Happy Thanksgiving!

I am sending this out early in hopes that it will reach everyone that followed Sophie's story in time for Thanksgiving. I ask you to please send this to the people in your email list that prayed for her and I ask you to read it to your children that love her so!

This Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for. A few years ago, I had prayed to the Lord to help guide me into a direction that would be worthy of his blessings. Wow, He showed me a depth in my heart that I was very unsure about at first. But, I knew that if I was to fully have Faith in him, I had to take what was laid on my heart and do the leap of Faith. Regardless of what others would say or think because of it. I am grateful that I did just that and that my heart was truly open. For now I am finally seeing what He means by the word "Joy". I am grateful to have learned one very important key to living a joyful life. And that is... knowing I CAN'T truly be happy unless those around me are too.

I have found that God gives us the fundamentals of life but so many of us choose to not listen. But the reality is.. how can we be happy if our family, friends, neighbors or co-workers are sad and unhappy? Just like it's hard to eat a full meal when you see your neighbors starving. So my idea of a happy life is to try my best and live in such a way that my friends, family and even strangers don't suffer because of something I have said, done or didn't do. Now I am far from perfecting this, and at times I fail miserably... but I strive for this daily and teach my family to do the same.

You see Gods will for us is NOT that we perfect this ( we are all human and creatures of imperfection), perfection only leads to pride and self-righteousness. He only wants us to trust Him enough to place our lives in His hands fully and watch Him transform us into joyful people that are thankful in good times and in bad. Then, in return go out and show the world what He can do.

"What caused me to finally open my eyes and ears to Him you may ask?".....well no one other than my precious Goddaughter, Sophie Dale Sparks of course. She was a true believer! I have been told that some people had been taken by surprise at the end of her short life. They had no idea she was so close to death because she looked so healthy and happy. The only thing that showed the world she was even sick was her beautiful bald head. She made dying look easy, and I know the only reason she could do that was because Sophie allowed the Lord to consume her heart. In return she spread SUNSHINE into the lives of many people, some who hadn't seen the sun in many, many years.

I received many letters from people that I don't even know, thanking me for sharing Sophie with them. Through opening a random email sent by a friend their lives were changed. One in particular touched me in away that I could never fully describe. The letter explained how they had never met Sophie personally but felt as if they had. They shared how Sophie's story became almost an obsession and were always seeking ways to learn more about her. They would get up early and before even brushing their teeth, they checked their email for any new updates. They told how when they received the word that Sophie was now a heavenly angel, their heart sunk. Heartbroken not just over a communities loss, her parents pain, or shattered hope. But also because there would be no more updates or pictures. However, the most fascinating thing they shared with me was that it was her death that led them back to church and into the arms of our Lord. A place they had left and long avoided for years. They now woke up no longer to check for emails from me, but to talk to God! Up until that letter I myself was asking God "Why? Why take our Sophie Sunshine when she was leading so many to you in prayer? When I know she would have glorified you for the rest of her life? Did we not pray hard enough or lead a good enough life, had we done something wrong?" Well God so gently and graciously answered my question with that one of many letters that came. He didn't take her to punish us...He took her because she deserved it. She went over and beyond and earned her early promotion from this world that can be very unkind! Her little body suffered so and now it was time to give her a new one.

I have learned that we should all live our lives like Sophie did. When we enter a room, we need to light it up with SUNSHINE!!! You are never to old to learn and never to young to start! I hope that if you, your family, your neighbors or friends are suffering---that the Lord is allowed to jump into your/their hearts and that you find the gratitude that pure JOY can bring.

This Thanksgiving may your home be filled with the Lords love, His peace, and an over abundance of His blessings on your table.

Many Blessings,

Shannon

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18"

Yes, there is a Santa Clause!

Good morning! A simple question from a kind but curious adult sparked me to journal.

I was asked, " Why do you call the LV Angels Christmas event the "Evening with Santa"? "Leaving God's name out of it completely?"

This question instantly took me back 10 years ago when I was asked a very similar question, "Mom, if there is no Santa then does that mean there is no God?", from a teary eyed 10 year old girl who had just discovered from children at school that Santa was a made up character. So my response was a fairly fast and easy answer. " I believe Santa Clause is just a mere representation for God. To me Santa is a gentle way of talking about and introducing God to the most tender of hearts."

I chuckle to myself thinking about how many eyebrows were just raised as they wonder to themselves how I could possibly compare God and Santa? However, I can easily and without hesitation explain that as well.

Let me start my saying that all though Santa is a fictional character and God is a TRUE AND VERY REAL essence, they do have a lot in common. Santa much like God never ages nor does he die. (Even their very existence is something of a mystery) They both are "all knowing"' ( they do keep a list and know if you are bad or good and if you are sleeping or awake) Both are told to live “above us.” (the north pole & heaven). Santa and God each love people no matter their circumstances, and want us to do the same. They are reported to share the same level of patience... slow to anger and quick to forgive. Children eagerly await Santa's arrival in hopes they had been good all year, much how adults await the coming of Christ in hopes that they have led a good life. But, the biggest thing they have in common, this time of year is their "Helpers". God has His disciples and Santa has elves. Without them, how would their very existence continue and be passed on from generation to generation. I remember looking at that sweet, innocent brown-eyed 10 year old and explaining the story of St. Nicholas and how he was one of the very first "elves/disciple" in teaching us what Christmas was truly about. I sat explaining to her that Santa's reindeer were actually symbolic of the donkeys that carried the wise men and their gifts, just like the twinkling Christmas lights were the Stars that lit their way. How the star on top of our tree was meant to be the Star of Bethlehem, the angels were to remind us of how the message of Jesus' birth was delivered " and lastly how Santa's jingle bells represented the coming of a special occasion or message, much like we hear in our church before we take communion. What a wonderful teachable moment that had turned into. I remember thinking with a mothers heart, and refusing to allow anyone to turn her child's Christmas into anything but what it really was.

Christmas is that time of year we allow our memories to transport us back to simpler and more nostalgic times. Songs by Burl Ives, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby..okay I think you get the picture. Those songs teleport me to my own Christmas past. I hear them and I think of our living room and a Christmas tree strung with lights, huge primary-colored bulbs that get all scratched but still looked beautiful, tinsel that sparkled everywhere, and a silver lighted, foil tinged Christmas Star on top. Instantly I am a kid again, lying under the tree next to my brothers coloring in a Christmas coloring book, dreaming of what we would be getting from Santa, and figuring out how much money we had saved to buy our parents gifts from "Santa's workshop!" A time of excitement in preparation for a huge family get together with our most favorite people. It was a time of BELIEVING in things unseen, MAGICAL beauty, and HOPES that the feeling the season brought would never end.

Now as I finish my journal entry, I feel the need to thank this kind person for asking me that curious question. It forced me to remember what it is that makes this time of year so incredibly special.

And now I ask them, " Why would I NOT call this event the "Evening with Santa?"


Please feel free to share this email, in hopes that it might enlighten someone else along the way.

Many Blessings!
Shannon

A friendly reminder:
We invite you to come celebrate with the LV Angels Tuesday December 6@ 7pm. At the LV City park and turn into a child again while you ride Santa's sleigh along side Mrs, Clause, sip hot coco and listen to Christmas carols, and enjoy watching " Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" from a 12ft movie screen as your children wait with excitement to visit Santa and take rides on the Wiggle Waggle Polar Express train. Remember that we have donation boxes at HEB, Family Dollar, Dollar General, St. Ann's Catholic Church, and Affordable trailers. We hope to collect many nearly new coats and blankets as well as brand new pajamas, undergarments, and outer garments for children in our community that are less fortunate. You may call Lisa at 830-779-2796 and order your families "Evening with Santa" t-shirts for a price of $10.50 each with all proceeds going towards families that are more in need. This is a free event with only one requirement....YOU MUST BRING YOUR CHILD LIKE FAITH & YOUR SMILES!

http://catholicism.about.com/od/thesaints/p/Saint_Nicholas.htm
(incase you too need some help one day as I did) :-)

Friendsship & Love

This evening as I sit alone in my silent home, my sweet dog beside me and the moon peaking in through the window, the rest of the family has been dusted by the sandman, and I can't help but smile as I reflect on the joys in my life. Next week, my home will be overtaken with the aroma of our Thanksgiving dinner, family and friends will fill the walls. This now quiet home will be reflecting the sound of children’s laughter, intriguing conversation, and football! Lol.

So on days 15 & 16 I am grateful for friendship and love. I hold family and friends to be among the most important gifts there could ever be, and in this area of life I have been abundantly blessed. When I meditate on this, my heart begins to overflow and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Powerful Blessing's come from small acts of Charity!

Okay okay! I know! Once again here come the excuses for being behind on my blog! This time it was honestly no fault of my own. You see, Friday morning my wifi router decided to blow up on me, leaving me at the mercy of my iPhone. There is just no easy way for me to blog from that. Or at least any way that I'm aware of.

In an effort to keep this post from becoming a book, I have decided to link up 4 days worth of gratitude for you. So here it goes!

This time of year is very chaotic for me to say the least. I started a nonprofit organization 3 years ago helping the less fortunate of our community. Each year we have put on a Christmas event for our entire town. The few weeks beforehand can be quite stressful but the emotional reward you get when it is over, more than makes up for that brief period of feeling overwhelmed. The smile on the faces of children and adults alike are absolutely priceless. It helps us to remember that Christmas time is truly about communities coming together as family and celebrating the way our Lord asks us to. So day 11-14 of my gratitude list is my thankfulness for this wonderful charity, the outpouring of support and generosity from this loving community that I live in, and for blissful chaotic moments that turn into the most wonderful and powerful blessings! Here is a link to our facebook page in case you are interested in checking us out!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/LV-Angels/258285052220

Blessings, Shannon

Lessons in language! WOW

This morning I went outside to watch the sunrise. It was cold yet so refreshing at the same time. The view from my house at this time of year is simply PERFECT! The sun is rising in the east and the warmth from it on your face is so soothing! And, when you do an about face, you see the most gorgeous moon descending in the west. The sight of this today almost had me in tears. You see, it's those moments that I'm alone with God that so much of His work makes sense to me. It was almost as if He was saying..."Shannon, can't you see that yesterday is fading but what a beautiful sight it was and it's leaving you with a smile. Now turn around and see the beauty that is just dawning, and the wonderful things that wait you."

Isn't that just amazing? Tonight when the moon rreappears, it will be His reminder to me that just because something is out of sight, doesn't mean that it's necessarily gone forever. Day 10: I'm grateful that I'm finally understanding how God speaks... And gosh do I love his language! I have temporarily turned off the music to the page so that you can play a song that has become my saving grace in my dark moments.

Blessings,
Shannon

Thankfulness & I got behind...AGAIN

A 30 day challenge of Thankfulness and I got behind...AGAIN!

Today is the 9th. SO here is yesterday and todays:

Yesterday we were blessed with a "touch" of rain and cooler weather. So Day 8 is my gratitude for the MUCH needed rain. South Texas is in the middle of a record drought and any moisture we get is always very much appreciated. The rain we received won't even begin to make up for the lack of rain we need, but anything helps when you have thirsty lawns, trees & critters. I am thankful on this Day 9 of the challenge for the cooler temperatures. After a long, hot summer of reaching triple digits, these cool Autumn mornings feel amazing!

Faith

Gratitude & Thankfulness doesn't even begin to describe my Day 7: Today, I am thankful for my FAITH!. Without my Faith, I could NEVER have gotten through what I have these past few months. I have learned a lot about this word over the past couple of years, and by far it is what carried me! I always had faith, but until I put it into action, I never saw how much it bettered my very existence. I am often asked, "Do you still pray? Do you still trust God?" And I confidently & always respond with a profound, "YES"!

We often ask for God to help us, but is it help we are asking for? Or are we just wanting to tell Him how to do it? We say we trust God but DO WE REALLY? To truly "let go and let God", we must literally relinquish things to Him and have Faith that however He chooses to take care of things is His business.

Faith is NOT telling God what to do, how to do it or when to have it done by. Faith is trusting God to do whatever He says while accepting His will even when it is not our own.

We should praise God when He chooses to answer our prayers the way we believe, and just as loudly when He doesn't. Faith is trusting and accepting the will of God no matter what.

I watched FAITH carry a 5 year old child and ultimately allow her comfort in death. I am forever grateful for the most beautiful word ever....FAITH!

My Very First Give Away!

My Very First Giveaway has been put into place!

Hello dear friends! Well, I'm so very excited to be having my very first GIVEAWAY!!! It's been such a pleasure blogging within the last few weeks and meeting such amazing & inspirational people! :) This has been a very fun
experience, and I would love to host a follower friendship appreciation giveaway!This is also being done in efforts of gaining some new fellow blogger's and making even more wonderful friendships.
I will be giving away a beautiful 16" rustic barbed-wire cross that has already been treated and is ready to be hung. Made by me personally, along with another little surprise just for SMILES! Would go beautifully outside or inside on a Cross wall, rustic room, or by itself!


Are you excited and ready to enter??! If so, here are the giveaway rules for your chance to win this beautiful cross!

** Leave a comment on my blog letting me know that you are a follower or become a follower of "Shannon's Sparkles and Sunshine" using the Google Friend Connect gadget on my page, and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

{OPTIONAL}
For extra entries, you may:

** Mention my giveaway in one of your blog posts.

** State the giveaway in your Facebook and/or Twitter Page with a link back to this post.

Just leave me separate comments for each extra entry. The winner will be chosen via random.org.

The giveaway will end Wednesday, December 7th. (My Birthday) at 12 midnight, Central Standard Time.

A winner will be announced on Thursday, December 8th.

Good luck, and please tell your friends about this wonderful giveaway!
This giveaway is open to both US & international friends. :)

**For anonymous users or bloggers with private profiles, please make sure to include your e-mail address in your comment post so I may contact you in case you win**

This will be fun! GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Sweet Solitude

As I write this I am sitting at my laptop in my chaise/lounge, the smell of Folgers brewing, nothing on but a soft lit lamp next to me, (and our wall clock ticking in the background) the family is still snuggled up in their beds, and I am enjoying the solitude right before sunrise.

It tickles me that for so long in my life I didn't enjoy the sound of "quiet". I had to have noise, craved activity and wanted the comfort of company even if it came from sounds of a radio or television.

After three children, the stress and strain of getting four different family members off to their respective activities, the daily grind of household chores, and having to give someone my attentions most all of my awake hours.... I have come to CHERISH these rare times of 

I can blog without guilt, sip my coffee and feel warm and relaxed, and for a little while I am the master of MY world, no worries of hearing anyone yell my name and answer to no-one (until one of them awakens and I fly back into mom/wife-mode, of course) But mostly, I enjoy the quiet and the solitude because it allows me time for devotion with God, and it brings me to a point of complete relaxation. It has taken me many years but I am finally learning that it is okay to take some "Me" time without feeling terribly guilty. Often times, I feel like I am a trick of all trades and a master of NONE. Like a woman with 2 very long arms that are being stretched in 5000 random directions, that must be ready to have an answer to every question at every second of the day. PLEASE don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade THAT I AM NEEDED, WANTED & LOVED for anything else in this world. Without my family, I would be A miserable and terribly lost soul. It is most definitely  because of those crazy "life" moments that I have grown to appreciate and love the BLISSFUL feeling I receive when I BLOG IN SOLITUDE!

So since I missed day 5 of giving thanks, I figured this morning I would make yesterday and today a "ALL IN ONE". My day 5 has to be my gratitude for my blog and the release it allows me! And, day 6 goes to the the precious moments of SOLITUDE that I am learning to allow myself ! I hope you all enjoy your "ME" time too! 

Psalm 90:14 -Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Many Blessings,

Shannon!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Day 4: Today my husband and I celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary. Gosh, it has honestly flew by! Glenn informed me this morning that we have been together over half of my life. WOW! I REALLY FEEL OLD....but I wouldn't want to grow old with anyone else! 3 wonderful children later we are still reinventing different ways to fall in love. Thus far it's been a great journey together. I would be lying if I said it's been perfect but it's been as near to perfect as most people can ever hope to experience. My husband is a great, honest, loyal, God fearing and hard working man. He can work on and fix just about anything....and not just with WD40 and DUCT TAPE...WOOOHOOO.lol

I love him more each day that passes. He truly knows me better than anyone. He can tell when I am tired or have a lot on my mind. He can sense over the phone when I have been upset or am just out of sorts. He comforts me and tries to make me laugh. He makes me feel loved and supported. And, I know that he backs me 100% in everything I do. So today I am thankful for my HANDSOME husband!


I have no regrets that I took that vow 22 years ago. It felt "right" then, but it feels "PERFECT" now. He is my partner, my love, my rock, and my friend. God picked the best husband for me, and because we kept Him close, I feel we grew together over the years instead of apart.

Thirty Day's of THANKFULNESS

Well it seems that even before Halloween is over, the stores are stocking the shelves with Christmas decor. Just this past September I went to get pool supplies and found that the shelf that housed the chemicals all summer long were being restocked with artificial CHRISTMAS TREES! At this time here in South Texas we were still coming extremely close to hitting triple digits and the LAST thing we are thinking about is CHRISTMAS! But retailers are eager to get our $$$ and they sure know how to reel us in. The weather is just now getting to the point where we must store away our swimsuits and put away our wide brimmed floppy hats. Now we are being forced to look at Snow, Santa Clause and winter gear.....SERIOUSLY, What has happened to Fall? We are being robbed of one of the most beautiful times of the year. However, the stores make it easy to get swept up in the bright lights, jolly holiday music, and the pressure to "SPEND SPEND SPEND"! I refuse to let them rob me of this very special holiday. I believe it is time we give Thanksgiving the respect it deserves. So I invite you to take some time with me to reflect this month on what's really important, and give thanks each day for all we are BLESSED with in our daily lives.

Since I am starting this blog on day 3, I will blog 3 days worth of "Thankfulness" today. They will be random and in no particular order, except #1. Will you join me, or do you have a list already going of your own? Please share your post so that I too can follow your list of "Blessings"!


Day 1: My first of THANKFULNESS has to go to Jesus Christ. He has become my answer to everything. I am honored, blessed and thankful for my relationship with Him. He is my ticket to happiness and true Joy. I credit Him for everything that follows on this daily list. Here is my favorite picture of His sacred heart. I have this picture framed in my room along with each of my kids. Seeing Him first thing upon waking and the last thing before falling asleep is so important.
Psalms 100:4 we are taught to, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless His name."

Day 2: I am so very grateful for my family. Family completes me in every way possible. And I say that loudly and proudly. Yes, I am indeed BLESSED with a CRAZY but LOVING family. To me family are the people you can lean on when the going gets tough, they are the ones you can trust to laugh or cry with in any given situation, they are your safe haven that you can always be yourself around. I find comfort, safety, security, fun, and LOVE within my family! I am truly BLESSED!



My third seems like an odd one. But I am thankful for SHOES, yes shoes! I saw a picture that told a story of how so many children across the world own NOT A SINGLE PAIR. They walk through mud, sand, rocks, trash and even SEWAGE...BAREFOOT.
Shoes are something we tell our kids to put on in cold weather in efforts of keeping them from catching a cold, or something worse. We have boots for when they are working along side their father's outside, rain boots for wet and muddy weather, flip flops for summer days to prevent the HOT STREETS from burning their tender toes, and we even give them house shoes to wear in the home.

Living in a part of the world where most of us take a simple pair of shoes for granted made this picture a bit hard to swallow.



Day 4: WILL COME TOMORROW! STAY TUNED =)

A Quiet Halloween

Halloween was an extremely quiet one this year. Usually, our family is the enthusiastic one that is planning out the evening, rushing home so that we can hook up the trailer, throw on some bales of hay, put on spooky music and then rush out to meet friends and do some trick or treating. But this year, we just weren't feeling it. Not having Sophie here to take part in the festivities like last year, really put a damper on our emotions. Nobody had the will to decorate and "Stuffy" the scarecrow remained un-stuffed and put away for yet another year. Our annual "Fall Family Fun Night" didn't take place and silently we all hoped Halloween would pass as just another day. But, as the day progressed and afternoon got closer I realized that sitting home and ignoring the holiday wasn't going to make anybody feel any better. So I sent Skylar to the local grocery store, where her and Peyton picked out what I believe to be "The Great Pumpkin", lol.(Not really, but gosh it was heavy!) We enjoyed taking turns scooping the sticky seeds out of the bright orange cavity, laughing at how we each had our own method and tools to use. Peyton was crowned the carving king this year, he got to draw and carve it. This is usually his daddy's job and as you can see he had a hard time giving the job up. But he was determined to have a shot at it and I must admit he did a DARN GOOD JOB! We made a dish of lasagna, a pumpkin pie and set the television to record some spooky shows. All in all even thought it lacked the PIZAZ of years past, it was extremely enjoyable. I don't ever remember having a more relaxing Halloween evening. I have a strong feeling that since the kids are getting older now, there are going to be many more in our future. But between you and me..*whispers* "I hope NOT"! Who knows, maybe just maybe since we had no scary decorations up, we might have invited a few very familiar sweet spirits near instead of scaring them away. If they were close, I know they were pleased to see that we are moving forward, still thinking of them, missing them terribly but keeping our smiles as we go.

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

The autumn air has finally arrived here in South Texas (for now) and just in time for Halloween! You can smell it in the air, see it in the trees and feel it on your skin.I love how every little country store you enter has the smell of pumpkin spice burning. It's like flavor for the nose! Mmmmm! What a inviting and welcoming smell it is! The tree's here are mostly evergreen's but we do have some change in color. Unfortunatley it is nothing compared to the states up north but Texans don't mind and indulge in what we can get. I enjoy the time change when the nights are longer and the days are shorter. It means deer season is close and lots of campfires are in store. The cool fronts start coming more frequently so we know the temps won’t reach triple digits for awhile, and we hope they won’t even come close!! But...It seems that as fast as it arrives...it is gone again. So we take complete advantage of it's visit. Each year around this time, I put out my pumpkin that has my favorite fall saying inscribed on it, “Harvest Blessings”. It serves as a reminder to me and my family of the scripture that I take very personally and one that I feel is a very valuable lesson for everyone. 2 Cor. 9:6-15 (TLB) “But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes. God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others". So we should all go out and plant as many blessing as we can and not do it half heartily; because come harvest time we want to all be rewarded abundantly!

Many Blessings,
Shannon

Heartfelt Gratitude!

Blessings trickle into our lives everyday, but we seldom take note of them. Often, we are to busy with, well, LIFE. I am guilty of just that. Now, that I have time to breathe and reflect I see where in my weakest hours, God reached in and gave my heart a much needed hug. Those hugs generally came in the form of family, friends, and complete strangers. The acts of kindness that Sophie and I felt were genuine “Angel Embraces”. Like blessings sent straight from heaven, each day we experienced them. Everyday that my doorbell rang and I opened the door to a caring and compassionate smile that held back tears, bearing dinner for a family that some had never met. Everyday that I opened my mailbox and got to see the expression on Sophie’s face when she saw that she had mail...She got just as tickled when she saw that her Shanny got some too. The blessings came through facebook notes, text messages, phone calls and even random hugs from strangers at public places.

I feel that you who are new friends, as well as those of you who have been by my side for years…are indeed treasures sent from heaven.

My gratitude can never be expressed in words, on an email, a post on my blog, or a message on facebook. I can only pray that you feel the words hug you as many of your words hugged me through these past months.



Sophie’s journey helped me to find an even bigger expansion to my Faith. I know that we all will go through different “seasons”. Right now even in the “Season” of sorrow my heart is full to overflowing. I know that it will not always be there and it will dip at times but I have unlimited access to God and his word, so it will fill again.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of sweet Soph and sadness doesn’t grab hold, but to know that she is soaking up the rays from a rainbow while chasing frogs and butterflies in a strong and healthy body, getting embraces from the good Lord and is keeping our space open for when we at last join her….MAKES ME SMILE!!!! Sophie’s life inspired so many including mine.



I will end with one last heartfelt, “THANK YOU”! You made a difference in many people’s lives. You showed first hand the importance of love, support, and encouragement. Your love and prayers helped carry us. And your acts of kindness made one little girl feel very important.



Much love,

Shannon

Storms of Life

The storms that rolled in a couple of weeks ago were a VERY welcome sight after a long, hot and very dry summer. I was awoken by the crackling of thunder, and flashes of lightening. The sound of the raindrops on the roof was almost tranquilizing. I grabbed my camera and my notepad and went outside so that I could completely engulf myself in the feeling. I remember thinking that it isn’t very often you see blessings pour down and effect so many people at one time. I knew that not only was my family smiling at the sight of such beauty, but many, many families were feeling the welcome relief of the rain. I also remember thinking how refreshing the storms of nature were for my spirit; almost as refreshing as it was for the earth. I spent much of my morning that day in devotion. I was realizing how alike the storms of life are to those storms of Mother Nature. Some are huge causing mass destruction and others pass through with just a little wind. I pondered on Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight.” Life storms are sometimes as uncontrollable as the natural ones. We sit and watch Mother Nature do her thing from a covered shelter, with excitement and joy knowing that eventually it will pass and the sun will shine again. The storm will renew the earth, give a drink to the critters, and provide bath water for the birds. However, Life storms come in and we have the need to stop them; we fear that the feeling it brought on will last us a lifetime. It is hard to find shelter and a sense of calm in the midst of a life storm. It is easy to trust our Lord when storms only bring the much needed rain we have been praying for. But it takes the strength given to us only by God to trust him when when the storms are delivering life altering blows. It’s during these moments in life that we must fully believe that He will make “Our paths straight, again.” Isn’t that why after every rain we find a rainbow; and those rainbows always seem to deliver a feeling of calm. The storms of both nature and life help us to know of God’s power and love. Reflecting on scripture during a storm helps remind us of God’s faithfulness and presence during these rough times. Life will NEVER be without storms, but with FAITH in God, you will weather them much easier. God is ALWAYS larger than our troubles and WILL be our life preserver when we feel we are drowning. We must always seek His shelter in any storm; either delivered by life or nature. Just like the storms of nature, the storms of life to will pass eventually and life will go on. It is how we move forward from those storms that will depict our path ahead. Have a super blessed day!

SPARKLES!!!

This was such a FUN post!! I hope you smile and enjoy it as much as I did writing it!!!

"Words" seem to be the item of choice to blog about these days. And today I have chosen the word "Sparkle"---a word that has always been a favorite of mine. So it makes me wonder, why? The 7 year old girl in me wants to say because it's pretty, shiny, it makes me happy and always brings a smile. The more mature woman in me wants to say the same, but also looks even deeper. The word "sparkle" to most is defined by something you see and because of this; I don't feel the word is given the credit it deserves. To me Sparkle is zest, aliveness, lightness, joy, its magic. Sparkles light things up. It's the beauty of a clear night sky, the glisten of the sun on the lake, the twinkle of a Christmas tree, a firecracker on the 4th of July but most importantly...it's the light in our souls that draw others to us. Without that sparkle, your spirit isn't working up to its greatest potential. Sparkle is, pretty much, infectious. Sparkle is faith, hope, trust, love, enthusiasm, the Light of God rekindling our inner spirit. There is nothing sweeter than seeing the sparkle in a Childs eye on Christmas morning, the skip of a pair of kindergarten friends, and the giggle of a baby. As we grow up we tend to lose that sparkle. Life has a way of robbing things from us and doing it without our permission. It steals time, loved ones, our youth, etc. Those things we don't have control over but I think we should put an end to it being a thief to the things we do. And our SPARKLE should be first on the list. After all it is what makes us smile, delights us with light and brings us a sense of MAGIC! And so what would happen if we all brought a little Sparkle back into our lives?? MAGIC, magic would happen!! I'm ready to pour a little more "Sparkle" into my life so my family better watch out! LET'S ALL GET OUT THERE AND SHOW THE WORLD HOW TO SPARKLE AND SHINE!!!HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!

"THOUGHTS"

I am known to do my best thinking around 4am. I'm not quite sure why my brain chooses this odd time, but I would assume it is because the house is quiet and I am alone in my thoughts without any fear of distraction. This morning I was thinking of just that---"THOUGHTS". The last few months have been difficult to say the very least. Torn between sitting and crying for hours on end as my heart aches for our dear Sophie; and being the happy go lucky Mom I was just a year ago. Finding a balance in life right now is hard. My heart feels like it has been on a roller coaster of emotions for over a year now. Watching someone slowly be taken from your world that you love so very much is hard. And yet I know I have a family looking at me for comfort and strength. They too have been on this ride. Sometimes I feel like I am the brace that holds the roller coaster together and slowly, one by one my bolts are popping out. So when I woke this morning, I decided it was time for this roller coaster to stop, close down for repair. Re-align my heart, my emotions....my "THOUGHTS". I was thinking how true it is that our THOUGHTS are vital to our existence here on earth. Our lives are being played out just as our thoughts are telling it too. Our "thoughts" play a huge role in who we are and how we react to "LIFE". Our "Thoughts" have the potential of turning a negative into a positive. This is how I have lived most of my life. This is how Sophie and I were able to have so much fun while enduring HELL! Our "Thoughts" are huge magnets that attract either negative or positive energy. Our "Thoughts" transform our lives. As Christians, we believe that God created this world from just his mere..THOUGHTS! It say's in Hebrews 11:1- "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" and Hebrews 11:3- "what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." This tells us that before GOD'S word, there were His "Thoughts". Our thoughts are powerful and truly define the direction of our life. Sophie was God’s example to us. She planted MANY seeds along her journey and drew positive energy from the growth of them that enabled her to LOVE the life she was living; despite the many reasons she was given to just give up . We must stand strong in the presents of negative people, places and things and once we learn how.... THE BLESSINGS ARE POURED ON US!
It is important that we are careful about what we pay attention to, where we allow our thoughts to go.
Because our life will move in the very direction our thoughts take us. I truly believe that the most beautiful quotes come from nobody other than the word of God. Our Bible is truly filled with the words to the secrets of life. One of my favorites...
”Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” Proverbs 4:23

We should all evaluate our life and see what type of life we are leading....would it be a more positive or negative life? Do you say the words--"yes, sure and great" more than you say-- "no, can't and whatever." Do you get belly laughter from simple things and for no reason at all? Or do you laugh more because you have to have a reason? By jokes that would offend someone? Would God laugh at what your laughing with? I believe a Godly smile on the face of people, shines brighter than any light I have ever seen. I have not always been the person I am today, but I am the person now, who I will remain to be for the rest of my life. :)

So I guess it's time to for me to get back to the person I was a year ago...to refocus my "Thoughts" and re-align my heart while my rollercoaster is under repair! :) All machinery needs maintenance and everything in life needs a good cleaning. I guess my spirit just needed to be rejuvenated, cleaned and repaired! :) I hope those of you who took the time to read this are left with a SMILE AND are inspired with positive THOUGHTS!It has been a long time since I have blogged and I had forgotten how much I LOVE IT!!! Have a SUPER TERRIFIC AND BLESSED day!!!!!

Mother's Day 2011

Motherhood has been my job for the past twenty years, and I have LOVED every second of it. I have come to see motherhood as a gift of immeasurable worth, a gift I can’t put into words, but one that gives deeper meaning to every part of my life. No it is NOT always easy but it IS ALWAYS REWARDING! Some may say Motherhood defines me but I say it has done much more than that...it has FILLED me! I am BLESSED! Thank you to my husband for supporting my love for my job. It didn't come easy and he had to put in a lot of extra hours so that I could do it. It didn't come without sacrifice on our entire families part, but the lack of filled desires were more than made up for in an over abundance of character in our children. I have grown to appreciate the finer things and RELISH SIMPLICITY. My children are growing up fast and as a mother I pray that the lessons we have taught them will linger until way after we are gone. Those lessons are: Work hard and be honest, a persons character is worth more than any amount of money. Love unconditionally, learn to love everyone and everything. When you learn to love with your entire heart, light shines from your soul. You can only change yourselves. You cannot change others. You can only shine your Light of Love bright for others to see. Lastly, always remain humble and keep your faith in the Lord. Pray often and give Him praise. Blessed is the man who trusts God. Life is FULL of mountains and valley's but I can promise you that the walk is MUCH easier when your walking it with our friend, Jesus Christ. I hope my daughter and future daughter in-laws will one day love motherhood as much as I do, and will never be afraid to show it! I honestly believe the future of our children could forever be changed by a loving soul of a woman as mine was by my MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHERS!! :) HAPPY MOTHERS DAY 2011!!

Happy Birthday my sweet Skypie!

Dear Skylar Paige- Are you SERIOUSLY 20 years old today!!?? Can this picture SERIOUSLY have been taken 18 YEARS AGO!! Your daddy and I are super blessed that God picked us to be your parents! I feel a lump in my throat as I start to write this, and I wonder if the space in my heart has enough room to contain my love for you. Wherever you go, I’ll always follow, I’m intrigued by your fun loving spirit and ability to LAUGH AT ALMOST ANYTHING!! Yet, you always seem to know the right things to say when my heart is heavy and I’ve had a bad day. Just knowing you has made me a better person. I tend to forget that sometimes you are my child, to me you are my safety net, my best friend, the person (besides your dad) who I turn to when my world is not a bright as it should be. Your soul is beautiful and gentleness shines from your fingers onto everything you touch. You heal with love, you light with laughter, you spread joy like a little trail of fairy dust behind you….because to know you, is to love you and like everyone who meets you…they fall deeper and deeper in love with you every day! I’ve loved you from the moment I met you…from every stage of your life we’ve shared. I still love our song "You are my sunshine" and think of you EVERY TIME I hear it! You teach me everyday how to be a better mother. Where I am weakest, you teach me how to grow. Oh, beautiful girl of mine I adore you…I adore you…if I could shout it from the rooftops I would…I adore you!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET SKYPIE!

Love your Mama!

KOSUB, INC.

I woke this morning feeling THANKFUL, thankful for my FAITH, thankful for my HOME, my FAMILY, my FRIENDS and MY JOB!


I TRULY LOVE my job!

Some of you may say "JOB"?? lol...so yes JOB! =)

I run my home like a business, a business that I don't want to fail. I think I would be doing myself and my family a disservice to treat it any other way. My company is titled Kosub, Inc. It is a job that I hope to pass down to my children and pray that there are many Kosub, Inc. "chains" down the road to follow. I want to make it a place my employees find satisfaction in spending most of their waking hours. I want it to be a Christian company known for teaching the values of hard work.

The duties for my job are MANY and there are indeed requirements. The requirements are patience, kindness, compassion, gentleness and lots of perseverance. My duties entail leading by example my love of God and FAITH..then of course there is account balancing, organizational skills, brainstorming, job training, onsite and offsite nurse, chauffer service, meal preparation, in home dry cleaning service, plenty of time to plan on how to lead my "TEAM" and the best part of all......BENEFITS!!! We cannot forget the benefits! They out way any other offers that could come from other companies. For this company allows me to feel magnitude of the role God has given me and I feel privileged to guide and grow my very small team! I love watching what they have learned through our company and I delight in the fact that I get to work with the very people I happen to love more than any in the world? And, I TRULY LOVE MY BOSS ;)


I think those of us living this life would say, that yes although your HOME IS THE BEST COMPANY TO WORK FOR...it is challenging and requires self-sacrifice. I am BLESSED to have my job, regardless of the lack of pay. It happens to be one of the most important jobs on earth.