Christmas is coming...the goose is NOT getting fat!

That's right people! I reFUSE, to get caught in the temptation of the "eating season" this year...that's what we call the days between Halloween and TMEA (around Valentine's Day for you non-Texas music educators) and it's just TORTURE! There is always candy, treats and occasionally buffalo wings lying around waiting to be eaten! Plus, fall is a busy time of year for all of us and we have a bad habit of eating out when we are on the run. My school district is doing a challenge as part of their wellness program and giving out $100 rewards in drawings for those that do not gain weight during the holidays. I decided to participate because I really need to be losing weight but my goal is to NOT gain any either. :)

My biggest obstacle right now is finding time to exercise. It's not the actual DOING of the exercise that's a problem...I can actually spend an hour or two at the gym doing some cardio and then strength training and then some stretching. I have great endurance and I can walk on the treadmill or ride the bike while watching a show or reading for HOURS! But I can only fit in this amount of time maybe every couple months so I get discouraged and don't go. I convince myself that I have to put on the workout clothes and then I'll have to take a shower again, and yada, yada, yada, before you know it, I'm sitting in my chair on facebook :) I need to re-train my brain to do a little every day instead of something more intense only occasionally. That, my friends, will be my new year's resolution, AGAIN! (every year...)

We actually are trying to work out a bargain with Santa this year. Normally, in the past we have asked Santa not to bring super-expensive gifts because we just don't think it's fair to the other kids in the world...so we have given Santa a budget normally of no more than $100 per kid in the past. For many, that is still a lot, but we know lots of families that have given Santa no budget at all and he is bringing them iphones and tvs, etc. However, this year we are asking Santa for a Wii. We have ulterior motives for this. #1: Mommy wants to use it to "play" the games with the kids and get some exercise. #2: the prices have gone down from previous years and at $199 on Amazon, Santa can still stay within the budget we have alloted him of $100 a kid. #3: well...everyone is getting them so we want to keep up with the Joneses. #4: since Mommy is going to be using it, it really is a gift for her too from Santa so he's actually getting more bang for his buck!

All this weight and exercise focus has me thinking about my spiritual workout as well and what I believe God is calling me to do. In the past, I have shared that I believe God is calling me to teach His word...not just when it's convenient or when I have the time or when I have the right equipment or the right clothes on. I am willing and eager to do His will and have been participating as a bible teacher on a "volunteer" basis at church for many years now. I know that in order for me to move into vocational ministry, I will have to step a little out of my comfort zone. And since it has been made clear to me that I am not supposed to be focusing on seminary or ordained ministry (at least for this time in my life) then I felt I needed to look at the other areas of my life that require my focus and take away from the time I could be spending with the Lord, in His word, preparing for a teaching ministry that HE has in mind for me.

That's why I have decided to not teach bible study this spring. It probably sounds opposite of what I'm saying, but Thursday is currently taken up with bible study and lunch with my group most weeks, which gives me less than 2 hours before the kids get home. AND with teaching my small group, that takes up many hours of prep as well. Focusing on teaching this group has been awesome and I love it and I have been able to fine tune some of my prep and speaking skills. I also am really fed personally by it and I find comfort in it. However, in order to give time to the Lord and really hear what it is He is giving to me to share with others (as in a bible study that I am developing), I cannot be focusing on a bible study that someone has already written. I cannot focus on the comfort of being with my group, safe and secure in a bible study someone else has written. God is asking me to step out of my comfort zone and finish what He is giving to me to share with others. I am in the process and I am wanting to give God my obedience to see to completion what He has started. I will keep you posted on how it's going...my biggest fear is not having the structure or accountability of a bible study small group every Thursday, but I am VERY much looking forward to having this bonus quiet time with just me and God. And perhaps I can get in a quick visit to the gym as well :)

One more update on us: This weekend we have had the privilege of providing foster care for 2 little precious girls. As you may recall, we were licensed back in June for foster/adoption and have been waiting for the right children to come along in the foster care system for us to adopt. By the way, it is a SLOW, TEDIOUS, FRUSTRATING process! But we believe whole-heartedly in God's timing! We really are wanting to adopt but agreed to provide respite (temp) care for 5 days for another foster family so they could attend their son's college graduation. The girls are 2 and 3 and so they have been a handful, but they are SUPER sweet, very huggy, and we have enjoyed them immensely. They are girly-girls so we have had fun with dolls, and pink, and brushing hair...we have also had a few more emotional moments but that is mostly because they are little. I will admit that I have thrown my whole self into caring for these girls and love them already so I will be sad when they go back to their foster parents tomorrow. These girls are not available for adoption because their parents are still in the court process of trying to get them back. We weren't really interested in adopting girls this young anyway, but we are now praying about that...we'll have to see what God has in store.

The funniest/sweetest things from the weekend:
Seanna said "Christmas" and our oldest thought she said "breath mints" and they had a good laugh over that. She LOVED sitting on the couch next to the boys and would say "I sit by you." which just makes your heart melt...she just wants to be with people and be loved. Also, when I told her "you're adorable" she said "no, I'm a good girl!"
Ariel is only 2 so she doesn't say a lot but when she was sad one afternoon I said, "Don't smile!" with a very stern face and she started cracking up. So we started doing this all the time and now she says it to us and cracks up. Her laugh is in itself hilarious and contagious.

With the birthday of Jesus this Friday, we are reminded of how precious His gift was to us with the visit of these girls. His word says in James that "religion" at it's foundation is to care for orphans and it is humbling to be able to be His hands and feet in this way even if only for a short time...it is a gift for them but it is really a gift for US. This is a gift we give whether it's convenient or not. How joyous to experience the true meaning of Christmas this year.

May you have the same opportunity to be a blessing and be BLESSED in 2010!
Shelley

Time to grow!

School has started and our two boys have some AWESOME teachers. Tom and I also have some great kids in our classes. I will still be teaching music only 2 1/2 days a week which gives me the time to work my CM business, volunteer at the kids' schools and serve at Faithbridge, our church home. In addition to his service on the TBA Board of Directors, Tom has an opportunity to be a clinician for the junior high bands at St. George's Prep School in Vancouver, BC for a week later in Sept. This is a GREAT opportunity for him!

Our 13 year old had a check up right before school started and has grown 4 inches and gained 35 pounds since this time last year! He is only 1 inch shorter than me now and his voice has dropped. He is even in need of a shave as he has a "mustache". It is hard to believe that he will be in high school in just one year...technically only about 160 days!! EEEK! How did this happen??? I don't think we even noticed all the changes that were happening the last 6 months until just a few weeks ago when I looked at him and all of a sudden he just looked like a different person!

Our younger son turned 9 in June and has been the same...his pants are too short continuously and he has been maturing in the area of "trying new things". He is our "picky" one and within the last couple months he has tried several new foods without complaining and even gone on the "Tornado" at Splashtown, which is HUGE for him! We are so proud!

Our oldest just received the honor of being named "Vice President" of the band and is first chair trumpet in the Symphonic Band. We are looking forward to watching him grow in his new leadership roles. Both boys are taking tennis lessons and we are playing more as a family, and they also enjoy video games and the History channel in their free time.

We also are still waiting to hear about the children that will come to be a part of our family through adoption...just waiting...not sure how long we will have to wait, but we are positive that God sees their faces and will bring them to us in the right time. It's possible that they are in the foster care system and just aren't available for adoption yet. We'll see. There is growth happening with us in our hearts as we pray for patience. God is good and faithful and is helping us to open our hearts and pray for ALL the children in the system...they need someone to lift them up, to find "forever families" that will come for them someday.

We went on a family vacation this summer to visit Tom's aunt and her family, and to see the New England states. What a great road trip it was! We enjoyed spending time with family so much and we also got to go whale watching off Cape Cod, walk the Freedom Trail in Boston, eat Lobster in Maine and check out family history. We added 13 new states to our goal of going to all 50 (we're up to 28 now!) and actually clocked 4734 miles on our minivan! WHEW! This trip was growth for us too because we hadn't ever done long driving days like that before...we weren't sure if it would be too much. We drove over 800 miles in one day, 4 times, but not all in a row...the most we had ever done before was going from Amarillo to Houston and that is over 500, so this was a big leap for us. Tom and I DID IT and we are glad we were able to have more time for the actual vacation instead of spending more days driving.

So all this has me thinking about something...our pastor, Ken Werlein, has spoken several times before about one of his seminary professors teaching the concept of "no, slow, grow, go" when looking for answers to prayer. I have at times, since the first time I heard him share that, looked back at when I had been praying about something and realized now in hindsight I could see what God had answered...no, slow, grow or go. I have found that I OFTEN have been told GROW when I have had to face patience and waiting on a decision...much like we are doing now. The growth that has taken place in my life during these times is indescribable. Had I not waited, or had I taken matters into my own hands, things would probably be messed up.

And what a joy it really is to be in the care of the Lord and to know that He has a bigger, better, and ROCK-OUT plan to love us and help us be the best people we can be...a plan that we couldn't imagine on our own. We read about it in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I also believe that where we are right now is a "slow" period...we do not want to rush the adoption process. We have friends that have had issues with their adoption, and not that it was a mistake, but perhaps they moved too quickly and didn't give it enough time. We want to be absolutely sure we are moving as God directs as HE really sees the big picture and knows what is best for us. We could look at the frustration that we feel sometimes with the lack of communication in this adoption process and be annoyed with the waiting, but we are limited in how far ahead we can see and how much we can control and so we are glad to be patient for the child or children that are supposed to be a part of our family...we do not want the wrong child for us and want it to happen in God's time. What a RELIEF it is to know that God is working in our favor and we don't have to worry about how it will work out!

One other thing of note: recently we had a dear college friend die of a heart attack at 45. We just found out about a former student of Tom's that has breast cancer at 25. And we have 2 church acquaintances that are facing major health issues in their 30s and early 40s. These concerns combined have reminded me yet again that life is precious and we are here but for a short time. What I KNOW and what I BELIEVE is that we are here to do something great, something of worth to impact the lives of others each and every day, in response to the GIFT that Jesus gave us through salvation. Nothing else matters more than loving our families and friends with a real love, a love that can only come from knowing the One True God. We love because He first loved us...and so each day I ask, "What can I do TODAY to add meaning to the life of someone else?" I hope each of you that take the time to read this are inspired to do the same for your loved ones and even those that are hard to love...the positive investment you make in your closest relationships DOES MATTER.

I am working on a "Faithbook" called "10 Fingerprints of God"...it's really about 10 ways I have seen God at work in my life in my first 40 years. I am excited to see the end result because I know the process itself will show me God's grace and goodness. Thank you to each of YOU that read this blog for the impact you have made in my life! Make it great!

Licensed...and waiting!

Hallelujah! We are finally, OFFICIALLY licensed for foster/adoption in the state of Texas through the Department of Family Protective Services. WHOOHOOO! Now we wait...

Have you ever heard the saying, "Don't pray for patience because God will give you something to be patient about."? Well, this is exactly where we are right now...we are praying for patience. We KNOW that God sees the faces of the little ones that will join our family...we are waiting for His perfect timing, whether it be next week, 3 months or a year from now. We are just SOOOO excited to begin this next journey...we feel we are ready, prepared, and eager to get started and love whomever is out there, needing us.

In the mean time, it was quite humorous how Gregory, our adoption coordinator, tried to get us to take 5 little girls at our meeting yesterday! He told us, "you won't have to pay taxes for like the next 5 years if you take them, plus you'll get like a $2000 monthly supplement! They are the BEST kids and really deserve to be placed together, and you could have them like this week!" My heart was yanked out of my chest thinking about them, BUT we were thinking ABSOLUTELY NOT...there is NO WAY we could even fit 5 more kids in our van, or the bedrooms, or imagine the grocery bill?? How would we all go to the movies or out to eat? We'd even have to take turns eating! We'd be like "Tom and Shelley + Seven!" (doesn't quite have the same zing to it...)

It got me thinking though...even as we're thinking there is NO way we could take those girls, there is a family out there for them somewhere. Yes, I believe that we should be open to what God wants but MAN, I just can't imagine that He would call us to taking in FIVE! GOD KNOWS who they belong to and is just going to be working on someone's heart to take them. I asked Gregory for their names so that I can be praying for them, standing in the gap for them to have a family that loves them. He's going to email me with their info, but until then, will you join me in praying for ALL the children out there that don't have a family yet?

So I am trying to get some writing done this summer...my goal is to get something finished by Christmas. It actually is hard while everyone is home but I am setting aside time to work each day. I'm just trying to be open to God's prompting...I still may find the right job to help me transition from the public school to the church, but we will see.

Tom and I are celebrating 18 years of marriage this week and so it is amazing that we got licensed on our anniversary because we are finding strength in our commitment to each other to add to our family. We are amazed at how time flies when you're having fun...and we plan on having some more fun with our new kid(s)...and many years after they're gone too! We'll keep you posted!

Do the next thing

Life can be overwhelming. For our family right now, there are a lot of plates in the air...as I'm sure is the case for many of you as well. Sometimes it's the little things that get neglected because we are focusing so much on what is coming up or the big picture of what has to get done. Sometimes some of the burdens consume us with worry, doubt, fear, stress, anxiety, or anger. I believe that the enemy uses these tools to take our focus off our real job here on earth which is to take care of each other and help others know that God loves them.

This week as I read my daily email from Proverbs 31 ministries, there was one quote that really jumped out at me. It has become such a "mantra" for me this week I had to write about it. Elisabeth Elliot, wife of Jim Elliot, is quoted as saying "just do the next thing" and God will take care of the rest. Jim and Elisabeth went as missionaries to live among a remote tribe of people to share the gospel with them. It wasn't long before Jim was attacked and killed by this very same tribe. Other missionaries from the Elliot's ministry in the states were inspired to go, sacrificing their own lives to try to reach this tribe with the gospel. Eventually Elisabeth herself returned with her son to show them that God is a forgiving and loving God and TODAY this entire tribe has turned from their violent ways and given themselves up for Christ. It's amazing what God can do through a few dedicated people!

Now, for me, to hear Elisabeth Elliot say that she can in faith "just do the next thing", that is profound. I'm a big picture person so I am always making long-term plans and I'm not always great about seeing the details. I like to be "visionary" and think of possibilities...we could do this, or we could do that. I'm not always great at the "here and now" and what's realistic to get it done...that's what I married Tom for :) He keeps me grounded! BUT, to realize that a woman like Elisabeth Elliot, after all she's been through, can still say let's "just do the next thing" and God will take care of the rest...it's very inspiring.

The next thing for me might be to take the kids to school or return a phone call or eat something. I've realized in the last couple weeks that if I will ask God "what is the next thing I need to be doing?", he answers me. I'm notorious for making my "to do" list and immediately getting overwhelmed with all the things that HAVE to get done in a day. If I will stop and ask God to show me "the next thing" instead of trying to prioritize by myself, I have more peace about the steps that I take, knowing that God is going ahead of me to work it out.

We have a lot of choices and decisions ahead in our family right now. Between adopting, doing ministry, and facing educational and family challenges, there are many reasons to get overwhelmed. We are stepping into parenting not just adopted children, but adopted children that have been taken away from their birth parents who weren't making good choices. In the coming weeks 1 or 2 children will be joining our family and life will become about "doing the next thing." Because we haven't even seen their faces or know anything about them yet, it is easy to imagine the worst case scenario and get overwhelmed with what we might be facing. But we also know that we are on the path God wants us on and so we have to make the choice to move forward, one step at a time.

Ben Stuart spoke today at our church on a similar topic...having integrity to do the right thing, even when it's hard. He said that some will say that trusting God with the details is crazy, especially when you have been hurt by someone or are facing big challenges. Our society says to get out there and take care of it! Someone said that God is in the details and so we can trust Him to take care our burdens. Why do we think that the creator of the universe does not SEE what's going on in our lives, that He can't see the big picture and make the puzzle pieces fit. Why do we think we can do a better job than Him?

These next couple of weeks for us will be filled with school getting out and summer fun, as well as lots of decisions. WE will be praying that we can allow God to take care of the details so that we can be obedient and just "do the next thing." I pray this for each of you as well. May your summer be full and rich with many blessings!

A new beginning!

As some of you may know, I had to delete my other blog...this was out of necessity to gain privacy for my family from an unsolicited fan. I am starting over with a new blog that has a title that will not be as obvious with a search for my name. And aren't YOU lucky that you were invited to read along with the adventures of our family!

For my new beginning, I wanted to share with you why I chose the name "Flower Power". In recent months this has become a little phrase that has stayed with me frequently and it comes from Isaiah 40. There is a lot of great stuff in this awesome little chapter of the Bible, but in particular I love where it says the following in verses 8 and 29: "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever" AND "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak". I have meditated often on these words and what God is speaking to me. In recent months, as I have tried hard to listen for God's leading in the ministry and adoption processes, these verses have come to my head often. These 2 verses to me are so much of a summary of what I need to be reminded frequently AND what I want my message to be to others in everything I do. I now have begun to summarize "Flower Power" as what I believe is God's leading for my personal ministry. I have a dream to inspire others with God's message and to complete at least one of the bible studies I'm writing...FLOWER POWER MINISTRIES perhaps will be the name of my teaching ministry as a symbol for others to know that even if they feel weak, withered, and fallen, God's word lives forever and He gives us strength, POWER, and hope to overcome!

Besides, I was born in 1969, just at the end of the "flower power" 60s and I think it will be cute to put flowers on everything I get published :) hee, hee

Seriously, (well, semi-seriously) each of us really are flowers though, aren't we? There is a cute little song I have sung with kindergarteners for at least 15 years and the lyrics go like this: "Each of us is a flower, growing in life's garden. Each of us is a flower, we need the sun and the rain." I have thought so often about this when I teach it to my students each year and they ask for it EVERY DAY (because it's just so darn catchy and fun to sing!) It's a simple message really. We need the sun and the rain of course for obvious reasons...we need the sun to warm the earth and the rain to bring the water for our survival. But on a deeper level, we are growing in life's garden each and every day...whether we want to recognize it or not, we need the SON to warm our hearts with his love, and we need to be drenched with the rain of God's word, saturating our minds so that we may grow closer to Him and to each other. This will in turn provide the "armor" that will protect us from those things of the world that cause flowers to wither and fall.

This is what this blog is about. Sharing our lives with you our dearest friends and family. Lifting each other up and encouraging one another in God's word. It is my desire to share a word or two each time of what God has placed on my heart and hope to keep you updated on what we're up to in the process. I look forward to hearing your feedback and appreciate you reading!