Tell me don't....

the next time I want to sew a Christmas gift for my 21 kids next year. A hobby that I loved has now turned into a big frustration. From jammed sewing machines to fabric that doesn't match... I have about hit my limit. I have about half of them done, which is good, but I'm about spent.

In other news, I am now a quarter of a century old and I had a wonderful birthday. Thanks to everyone who sent IMs, emails, and called to wish me a happy birthday. It meant the world to me!

Also, I am taking volunteers to come take over my class. With the holidays so close, the children have gone crazy and we are all just ready for a break. So anybody want to switch jobs with me? :)

Prayer Request

Please pray for one of my students Robert, whose mother tried to attempt suicide tonight. Pray for their family during this hard time and for me that I would able to help him through this.

Thanks!

Why do I take on so much?

The Christmas season is always a busy time of year but this year it seems over the top! We have an event every weekend (both nights) and sometimes more than one event a night. We all know I am such a planner but even I slipped up and planned 2 things on the same night.

Not only do we have events planned, we throw in Jeremy's exams, progress reports for me, and the normal planning. I made matters worse by trying to be super teacher. Let me explain, the kids are obsessed with the fact that I sew and have nagged me from day 1 to sew them something so I thought I would sew their Christmas present. So now I'm up to my ears in fabric and lunchbags. That's right..I'm sewing each of my 21 kids a lunch bag. It's really cute but I don't think I really thought about how long it would take to sew 21 bags when I started. Jerm has been a gem tonight and has helped me cut and iron out all the kinks I came across. We'll see how it goes...I post a pic when their done.

Jeremy also gets another shout out b/c he and my parents got a me a terrific birthday present. (My birthday is Tuesday, the 5th for those who care). Well my mom will be out of town on business this week so we celebrated early on Saturday. They got me the cutest little red IPOD nano. Now I wouldn't normally pick out a red object (as I tend to associate it with State and my heart yearns for the baby blue) but I love it!! By buying the red IPOD, Apple contributes $10 to the AIDS campaign in Africa. If you know me at all, you know how obsessed about Africa and how excited that my present can help in some way. So THANKS Jerm, Mom, and Dad!!! :)

In other news, BP is coming to stay with us this weekend and I'm excited to have some time to hang out with him. I love my little brother and it's funny how now I can't seem to hang out with him enough. It's funny how time changes relationships...when we were younger I couldn't stand being with him b/c he was aggrevating and annoying. Now I can't wait to see him again and hang out with him. (Mental note: another thing for the to do list----clean the house before Friday).

Alright, I've wasted enough time...back to sewing. :)

Missionary in your own town

As I wrote in my last blog, I've really been struggling with our future ministry plans. Scripture says "Go unto the world and make disciples of all the nations." Growing up in the church, you were made to believe the elitest Christians went overseas to be missionaries and still to this day in the back of mine I still feel this way. As our friends are talking about going overseas I feel like were not as "spiritual" as them because we haven't been called overseas.

But today JD helped to remind me that we are all uniquely made and as well we all have unique calls. The Lord has called each of us to have a mission focus and to use our God-given talents and skills to further His kingdom. Did you know that 80% of the the countries in the world are closed to missionaries but are open to businessman, educators, artists, etc? We are to use our talents to spread the Gospel where we are. God uses us as His tools to spread the Gospel within our vocations. We don't have to be working in a church or overseas to be doing the Lord's work. We are to be a demonstration of how the world should be and what the kingdom of God looks like.

As I think about his sermon today, I also think about what am I doing to further the kingdom here in US? Why do I think it's so much easier to cross the ocean and tell other countries of Christ's love but I can't tell those that I work with what He has done in my life and how He has changed me. I think I need to change my focus now; I need to realize that I have a mission field right here and the Lord has called me to be a teacher and He is using me to further His kingdom.

I praise the Lord for His patience with me. I realize that like a child, it takes many repetitions for me to finally learn it. He never gives up and He pursues me even when I put up a barrier between us. Friends who read this, I pray that you know the Lord. I pray that you know that He loves you and desires to know you and to be known by you. He sent His only son to die for you and your sin. We are all sinners and are all in need of a Savior. I pray that you have found him. If you haven't, let's talk please.

Have a great night friends!

Everybody has a plan..

but us I feel like. As our time here in seminary continue to dwindle now, people are looking towards the next step. Many are being lead to the mission field or towards a certain region of the US. So you may be asking, "So Shannon, what are you guys planning on doing?" and I would say, "Great question, got any ideas?"

I, being a planner, want to know and have it all planned out, but the Lord doesn't want me to have it all planned out. He is teaching me to be patient and realize that His plan for us is great and He is going to use us in a mighty way.

Still it's hard for me to see friends (especially one I have gotten really close to) planning to leave the country. JD has been preaching these last few weeks on our global vision and reaching the ends of the earth with the gospel. He really challenged us to say, "Lord, I'm going to go unless you stop me" instead of "Lord, I'll go if you call me." I been thinking if I can really say that. I know also that I am part of team and that I don't make decisions just for myself. Jeremy and I have been praying about where the Lord is leading us and he doesn't feel like we are called to go overseas but sometimes I do. I would love for the Lord to give us a giant neon sign. I have to learn to be patient!

Not again!!

There is an epidemic going around.....yet another friend is pregnant. I know that it's the stage of life we are in but seriously how many more people can have a baby? :)

Congrats to Lauren and Jeff! We are really excited for you!

Sorry that I haven't updated on here recently. Life is crazy right now with the first quarter coming to the end. Assessments and plannign have consumed my life so much that haven't done anything but do that!

Fun news though...our church may have finally found land to build our new church on. We vote as a congregation on Sunday and hopefully if the vote passes we will have a new church home. Sadly it will take years to build the sanctuary and therefore we may never see it. We've been thinking a lot about what lays ahead of us after seminary. I'm so very impatient and would like to know now but it is not the time to know. It's all in the Lord's timing and we are willing to follow the Lord where ever He take us.

I'll try and update later after all the papers are graded and the report cards are written. Until then...

Evidence of the Lord's hand

God is GOOD! Over the last week, I had the privilege to hang out with some of my oldest and dearest friends. Each of them is dealing with different issues but with all of them I could see evidence of how the Lord is using them and stretching them. Right now when my life feels sort mediocre, its awesome to see big ways that the Lord is working. Two of my friends are pregnant and it was really cool to see how the Lord is using their experience to bring them to a greater knowledge of His love, grace, and mercy. I was so encouraged by them and I hope if they are reading this that they know how much they have blessed my life with their stories. I'm praying for both of you.

Their visits have also helped me to examine what the Lord has done in my life. One of my dates was with a friend that I've had since middle school. Our time together showed me how much I have changed and how much my knowledge and love of the Lord as increased in the last 10 years. I am amazed by how much the two of us have grown and how we continue to be friends after all this time. I praise the Lord for lasting friendships built on Him!

Col. 2:2, "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ"