Family Edition (March/April 2018)
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SKGfun<br />
magazine<br />
helping girls navigate the teen years, with big smiles and copious laughter<br />
<strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
<strong>Family</strong>
SKG fun<br />
M A R C H - A P R I L 2 0 1 8<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
- writers -<br />
SARAH CNOSSEN / REBECCA CARAWAY / JULIA FINDLEY /<br />
ANNIE LOUISE TWITCHELL / OLIVIA NICKERSON / ANA<br />
MORAN / KATE JONES / RACHEL BROWN<br />
- photography -<br />
LEAH BUFFALINO<br />
- design -<br />
AMANDA BROWN<br />
Volume No. 7, Issue No. 2<br />
W W W . S K G F U N . C O M
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
SKG FUN<br />
THEME: FAMILY<br />
Respecting Parents not easy, very right 04<br />
Movies To Watch With Your <strong>Family</strong> 06<br />
Middle Child Stereotypes 09<br />
Listening Makes Us Stronger 12<br />
15<br />
Keeping Your Cool<br />
T<br />
09<br />
Middle Child Stereotypes<br />
Why Your Sister Should Be Your Best<br />
Friend<br />
Front cover: Leah Buffalino<br />
23<br />
T-shirts Ad 24<br />
Credits 25<br />
Keeping Your Cool 15<br />
Dad and Daughter 21<br />
Standing Up For Your <strong>Family</strong> 22<br />
23<br />
Why Your Sister Should Be Your Best Friend<br />
Visit<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
to view this current issue on your<br />
computer
SKG FUN<br />
EDITOR'S NOTE<br />
Amanda Brown<br />
E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F<br />
I'm independent. Almost to a fault. At least . . . that's what I tell myself.<br />
I often get in trouble for coming home from school and holing myself away in my room. My<br />
family loves me, and they want to talk to me! Why does Amanda hide from us ? Does she not<br />
love us? That's far from the truth, of course. I really do love my family, I just need time to reset<br />
from my day. And to be honest, I can't deal with being by myself too long. I'll need other people<br />
eventually. Just wait for me to come around.<br />
Everybody needs somebody. On Valentine's Day, I realized this truth: none of us are truly single.<br />
No one does life by themselves. Even the most alone person in the world has God with them,<br />
holding their hand through the darkness.<br />
Many of us have been blessed with families that make our "single" journey not so single. So this<br />
issue is a charge to us all to go against our culture that tells us to rebel against our parents; hate<br />
our siblings; and really just count down the days until we get out of the house.<br />
I hope each of you reading this magazine have been blessed with such a wonderful family as I<br />
have. I know that not everyone is as lucky as me, and if you're one of those people, I want you to<br />
know that I'm here for you. We're not overlooking you. Everyone is wanted by somebody.<br />
So whether you're a middle child, a bossy oldest (DUDE, SAME), the spoiled baby or only child,<br />
or out on your own: this issue is for you.<br />
From your family at SKGfun<br />
S K G F U N | 2
A FAMILY'S TREASURE IS ALWAYS STORED IN THE<br />
SAFEST OF PLACES<br />
FOUR WALLS MAKE A HOUSE BUT A FAMILY TO LOVE<br />
IT MAKES IT A HOME<br />
THERE CAN'T BE A BEGINNING WITHOUT AN END. SO<br />
YES.<br />
MAYBE SOMEONE FROM THE PUZZLE OF A LARGE<br />
AND BEAUTIFUL FAMILY HAS LEFT THAT EMPTY<br />
SPOT. NEVER TO BE PERFECTLY FILLED AGAIN<br />
THERE WILL BE MEMORIES STORED TIGHTLY THO. BC<br />
MAYBE THOSE FOUR WALLS KNOW THE STORY BUT<br />
IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO CARRY IT FOREVER<br />
- JULIA RYAN<br />
S K G F U N | 3
FEATURE<br />
MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
parents<br />
respecting<br />
n o t e a s y , v e r y r i g h t<br />
by sarah cnossen<br />
“ E a c h o f y o u i s t o r e s p e c t h i s<br />
m o t h e r a n d f a t h e r . . . ”<br />
L e v i t i c u s 1 9 : 3 a<br />
To begin, I believe it is worth<br />
saying that I am a wife and<br />
homemaker now, and no<br />
longer living under the<br />
authority of my parents. And,<br />
at the ripe age of five and<br />
twenty (quite possibly the<br />
eldest of our fabulous writers<br />
here at SKGfun), I can look<br />
back on my years in my<br />
parents' household with<br />
thankfulness for their<br />
encouragement, discipline,<br />
support, and love.<br />
Both my mother and father<br />
taught my three siblings and<br />
me respect from the start – be<br />
it opening doors for others in<br />
daughter), making eye contact<br />
when conversing, or putting<br />
away our books when company<br />
was visiting (no matter that<br />
you were at an amazing part of<br />
the story). But most<br />
importantly, we had to learn<br />
to respect them.<br />
I t i s n e v e r<br />
e a s y .<br />
They seem to NEVER allow us to<br />
do what we want to do. Or go<br />
where we desire. Maybe they<br />
are overbearing and<br />
overprotective. Perhaps they<br />
are controlling.<br />
kindness (whether son or S K G F U N | 4
h e y a r e h u m a n j u s t l i k e y o u a n d I a n d t h e y a r e m o s t<br />
t<br />
e f i n i t e l y n o t p e r f e c t . B u t g u e s s w h a t ? N e i t h e r a r e<br />
d<br />
obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right.<br />
“Children,<br />
your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a<br />
Honor<br />
so that it may go well with you and that you may have long life<br />
promise:<br />
the land.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)<br />
in<br />
FEATURE<br />
MARCH/APRIL 2017<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
O n e t h i n g i s c e r t a i n :<br />
w e !<br />
I know you've heard it a gazillion times, but<br />
it is truth when they tell you they were once<br />
teens themselves and they've been in your<br />
shoes. I find it amazing that God grants<br />
parents a kind of foresight in directing their<br />
children in the way they should go – having<br />
gathered their own experiences growing up.<br />
Often, where we see grand adventure in our<br />
direct future, our parents see a mistake or<br />
even danger, and will caution us from<br />
venturing further. It is up to us as the<br />
children whether we RESPECT and obey<br />
their warnings or not. And it could very well<br />
mean avoiding hard lessons and gaining<br />
wisdom.<br />
{Unfortunately, there are people who do not<br />
have the moral foundation of our Lord and<br />
His Word to fall back on. In those cases,<br />
obeying and respecting immoral parents can<br />
be extremely difficult and there may be times<br />
where the son or daughter must avoid<br />
obedience. However, it is still possible to<br />
respect those parents (and perhaps be a Light<br />
to them). But that is a discussion for another<br />
day.)<br />
In the long run, respecting your mum and<br />
dad shows that you cherish their opinions and<br />
advice. You care for them and wish to make<br />
them proud. (Though believe me<br />
L i s t e n , m y s o n , t o y o u r f a t h e r ' s<br />
“<br />
n s t r u c t i o n , a n d d o n ' t r e j e c t<br />
i<br />
o u r m o t h e r ' s t e a c h i n g , f o r t h e y<br />
y<br />
i l l b e a g a r l a n d o f g r a c e o n<br />
w<br />
o u r h e a d a n d a g o l d c h a i n a r o u n d<br />
y<br />
o u r n e c k . ” ( P r o v e r b s 1 : 8 - 9 )<br />
y<br />
when I say this: they are<br />
already proud of you! And<br />
there is no need to try to<br />
“earn” it.) Who knows?<br />
Maybe one day, the<br />
overbearing parent to whom<br />
you have shown respect will<br />
become one of your greatest<br />
confidants. It is so sweet to<br />
see the parent/child<br />
relationship grow from that<br />
starting point to one of<br />
unbreakable friendship.<br />
I greatly respect my own<br />
parents and am beyond<br />
grateful for their<br />
unconditional love and faith<br />
and patience in me. We may<br />
not agree on absolutely<br />
everything, but that is the<br />
beauty of being our own<br />
selves. We each contribute<br />
our personal experiences and<br />
acquired knowledge, and in<br />
turn learn from each other.<br />
S K G F U N | 5
watch<br />
to<br />
your family<br />
with<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
movies<br />
b y r e b e c c a c a r a w a y<br />
S K G F U N | 6
MOVIES TO WATCH MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
It’s hard to find a movie that your whole family<br />
can watch together and enjoy.<br />
You may want to watch something more mature but you have to<br />
make sure it’s appropriate for the rest of your siblings.<br />
It’s hard for a family to pick a<br />
t h e<br />
movie that they think everyone<br />
p r i n c e s s<br />
can enjoy and watch together.<br />
b r i d e ( 1 9 8 7 )<br />
This movie is a classic so there’s a good chance<br />
you’ve already seen it. But it’s an amazing movie, so<br />
why not watch it again? And if you haven’t seen<br />
1.<br />
it<br />
then I highly recommend you do. It has sword fights,<br />
mystery, love, pirates, and a princess. This is a great<br />
movie to get out the candy and popcorn and have a<br />
quiet night at home with your family.<br />
Here is a list of five movies that<br />
everyone in your family will be<br />
able to sit down and enjoy<br />
together. This list is in no<br />
particular order.<br />
F a c i n g<br />
M i n e , y o u r s ,<br />
t h e<br />
a n d o u r s<br />
g i a n t s<br />
This is an adorable movie about Frank Beardsley, a<br />
single father of eight kids who decides to move his<br />
family back to his home town. There, he bumps into his<br />
high school sweetheart Helen North who has ten kids<br />
3.<br />
of<br />
her own. The two decide to get married and then they<br />
move into an old light house with their now eighteen<br />
children. I know it sounds a little silly, but trust me: this<br />
movie is so cute and worth the watch.<br />
This is a heartwarming and inspiring<br />
movie about a high school football<br />
coach who finds out he might be<br />
2.<br />
fired<br />
at the end of the season. Because of<br />
this, he comes up with a new coaching<br />
method that uses faith to conquer fear.<br />
( 2 0 0 6 )<br />
( 2 0 0 5 )<br />
S K G F U N | 7
MOVIES TO WATCH JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
This is my favorite movie of all time. This<br />
movie is packed with underrated and<br />
amazing actors/actresses. It’s about two girls<br />
who meet at a summer camp and<br />
4.<br />
quickly<br />
realize they have the same parents. This<br />
movie brings out important messages like,<br />
sisterhood, family, and love that outlast<br />
time.<br />
These are all movies<br />
that my whole family<br />
enjoys and we try to get<br />
together and watch<br />
them as much as<br />
possible. I hope you<br />
watch one of these for<br />
your next family movie<br />
night.<br />
s u r f e r<br />
( 2 0 1 1 )<br />
This movie is about the<br />
incredible true story of<br />
Bethany Hamilton,<br />
5.<br />
a<br />
professional surfer who’s arm<br />
gets bit off by a shark. This<br />
movie talks about faith<br />
conquering all and encourages<br />
you never to give up on your<br />
dreams even if the odds are<br />
stacked against you. Bethany<br />
Hamilton has always been a<br />
huge inspiration to me.<br />
s o u l<br />
S K G F U N | 8
stereotypes<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
middle<br />
CHILD<br />
b y j u l i a f i n d l e y<br />
S K G F U N | 9
MIDDLE CHILD STEREOTYPES MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
Before we begin, I would like to say<br />
that most people say I am not an<br />
actually middle child. I’m number<br />
five out of six kids, but I have an older<br />
sister and a younger sister. That<br />
makes me the middle. Ask anyone in<br />
my family and they will agree.<br />
You know how the middle child is supposed to be this<br />
person who brings the family together in hard times.<br />
Yeah . . . so not true. But that's because really any<br />
sibling can do this. The older sibling can bring<br />
together the middle and youngest or the youngest<br />
can bring their older siblings together. Now, I<br />
understand the middle child is the middle so like the oreo<br />
cream holds the cookies together. But honestly anyone<br />
can do our jobs. We need a vacation anyway.<br />
1. GLUE<br />
b y a n n i e l o u i s e t w i t c h e l l<br />
Yeah, no. This isn't true in my family at ALL. In fact,<br />
I am known for starting fights, not ending them. Being<br />
the middle child, you feel stuck and sometimes you<br />
can get angry or you just want to push some buttons.<br />
So you do just that. In fact the oldest sibling should<br />
be the fight solver. They are the ones told to use their<br />
“maturity."<br />
the<br />
2.<br />
fight<br />
solver<br />
S K G F U N | 1 0
MIDDLE CHILD STEREOTYPES MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
show<br />
This is so not true. I would say that we do have to be a<br />
little bit louder to get our parents' attention but so<br />
does the oldest child. Usually the baby is the one that<br />
gets all of the love and care. So we have to show what<br />
we can do. Although this once lead to me disobeying<br />
my mother and ripping my favorite play dress (ide<br />
note: who invented the play dress? It was so annoying<br />
not being able to play on the playground without<br />
shorts on underneath.).<br />
offs<br />
3.<br />
If you ever feel that you aren't loved,<br />
that's not true. Your family cares.<br />
Sometimes it might seem that no one is<br />
there for you but it's not true at all. You<br />
always have someone to be there for you. Don't<br />
ever feel that you aren't loved just because<br />
you can’t find a baby picture by yourself,<br />
or any baby photos for that matter. But<br />
you have parents and friends and siblings.<br />
You are never invisible.<br />
we<br />
are<br />
4.<br />
invisible<br />
S K G F U N | 1 1
SKGFUN.COM<br />
m a k e s u s<br />
l i s t e n i n g<br />
s t r o n g e r<br />
b y a n n i e l o u i s e t w i t c h e l l<br />
S K G F U N | 1 2
LISTENING MAKES US STRONGER MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
After I turned eighteen, Aunt C, a close friend<br />
of my family, asked if I would go over to their<br />
place and spend nights taking care of Grandpa.<br />
H e j u s t n e e d e d s o m e o n e t o<br />
k e e p a n e y e o n h i m , t e n d t h e<br />
f i r e , m a k e s u r e h e t o o k t h e<br />
d r e a d e d p i l l s , a n d k e e p h i m<br />
c o m p a n y w h i l e s h e w a s a w a y . I<br />
a g r e e d , b e c a u s e t h e y o n l y l i v e a<br />
c o u p l e m i l e s a w a y , a n d p a c k e d<br />
m y b a c k p a c k .<br />
E v e r y n i g h t I n e e d e d t o t a k e<br />
o f f h i s c o m p r e s s i o n s o c k s a n d<br />
m a s s a g e h i s f e e t w i t h l o t i o n ,<br />
a n d e v e r y m o r n i n g I n e e d e d t o<br />
p u t o n m o r e l o t i o n a n d p u t t h e<br />
s o c k s b a c k o n . S i t t i n g o n a<br />
f o o t s t o o l i n f r o n t o f t h e b i g<br />
b l u e r e c l i n e r , I w a s a n a t t e n t i v e<br />
a u d i e n c e f o r h i s s t o r i e s .<br />
T h e e n t i r e w e e k I w a s t h e r e ,<br />
I h e a r d t h e s a m e h a l f d o z e n<br />
s t o r i e s , o v e r a n d o v e r a g a i n .<br />
My first impulse when he began<br />
repeating stories was to ignore him<br />
and go back to my writing in the<br />
bedroom upstairs, but I paused for<br />
just a moment and asked myself<br />
why. Why didn’t I want to stay and<br />
listen? It was true that he told the<br />
same stories without<br />
remembering that he’d told them<br />
to me that morning, but I<br />
decided that didn’t matter. I<br />
listened to the stories as if<br />
reading a familiar storybook for<br />
the hundredth time, and<br />
something odd happened.<br />
I saw his old, heavy hands that<br />
shook when he picked up the cup<br />
for some water, but I saw the<br />
hands that had raised hundreds<br />
of cattle while his brothers were<br />
overseas during World War II. I<br />
saw the tired eyes, watery and<br />
failing, but I saw the tears he<br />
might have hidden when he<br />
learned one of his brothers was<br />
a POW. I heard the faltering<br />
words of a man who couldn’t<br />
quite remember, but I peeked<br />
back in time through the window<br />
his words provided. I could see<br />
his whole life played out in a line<br />
of stories and I could feel in my<br />
heart all the hollow places where<br />
the stories he couldn’t remember<br />
went.<br />
S K G F U N | 1 5<br />
S K G F U N | 1 3
LISTENING MAKES US STRONGER MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
One night when he’d gone to bed<br />
and I was upstairs trying to get my<br />
anxious mind to calm down and<br />
rest, I realized that I’d done this<br />
before. Not the medical care, the<br />
pills and everything, but the stories.<br />
Our next-door neighbor in our little<br />
village was an elderly woman who<br />
lived alone.<br />
My brothers shoveled her driveway<br />
and tended the lawn, but I got to<br />
help her in the flower garden. I’d<br />
play in our yard during summer<br />
afternoons and if she came out to<br />
garden, I’d run and ask Mom if I<br />
could go help her. Impi told me<br />
stories about her husband Joe,<br />
whom I vaguely remembered,<br />
driving their children to school in<br />
his police car. She told me about the<br />
oak tree she’d planted on the property<br />
when they moved in that still housed an<br />
impish gray squirrel. She showed me<br />
how to weed around flagstones<br />
without moving them, and we’d<br />
both stop and pet the cat-abouttown<br />
when he made his daily visit.<br />
L i s t e n i n g , I ’ v e l e a r n e d ,<br />
i s i m p o r t a n t . A n d n o t<br />
j u s t f o r t h e s a k e o f t h e<br />
They need us to hear, it’s true.<br />
Telling stories is a way of<br />
remembering, and being old is<br />
often very lonely. But we also need<br />
to listen. We need to take the time<br />
to be still, to sit quietly, and to<br />
breathe in someone else’s thoughts<br />
and stories and memories. Listening<br />
to my grandparents, to my beloved<br />
Grammie Louise before she passed<br />
away, and to the elders I inevitably<br />
surround myself with, I’ve learned<br />
things about myself that I might not<br />
have learned otherwise: I’ve learned<br />
where I came from. I’ve learned<br />
what bricks went into forming my<br />
parents and into forming me. I’ve<br />
learned about my roots, and they’re<br />
not some distant thing that<br />
genealogists are interested in.<br />
They’re real and they’re inside me.<br />
The way I talk, the way I think, the<br />
things I believe. Learning about my<br />
past is one of the ways I connect<br />
with my present, and even with my<br />
future. Learning their stories has<br />
helped shape, encourage, and<br />
brighten mine.<br />
Next time you’re at family reunion<br />
and Aunt Sue sits down next to you<br />
and starts talking, instead of leaving<br />
or ignoring or feeling frustrated,<br />
just listen. You’ll make her feel<br />
better and less lonely, and you<br />
might learn something you didn’t<br />
know about your family or even<br />
yourself.<br />
o t h e r p e r s o n .<br />
S K G F U N | 1 5<br />
S K G F U N | 1 4
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
keeping<br />
yo ur<br />
COOL<br />
b y o l i v i a n i c k e r s o n<br />
S K G F U N | 1 5
S I<br />
B L<br />
I N<br />
G S<br />
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
If you have any, you'll<br />
know beyond a shadow of<br />
a doubt that we all have<br />
times where we don't get<br />
along. Keeping a cool and<br />
patient attitude with your<br />
sibs can be very, very, very<br />
hard!<br />
As one of nine kids, I've<br />
experienced a lot of<br />
conflict with my siblings.<br />
Over the years I've learned<br />
things to remember in<br />
those situations of feeling<br />
angry, frustrated, hurt, or<br />
just plain unforgiving<br />
towards my siblings. That's<br />
what I want to share<br />
with you! Girls, as<br />
Christians, it's hard to be a<br />
continual example and<br />
light for Christ, especially<br />
in our daily lives and with<br />
our family! But it IS<br />
possible to maintain a cool,<br />
patient attitude with your<br />
siblings! Let's get started,<br />
shall we?<br />
S K G F U N | 1 6
o h b r o t h e r<br />
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
(1) They're not perfect.<br />
We can have a tendency to<br />
put such a huge weight on<br />
our siblings, because we<br />
expect them to be perfect!<br />
Oh, yes, we may not<br />
mention it or think of it in<br />
that particular way, but<br />
let’s put it like this; have<br />
you ever gotten angry or<br />
hurt because your siblings<br />
didn’t do what you<br />
wanted, or because they<br />
didn’t respond in a way<br />
you wanted them<br />
to? There are other<br />
examples I could use, but<br />
this shows two things.<br />
One, we’re selfish human<br />
beings, and two, we’re<br />
expecting our siblings to<br />
know to do things the way<br />
WE want them to, thus<br />
expecting them to be<br />
perfect in those areas.<br />
When we realize and<br />
know that we all have the<br />
same sin problem that<br />
only God can help us with,<br />
we can easily forgive<br />
others and resolve<br />
conflicts with those who<br />
aren’t any more perfect<br />
than we are.<br />
S K G F U N | 1 7
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
(2) Remember how Jesus<br />
would act.<br />
It’s difficult, especially<br />
when you’re in the middle<br />
of the situation, but if you<br />
feed yourself with the<br />
truth (reading, memorizing,<br />
and continually infusing<br />
yourself in God’s Word), it<br />
will be easier for you to<br />
remember Jesus and how<br />
He would act in the<br />
particular situation. Think,<br />
“Would Jesus be<br />
impatient? Would Jesus<br />
take offense easily?<br />
Would Jesus be selfish?<br />
Would Jesus think of<br />
Himself?”<br />
As a sibling, and especially<br />
as a Christian, it’s our<br />
responsibility and duty to<br />
be a good role model and<br />
example of Christ,<br />
especially with those you<br />
most spend time with!<br />
As Christians, we are<br />
children of the King, Jesus<br />
Christ. That means we’re<br />
His representatives.<br />
Sure, we fail so often it’s a<br />
wonder we can be a good<br />
example at all, but you do<br />
your duty, and let GOD<br />
take care of the rest. I<br />
would encourage you to<br />
memorize, or at least have<br />
a good handle on the<br />
verses of 1 Corinthians 13,<br />
especially the first eight<br />
verses or so. When you’re<br />
in a conflict with your<br />
sibling(s), think about the<br />
passage, and remember<br />
what love is supposed to<br />
look like. Jesus Christ<br />
showed this perfectly<br />
when He willingly laid<br />
down His life for sinners<br />
like me and like you so<br />
that we could be born<br />
again and follow in His<br />
example. In Matthew<br />
16:24, “Jesus told his<br />
disciples, ‘If anyone would<br />
come after me, let him<br />
deny himself and take up<br />
his cross and follow me.’”<br />
“Taking up your cross” is<br />
showing love to others<br />
even when they may not<br />
deserve it, to not be<br />
thinking of yourself, but<br />
having a selfless and<br />
considerate spirit. It’s not<br />
easy, but just start in small<br />
ways. God will help you<br />
with the rest.<br />
(3) Don’t let Satan get<br />
ahold of you!<br />
As Ephesians 4:26-27 puts<br />
so perfectly, “Be angry and<br />
do not sin; do not let the<br />
sun go down on your<br />
anger, and give no<br />
opportunity to the devil.”<br />
S K G F U N | 1 8
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
If you know the story of<br />
Adam and Eve in the book<br />
of Genesis in the Bible,<br />
you’ll know that because<br />
they disobeyed God, the<br />
curse of sin fell upon the<br />
entire human race, and, as<br />
a result, we all have a<br />
sinful nature right from<br />
the very beginning.<br />
It’s no wonder our natural<br />
response is to lash out<br />
when we get<br />
uncomfortable or feel<br />
reproved or provoked. But<br />
when we’re saved, we no<br />
longer are slaves to sin and<br />
Satan. Our new Master is<br />
Jesus Christ! However, we<br />
still have that sinful nature<br />
that is a part of us, that<br />
continues to creep on us<br />
and tempt us. And often<br />
we fall back into the sinful<br />
nature. But now that Jesus<br />
has rescued<br />
us, He will forgive us our<br />
mistakes, and He will help<br />
us to make the right<br />
decisions and choices, in<br />
how we act or what we say<br />
or think.<br />
So when you’re tempted to<br />
respond in anger to your<br />
siblings, to return evil for<br />
evil, or even lash out for<br />
no reason at all, don’t let<br />
Satan get a hold of you<br />
again!<br />
You are a NEW creation.<br />
Think about what you do<br />
before you do it. Pray for a<br />
humble and calm spirit.<br />
And make the right<br />
decision.<br />
S K G F U N | 1 9
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
(4) Maintain a humble<br />
spirit.<br />
Okay, so let’s start with an<br />
example. I sometimes<br />
have difficulty being<br />
rebuked, even gently, by<br />
my younger siblings. I can<br />
have trouble being<br />
rebuked by my older<br />
siblings as well, but as you<br />
all probably have<br />
experienced, or<br />
understand, being rebuked<br />
by someone younger than<br />
you, (especially a sibling)<br />
can be very hard to take<br />
humbly! No one likes<br />
being shown their faults.<br />
But something we all have<br />
to be reminded of on a<br />
daily basis is Proverbs 12:1,<br />
which puts so plainly,<br />
Whoever loves<br />
discipline loves<br />
knowledge, but he who<br />
hates reproof is stupid.<br />
Reproof is good for us. It<br />
shows us our faults,<br />
whether by gentle means<br />
or more brash ways, and<br />
shows us things for us to<br />
correct. It keeps us<br />
humble, and is a means<br />
God uses sanctifying us.<br />
(5) Most of all . . . pray!<br />
None of this, of course, can<br />
be done without God! So<br />
pray, pray, pray! God will<br />
give you strength and<br />
wisdom in every situation.<br />
He is your heavenly<br />
Father, One Who loves<br />
you more than you can<br />
ever imagine. Why<br />
wouldn’t you want to bring<br />
everything to Him? And<br />
when we are WEAKEST,<br />
God is STRONGEST. So<br />
don’t give up! We all fail -<br />
A LOT. Something that I<br />
hope will be as<br />
encouraging to you as it is<br />
to me is “to always pray<br />
and never lose heart.”<br />
(Luke 18:1)<br />
So sisters, friends,<br />
fellow girls, don’t<br />
give up in your fight<br />
against sin, and keep<br />
living your utmost for<br />
the Lord in every<br />
way!<br />
S K G F U N | 2 0
SKGFUN.COM<br />
KEEPING YOUR COOL MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
&<br />
DAD<br />
b y a n a m o r a n<br />
DAUGHTER<br />
Since I have two brothers and no sisters, my relatives used to always say that<br />
I was “Daddy’s Little Girl.” I even got a necklace as a gift from my aunt that<br />
proclaimed the phrase. Being the tomboy I was when I was younger, I never<br />
wore the necklace, but it was true. My father and I had a strong bond. My dad<br />
would always set aside time to spend with his children no matter how much<br />
work he had to get done.<br />
When we were younger, we usually would play Nancy Drew Games together<br />
(check out Amanda’s cool review video she did for them!). Sometimes he<br />
would spend time with us in other ways, like teaching us how to fight an<br />
attacker or roller blade. Now, to spend time with my dad, we’ll go on a “date.”<br />
It gives you some uninterrupted time to communicate, plus he might even<br />
get you dessert! Another thing you can do together is a sport that you enjoy.<br />
Make sure it is something that he won’t get hurt in though. I have been<br />
known to harm my father in an intense soccer match . . . twice. I might be a<br />
little too competitive. Try a sport like tennis or golf. Also, simply talking to<br />
your dad is a terrific way to bond, and he could tell a few embarrassing<br />
stories. Instead of spending all your free time scrolling endlessly through<br />
social media, take out some time for your father.<br />
S K G F U N | 2 1<br />
S K G F U N | 1 4
STANDING UP MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
S<br />
T<br />
A<br />
N<br />
D<br />
I<br />
N<br />
U<br />
Growing up, I was (and still<br />
am) privileged to belong to<br />
a family that has a fairly<br />
prominent standing among<br />
people of our community:<br />
I am fortunate to be a<br />
descendant of some neat<br />
people that God allowed to<br />
do impressive things.<br />
Unfortunately – ever since<br />
I was a child – this has<br />
created certain amounts of<br />
pressure on me with<br />
perceived expectations and<br />
feeling like I need to live<br />
up to other people’s ideas<br />
of what someone of my<br />
family should be.<br />
Certain members of my<br />
family have come under<br />
attack at different times for<br />
things that they have said<br />
or done. While I may not<br />
have agreed with<br />
everything that occurred at<br />
those times, they are still<br />
family and as a family<br />
everything that happens<br />
affects everyone else.<br />
Why should you stand up<br />
for your family? You have<br />
probably heard this many<br />
times, but God chose to<br />
place you in the family you<br />
are in. As a child, sister,<br />
mother, etc.: it is part of<br />
your responsibility to bring<br />
honor to the family you<br />
have been given and to<br />
defend their honor when it<br />
is attacked.<br />
How can you stand up for<br />
your family? First, through<br />
your actions. When the<br />
Lord says to “honor your<br />
parents,” He means in<br />
every way. Everything you<br />
do reflects on your family;<br />
and if you are standing up<br />
for them, all you do will<br />
reflect well.<br />
Second, through your<br />
words. If your friends hear<br />
you speaking badly of<br />
something your parents<br />
have asked you to do, their<br />
respect for your parents<br />
lessens as well. Be careful<br />
to speak respectfully of<br />
your family – even if you<br />
do not agree with<br />
everything they do –<br />
because you influence<br />
people’s opinions of your<br />
family.<br />
Finally, (hopefully this<br />
never happens) if someone<br />
is speaking ill or<br />
disrespectfully of your<br />
family – even if everything<br />
he/she is saying is true – it<br />
is your duty to speak up.<br />
You defend your family<br />
because they are the<br />
people God has put in your<br />
life (for better or worse),<br />
and you are commanded<br />
to love them as God loves<br />
you.<br />
G<br />
Pfor family<br />
b y k a t e j o n e s<br />
S K G F U N | 2 2
YOUR<br />
BEST<br />
SISTER MARCH/APRIL <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
your sister<br />
why<br />
be should<br />
FRIEND<br />
By Rachel Brown<br />
the day<br />
Since<br />
was born,<br />
I<br />
sister has<br />
my<br />
been<br />
always<br />
I remember playing dressup<br />
with her every single<br />
day and taking out every<br />
single doll we owned to<br />
play "town." We've always<br />
been super close and have<br />
never really fought. I've<br />
found that she's one of the<br />
only people I can truly rely<br />
on. She's always ready to<br />
stay up late watching<br />
movies with me or to listen<br />
to me ramble on about my<br />
newest crush. She might<br />
be the only person that<br />
truly understands me.<br />
Why? She's my sister!!<br />
there.<br />
If you have a sister,<br />
whether younger or older,<br />
you should feel blessed.<br />
I know sometimes you<br />
might go through rough<br />
patches with each other,<br />
but you're family. She'll<br />
always be with you<br />
because, to use a famous<br />
saying, blood is thicker than<br />
water.<br />
“Sister – a person who’s<br />
been where you’ve been;<br />
someone you can call<br />
when things aren’t going<br />
right; is more than just<br />
family; a sister is a forever<br />
friend.”<br />
You may not always agree<br />
with each other. You may<br />
have different likes and<br />
dislikes. But is there any<br />
other person you can truly<br />
be yourself around? Is<br />
there anyone else you feel<br />
like you can share your<br />
deepest thoughts with? Is<br />
there anyone you know for<br />
sure you will still be friends<br />
with 30 years from now?<br />
b y k a t e j o n e s<br />
For me, I have friends I<br />
love and can be myself<br />
around. I hope I will be<br />
friends with them for the<br />
rest of my life. But<br />
Amanda is my best friend<br />
because we're sisters.<br />
“A sister is someone who loves<br />
you from the heart. No matter<br />
how much you argue you<br />
cannot be drawn apart. She is<br />
a joy that cannot be taken<br />
away. Once she enters your<br />
life, she is there to stay.”<br />
S K G F U N | 2 3
the creators of skgfun on their latest venture: creating t-shirts that are<br />
support<br />
and affordable<br />
adorable<br />
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on the internet<br />
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the scenes looks<br />
Behind<br />
on e-magazines<br />
Updates<br />
advice on being a<br />
Hilarious<br />
girl teen<br />
thought-provoking<br />
Fun,<br />
"devotionals"<br />
to previous e-<br />
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magazines<br />
review videos<br />
Beautiful<br />
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Exciting<br />
wallpaper<br />
Cute<br />
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Disclaimer<br />
skgfun.com<br />
a.k.a., slightly less boring stuff<br />
SKGfun is not responsible for any inaccurate<br />
information in its magazine pages. We strive to<br />
share accurate information, but it’s always possible<br />
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Additionally, we are not responsible for plagiarism<br />
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Current reading material in our world today has<br />
been tainted and darkened. In our pages, we strive<br />
to share clean and positive articles that leave readers<br />
feeling blessed.<br />
We will not stand down for our faith; however, we<br />
will not push our beliefs on others. You are free to<br />
accept or reject things we say and we will not<br />
discriminate against you for any reason.<br />
Additionally, just because our pages are filled with<br />
positive articles does not mean we will not stand up<br />
for what we believe in. However, we believe that at<br />
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skgfun.com<br />
Next issue's theme<br />
What is the greatest commandment, class? That's right! To love the<br />
faith<br />
Lord our God. We're getting into the think of this year and it's time for<br />
us to hit the refresh button. Let's recenter our universes again in May<br />
<strong>2018</strong>. Bring your Bibles, a listening ear, and a willing heart!