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1. ANNUAL H.I.M. POOL PARTY — Saturday, June 2, 2007, 11 am – 4 pm **Time Change** This is a great time to hang out with your family and friends and meet new families that share a desire to raise healthy God-honoring children and have vital marriages. The afternoon is free to play games on the lawn, swim, talk, and relax. Join Paul and VIrginia Friesen and the H.I.M. family. Get all the latest information about upcoming H.I.M. events and learn how you can become more involved in the ministry of H.I.M. Parents are asked to supervise their own children. One-piece bathing suits are required. There is no charge for this event, however you do need to register by Thursday, May 31, on our website or by calling 781-275-6473. The event is being held in Weston, Massachusetts. Directions will be provided in response to your R.S.V.P. We'd love to have you there! |
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2. ENGAGEMENT MATTERS — May 19-20, 2007 This weekend will not be offered again until the fall, so think about whether you know anyone who needs to be there now! Visit out website for more information, or click the reservations page.
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3. FAMILY CAMP — August 11-17, 2007 and August 18-24, 2007 "The Blessed Family" is the theme for the 2007 Family Camps. Using Psalm 1 as our guide, we will focus on four aspects of the Blessed Family. Through speakers, small groups, seminars, and peer group activities, all age groups will study the same Biblical passages and topics applied to their specific age and stage. Our studies will focus on spiritual priorities for us as individuals and families, the importance of Godly discipline, what Biblical leadership in the family looks like, and the richness and hope of God's grace to us even when we have failed to follow His best for our lives. And what a beautiful setting for learning about God's design! Come expecting to laugh and grow together, to hike, to swim, to boat, or to participate in any one or more of the myriad of other activities available! For an online tour of Camp Berea's facilities, visit Berea's webpage — or, to see photos from previous family camps click here. As I write, Camp Berea reports that there are just a couple cabins left, so if you’re interested, please call them quickly. We highly recommend that even if you’re told all cabins are now full that you ask to be put on the waiting list, because things change! Life is full of surprises, and it's not unusual that a family will have to suddenly re-work their summer plans. So make that call! Camp Berea: 603-744-6344. |
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4. "SO YOU WANT TO MARRY MY DAUGHTER?" Here are a few excerpts from the opening chapters: "On August 1, 2006, Father of the Bride, one of my favorite movies, became a reality show rather than a comedy when Gabriel Steven Garcia asked for the hand of my eldest daughter, Kari, in marriage. For some, the real-life version of Father of the Bride may be a drama, while for others it may, unfortunately, seem more like a tragedy. For all of us as dads, it is the day we realize that our little girl has grown up and we will soon be giving her to another man. Our days of being her provider and protector are coming to an end. We may still be 'Dad' and she may still be our daughter, but we are no longer to be the number one man in her life, the man she turns to for answers, and the one who is her primary adviser and confidante." "To be honest, most of us married our wives so our needs could be met. Such thinking may be natural, but puts a great deal of pressure on a wife. We want a son-in-law who pretty much 'had it together' before he met our daughter. He need not be perfect, of course, but neither should he be a candidate for “extreme makeover.” The mystery of marriage is that two wholes become one, not two halves. Certainly both husband and wife are to meet each other’s needs, but sad indeed is the marriage in which the husband believes the woman was put in his life exclusively to meet his needs. If a man believes it is his wife’s duty to meet all his needs, he will forever be frustrated that she is falling short. But if he believes he and his wife were given to each other to meet each other’s needs, then they will always have ample opportunity to do that very thing." |
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5. Life with Paul and Virginia Last week, the entire Friesen family was thrilled to gather in Denver, Colorado, for daughter Julie's lacrosse tournament, in which her team (CalPoly) earned its seventh straight national championship title in the US Lacrosse Women's Division Intercollegiate Associates league. Partial credit must go to Paul's famous chocolate chip cookies, which he made fresh daily for the team during their tournament!
Family and Friends gather to cheer on the CalPoly Team
CalPoly's Lacrosse Team after winning their 7th US Lacrosse Women's Division Intercollegiate Associates Championship While they were there in Denver, Paul and daughters Kari and Lisa (Julie stayed with her team, of course) were invited by Focus on the Family to be interviewed! Virginia writes, "It was thrilling! Best of all, we felt that Paul, Kari, and Lisa all interviewed really well and expressed themselves articulately and with great wisdom. At the end of 35 minutes of taping (they had planned to do 15 minutes!), the producer said, "Wow! That was GOOD!" :) We are so thankful." We'll let you know when it will be aired, which will likely be months from now.
Lisa, Gabe, Kari, Virginia, and Paul at Focus on the Family We are grateful for your continued prayers and support of Paul and Virginia's ministry. Marriages and families are under attack from all directions (as perhaps you can attest from your own home-front) and you can be sure that the enemy is constantly at work. What a blessing to know that our God is stronger than any enemy and has given us a blueprint and sent us solid teaching and loving examples to strengthen and guide us. You are participating in that precious work when you pray for H.I.M. Thank you so much! Praise God! |
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Home Improvement Ministries |
Join us at the annual H.I.M. Pool Party! Bring the whole family for
a great time of swimming, games, food, and fellowship! The event
runs from 11 pm to 4 pm, with lunch being served at 1 pm. (This is a
time change from what was originally announced, so if you hear
another time frame, please know that this one is the correct time:
11-4 pm!) 
The final Engagement Matters weekend of the season is being offered this weekend, and there's still room! It's a great weekend for both engaged and pre-engaged couples to hear from Paul and Virginia as well as from other members of their resource team about God's design for marriage and how to know whether you are ready to make this commitment together. This is a valuable weekend for any couple who is planning (or even thinking about planning) to get married. Paul and Virginia teach about love and respect, conflict management, in- laws, money, and spiritual leadership—all with their own special blend of wisdom and laughter.
In partnership with Camp Berea, Home Improvement Ministries is once again offering two one-week family programs this August in Hebron, New Hampshire.
Paul Friesen's soon-to-be-published book on "The top 10 questions every dad should ask and every son should be prepared to answer before engagement" is in the final editing stages! If you’re a dad and want to know what kind of man you should be praying for for your daughter, whether she's two or twenty-two, consider the ten questions Paul gives in his new book. They draw a picture of a young man who knows and loves God, and who seeks to honor Him by serving his prospective wife and loving her as "Christ loves the church." With wit and humor, Paul shows the reader not only how to identify such a suitor, but how to be such a young man.
Paul and Virginia have maintained their usual amazing schedule all spring. Two very popular back-to-back True Love Waits conferences in March were followed by the second Marriage Conference of the year up in Jackson, New Hampshire (if you haven't seen the report on that weekend, be sure to read it 
