow as a person, it encourages us to do the same.  Ever since we can remember she has prayed with us and taught us to see life from a Christian world view.  She knows God’s word and lives out what she teaches us.
 We love our mom and we want to encourage all of you to love you mother with all of your hearts!!  A loving mom is one of the best gifts that God has given to each of us.  We all have much to learn from our moms, and we are all blessed to have their love and commitment to do what is best for us.
As you hang out with your SCA Sister, maybe you could take some time to talk about your moms and their influence in your lives. J 
WE LOVE YOU, MOM!!!
Ashlyn -and- TessaJoy

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Greatest Commandments

We have all heard the two greatest commandments from Matthew 22:37-39. But, what does it mean to truly love God with all of your heart?  How do we really love our neighbor as oneself?

Loving God will all of our heart, soul, and mind means rejoicing in His presence. We can be content in whatever circumstance He places us in, because we have the confidence that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We should delight in reading His word, and continually strive to praise Him in our words, thoughts, and actions.

Loving your neighbor as yourself means reaching out to others in the way that we would want to be reached out to. We should not treat others with selfishness, irritability, or indifference. Forgiveness and grace are key to success in any relationship.  

Our prayer is that God will bless these sweet sister-friendships that are growing within SCA. Will you pray for that too?

JOY can stand for Jesus Others Yourself. True joy comes from obeying God’s greatest commandments and placing Jesus and others before ourselves. So, as we reach out to our sisters in Christ, from infants to grandmas, we are obeying Jesus and furthering His Kingdom. Isn’t that exciting? J

Saturday, January 29, 2011

2nd Moms

          In SCA, I (Ashlyn) often feel like we are all one big family. We are so blessed to be immersed in an atmosphere of love. That is the true blessing of the body of Christ! But, not only do I feel as if I am surrounded by “adopted” sisters (and brothers); I am surrounded by “adopted” moms, who I have fondly named “2nd Moms.” These moms would have open arms for all of us.
Two moms in particular come to my mind—Mrs. R and Mrs. T.
I have known Mrs. R since I was born…literally. Mrs. R and my mom went to highschool together, and have stayed friends ever since. Therefore, this adopted mom has always been in my life. Because of pure the amount of time I’ve known her, I feel like I can be totally myself around her. When you first get to know someone, it can be hard to feel like you can be yourself around someone, especially adults. But, the comfort that comes with just knowing someone for a long period of time helps a lot. You may or may not know your new “big sister” that well, and it may take some time to feel completely comfortable around her. That should just be motivation to keep trying and keep opening yourself up to her!
While I haven’t known Mrs. T for quiet as long as Mrs. R, I instantly loved her. Mrs. T has three wonderful boys, but is lacking a girl. So, I like pretending I am her “adopted daughter.” Long conversations don’t have to just be with highschool friends. I have found that some of my most enjoyable conversations have been with Mrs. T. When you find something in common with an adult, they can offer wisdom, advice, and can actually be fun to be around. Mrs. T is not only my friend, but also a teacher—of extemp, Spanish, and life. I’m so thankful for her!
Get to know not only your SCA Sister, but her mom too! Reach throughout the generations. These women have so much to give and teach us if we just give them a chance. And, we can be a blessing in their lives as well! When we go off to college one day, I think we will realize how immensely blessed we are to be surrounded by a loving body of Christ. I have been blessed by my teachers, my mom’s friends, my friends’ moms, etc.—shout out to Mrs. S, the other Mrs. S., Mrs. G, Mrs. C, Mrs. N, and Mrs. B! J These are truly Godly women, and there are many more whom I do not have time to list.
Even beyond our SCA moms, we can look for Godly friendship and wisdom within our own families. Tessa and I have been blessed with kind grandmothers who take an interest in our lives and pray for us daily. Aunts (and cousins too) can also be special friends. Even one of my good friend’s grandmas has played a special role in my life! :)
And, perhaps the greatest blessing of all would be our own moms…stayed tuned for a tribute to our mom!
Thank you, 2nd moms for blessing me! It is our hope and prayer that all of us at SCA will grow closer together—moms and daughters!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Welcome!

If this is your first time reading our blog, welcome! We started this blog because we have been so blessed by older girls who have invested time in our lives, and we want to encourage others to do the same! We hope this blog will be a place for all of you to share your stories of mentoring and encouraging other girls at SCA. We call these relationships "SCA Sisters". Please feel free to share stories and pictures (get permission from your "sister" first!) If you have trouble posting, please contact us and we'll help you!
For more information, check out our website! http://scasisters.webs.com/

“We were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” ~1 Thessalonians 2:8

Including Others

I(Tessa) will never forget what it felt like one day in 6th grade when all of my friends got a special part in an SCA play and I did not.  Although I was happy for my friends,  on that first day back to choir (after the parts had been given out), it was difficult for me to watch those in the cast go off into a corner and talk excitedly about their parts. Of course, they had no idea that I fought back tears as I imagined a whole semester of feeling left out. They would never have intentionally hurt me! As time went on, it got easier, and I even made some new friends. But now, I can use this experience to remember to be aware of the feelings of those around me.
 We can all encourage our sisters in Christ and SCA friends by working to not leave anyone out. For instance, posting pictures on Facebook of a fun time shared is really great, but if someone might be hurt by it, maybe we should think twice before posting. Birthday parties, sharing inside jokes, and inviting your best buddy to sit by you in class are opportunities to be inclusive, or to be sensitive and reach out to those who might be feeling left out. I am not perfect at this, and I hope that we can all quickly forgive and extend grace to each other when we make mistakes, because I know we are all striving to share the love of Jesus with each other.  We are all still growing and learning, of course!  So, let’s keep encouraging and reminding each other to be sensitive. How does that sound? :)
Our hope with starting “SCA Sisters” is that we will all reach out beyond our comfortable group of friends to also get to know other, great girls at SCA. Being Christians and homeschooled is a unique bond that we all share. We hope that we can all “build each other up” and be one big family!

Shout Out to My Real Sister! (From Tessa)

Growing up with a real big sister is a true gift from God. Ashlyn and I (Tessa) are only 16 months apart. She likes all things related to politics, debate, and history, while my interests are more in athletics, music, and art. She is an extrovert and I’m an introvert. Despite our differences, we get along great! We love spending time together. So this is a “shout out” to my real big sister: “I love you!  From playing dolls when we were younger, to our long talks EVERY night in our room, you are a wonderful friend to have. You are the best thing that ever happened to me!!!”

The Blessing of Younger Girls

The other day I (Ashlyn) had the wonderful privilege of having a long conversation with Mika. I’ve only known Mika for about a year, but every time I have the chance to talk with her, she brightens my day. She’s a couple of grades younger than I am, and yet, she teaches me a lot. She is the perfect example of how, in a friendship between and older and younger girl, it doesn’t always have to be the older one ministering to the younger one. In fact, I admire and I have learned a lot from Mika! She genuinely takes in interest in how I am doing, and I always feel like she cares about me. I have much to learn from her joyful countenance, and gentle spirit. This particular day, while watching my siblings’ swim practice, we began talking with a mom whom we did not know. Because Mika is so friendly and engaging, she immediately found out that this mom’s daughter ran triathlons (which Mika just happens to be amazing at), and sweet Mika began pouring out encouragement and competition “tips” to this complete stranger. I could just see how blessed the mom felt, and I felt proud to be Mika’s friend. Even our younger sisters in Christ can make an impact on our lives. Isn’t it neat how God works that way? :)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Pictures of the below post :)


Alex and Ashlyn in 2008


Alex and Ashlyn now

Closing the Age Gap

Have you ever noticed that the older you get, the less age seems to matter? For example, someone whom my mom used to babysit, is now one of her favorite friends. I (Ashlyn) have someone like that in my life too.
 At first my friend Alex used to come over and “help” me babysit my siblings. At the time, I was just a little bit too young to be responsible for my youngest brother, but a little bit too old to really need a babysitter. So, Alex, four years older than I am, sort of babysat all of us. She was fun, and yet, when everyone went to bed, the two of us would stay up and talk about all kinds of important things. I learned a lot from her during those times, and I looked up to her. She always made a point of hanging out with me at different SCA events, and never made me feel like she viewed me as “young”. Alex and I became good friends right when I was hitting the “emotional stage,” if you know what I mean. :) She was there to wipe my tears whenever I had something on my mind. I vividly remember having a particularly hard day, and she took me aside and hugged me and prayed with me. What a blessing! As the years went on, she did not seem “older” any more. Now, we are true friends~ mutually enjoying and encouraging each other as if there is not much age-difference at all anymore. Alex has recently embarked on an exciting adventure in New York City, and we frequently talk via e-mail, Skype, and phone calls. As time goes on, age doesn’t seem to matter as much. The girl who started out as my “babysitter” is now one of my closest friends, and I am grateful.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Two Great Girls

Although not “official” mentorships, there are two younger SCA girls that especially come to mind when I (Ashlyn)think of investing in the life of someone else. Anna and Emma are special to me and a lot of fun to spend time with too.

Emma has a great family newsletter that she writes and sends to me monthly. She is so talented and I feel special to be included on her mailing list. She and I are both letter writers, so we send a lot of snail mail back and forth! With email and Facebook being so popular, it’s especially fun for me to get a real letter from Emma! Whenever I see her, I make a point of checking in on her latest news. We have a few (both good and challenging) things in common, and I pray that God will use me as an encouragement in Emma’s life!

I have known Anna for as many years as I can remember. Once, both our families were involved in a team teaching group. It was then that I grew to appreciate her intelligence and curiosity about life. Recently, she began to compete on our speech and debate team. Remembering how intimidating that could all be at first, I have enjoyed helping her with her speeches and debate cases. Just the other day, she came over to my house to practice, and we had a great time! I was even able to give her a couple of my now-too-small-debate suits. In so many ways, I am blessed to have Anna as a part of my life!

Friday, January 7, 2011

The Inspiration for SCA Sisters!

Our SCA Sisters

Please allow us the priviledge of introducing OUR SCA sisters--the inspirations for this mentoring program.

Ashlyn's "Big Sister" Priscilla :
When I (Ashlyn) was about ten, I had a big interest in competitive speech and debate and really looked up to an older SCA girl who was a part of the SCARLET team. Priscilla was so gracious to reach out to me over the years when she was a high school student at SCA, and even while she attended Patrick Henry College. Over the years, Priscilla took the time to help me to write debate cases, to write me notes of encouragement, and to do a summer Bible Study with me. I remember feeling so proud to be invited to her 16th birthday party when I was only eleven! And, most recently, I felt honored to recieve a phone call from her right after her engagement, and to attend her wedding. To this day, Priscilla is a role model and close friend to me. This adopted “sister” and several older SCA friends have had a great amount of influence on my walk with the Lord and my life in general.

Priscilla and Ashlyn in 2008
Priscilla and Ashlyn now

TessaJoy's "Big Sister" Christy :
I (Tessa) have attended SCA’s Forest Home Family Camp for many years with my family. It was there that I met an older SCA student, Christy. She has been such an encouragement to me over the past 4 years, even though she is years about six years older than I am. We are both swimmers, and she has taken the time to work with me on my strokes. She has taken me shopping and “spoiled” me by buying me clothes. More than once she has attended my swim meets to cheer me on. What especially stands out to me is the time that she came a long ways to give me encouragement the first time that I had to race a mile. I was so nervous, but just being with her before the race, and seeing her jumping up and down in excitement while I swam was a huge encouragement to me. Christy has written me notes and talked with me on the phone about whatever is on my mind. I am so grateful for Christy and for other kind-hearted girls who have shared their lives with me.

Christy and TessaJoy 2008

Christy and TessaJoy now