So this week I've been disappointed by a number of people, and I'm feeling fairly let down. It's been sort of a theme in my life. For example, our wedding that one would expect all your close friends and family would do their best to attend.....well, it just didn't turn out that way. It leaves a person feeling rejected and even disposable.
I find it really difficult not to hold a grudge when someone has a ridiculous excuse about why they let you down or didn't show up to an important day or don't know if they will be able to make it. I guess I just end up finding out where people's priorities really lie.
Then I remember that there is only ONE who will NEVER let me down. One True God who has always and will always be there. I have stupid excuses and reasons why I let Him down all the time, and still He loves me so much. No matter how much I fail. If you just sit down and really think about it, it's absolutely amazing. And I'd rather have my Creator always on my side than anyone else anyway.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Skillz
Everyone knows...that girls only like guys who have great skillz. Forget nunchuck skills, cake baking skills, computer hacking skills... how about:
blue-eyed skills
bear walking skills (a bear that drags its head on the ground, that is)
crawling skills
TV watching skills
hovering skills
couch lounging skills
dog whispering skills
outshining the dog skills
standing skills
future football player skills (position still up for debate...but not the team he will be rooting for)
dimple skills
cabinet skills
camera grabbing skills
blue-eyed skills
bear walking skills (a bear that drags its head on the ground, that is)
crawling skills
TV watching skills
hovering skills
couch lounging skills
dog whispering skills
outshining the dog skills
standing skills
future football player skills (position still up for debate...but not the team he will be rooting for)
dimple skills
cabinet skills
By now, I'm sure you are jealous of all these skills. Hopefully you can figure out what movie I'm referencing! Plenty more posts to come, so hang in there...
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Bye Bye
So I am very behind on photos and videos in the last month. This one was taken when Sawyer was 6.5 months old in May. This is all going by too quickly. It's so much fun to see him grow, but it breaks my heart all the same. Maybe a house full of children wouldn't make it quite as sad?
Monday, May 24, 2010
Buds
To kick off the weekend, Sawyer and I stayed overnight at my dear Marianne's house. Marianne is a good friend from high school...we played soccer together and became fast friends through the sport, as her dad was the head coach and my dad was the assistant coach. So yeah...both only daughters, we basically ran the show! And now, over 10 years after, I'm beyond happy that we are still close, and that I get to have pictures of our sons together! I'm sure our dads will get a kick (no pun intended) out of these photos as well!
Anyway, here's Sawyer and Marianne's son, Ben, who is 22 months. Ben is a very energetic and handsome boy...and by the way he is built, I know he's going to be a great soccer player (or any other sport he plays, for that matter)! He was very sweet to Sawyer, and Sawyer adored him.
SO CUTE!
And the next second, Ben was over it! Haha. Great action shot.
Same picture as the first, but this one was with my camera.
We can't wait to visit Ben's house again!
Anyway, here's Sawyer and Marianne's son, Ben, who is 22 months. Ben is a very energetic and handsome boy...and by the way he is built, I know he's going to be a great soccer player (or any other sport he plays, for that matter)! He was very sweet to Sawyer, and Sawyer adored him.
SO CUTE!
And the next second, Ben was over it! Haha. Great action shot.
Same picture as the first, but this one was with my camera.
We can't wait to visit Ben's house again!Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sawyer and Friends
We had a very busy week...last Saturday, Sawyer and I took a day trip to my friend Emily's parent's cabin. It was so good to be with her and her family.
Sawyer and my godchild, Carli (23 months) (Emily's daughter).
Then, I had the privilege of watching my boss's daughters one evening. Here's Regan (3 1/2) and Sawyer
Sawyer, Regan, Lili (1).
Regan was such a big help...and such a sweetheart to Sawyer! Although she did tell me that next time I come over to play with her, I should get Sawyer a babysitter. :)
Sawyer and my godchild, Carli (23 months) (Emily's daughter).
Then, I had the privilege of watching my boss's daughters one evening. Here's Regan (3 1/2) and Sawyer
Sawyer, Regan, Lili (1).
Regan was such a big help...and such a sweetheart to Sawyer! Although she did tell me that next time I come over to play with her, I should get Sawyer a babysitter. :)Thursday, May 20, 2010
Nom Nom Nom
Yet another low-quality video of Ryley teasing the boy.
Sawyer now has 2 teeth and likes to wave bye bye. Oh, and I always knew about little boys grabbing at their "fireman" as Ryley calls it...I just didn't realize that it started so young. Every time he gets the opportunity...diaper changes and bathtimes...he loves to examine his fireman. Boys are so fun!
This evening I have the privilege of watching my boss's daughters, ages 1 and 3. It should be interesting...hopefully I will have pictures to follow.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Another Video
This is a long one...fairly uneventful but the grandma who lives far away will enjoy it!
In other news, I am wondering when I will learn that it's too early to buy decent fruit. I think I've bought 7 honeydew melons in the past month, only to throw them away because they have no taste. What a waste of money. That is one of the few things I don't like about living in the Midwest.
Sawyer has been busy rolling around all over the house, and he's starting to attempt crawling...like an inchworm. He also loves standing up and taking steps or jumping. Examining my earrings with his little pinchers is also another favorite activity...which sometimes causes minor discomfort for me!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Big Plans
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The first part about the orphans and widows is widely used among many Christian orphan care organizations. "...to keep onelself from being polluted by the world" is sometimes left out.
The burden to advocate for orphans lays increasingly heavy on my heart over the past 3 years or so. Just in the last month have I been learning the lesson about personal purity. About not wasting my time.
And I'm still learning about that...hoping to make that a priority for all the rest of my days on this earth.
At the conference, there were many powerful, influential people. Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth. The former first lady of Guatemala. C. Thomas Davis, author of "Fields of the Fatherless" (and other books) and CEO of Children's HopeChest. John Piper. Dozens of others working on the front lines of the fight for the children of the world. I hope to write about their impact on my life and thinking in the future.
"Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. This book has changed my life. I encourage you to pick up a copy or download the audiobook. I'm not sure I've read a book as powerful.
John Piper. I've heard so much about him. He far exceeded my expectations when he closed out Summit VI last week. He is anointed. Powerful. Convicting. He brought the two things I spend most of my time thinking about together...the fatherless and personal purity.
I have big dreams for west central Minnesota. Of course, I have no idea what will happen. My plan is to network right now. Find others whose hearts are being stirred up for orphans. Beyond that, I would love to start a regional alliance orphan care ministry of area churches. I have talked to so many friends who would love to adopt someday, but feel overwhelmed about the cost and the process. From the little bit I went through it, it is a challenge. Even painful. And once you get to the end result (bringing home your child) the work has jut begun.
I have a dream that my region would respond. All ages would answer the call to make an impact, to change the lives of orphans around the world in the name of Christ. For the glory of God. I would love to see the culture, race, ethnicity change because of adoption. I would love to send groups overseas to show hope to the children who have no one.
My plan...while not set in stone...is to network, as I mentioned. Then meet with leaders in different churches. Call the Body of Christ, maybe a few from each church, to a meeting or a "think tank." Use Orphan Sunday on November 7th, 2010 to kick off.
But I guard these dreams and plans so I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't happen the way I hope. I want to see the whole community transformed, but I can't feel like a failure if it doesn't happen...or at least, not right away. I know that God is laying this on my heart and that I must follow, one step at a time, one foot in front of another.
How great is our God.
(Still scatter-brained...for the Lord) Love, Shannon
The first part about the orphans and widows is widely used among many Christian orphan care organizations. "...to keep onelself from being polluted by the world" is sometimes left out.
The burden to advocate for orphans lays increasingly heavy on my heart over the past 3 years or so. Just in the last month have I been learning the lesson about personal purity. About not wasting my time.
And I'm still learning about that...hoping to make that a priority for all the rest of my days on this earth.
At the conference, there were many powerful, influential people. Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth. The former first lady of Guatemala. C. Thomas Davis, author of "Fields of the Fatherless" (and other books) and CEO of Children's HopeChest. John Piper. Dozens of others working on the front lines of the fight for the children of the world. I hope to write about their impact on my life and thinking in the future.
"Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. This book has changed my life. I encourage you to pick up a copy or download the audiobook. I'm not sure I've read a book as powerful.
John Piper. I've heard so much about him. He far exceeded my expectations when he closed out Summit VI last week. He is anointed. Powerful. Convicting. He brought the two things I spend most of my time thinking about together...the fatherless and personal purity.
I have big dreams for west central Minnesota. Of course, I have no idea what will happen. My plan is to network right now. Find others whose hearts are being stirred up for orphans. Beyond that, I would love to start a regional alliance orphan care ministry of area churches. I have talked to so many friends who would love to adopt someday, but feel overwhelmed about the cost and the process. From the little bit I went through it, it is a challenge. Even painful. And once you get to the end result (bringing home your child) the work has jut begun.
I have a dream that my region would respond. All ages would answer the call to make an impact, to change the lives of orphans around the world in the name of Christ. For the glory of God. I would love to see the culture, race, ethnicity change because of adoption. I would love to send groups overseas to show hope to the children who have no one.
My plan...while not set in stone...is to network, as I mentioned. Then meet with leaders in different churches. Call the Body of Christ, maybe a few from each church, to a meeting or a "think tank." Use Orphan Sunday on November 7th, 2010 to kick off.
But I guard these dreams and plans so I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't happen the way I hope. I want to see the whole community transformed, but I can't feel like a failure if it doesn't happen...or at least, not right away. I know that God is laying this on my heart and that I must follow, one step at a time, one foot in front of another.
How great is our God.
(Still scatter-brained...for the Lord) Love, Shannon
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Life After Summit VI
After the conference, I feel this fire that has been lit inside me. I have to move. I have to act. But I know there needs to be some time of reflection, and I need to wait for direction. I feel conflicted, refreshed, overwhelmed, inspired...frantic. So while I wait on the Lord to see what the next step is, I read books. I pray. I think. I read blogs, watch videos, spend time in the Word. I care for my sweet baby boy, and when I look into his eyes I think about all the children of the world who don't have a mama. All in the name of Jesus, who paid the price and made the ultimate sacrifice so that I could be adopted into the family of God.
Where do I go from here? Christians are responding...where do I fit in? Will the immediate region I live in be transformed...will they respond? The answer will come in due time.
I have a sense of peace and a sense of panic at the same time. I am heartbroken and hopeful.
The struggle and brokenness of orphans around the world is real. We might not see it in our comfortable little corner of the world. But we must expose ourselves to it. Helpless children are out there. They need a family. Some of them need basic resources. Some of them need protection against very real dangers such as trafficking, neglect, exploitation.
And most of all, they need Christ. The Only ONE who can fully heal their hearts.
I will talk more about what actually happened at the conference when I have it all sorted out. I feel like there's so much I learned, so much I am feeling, so many ideas that I can barely type a coherent sentence.
I look around me and I lead a very rich life. I mean I am wealthy. I have so much more than the vast majority of the world's population.
While I can agonize over the decision of what color shirt to buy...people are suffering. Innocent children who don't have a mama or papa to wipe away their tears, to tell their hopes and dreams to. No mama or papa of their own to comfort them.
While these precious children are on my heart constantly now, and I am constantly aware at my endless supply of resources and how wasteful I am, I found myself at church on Sunday. The theme at the church service was how they need to build an addition to the church. They said things like "The children need a clean, safe place to play. They need to know that their church loves them enough to give them a dedicated area to meet their needs."
Now if you are from my church and you're reading this, and especially if you are part of this "capital campaign," please don't take offense. I care about the children of our church. My son is one of those children. But we are SO RICH. There are children around the world who don't even have a bed to sleep on, much less a family to call their own. I am not trying to say the church shouldn't build an addition...I am not involved enough in the culture of our church. I am basically an outsider, and that has been my own doing. But it just made my stomach turn. To be concerned about the four walls of a building, while there is such a great need beyond those walls. There are greater needs in our community, in our state, greater needs beyond our country. How can we add on to a building when people are starving? How can we not be their hope? How can we stand by when people are dying...physically and spiritually?
And in presenting this campaign to build an addition, it was said "The bankers say we are paying down our existing debt faster than most churches." That was supposed to be a good reason to build. WHO CARES WHAT BANKERS SAY...what does GOD HAVE TO SAY about the debt? What about the cost we will pay for not caring for the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, the hungry, the lost?
Now please, I am not saying this church does not make some attempt to care for those who need Christ. I am really just venting, getting this off my chest. I do love the heart of the people in my church, and while I can be disappointed with things that happen, it is my own fault for not getting involved. And furthermore, I am the worst of sinners. I am selfish, prideful, harsh, and a host of other undesirable qualities.
But I don't want that anymore. I want Jesus. I want to desire God. I want to do only things that will echo in eternity. I want to say only things that glorify God. Being a "perfect" person is unattainable...but still I long to please my Father in heaven.
Where do I go from here? Christians are responding...where do I fit in? Will the immediate region I live in be transformed...will they respond? The answer will come in due time.
I have a sense of peace and a sense of panic at the same time. I am heartbroken and hopeful.
The struggle and brokenness of orphans around the world is real. We might not see it in our comfortable little corner of the world. But we must expose ourselves to it. Helpless children are out there. They need a family. Some of them need basic resources. Some of them need protection against very real dangers such as trafficking, neglect, exploitation.
And most of all, they need Christ. The Only ONE who can fully heal their hearts.
I will talk more about what actually happened at the conference when I have it all sorted out. I feel like there's so much I learned, so much I am feeling, so many ideas that I can barely type a coherent sentence.
I look around me and I lead a very rich life. I mean I am wealthy. I have so much more than the vast majority of the world's population.
While I can agonize over the decision of what color shirt to buy...people are suffering. Innocent children who don't have a mama or papa to wipe away their tears, to tell their hopes and dreams to. No mama or papa of their own to comfort them.
While these precious children are on my heart constantly now, and I am constantly aware at my endless supply of resources and how wasteful I am, I found myself at church on Sunday. The theme at the church service was how they need to build an addition to the church. They said things like "The children need a clean, safe place to play. They need to know that their church loves them enough to give them a dedicated area to meet their needs."
Now if you are from my church and you're reading this, and especially if you are part of this "capital campaign," please don't take offense. I care about the children of our church. My son is one of those children. But we are SO RICH. There are children around the world who don't even have a bed to sleep on, much less a family to call their own. I am not trying to say the church shouldn't build an addition...I am not involved enough in the culture of our church. I am basically an outsider, and that has been my own doing. But it just made my stomach turn. To be concerned about the four walls of a building, while there is such a great need beyond those walls. There are greater needs in our community, in our state, greater needs beyond our country. How can we add on to a building when people are starving? How can we not be their hope? How can we stand by when people are dying...physically and spiritually?
And in presenting this campaign to build an addition, it was said "The bankers say we are paying down our existing debt faster than most churches." That was supposed to be a good reason to build. WHO CARES WHAT BANKERS SAY...what does GOD HAVE TO SAY about the debt? What about the cost we will pay for not caring for the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, the hungry, the lost?
Now please, I am not saying this church does not make some attempt to care for those who need Christ. I am really just venting, getting this off my chest. I do love the heart of the people in my church, and while I can be disappointed with things that happen, it is my own fault for not getting involved. And furthermore, I am the worst of sinners. I am selfish, prideful, harsh, and a host of other undesirable qualities.
But I don't want that anymore. I want Jesus. I want to desire God. I want to do only things that will echo in eternity. I want to say only things that glorify God. Being a "perfect" person is unattainable...but still I long to please my Father in heaven.
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