Merry Christmas From Jay and Me

I wanted to post my Christmas letter again this year. I have so many FB friends that I can't afford to send everyone a letter. So, here it is! Blessings from Jay and me! *grin*

Dear Family and Friends,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope this letter finds you well. 2012 came and went in a blink of an eye, but I am HAPPY to be writing you again with the yearly update from Jay (The amazing dog!) and me. I love walking to the mailbox each day and finding real meal, because it brings a smile to my face. ☺ So, I’m hoping that this letter makes you glad that you took a short walk to your mailbox! ☺

Jay and I are still together in our townhome, which we love! Jay continues to be the highlight of my day, and we are the best of buddies! Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for him! He makes me laugh everyday! He turns 5 on Christmas Day! ☺

I continue to spend time in the IHOP-KC Prayer Room when I can, which is my FAVORITE place on the planet! I attended IMMERSE (An eight day training) in June, and LOVED IT! I also attend church on Saturday nights, Forerunner Christian Fellowship, and drive shuttles on Sunday mornings. I have made some wonderful friends here, and continue to meet more as time goes on. Shuttles are a highlight of my week, as I get to meet people from all over the world who come to visit the Prayer Room for a season. I enjoy meeting them, praying for them, and developing friendships along the way! ☺ I am home.

I am looking forward to the annual ONETHING conference held by IHOP-KC at the end of this December. For me, it’s my favorite four days of the year!!! Four days of shuttles, prayer room, and various other activities in Him. So. Excited. ☺ I’ll enter in 2013 at the conference! ☺

I spent two weeks out at CAMP BARNABAS again this year, and LOVED it! I served during two of their Autism weeks, and LOVED it. I had never served during Term 5, the older teens with Autism, and I LOVED it. Our cabin was amazing! In 2013, I’ll be serving during Term 1, which is the term most of those girls will move to be in so I’m REALLY excited about that! This year I also served during Term 7 and got to be with my FAVORITE camper, Ronni!!! It was another wonderful week with those girls and CIA’s, and I will be serving again during Term 7 in 2013! ☺ Camp is my second favorite place on this planet, as walking with the limp is normal. ☺ God does a lot in me and through me there, and I look forward to serving again next year out there! ☺

I still teach students with Learning Disabilities and Other Health Impairments. I really enjoy working with the students on my caseload. They make me laugh everyday, and teaching reading is my favorite part of my day. They have all made great gains in reading and I’m so proud of them!

I hope 2012 has been a good year for you! It is my prayer that 2013 and the years that follow are full of life, laughter, and love. ☺

So…are you glad you walked to the mailbox? ☺

Love, Shannon & Jay

Christmas Eve Service at FCF

One of my favorite things about the holidays are the traditions each family celebrates. I love hearing what everyone does, as everyone does things slightly differently. For me, I do FCF's Christmas Eve Service every year. It's my tradition.

Tonight Jon Thurlow led worship, which is always a highlight for me because I am never in his sets. The moment I realized he was leading, I was THRILLED. We did some Christmas Carols, but we also did one of his songs, which made me grin ear-to-ear.

My favorite moment of the whole service is when we light candles at the end. Every year I debate about taking a picture because it's such an amazing thing to see, and then I remember it's about Jesus.

A picture can't sum up what that moment signifies or the beauty of the Lord in that moment, in my opinion. It's something you have to experience. I truly believe that.

Every year I look forward to that service because after that service, I feel like it's Christmas. Tonight that was definitely true.

One phrase that we sang really connected with me tonight...

"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him."

That's my prayer. That tomorrow isn't about gifts.

That it's about adoring Him.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

Thank You, Jesus!

Blessing the Unexpected in the Shuttle

Today I did something new. Well, okay, I did something new while I served Jesus in the shuttle. I passed out Christmas Cards to my regular passengers! *grin* So many of my regulars are wonderful people, but I only see them on shuttles. It's actually funny that I know everyone who attends second service, yet I attend Saturday night. *grin* So, I wanted to do something for my passengers. *grin*

Today I purposely asked to do Overflow Parking so I could pass out the cards. I knew many wouldn't be there because it was so close to Christmas, but I still wanted to try. Sacremento approved it, and I was doing my favorite route. *grin*

As my friends got on, I gave them a card and a pen. I was surprised at the reactions I got. People were so surprised that a little shuttle gal would do that, I think. Two people hugged me, which surprised ME! I had prayed that two people in particular would be there, as they have kind of become my two favorite passengers on Sunday Mornings.

One guy (I have no idea what his name is) jokes with me and I joke right back every week. *giggle* He had made a comment a couple weeks ago that his kids and grandkids were all south for the holiday, which was fine by him. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not, so I wanted him to know that someone was thinking of him. Today he got in my shuttle and began giving me a hard time, as usual. I said, "I was praying you'd be here. Here, Merry Christmas." He just looked at me. We're never really serious with each other, so I think he was waiting for a punch line. Then I told him I wanted to give him a little something for Christmas. (A Pen and a card...REALLY little. *giggle*) He didn't quite know what to say, so he said nothing. I grinned. When we got back to the lot, he told me he appreciated the thought. Then he got out and picked on me about the ice and snow last week. Yep, we ended right where we always are. *grin* It was one of the highlights of shuttles for me. *grin*

Another gal (I have forgotten her name) is someone I adore on the base. I used to sit by her and her husband during second service when I first moved here, before I started driving shuttles. They are just great people in the Lord. Today I prayed I would see her, and I did. I gave her the card and an ornament (I was out of pens) and she hugged me. It was so sweet. That was a favorite moment for me during shuttles too.

I think I had forgotten how much fun it is to bless people like that. I think in light of NewTown, I want to make sure those around me know how much they mean to me. That's what today was about. And, I imagine God was smiling because the whole time, I was smiling too.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
GREAT!!!

1ST DAY OF BREAK!!!

Today has been fabulous! I have really enjoyed a day of relaxation with the coolest dog on the planet. I had planned to go out shopping after KU beat Ohio State, but I wound up chatting for quite a while with an old friend, so I never left the house. Perfect. It was a perfect way to start the break.

I'm getting excited. Onething is around the corner, Karen is coming for a visit, which excites me more than you can possibly understand, and I'll get to see my own family before everything else starts up. What else could I ask for?

Oh, Jay turns 5 Christmas Day! 5! How did that happen? CRAZY!

I also finished one book and started another.

Love. Break.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

A Week of Love

As you know from my last post, I entered this week with many thoughts and prayers in my heart and mind as I walked into my classroom Monday morning. I wasn't sure how the week was going to go, but I did know that I would be praying as the week unfolded. I knew that would be the key. What happened was better than I ever could have expected...

While I did have a couple kids want to talk about Newtown (and I did, privately), we just moved forward. I emphasized in one of my talks with a student how our job was to move forward and not let fear get in our way of living life. And, that's what we did! *grin*

As the week went on, the emphasis was on Christmas, gifts, and everything that goes along with it. I remember at one point thinking about how resilient kids can be. No one seemed scared, everyone seemed happy and excited for the holidays. It made me *grin*.

Along with the happy kids, came gifts. I am always blessed by who brings me gifts. I even got two gifts from kids who aren't even in my classroom. I LOVED IT. *grin*

I also gave gifts this year, which is my FAVORITE. I enjoy blessing others, so today was a lot of fun. I'm really glad we had school today! (We had a snow day yesterday!)

So, now we're on break. There was a time it felt like break was REALLY far away. Now, I'm just glad I get to cuddle with Jay, read some books, sleep in, enjoy time with family and friends,and experience ONETHING2012!!!

LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

We Are Chosen...

...to be alive in this time in our Nation's History...

This weekend I have thought TONS about Newtown, Connecticut. Due to the fact I spend 40+ hours per week in the classroom, I have pondered a lot. I won't get into everything I've thought, because I'm sure you've been pondering similar things.

Tonight as I watched President Obama talk to our Nation, I was moved to tears and within that, God spoke to me.

I've been chosen, and so have you, to be alive during this time in our history. What that means is, He's given us what we need to walk through this season in our lives, with the knowledge that a fabric of our lives has been injured. However, that doesn't mean we need to stay like this forever.

In my case, that means I am to go to school tomorrow and keep moving forward. If little people are nervous tomorrow, I know I'm in their lives to speak love and hope into their hearts, and to teach them that fear is not to hold them back from school.

There have been times in the past when I have asked God, "Lord, why do you have me here NOW?" Truthfully, He's never directly answered that question. Tonight though, I understood part of it.

I'm here (and so are you) to help those around me as they walk through things that break our hearts and bring us closer together. I'm here to speak life into the lives of the people He puts in my path.

I don't know about you, but I feel blessed to be alive during this time in our history because He is giving me opportunities to be used by Him in ways we've never had.

(Don't read that wrong, I am NOT GLAD last week's events happened.)

What I am saying is I'm glad He's chosen me for NOW. I'm going to help little people tomorrow learn how to work through fear (If they talk about it, and even then my words are going to be carefully worded, otherwise my lips are sealed folks!) and show them that we're not going to let fear win.

He's chosen us. We can do this.

One day at a time.

Encouragement from Scripture

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged. Life has been busy, between work and preparing for the holidays I've been meeting myself coming and going. Nothing's been wrong, I've just been BUSY.

I've been pondering something for a while now, and I wanted to share it with you because it may help you. I know it has helped me immensely in recent days.

Years ago I had a friend who pointed out a scripture to me that continues to bless me everyday. It's from 2 Corinthians 10:5, "...we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ."

At the time I was walking through a tough season and it helped pulled me up out of that and into a healthier place. I thought that scripture was given to me just for that season, and I have learned over the years that that wasn't the case. I have gone back to that scripture over and over again since that time. While I haven't been in that exact same initial season that I was in, I have found that it has kept me grounded in what really matters.

I am amazed at how active my mind is, and that it takes effort to stop it and keep my mind on the positive things. I am constantly bombarded by things that are not of Him, and it takes just a second for me to quote that scripture in my mind or say a silent prayer to keep perspective on what is what the Lord wants me to meditate on.

I know that's why I love the Prayer Room. In there, it's easy to focus and think on the things that matter. At the same time, I don't live there 24/7. I sure wish I could though! *giggle*

So, I wanted to share that, especially in light of the news yesterday. It is so easy to sit and think about the negative in that horrible situation. And it is horrible. However, if we stay in the negative, the enemy has won. We need to focus on what He wants us to see and within that, I believe that wisdom will come forth.

I also wanted to share it because some of you are in a battle. Perhaps Christmas is a tough season, or someone you love is sick this time of year. Perhaps this scripture will help you take those negative "What if" thoughts captive and turn them into prayers that are obedient to the Lord.

As for me, I am not going to get into my own little thought life, as it would bore you. *giggle* However, I will say I'm using this scripture daily. And I can honestly say it's helping me in ways you'll never know, just as I believe it will help you. *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
GOOD.