A new blog find!

All I can say is Thank You Michelle Nichols!! I have a new fun blog to keep up with!!! I love the Favre family....even more now. To know they love the Lord and have a great family!!! Oh.....all you can say is Go Jets!!! Sorry honey.... :)

Click here....or see the side link to The Favre Family Blog. Good reading!!! Even if you aren't a Packer/Jet fan!

God is our refuge & strength, an ever present help in trouble.....

Have you ever felt that you were losing control when your kids are out there making their own decisions and sometimes falling on their face at the same time? Yeah, right now is one of those times for me. I have such a controlling personality. I want to help….at least that is what I say to myself – but in all honesty it’s a controlling thing because of my fear that either my kids will fail and get hurt….or they will miss something.

God has been telling me daily….Let it go Shannon. I’ll do it Shannon. Don’t move on this Shannon. Let them work this out Shannon. Oh boy, I could go on. So I sit and pray. And pray and pray some more. The verse that tells us to pray without ceasing has never been so real for me. I find that each time I consider one of these situations we are walking through with our boys, I want to plan out a course of action – sit them down and pray with them and help them realize what they could do differently. I want to help them fix it.

That is not a bad thing – Not entirely. And there is a place to step in when our kids are at risk or need us. But there is a time for our kids to walk their spiritual journey all on their own, while they are in our homes under careful care and prayer. That is where I am. Trying to find a balance as a mom as they are learning to fly……before they leave my nest.

So, I hear this verse…..while I hear the Father telling me not to act right now… “Be still and know that I am God”. And I hear it, but I want to be sure God doesn’t need my help….you know what I mean? I know you do. How many times do you feel the need to work something out because you feel you can….and God needs you to do that right? Wrong….He needs us to be still. He needs me to be still and allow his spirit to work within my kids. He needs Kevin and I to lead them…but then he will allow his spirit to grow within them. They won’t be under my wing forever…and I know that, but truthfully, I don’t love knowing that. Not right now anyway.

As I was praying this morning for my family – the Lord also led me to Psalm 46. When I read it, I realized God is the help of my children just like he is for me. They are at an age where they will and can call out to God when they need something and he’ll be there. Just like he’s been there for me. I remember a few years back, our Pastor at the time – Pastor Culpepper talked about giving Canaan to your Kids. It was a great series on brining our kids up in the Lord. Anyway - during our prayer time, I confessed to God that I had issues with trusting him totally with my kids. I knew he created them…but I had to protect them from everything here on earth. And at that time – God gave me the vision of a big umbrella and my kids were under that umbrella. The umbrealla represented safety...and being under God. And I said, God…what if they move from under here….what if they go away from where we know they need to be. As clear as I heard Pastor Culpepper speaking that morning, I heard God speak so sweetly to me – “Then I will be there for them Shannon – just like I was for you”. Yes you were God – and I am so thankful. Help me to trust you more and listen to your voice so my kids can be all they are supposed to be in you.

If you are walking out this season of parenting……I’ll pray for you. And please….pray for me too!

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Girl Time

I know...this post is completely girly. I like that sometimes!!! I work for a great hotel and with absolutely GREAT people. I really feel blessed. Part of my job does have me traveling to Atlanta and some of our other hotels from time to time - which are all in the state of Alabama. Anyway, today I had a group of pastors and their wives come tour our hotel in Florence, Alabama. My job is to kind of be the host...tour them around and allow them to enjoy the property and all the great benefits....like spa! I am such a spa girl...I enjoy it in a BIG way. Anyway...so, tonight, we opted for spa treatments in lieu of doing dinner in the fine dining restaurant and then we all went back and had room service. That is my kind of night. So...while Kevin and my boys are sitting on my amazingly comfy couch watching Man Vs. Wild....I was totally enjoying my jammie time with room service while feeling quite relaxed from the spa time. Ah....now....I'll go to bed soon - but before I do.....here is a pic of my dinner....


Yeah....it was too late for a big dinner. ;)

Yeah...it wasn't very good.....can you tell?


And my movie....Sisterhood of the Pants 2.




And....now, I shall sleep. However, I'm reminded of the verse that has popped up in my life for the last couple of months....and tonight....it fits in a very practical way.

Hebrews 4:10 - 11
for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Does God ever just put scripture in front of you over and over again in the most unique ways. Maybe you hear a verse and feel moved. Then...you hear that verse on the radio or a friend shares it with you. Or....even a month later - you receive a greeting card with that very verse on the front! To me...that is God's creative way of saying...Hey you...I'm trying to tell you something. That is the way Heb 4:10 is for me. I know the full context of the verse is our afterlife...and that final rest. But that one section keeps coming up for me...like he wants me to hear something specific about the here and now. So....either He is telling me to get rest....or I'm the one falling by following the example of disobedience....I hope its the first. So...on that note - I'm going to rest in my big ole' comfy Marriott Bed. You know they do have great bedding packages....its true.

All kids ARE NOT the same...and that is ok! (I'm reminding myself)

How is it that your children can be so different? Not only in looks…..but in personality as well. I know some siblings who are so much alike that they truly seem interchangeable. My kids….are not that!
I’m reminded of that with my 14 year old. Scout is truly a kid that marches to the beat of his own drum. Actually….all three of our boys have a bit of that. But…Scout’s drum beat……is not what most others hear as rhythm. You feel me?

As a mom – I think I started out thinking that I had to treat all three of our boys the same. Somewhere along our journey, I’ve learned that treating each fairly doesn’t always mean the same. That is hard for me to grasp sometimes. I’ve found through trial and error that their discipline and even acts of love need to look different in order to connect with them on a level where ‘they get it’. What works with my oldest is not necessarily going to work with my middle son. And what works with my middle son may not work with my youngest. AGGHHHHHH….you could go crazy trying to figure it out. But after years of trying….and still trying mind you, I’ve found that if I go to their creator….my boys ‘heavenly father’ in prayer he will direct my steps. The holy spirit works within me to prompt me…nudge me to move when there is a need. Some may say its that mom thing inside….and though that may be true…..nothing is just a ‘thing’. The Lord uses us as his tools each day when we listen to that little voice inside.

All of this thinking comes from watching my middle son try to find his place. He has a church trip this weekend and he could not be more excited. My oldest loved this particular trip too. Now he liked it because he swears Mentone is God’s country. He says it is one of those places that you truly just sit and find God everywhere you look. So, with knowing that – last year I was so excited for Scout to go too…..and you know….find God everywhere!!! Who wouldn’t want their son to have that??? So last year and this year alike….I begin to prep Scout for his big weekend encounter and I just wonder when I check out Scout’s packing list…..and his Bible didn’t make the list…but his new Star Wars Light saber and full blown Banana Suit did. You know…if you know my boys….you can just see Scout now with a big….no, ENORMOUS adorable smile on his face when he’s planning for the trip. I mean he is psyched.

There is a part of me as a mom that wants to reign that in….and say “but Scout…what about finding God on this trip… and the rocks…you know…finding God everywhere you look and stuff…….don’t miss that!!!!” And though there is nothing wrong with wanting those things for my boy…what if I AM the one missing all the stuff God has created that shows up right in front of my face, in my life each day. Like my incredibly silly, fun and talented son that is just packaged a little different than the more serious one. Wow….like a ton of bricks that thought hits me in the head. God created Scout and he knows him better than I do. And I bet….he laughs at him daily and that Scout brings so much joy to Him…..each time he puts on his banana suit or dreams one of his crazy dreams of doing something WAY OUT THERE.

I don’t know if you struggle with this, but if you do…you are not alone. Hello!! I’ve just put it all out there for myself. And I pray that as I learn this and walk this out….I’m a better mom for Max….and that I have less expectations for him to act like what has gone before him….because I am telling you……I see another Johnson boy….about to break the mold in an entirely different way.

Gen 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

You know, I need to be reminded at times that we are all made in His image….and not in the image of others. If what I see in my kids are reflections of the attributes that mirror Christ…….then what more could I ask for? I wouldn’t want anyone to want or expect anymore from me….. I know he is growing in the Lord and I know that the Lord will use him in the plan that he has just for Scout. I know this full well……. Psalm 139.

Oh……here is a picture of Scout with his Light saber……I’ll post one of the banana suit once he is finished stuffing it with ‘the right’ foam. I’m not kidding.




I'm going to go re-read Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages of Children. I should have finished that book!!!!