by Miss Vicky Siebenhaar

Materials: potatoes, sturdy drinking straws (not the kind that bend)

Demonstration- Grasp a sturdy drinking straw with your dominant hand, covering the top end with your thumb. Using your other hand, keep your fingers on the front of the potato and your thumb on the back of the potato (not on the top and bottom of the potato.) Holding firmly to both the straw and the potato, make a quick, sharp stab in to the narrow end of the potato. The straw should quickly emerge through the hole you made.

Explanation: The secret is inside the straw: it’s air! Placing your thumb over the end of the straw traps the air inside. When you trap the air inside the straw, the air molecules compress and give the straw strength, which in turn keeps the sides from bending as you jam the straw through the potato. The trapped, compressed air makes the straw strong enough to cut through the skin , pass through the potato, and out the other side. Without your thumb covering the hole, the air is simply pushed out of the straw, and it crumples and breaks as it hits the hard potato surface.

Spiritual Application: In order for the experiment to work, the top of the straw must be covered, and the stab must be made at the potato’s weakest spot. The Devil, likewise, attacks our weak spots. When he temporarily emerges as the victor, holes are left in our testimony. This is the reason we must be on guard against his attacks and we must be protected by the whole armor of God.

Although you know the eighteenth President of the United States as Ulysses S. Grant, this was not really his true name. In fact, the story behind his name is quite interesting.

The eighteenth President of the United States was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. Although he was born on April 27, nearly six weeks would pass before he would receive a name.

The baby was scrawny, and his parents did not think he had a chance in life; therefore, they waited to name him. Finally, six weeks after his birth, Mr. and Mrs. Grant invited several relatives to help in the naming of the baby. When the relatives arrived, they were asked to write their chosen name on a piece of paper. All of the names were then placed within a hat.

The first slip of paper drawn from the hat had the name Ulysses on it. Mr. Grant did not like the name. He said, “Ulysses! Why we cannot name this child Ulysses. The name Ulysses belongs to a great leader or a hero of men. Look at this child! He is six weeks old and looks as if he were born yesterday. He’ll never amount to a hero.”

They drew another name out of the hat. The name on this piece of paper was Hiram. Mr. Grant responded, “Hiram! Yes, I like this name. It is a good Bible name. Yes, His name will be Hiram Grant.” The women disagreed. They liked the name Ulysses and suggested calling him Ulysses Hiram Grant. Mr. Grant disagreed, but to please the women, he said, “The boy’s name will be Hiram Ulysses Grant.” Thus, at the age of six weeks, the eighteenth President of the United States received a name.

The name of Hiram Ulysses Grant, however, caused the young boy many sorrows during his early childhood. As you can only imagine, a scrawny boy with the initials H.U.G. faced much teasing. His mother and grandmother did not like the name Hiram so they simply called him Ulysses or “Lyss” for short. The kids at school called him “Huggy” or “Huggable.” Soon they dropped this name and simply called him “Sissy.”

Finally, young Hiram Grant could bear it no more. He decided to drop the name Hiram. He simply signed all his papers with the name Ulysses Grant. His playmates were so accustomed to calling him names that this made matters worse. They began calling him “Useless.” Most everyone said the young, underdeveloped boy would never amount to anything in life. They said he would simply be useless; therefore, they called him “Useless Grant.”

Although Ulysses desired to go to a nearby college, his father proudly secured him an appointment at West Point where Grant’s life began to change. When he registered at West Point, he signed his name as Ulysses Hiram Grant. The registrar said, “There must be some mistake. We were told to look for a young man by the name of Ulysses Simpson Grant. We are so sorry for the trouble. We will send the papers back to Washington and correct our mistake.” Ulysses Grant replied, “Simpson is my mother’s maiden name. This must be where the confusion came in. The name Ulysses Simpson Grant is just fine with me. Suppose I just change my name right now.” “That would make things much easier,” agreed the registrar. “Would you mind if we just call you Ulysses Simpson Grant?”

To make things easier for both Ulysses and West Point, the name of Ulysses S. Grant was created.

by Miss Vicky Siebenhaar

Materials: Thin-walled glass goblet (I purchased mine at a dollar store) Demonstration: Hold the glass stationary by the base rather than grabbing the upper portion. Dampen your index and middle finger with water. Fill a glass goblet 3/4 full of water.

Gently rub your moistened fingers around and around the top rim of the goblet until the glass starts to resonate, and a clear, loud sound can be heard.

Experiment with different levels of water and amaze your students with the varying sounds. To excite them even more, instruct your students to look at the circle of water touching the inside of the glass. Not only will they hear sound waves, but if they look carefully enough, they will see sound waves in the water.

Explanation: Sound is always produced by vibrating objects. Gently moving your fingers across the rim causes the sides of the glass to vibrate slightly. The moistened fingers aid in the continuous sound much like a bow moving across a violin string.

Spiritual Application: The glass goblet remains silent until it is filled and touched by a master’s hand. Our lives likewise remain empty and useless until we are filled and touched by the Master’s hand.

by Dr. Jack Schaap

Ephesians 5:17, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The Bible doesn’t say a lot about you spending your time fretting or worrying what the will of God is; the Bible says you should be very concerned about understanding the will of God. Not only should you not worry about finding the will of God, but it’s your job to prove that what you are doing is the will of God.

There is a minor crisis that occurs in the developmental stage of a young adult right at that threshold crossing from a spiritual teenager into adulthood. Far too many young people stumble right there. Sixty-one percent of Bible-believing young people who are involved in their churches as teenagers are no longer involved in their twenties. Reasons Spiritual Teenagers Stumble at the Threshold of Adulthood:

1. They do not have an adult mature enough to bring them into adulthood. They lack a mature adult to bring them into adulthood; usually it should be Dad or Mom. Mom and Dad, that is your primary goal. Passing on family pastimes or favorite teams is good; but it doesn’t make your child spiritual, it doesn’t make your child right with God, and it doesn’t help him know how to balance a checkbook. We seem more concerned about having our child wear the colors or have the pennants and look the act than being a man. What you end up producing is a man who beats up on his wife and walks out on his kids.

We need to teach these boys how to take care of the finances, how to take care of their wives, and how to rear their children. We’re far too concerned with our boy showing a good show in little league than we are with him learning to do right, cut the grass, be honest, listen to right music, treat his sister properly, and have some decency and integrity.

The big thing in life should be when your son can successfully go from a boy into manhood without stumbling and falling and bringing shame and embarrassment to his family, to his God, and to his church. Young people try to bring themselves into adulthood, and most parents have a hard time talking frankly to their adult child. If you cannot talk to your son when he is 6 or 7 years of age, you will not talk to your boy when he’s 16, 17, or 18. Most parents panic at the 99-percent completion point instead of getting relaxed at this time and saying, “What we’ve done, we’ve done; and what we haven’t, we haven’t.” Now is not the time to pack 20 years of teaching into the last 20 minutes.

2. They cannot understand why authority will not give them independence. Independence is given to the degree that respect is shown. As the young person gets older, an agreement has to be made between him and the adult: I’m going to trust you, but you have to respect me. If you don’t respect me, it’s going to be hard to trust you.

3. They are very shortsighted and temporal. Teenagers, you fail to consider that you will soon be married and parents yourself.

4. Parents failed to wean their young person into responsibility and decision making. Your time to teach them how to make decisions is not at the threshold. This is when most of you are beginning child rearing. They get here, and then you say, “What am I supposed to do?” You should start teaching them how to make decisions and tying values into the decision-making process when they’re six years old. As they get older, you start letting them make decisions so they have experience making decisions and can learn from their mistakes if need be. A mistake in decision making at this point is far less detrimental in their life than after they have crossed the threshold. They must learn a pattern for making decisions so that when they’re crossing into adulthood, they are ready to accept the decision-making process and have learned that Dad is a smart person and has a lot of wisdom and has always guided me with good thoughts; I think I’ll include him in my decision-making.

5. Often this is a time of a major breakdown in communication. This is what happens when you stop talking. Every relationship is dead in the water when you stop talking. Find something to do where the two of you can talk. I recommend that you find out what your teenager likes doing and become an enjoyer of the same thing.

6. There is a failure to understand Satan’s basic traps and how to avoid them. The problem with this generation is they don’t understand that there’s a devil out there and he’s as real as I am. He’s out to get you and has a lot of traps out there for you. Beware of the trap of anger and defiance. Once you become angry and defiant, you’re on his turf. Beware of the trap of resentment and bitterness; because once you start thinking life isn’t fair and Mom and Dad aren’t treating you well, you’re playing his tune, you’re dialing his station and frequency, and he’s reeling you in. Beware of the trap of pride and contention and spouting off to your mom, dad, and other people. How do you fight those traps? Simply with gratitude, grace, and humility. As you get older, you have to learn to be more thankful. You overcome anger and resentment by gratitude and thanksgiving.

7. There is a failure to see the connection between their emotional frustrations and their moral and spiritual meltdown. Frustration is a byproduct of an undisciplined life. The selfish symptom of frustration is feelings of rejection. The cure is discipline, time management, wise goal selection, and simple rewards. A child must learn obedience first then pleasure. Frustration has to be dealt with and it’s not yelled out or scolded out or vented out; frustration is organized out. It happens when he learns time management— getting up on time, time for God, time for obedience, and time for parties. You’ve got to teach this as they grow up.

Although I am not a freshman enrolled in the Jericho Project, I decided to take advantage of some of the opportunities afforded to the Jericho students.

I am a junior this year and am excited about the new tools I am gaining to further reach others with the Gospel. I have joined the Puppet Club and have used these tools to see 60 people saved in just four weeks.

Not only am I learning how to use the art of puppetry, but also balloon sculpturing, chalk talks, and gospel illusions. I have especially enjoyed creating balloon animals and have found this to be an incredible attention getter for children.

This tool of reaching “children of all ages” breaks the ice and allows me to begin a conversation which easily leads to presenting the Gospel. I am excited about the possibilities this ministry allows both in the present and in the future. This past weekend, my brother and I were able to lead 25 children to the Lord using a puppet named “Rimaldi” and a scripture involving the wordless book.

This coming week our Puppet Club will be presenting the Gospel to over 150 children in a 1st and 2nd grade department and then just a few days later will take part in using the puppets to read to children in a local public elementary school.

In the short time that the club has been in existence over twenty invitations have already been given to our club to present the Gospel. Under the leadership of Miss Siebenhaar, a faculty member at our college, we are learning to take children’s programs to the next level. Not only are we using the tools we receive today, but they will also be invaluable to our future place of service. God has allowed this door of opportunity to be opened for the Jericho students, but I’m thrilled I chose to walk through the door, too.

Rachel Valdez is a junior at Hyles-Anderson College

by Vicky Siebenhaar

Materials: a dollar bill, 2 paper clips

Demonstration: Fold a dollar bill crosswise into the shape of the letter ‘S.”

Next, place a paper clip at each of the two top outer edges, being sure to hook the short part of the paper clip over both the outer layer and inner layer of the dollar bill at both the left top and right top of the dollar bill.

Using both hands, grasp the edges of the dollar bill fi rmly. Pull quickly. The paper clips will hook themselves together and jump to the floor.

Explanation: Since you folded the dollar bill into an “S” shape, the paper clips were forced together at the center when you tried to straighten the dollar by pulling it.

Spiritual Application: Whatever/ whomever you hang around will eventually grab hold of you. The rock music that you think cannot have a grasp on you, will. The bad crowd that you think you can walk away from will grab you back into their hold. Likewise, if we hang around God’s Word and God’s people, they will grab hold of us when we are tempted to stray.

Miss Vicky Siebenhaar is a full-time faculty member at Hyles-Anderson College.

by Dr. Tom Vogel

Money is always an issue. There is very little that we do in life that does not involve money. That is especially true when it comes to college.

College is an expensive endeavor. Dr. Schaap has eliminated much of the expense through the Jericho Plan. I suggest that you have enough money saved to pay the registration fee for both the freshman and sophomore years in addition to $500/year for other expenses before you come to college. You can get by without that much money, but it is so much nicer to have that nest egg saved. You will be surprised how much stress and worry it will eliminate during your junior and senior college years if you have set

A school year costs about $6,000 for room and board and tuition. I suggest that you make it a goal to save half the money from 6th grade until 11th grade. That is $600 a year. It comes down to about $50.00 a month which is not an unattainable amount of money. Then during the summer of your junior year of high school and during the next 12 months of your senior year of high school you should make it a goal to raise the other $3,000. That comes to $200 a month. But by the time you are a junior, you can get a job, and that should easily allow you to raise $200 a month. When you add into your savings, gift money, graduation money, and unexpected financial blessings, you will be surprised to fi nd that you can, with a little bit of self-discipline, save $6,000.

Open a savings account with a local bank. Do not get a debit card for your account. Periodically, take your money and buy U.S. Savings Bonds with the money. This will ensure that you don’t spend the money on emergencies that always seem to come up because you happen to have some money in savings. U.S. Savings Bonds will also pay a very healthy rate of interest on your money. Listed below are some ways to start earning money. Not all of them are appropriate for all young people. Always discuss your options with your parents and get their permission. For example, I would not let my own teenagers work at a fast food restaurant to earn money. It always seemed as if the wrong kind of kids worked there. It may be different where you live, but always get your parents’ blessings. 1. Door to door candy sales. You will be surprised how many people will buy from you just because you tell them you are selling candy to save for college. 2. Christmas card sales in the month of October. Get yourself a catalog and take orders from friends and family. I went door to door as a college student and made $20 an hour. 3. Lawn care - By the time I graduated from high school, I had built up a very nice lawn care business that brought in quite a bit of extra money. 4. Odd jobs. I suggested this to one of our high school girls. She went to many people in the church and told them she was trying to raise money for a missions trip. She offered to work at any cleaning job around the house. They could pay her what they wanted when she was all done. She made $1200 in just a few months. 5. Talk to the businessmen in your church and see if they have any janitorial jobs that you could do one night a week or for an hour or so after school. 6. Get a paper route or a job dropping off business fl yers to homes. 7. Take orders for Easter lilies. Make arrangements to buy them for less than retail price and get the money in advance, pay for them, and then deliver them at church one day. 8. Start a garage cleaning or basement cleaning business. 9. Sell 5 pound bags of sand and salt door-to-door during the winter. 10. Shovel snow every time it snows.11. Start a mobile car wash business. “Have hose will travel.” Once you start saving money, you will come up with all sorts of fun moneyraising ideas. It can be a very exciting to see your college nest egg growing. Always tithe 10% off of everything you make. I also suggest that at least 50% of all money that comes to you through Christmas and birthday gifts go into your savings. 

Dr. Tom Vogel is the academic vice president at Hyles-Anderson College

by Miss Vicky Siebenhaar

Materials: vegetable oil, water, lots of salt, container, food coloring

Demonstration: Fill the container about half full of water.

Step 1–Add a few drops of food coloring and stir until the color is well blended.

Step 2– Add some vegetable oil.

Step 3– Allow the mixture to separate.

Step 4–Add a few tablespoons of salt and watch what happens.

Explanation: Oil and water do not mix; therefore, they are known as being immiscible. Since the oil is lighter, it floats upon the heavier water. Salt, however, is heavier than both the oil and the water, so it drops through the oil and toward the bottom of the glass. As it drops, it does not dissolve in the oil but carries oil with it toward the bottom. As the oil/ salt particles reach the layer of water, the salt dissolves, and the oil rises to the top.

Spiritual Application:Relate the experiment to the truth of Proverbs 24:16 “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. “

Note:For a spectacular science experiment, try using little pieces of Alka Seltzer instead of salt. Presto! An instant lava lamp!

by Dr. Tom Vogel

You hear about it all the time–the stem cell controversy. But what is all the arguing about? Michael J. Fox, a famous movie star who is slowly dying from Parkinson’s disease, has been lobbying congress to pass a stem cell research bill. Christopher Reeves, the late movie star who was tragically paralyzed in a fall from a horse, also lobbied for stem cell research before he died.

Many people believe that stem cell research can help people who have those serious nervous system conditions. The possibility exists that they may be right. It could be that some day a person dying from Parkinson’s disease will have an injection of stem cells and will be healed from this terrible disease.

Stem cells can be found in humans of all ages; however, the stem cells that are debated so hotly are the stem cells found in unborn and undeveloped babies. When a baby begins to form inside the womb of the mother, it starts as a mass of cells. The baby doesn’t look like a baby at first.

It is impossible to identify the types of cells that make up a baby’s tiny body. Those cells are called undifferentiated cells. As they multiply and develop, they will eventually become skin, muscle, bone, nerve, or one of 220 other types of cells. The undifferentiated cells will each become a very specific type of cell. These undifferentiated cells are embryonic stem cells. In experiments done in the science labs, doctors have done some pretty amazing things with stem cells. For example, scientists have taken laboratory animals that had severed spinal cords and injected stem cells into the broken spinal cord. The stem cells developed and reproduced as nerve cells, and the spinal cord grew together and the injury disappeared.

The prospect of curing paralyzed spinal cord injuries excites millions of victims trapped in wheelchairs and hospital beds. There are possibilities that stem cell research might cure Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and a host of other nervous system disorders. What a huge breakthrough in medicine this would be to millions of victims.

If the cost of such a medical breakthrough were not so high, there would be no controversy whatsoever. It would be a “no brainer.” The problem is that the stem cells the scientists want to use come from fetal tissue. Fetal tissue is the name the abortionists give to a baby. The best source of undifferentiated stem cells is in the little body of a defenseless baby in the early stages of development. And that is what is at the heart of the problem.

No scientist in his right mind would take a baby from the baby’s crib and kill it to remove its cells. But somehow, some doctors can justify in their minds harvesting the desired cells of the developing baby before disposing of the parts that are no longer needed. Just how long do scientists want to keep the embryonic stem cells growing in the laboratory to harvest and manipulate the cells? Imagine seeing a baby stored as a laboratory rat! Does this not sound like “two wrongs do not make a right”?

The scientists who worked for Adolph Hitler took Jews that were headed to the gas chambers and performed medical experiments on them. Some Jews were burned with flame throwers, and the Germans tested their medical procedures for burn victims. There were hundreds of other documented atrocities. The logic was that the Jews were going to die anyway, so why not get some good from them first?

Proponents of stem cell research are very passionate about saving lives. But a passionate argument is not an excuse for being unjust. One can never justify the taking of an innocent life to save another. No matter how heartfelt the argument, the injustice of killing an unborn baby (fetal tissue to the evolutionist) is repulsive to most Americans.

Supporters of stem cell research are symptomatic of a nation that is moving away from God. America needs pastors, assistant pastors, bus directors, youth pastors, missionaries, evangelists, and Christian school teachers now more than ever. If America is to be saved, it won’t happen at the ballot box. It is going to take every Christian that reads this paper making a difference in his community, state, and nation.

I urge you to contact Hyles- Anderson College and make a difference. Hyles-Anderson College is more than just another college. It is a movement – an army of young people making a difference in America. We want you to help make a difference.

Dr. Tom Vogel is the academic vice president.

by Mr. Jeremy Maulucci

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but if you are short on cash, it can be the most stressful time of the year. Here are some ideas for inexpensive gifts that, if given from the heart, could bring love and joy to someone this holiday. 1.  A subscription for the Mach 10 newsletter (Free for those in grades 6 - 12)

2.  Homemade coupon book including coupons promising for you to do services such as the following: a car wash, ironing, washing, painting, etc

3.  Chocolate covered pretzels

4.  Bookmarks with a favorite picture or Bible verse

5.  Scrapbook of memories

6.  Homemade play dough - Recipe: 1 cup of flour, ¼ cup of salt, 1 ½ tsp of vegetable oil, 1/3 cup cold water, 7-10 drops of food coloring ii. Mix flour, salt, and oil; mix food coloring with water; add water to flour mixture; knead; store in plastic bag in refrigerator

7.  A certificate for a summer’s worth of free lawn care

8. Coffee can lantern - Decorate a coffee can with paint and punch holes in a desired pattern in the side with a nail then place tea light candles inside.

9.  Free or discounted books at your local library

10.  Homemade stationery

11.  Personalized poem

12. Homemade caramel apples

13.  Decorated flower pot with a homegrown sunflower

14.  Personalized calendar with birthdays of relatives

15.  Create Christmas ornaments

16. Reverend Bravo bobble head action figure

17.  Free baby sitting

18.  Free pet sitting

19.  Homemade peppermint bark, peanut brittle, or toffee in a Christmas canister

20.  Chocolate dipped stirring spoons for coffee

21.  Clothes or jewelry from a local thrift store

22.  Homemade Christmas cards

23.  Autograph book with personal notes from friends and family

24.  Chocolate chip cookies 

25.  Homemade sock puppet 

26.  Homemade fudge

27.  Music CD of yourself singing

28.  Beauty makeover

29.  Homemade jewelry

30. Video greeting for distant relatives

31.  Homemade joke-a-day calendar 

32.  Jar of memories 

33.  Jar with layered ingredients and the recipe for a homemade treat

34.  Canned jams and jellies

35. Dehydrated fruit