~All The Time!~

Ok so this is my last week of sleeping in, well if you consider 7 sleeping in! To me it will be considering next week it will be starting at 5 ~oh my!~ what was I thinking…LOL! I am not much of a morning person till I have been up for awhile and had MY COFFEE……. I hope my body will adjust!

So things have been really good, along with some changes. We canceled our family vacation, well going to Myrtle Beach. We still plan on a vacation just not sure what we will get into. I was alittle bummed at first, but am really looking forward to what is  in store for Rusty and I. We are letting the kids pick a day of what they would like to do, should be interesting, but will be alot of fun! I am not real sure of all the changes that I am going through, but  I can say this with certainty it feels really good. The scared feeling is leaving and the I feel GREAT has arrived………..

I keep asking myself what else can I be doing, or change. I want to keep on this path of serving the Lord the best way I know how. I have become what I think is a prayer warrior, but still think I could improve in that area as well. I feel I have been speaking up and saying what I feel in serving the Lord, and guess what I don’t care what anyone around me thinks! I am so glad to be part of a spiritual family! I have loving brothers and sisters all around me. I also hope to add some to the list, even if I am unaware of it. I need to set an example! So is God good? ALL THE TIME!!

Prayer!!

You ever feel like God is telling you to go and do? I have had many of these feelings alot lately. I have been on a growing path with the Lord and it is awesome, but sometimes I sit there and say are you sure? I shouldn’t be questioning it, but we do. TRUST is the key!

I love the fact that I am growing, some say I am strong, and I don’t always feel that way, but it is nice to hear! I find we need to feed on the spirit of the Lord everyday “ God is Good.” He tells me everyday what to do, whether we choose his path or follow that of the worlds or man. Sometimes hard to see which is his, but we always seem to know. I always get that feeling. For others it might be different.

I learned last night that it is better to either be in the cold or in the hot with the Lord, instead of being warm. The cold of course meaning not knowing of God and being hot doing the Lord’s work. Warm to me is knowing about God and doing nothing about it. It made me wonder was I ever in the warm?

This I do know, I keep praying! Prayer is just talking to God, and how I do love to talk to God! So if I do things that I have never done before, or thinking what am I doing it’s probably God. If I ask the same questions over and over, probably because I am getting this feeling to do so. I am hoping that all I do is through Gods grace!  “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” 1 John 4:16

Going Crazy

Can you say crazy! That is how I feel this week. This will be short and sweet. Baseball season has started and this week we have 6 games, yes 6! On my off night my daughter had piano then a scrimmage for her softball team. Her games will begin to start April 17…oh my! Then what!! Whewwwwwwwww!

To top off the week of craziness, we are trying to sell our house. So in between games and work, I am trying to clean this house. Plus the yard work from the winter. It will not let up and I am overwhelmed at the minute, but I know it will all be good. I did take a day yesterday and spent it with my girlfriends. Had a blast and will need it for the rest of the week.

Good Friday!!

What a beautiful good Friday, and life is good! I have been feeling very blessed. I had surgery on Tuesday and all though it has been a slow healing process, it has been a good one. Can’t say much for my house…..LOL!  My son also started his baseball season this week, it has had some ups and downs, but hopefully it will get better! They had a hit fest last night which was a much needed, beating New Lex 20-1. Way to go boys!!

This weekend I am celebrating with two love’s of my life! First it is Easter weekend , “HE IS RISEN”!!!  God gave his only son for us!!! For “US” I am sitting here just taking that all in, and could you imagine! praying……Second it’s our anniversary it has been 17 years! We have had some ups and downs, but God gave ME my soul mate for life, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Good Friday, Good weekend, I feel it will be a blessed weekend all around. ~I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter!~

Giving it back

Do you ever have those days when you wake up you feel great and everything is going fine? Then you get a phone call and all you can think about is the worst. So that is my day in a nutshell! The best part is I keep giving this up to God, but for some reason it seems to keep coming back…….

I have been sitting around doing absolutely nothing, I have no desire to do a thing, and I need to at least be cleaning! My thoughts, as the day goes by seem to be in slow motion…… Why I am not sure, as I said earlier I feel fine!

Maybe because I can give it all to The Almighty Lord!! Even if I have to do it more than once or twice…… Sometimes I wonder if I face uncertainty? But I know that He will not forsake me. He will watch over me even more tenderly. His everlasting care and love will be with me every hour-every minute! Isn’t that truly awesome to know!

Finding My Place

Woke up this morning to snow on the ground, come on really? The sun is now out and it’s melting, but I am ready for the heat. I am always so cold, and I want to be sweating….LOL. I have been pondering some different things today. I have this book I borrowed  from a friend which is really neat. You don’t read it from front to back, you read it as needed. It deals with all different subjects you might need guidance with that certain moment. It’s called “With God All Things Are Possible.”

Well first I am going to ask for a prayer, my back today is almost unbearable. Not sure what I did different in the last couple of days, but I have to work tonight and I am hoping to get through it. Which brings me to one of my pondering thoughts. My job which I am very glad to have. I am feeling a little bad at the moment, my daughter has a performance tonight and I forgot to ask for it off. Now the reason I feel bad is because I have been requesting time of to watch my son’s baseball. I completely over looked this and apologized to my daughter and she understood, but I am still feeling very guilty.

I just read a chapter in this book. The chapter was called “God has a life work for you.” I always wonder if there is something else I should be doing? I wonder if I should go back to school, try to better myself? Then I read this chapter and alot of it made sense. Am I happy in what I do?  Am I using my talents where be needed? Sometimes I feel I am not, but the one thing I can say I enjoy is, and I even try to do is make someone’s day! I think I was meant to be around people. I think God has given me that talent! If I notice someone is down or having a bad day, I try to put a smile on their face before I leave or they leave, wherever I might be. I could be at work or in a checkout line, but I always have a smile! Even if my day isn’t going so well, I can always seem to find one for a stranger. Weird but true!! So am I at the right job I need to be? God only knows. I believe he will open more doors when needed, and that makes me Smile!!

He Who Gives Me Strength!!

So today is the big day, I am getting some test results back. I feel very confident through Gods grace, but I am human and still have sour gut feeling as well. Last night I was reassured at bible study. I find it amazing how things we study happen at certain times. We were all reminded of it last night. I have always known just sometimes we forget.

“ I can do all things through Christ” was the first thing out of the lesson last night. We all sat there and smiled and looked at each other. I know how that fit just right with the things that I have been dealing with, and I am sure the others did as well. Another passage we read and was “If the Lord brought us to it, he will bring us through it.” That one I thought was very awesome!  Hard, but His strength, love, light and grace will be there! Philippians 4:13 said, I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

We need not to doubt when we put our trust in him. It’s hard sometimes, but God will always be there to lean on!  I am finding that out in my growing and walk with the Lord. Times like the ones I am going through I would have just gone into my own little self pity party, but now I see what comfort God brings in these times of needs. It’s so amazing!

Sit Back

Being overwhelmed can take a toll on anyone. I recently had something come up where I have to sit back and let it happen. We all hate to watch someone we love make mistakes, but it also happens for a reason. We can’t try to change it or fix it. I have been through this and the anxiety can be a lot to handle, but I also believe that one has to go through it themselves to get a point across.

I will need to pray for myself not to try to take control, and let God help me with that. He is the one in control!  This week will be a test or a lesson. Might be for me or for the both of us! I wish I could just write everything that  has happened in the past, and tell what I have changed. I can tell you this I will let you know how it all turns out. Good or bad it will make us both grow to learn from our mistakes!

Don’t you wish it was  easy? and that God would put your answers to your prayers  in BLACK or WHITE? If he did we wouldn’t learn, and get the much needed blessing when we did do it his way. It might take 2 or 3 times, even if each time you are doing what you think he wanted you to do.  Spend quiet time with the Lord and just listen. Hopefully you will hear what he is trying to tell you!

Fun Night

It is 5:18 on a Friday night, and I have the whole weekend off! The weather outside is beautiful and I don’t have to cook dinner tonight! Another plus to my night! I am sitting here listening to some music, ok, ok I am Jammin’  thinking to myself  life is good!

I am on a mission to lose weight and be nice and dark for vacation.  I can’t wait to feel that hot air in my face! I will probably say this a lot, but I am feeling very blessed! Things could come falling  down around me, and for once I would know I would be ok. I am so thankful for my family, friends and having a job!

So if you get down or start to wonder, I start to remember  all the great things that God has done for me. I try not to dwell on the what could have been, or should have been situation. Live life in the NOW!!! “God will not give you more than you can’t handle”! Ok I seem to be rambling, but I guess thats what being in a good mood will do for me. Everyone have a great night!

 

Attention

Have you had something brought to your attention, that you were unaware of? I was sitting in the car waiting to go into some appointments with my husband, and I was asking him some questions from the book I am reading. They were survey questions. I am not that far into the book, but was very interesting on the 2 sets I asked him. Some apply to him and some he said  that is not me.

We got to talking the about stuff all day long and things were brought to my attention, that he might have not ever told me before. Was nice that he could trust me with it. Was a nice day to be with my hubby. He made me laugh all day long, and even into the night when I was a little hurt.

It was also a day of walking and talking with God all day, he kept me up, when I could have very well been very down all day. I want to thank him for my answered prayers! His love shines through day in and day out. I am glad to have family and friends who care about me.

 

Yesterday

I think I spent a lot of time in my car yesterday, I know I drove to Cambridge and back to New Concord 3 different times…wow! It was a awesome day though, I was so busy I couldn’t blog till this morning.

I had to work yesterday which started off my 1st trip to Cambridge. I got work with my boss which is always fun! We no longer have music in the store, so we would make up our own songs…too much fun! Then met up with a friend that I hopefully was some help for him in his time of need. Now I am starting my driving frenzy, I had to head back to my daughters school, pick her up and run back over for piano lessons. Got to visit twice with my hubby, through the mix ~which is always nice~! Then ran her back to the school where she had a choir performance. My last trip was one I really didn’t have to do but was nice, I had dinner with my parents.

It was such a beautiful day yesterday, and I was glad to get out of my car and just relax. The day to some would have been very hectic, but I was able to spend time with God through out the day. I think it makes me a much happier person. I think I was smiling a lot yesterday! I finished my day reading a new book I got from the library it is called “ For Women Only” Ladies a much needed read to understand our husbands better! I have yet another busy day as well today, but I do ask for prayers for my appointments I have to day.

Reminders

Yesterday was a day of reminders for me, as I am still on a learning path and always need reminded and some extra guidance when walking with the Lord. My pastor said a phrase that  I wrote down, he got it from a exercise video and changed it up a little. It said “ Do your best, forget the rest”, but I like  “Do your best for God, and he will help you with the rest!” 

I feel like I have been under a shell and I’m coming out! What a feeling! I was searching for a verse in the bible this morning, and I couldn’t find the one I was hunting for, but God helped me find this one, and how appropriate it is right now. “Guide me in your truth and teach me,  for you are God my savior, and my hope is in you all day long”. It is amazing how fast I can forget that, but need to cling to it. I was trying to put my hope and joy into something else, and that is the lesson I had to learn. More than once it seems…….LOL. My joy comes from God above , if I keep trying to get it somewhere else, I will keep getting disappointed every time!  I was reminded of that last night, it was much needed!

So it’s good to get reminded when you start to stray from the path God has intended for you.  It reminds me of a song we sang yesterday at church. Not so much the reminding part but the part where God is working in me.  Lord, you are the potter and I am the clay. Mold me and make me, have Thine own way.

  

Lessons

What a day, as I sit here and think of what to write,
God knows I am having one of those struggling days.
I do believe though, it's a learning lesson as well. My
husband can read me pretty much like a book and
knows when I am struggling. He does his best to try
to figure out why. So a penny for my thoughts, he
said just go write....

Well it is Saturday night and we have gained 2 extra
kids. My husband and I came to an conclusion that
our house will always be open to our kids friends! My
husbands loves to still and talk with them all as do I,
but more him them me. I think he should have went to
school for teaching, he would be great at it!! He just
loves kids! We had a great time tonight, we took the
girls to Taco Bell and brought the boys some home. We
don't usually have tons to offer, which often worries me,
but it doesn't seem to bother anyone but me."HINT" One
of my struggles to work on. The best part is I can admit
it, where before I couldn't.

Not sure what the rest of the night has in store, but lots
of laughs and giggles from the girls. The boys coming
down when they want food or drink, and hopefully with
all going on, a relaxing night with my husband! Just a side
note for ME....
God is so wonderful, awesome and amazing! I love him
with all my heart!!

~In His name
Shannon~

~bLaHHHHH!~

Ok what is up with the feeling of blah? Where does
it come from? I sadly have to say I am having one
of those days..LOL. I am not in a bad mood, or down,
I am actually very happy. So my question today is
why do we get the blahs?

So the sun is out, it's warmer than it has been, and the
snow is almost all gone. Spring is just around the corner
yippie!! So I decided to take this Blah to God this
morning! I am so thankful I can do that. I enjoy every
waking moment I spend with HIM. It is almost like him
saying to me, you have the blahs? spend a moment
with me and I will take those away!!! So of course I did,
and I am writing about it as well. I so love him so much, I
just want to spread his word with all the changes he has
done in me. Of course I am nowhere near done!

So I guess my point today is it could be as simple as the
blahs or even smaller, but God is there to pray, lean, or to
just lift us up even if it's the smallest of small things we
may be going through. So I want to thank God for every-
thing he has given me even if it's the blahs. It may not be
such a bad thing!!

~In His Name
Shannon~

Distractions

I was laying in bed writing in my head what I was
going to say on here today, and of course I can't
remember a thing...LOL! Have you ever had that
happen? I should have gotten up and wrote it all
down, but my bed felt too good! I did however wake
up today with a question in hand. Lord what do you
need me to do for you today?

We often or should I say I get distracted from God,
with what he might want us to do. We go to church on
Sunday hear a great sermon and say to ourselves, I am
going to do that. We have the best intentions too, but
we often get sidetracked with humanly things. Or Satan
puts in our heads we can do that ourselves and we don't
need God's help. So how do we fight this temptation?

For me I am always talking out loud for God to hear. It
is like he is standing in the room with me, and I am holding
a conversation with him. Listening to what he has to say
back is the key, and sometimes very hard to do. It might
not be what you have envisioned to happen, but it's the
way God has. It might also even seem impossible, and of
course there is always Satan trying to convince you of the
other.

A friend once gave me some advice, I use it so I don't lose
track of what God wants from me! I also was reminded of
it last night during bible study. I haven't used it in awhile,
and Satan is always looking for a way to distract us for God.
I believe I will be using it more and more.
"So if Satan comes knocking ask God to get the door!!"
We are all human and it is easy to get sidetracked. I do, but
I also know there is a loving God who will keep me on his path
if I just open my ears and listen!

Listening

Just got off the phone with my grandma was so nice to
be able just to call her up. I wasn't feeling like blogging
earlier, but talking with her and lifting up God in our
conversation someone changed my mind. It has Been a
stressful day! The kids had yet another day off from
school due to a water break, which still isn't back on yet!!!
Argh! So I have extra kids here and I usually don't mind,
I like my house to be open to all my kids friends, but as I said
my stress level is very high at the moment.

Back to my phone call, my grandma she was just diagnosed
with Berricks disease, but is still very weak and they are not
sure what is causing that. She has good days and bad, but still
has a couple more doctors to see. Hopefully they will find the
problem. She made me think about the day I have been
having, and was so glad to receive my call. God tells us not to
worry, but you could hear it in her voice, I hope she couldn't
hear it in mine. It is really hard not to worry, so I am trying to
lift it up to the Lord.

So my prayer today is to lift my worries up to you Lord, may
you give me reassurance that it will be ok! Help me with the
added stress and not to bite my kids heads off. Patience for a
much needed phone call I have yet to get, and for listening to you
"GOD" to write on my blog, I do feel better!!

~In His Name
Shannon~

In Our Path

Ok, Ok Isn't so amazing how God puts great women in
your path. I met up with 3 of them last night, was such
a blessing when one of them told me I have been praying
for you since we have been playing phone tag.

The second is a friend whom I recently went and talked
with, she is also the one who gave me the book I am reading
now. She was such a blessing in part of my journey that
I am going through right now and I had to let her know!

The third was one whom I got to know alittle better with
talking with her last night. I feel we could talk the night
away "that's alittle scary"..LOL, very good though!!

I am still learning, but amazed by his glory! My walk with
the Lord is more than words I can say! The feeling is great,
and my hope is that everyone can experience it!

~In HIS name
Shannon~

Struggling

Today I find myself really struggling with a situation. In the
past I would be jumping down someone's throat and then
the end result would be a fight, but I am leaning on God to help
me with that. I have been looking to him for guidance, and really
need it more than ever today.

I read a chapter in my book this morning, and it's amazing how
this chapter fits in how I am feeling today. I think God did that
on purpose! When we are praying for someone, we always seem
to pray for the bad traits, or the changing of them. But God
doesn't always change the bad traits, he might be trying to change
the way I look at them. They might not be a bad trait at all, I just
see it that way. That one hit me!!! But it's all good!

So this is going to be a huge challenge for me or a lesson I fear,
but I know it will work out. I have learned alot of lessons here
lately, and I am so thankful for them. They tend to lean to a
growing christian, and I am so GROWING!!! I just need a extra
prayer and guidance today from anyone, especially the one above.

~In HIS Name
Shannon~

Who Are We Working For?

It amazes me on how much I want to improve myself. If you
would have asked me about a month ago if I liked to read, I
would have told you NO. I actually hate it! Not sure why, but
now that is all I am wanting to do. I want to take as much
information in and put it to good use! I mentioned the book
I was reading in a early post, it is called "The Power of A
Positive Wife", by Karol Ladd.

I just read in one of the chapters "The Best Employer" and
thought I had never heard it put this way. As a Christian we
have an awesome Employer. You're not simply working for
your boss or your husband and kids; you are working for the
Lord. Here lately I am more cheerful knowing that I am
working for God and not for man! Ok here is an example of
the "giddy giddy" I have been feeling. Last night my husband
came home from work, I heard the door open, ran and jumped
into his arms. Would I have done that before ~I really don't
think so~, but God is just working in me ways I have never
seen before!

Lately I just sit around and just breath in all of his presence
around me. I am needing and wanting more and more! It is an
awesome feeling, one just can't explain. Unless you have been
through it or you are working for the Best Employer Around
THE LORD!!!

~In HIS Name Always
Shannon~

Day Dreaming

I went to my friends women's bible study last night. It was so
nice to get together, and meet other women who have the
love for Christ! Our topic was day dreaming and why we don't
do it anymore, and of course got me to thinking....

We get so caught up in everything that is going on around us.
Husbands, kids, work and house we sometimes forget to sit
back relax and start to day dream of how we want our lives to
be. WE used to do it at kids, why not now. If we do dream about
things we want we feel like we are being selfish, and thinking it
is all about US! That is how I would feel.

God wants us to dream, and take time for us "plus of course
he knows what we want even if we aren't sure". Once we figure
it out~could be awhile for some~ all we need to do is ask him. Alot
of us won't ask for what we want or desire, but God wants to fulfill
our needs and dreams.

This is something I am going to do. Write down your dreams, then
day dream about them, pray about what you would like to do with
those dreams. Make them your very own! Ask for them! Then
watch for the opportunities to come alive! I love this verse that we
went overlast night Matthew 7:7-12 Ask,Seek,Knock......

Dare To Dream!!!!
~In His Name
Shannon~

Trust

Alot of things have been layed on my heart lately, I can
say I have a million thoughts running through my brain!
Crazy but I am so loving every minute of it! God is just
taking over! I have stuff coming out of my mouth and
I am looking around wondering who said that......LOL!
"It is ME", whewwww! Told ya I was crazy!

One that has been laid on my heart is trust. How many of
us have been burned or hurt by girlfriends in the past,
or anyone? It makes it hard to build a trusting relationships
with new friends. You want to hide your feeling because
lets face it you don't want to feel that pain ever again! I can
say I have done it and had it done to me as well, but if this
has happened to you there is hope! That is if the person
whom has been hurt will forgive you! It might take time.

I have a good friend, whom I have hurt in the past, and we
are closer than ever today! It took alot of me asking for
forgiveness and apologizing alot. I did alot of praying for this
relationship as well, and as hard as it was to tell what I had
done to her, I did it in front of a crowd. I remember crying
alot. I am not sure when I gained her trust again or how long
it took, but the relationship we have now is priceless! Was it
worth it ~YES!~

Not everyone will be as forgiving, if you have hurt them, but
I can say this PRAY about it. If you are still able to talk to them
ask for their forgiveness! Write them a note if you don't talk to
them or see them. It might be a relationship, that person might
need! Or you as well!

~In His Name
Shannon~

Sermon

Have you ever been talking about a situation, someone or
just anything? Then you go to church and the sermon is
about that! That has happened to me more than once , but
here more recently "like yesterday".

Not that is was bad just gets me to thinking. What do I need
to be doing. I have been trying to be very mindful of every-
thing that has been going around me right now. Is God trying
to make me aware of something? Or just getting me to stop
and listen to what he has to say.

We sometimes get so caught up in our lives that we forget
that maybe someone close to us might be going through
some hard times and God is trying to tell us. It might be as
simple to add them to our prayer list, or just to be thinking
about them.

~ In His Name~
Shannon

Encouragement!

Define encouragement- means to give courage and
strength to another person! It is amazing how positive
words or a smile can be such a encouragement to
someone. That person could be having a bad day or
problems you don't even know about, and just a simple
guesture makes all the difference!

I have been practicing this myself, I have even made
myself a note (where only I know it is) to remind
myself, to say something positive or compliment my
husband everyday. It is not always easy, we might
not feel like doing these things. We might see all the
wrong going on and want to jump to saying negative
words, or having THE LOOK on our faces. When I feel
the negativity I look to the ultimate encourager GOD!!

Sometimes we might feel as if we are the only one doing
this and we might be, but continue to saying and doing
positive things "words", and watch! It is amazing how
the spirit of encouragement is CONTAGIOUS!!!

Something I am going to try this year, I can't do Valentines
Day, but will try on our anniversary. About 2 weeks before
I am going to send fun and romantic cards to his office
(marked "personal"). In hope for encouraging him and letting
him know he is my hero and my main attraction!
~Till next time~
Shannon

Let Me Introduce Myself

Hi, my name is Shannon, I am a wife of 17 years to my husband
Rusty, and a mother of 2 beautiful children Joe and Jenna. I just
recently started a journal, and a friend suggested I should start
blogging again so here I am.

Alittle bit about my life, hum......I will just get right to the point!
We have had some up and downs our marriage, just as I am sure
everyone does. I have decided through God's strength and
guidness I am going to work on changing ME!!! Because as much
as we all want to change someone else we can't, but we can pray
and work on ourselves. That is a lesson I just recently learned,
and though I see myself changing, I am only human and will make
mistakes. I am a work in progress ~I tell myself~ but God is so
very good!!

I have been reading a book a friend gave to me it is called "The
Power of a Positive Wife", I love it and recommend it. It is very
easy reading which is a area I struggle with... LOL reading that
is. I like to quote different things from the book, that really hit
me or have a positive feeling that has helped me. So I will end
with it "There are high spots in all of our lives, and most of
them have come about through encouragement from someone
else." ~Encouragement is oxygen to the soul.~

Future site of "The Mommie Crossing"

~In Progress!~