The Davis Times

Valentine Ideas

2012-01-17T09:06:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that I am ALREADYthinking about Valentine's Day, but it will be here before I know it. Iabsolutely LOVE Valentine's Dayand I really want to make my family feelextra special and extra loved,so I have been ~~wasting a lot of time on Pinterest~~

searching for just theright way to say I Love You to my 3 favorite boys. Here are some ideas I found.
Feel free to use any of them you like.

Valentine, you're all write!

I "wheelie" like you!

Fruit labels

Magnifying glass

You Rock!

You make my heart bounce!

Have a Happy Day!

Shanna

Christmas Programs & Tree Climbing

2011-12-17T16:46:00.003-06:00

With all the Christmas fun to be had, I have to say that the Christmas programs and musicals are my favorite. The boys had their school programs this week and they were Oh So Cute!

After their programs and parties, we went to see Me-Maw and take her some goodies (doesn't everyone like to get goodies this time of year?)

and those Boys just had to be Boys and try out her Cherry Tree! Oh what a WoNdErFuL time of the year! LOVE it!!

John Waller • As for Me and My House

2011-02-27T09:54:00.000-06:00

John Waller • As for Me and My House

Stop Talking About It Mama!

2010-12-18T08:39:00.003-06:00

Let me start off by saying that my son Corban has a fear of needles. His isn’t afraid like my being afraid of snakes or spiders, instead, his fear is debilitating. He is so afraid that he has to be held down and he yells for someone to help him. He is articulate enough to explain his fear. He tells his dad and me, as well as the nurses, that he is afraid because he knows it will hurt. He always says “Give me just a minute" and “It’s going to hurt so bad!” This just crushes me. I think I end up crying harder than he does.

Well, when we took him to the ER Friday night (he had pneumonia, strep, and sepsis), he had to have an IV…terrible, I know. Well, we weren’t lucky enough for that IV to last because it slipped after a couple of days and they had to put a new one in. So, the battle began again. As the nurses were working on him, I was holding him and turning his face to mine…I could see the overwhelming fear in his eyes, so I was saying “Give your fears to Jesus baby.” Yeah, right! Corban looked at me and said “Stop talking about it mama! You’re making me think about it.”

Right in the middle of the chaos I heard the Lord say “See, this is what I have been trying to tell YOU.” Humbled, I told Corban that he was right and, after the procedure was over, I sat down and began to examine myself and let the Holy Spirit reveal some things to me. Funny, when you sit still and listen, (and stop trying to analyze everything), God will show you so many things. This is not always an easy thing to do, but it is imperative in order to grow. This is what He showed me: I always give God my fears and needs, but I keep giving them to Him over and over again. I end up doing just what Corban said. I think about it. Instead of giving it to God and letting Him deal with it, I “talk” about it and analyze it. What a lack of faith I have had. I should just trust that God will work in the situation and stop begging Him for it. I’m afraid that this kind of behavior has robbed me of my joy. I say “robbed”, but I really mean that I gave it away. Having the Holy Spirit living inside of me means that I have joy, I only have to choose to walk in it. Jesus is my source of joy and happiness, not this old world.

2010-12-16T11:37:00.000-06:00

Photo Tinks by WiddlyTinks.com

2010-12-13T09:52:00.002-06:00

Where do I begin? This whole blog started out as a way for family and friends to keep up with us while we were on the mission field in Alaska. Since moving back to Alabama, I have struggled with what to do with it. I didn’t want to delete it, but I also didn’t want it to just sit here serving no purpose. I kept feeling like God wanted me to use it as an outlet to write the things He tells me—the things that I am learning and growing in—but the perfectionist and people pleaser in me has never really let me do that. I have posted a couple of things, but have had a hard time letting go and letting God write my blog.

Well, I finally decided to let go! For so long I have tried to be the perfect wife and perfect supermom only to be left feeling defeated when I obviously couldn’t reach the perfection that I desperately strived for. I have come to realize that I have been trying to please man and not God. I have been so afraid for so long that I wouldn’t measure up that I never really expressed my true feelings or let people see the true me. This has been something I have dealt with my entire life. I have never really reached my full potential because I am afraid it won’t be perfect. Because of this ridiculous strive for perfection, I find myself not completing very many things. If it isn’t perfect, I will re-do it which leaves me with a lot of unfinished projects. I really can’t tell you how many times I have started over in my checkbook register because I have either entered something wrong or the numbers look messy. This is absurd!! I have finally come to the realization that no matter how hard I try, I will never be perfect, but if I do everything for the glory of God, He will make it perfect.

Hence, the reason for the new direction of this blog. I am embarking on a Bible study about Esther and her life has always spoken to me. She found herself in a situation that must have been difficult, but she listened to Mordecai when he said that she was where she was “for such a time as this”. Now, I am not a beautiful queen charged with the task of saving my people, but I am a daughter of the King of Kings who has been charged with the task of raising 2 little boys to be so in love with their Savior that they would go to the ends of the earth. I have also been given the task of being a supportive, encouraging, praying, uplifting, courageous wife of a minister of the Gospel. Can I do this all on my own? NO! In my eyes, I fail every time because what I do isn’t perfect, but Praise God I am where I am because He chose for me to be here “for such a time as this”. I promise to let go of the reigns and allow God to direct my path and allow Him to write my story. I will never be perfect and I will never try to be again. I will be me because that’s what God designed!

Shanna

Here We Go!

2010-12-13T09:41:00.004-06:00

I am embarking on a new Bible study. This should be thought provoking and life changing. I will be doing this study with a group of women for the next 10 weeks. I can't wait to see what God teaches me through this!

Goldfish and Pure Living

2010-06-11T14:30:00.002-05:00

So, I can’t believe I did it, but I got the boys two goldfish. Now, I don’t know anything about taking care of fish, but they begged every time we went to the store, so today I just gave in. We now have two new family members: Striker and Speedy. I was getting their bowl ready and there are a lot of steps to take before you can put those little guys in there! I thought you could just fill it up with water and then pour the fish in. Oh no! You have to clean the bowl and everything that goes in it, then you have to purify the water with this special stuff, then you get to put the fish in. And you have to feed them twice a day, but not too much. Whew! This is a lot more work than I thought it would be. So, getting all this work done got me to thinking about our Spiritual lives. I mean, if I will go through all this work for two little fish that cost 38¢, why do I not take that much care with my Spiritual life and that of my children? Don’t get me wrong here, I read the Bible, and pray with my kids and try to only watch TV shows that are not too bad. But, is my house pure like the fish bowl? I went to extreme measures to make sure that there was no impure thing in Striker and Speedy's bowl. Have I gone to the same extreme to make sure there is no impure thing in my home? Have you? Think about this: “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” –Romans 12:1-2
Shanna

Who Am I?

2010-06-09T16:09:00.002-05:00

“Who am I?” This is the question that Merrill is answering while at camp in Alaska. It is the theme of the camp. It’s all about teaching kids who they are in Christ.
I got to thinking about this myself. And thinking, and thinking, and thinking. And the conclusion I have come to is….do I really know who I am in Christ? I mean, I know what the Bible says. I know that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. I know that I am an heir to the throne. I know that my Father is the Creator of everything. I also know that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now resides in me. Glory!
I know all these things, but….
Ah, yes. The infamous “but”. I know all of these things, but do I live like I believe them? As Christians we know what the Bible says about us, but I wonder how many times we live like we are defeated? It seems so easy to let the devil defeat us. When things don’t go our way, or when it seems as though our prayers are unanswered, doesn’t it seem to get easy to forget who we are in Christ? Let this be a challenge to you and me both. Don’t ever forget who you are and what Jesus did for you. To say that we are anything less than that would be calling Him a liar. Praise God I am a daughter of the King!!
Shanna

Bumps, Bruises, and Trips to the ER…

2010-04-28T11:57:00.000-05:00

I have always heard that little boys were rambunctious and prone to scrapes and bruises, but that has never rang so true than in the past few days. Corban loves to climb trees and perform all kinds of dare-devil stunts and while he is being Evil Kineval, I usually turn my head, close my eyes, and whisper up a quick prayer of protection. I am always afraid that we will be rushing to the ER with a broken bone of some sort. What never crossed my mind was a concussion! You see, for once in his short little life, Corban was simply swinging. No George of the Jungle type moves, just swinging. For some reason, he fell out of the swing backwards (we now know that he has an ear infection which probably caused him to be off balance). Well, he hit the back of his head on a cinder block. It made a pretty bad bump, but it didn’t break the skin, and we didn’t know he had lost consciousness, so we said “Oh, you’re tough and you have a hard head, we bet the rock is broken!” Now, before you start judging me, let me just say that I would have taken him to the ER right then if I had known he had lost consciousness, but because I didn’t, we went on with our normal routine. Until Monday afternoon. I got a phone call from the after school care that Corban had a BAD headache and was dizzy. I then found out that he had fallen again that day, he didn’t even remember falling, and he didn’t remember falling Sunday either! Off to the Dr. we go as fast as I can get there. She said he had an ear infection and a concussion and watch him that night for recurrent vomiting and a list of other things. Wouldn’t you know it, we were up all night with him throwing up. As if that wasn’t bad enough, when he threw up, it happened in the hallway and he slipped on it, fell, and hit his head AGAIN!!! I know that you know what we did then; off to the ER for a head CT. Praise God it was clear, but we were told that he could have headaches and dizziness for up to a month. Poor baby!
I hope this never happens again, but with his dare-devil personality, I am sure there will be more bumps, more bruises, and unfortunately, more trips to the ER!

My Ball Players

2010-04-12T21:20:00.001-05:00

Corban tried out the catcher's position

Collin is excited to finally be old enough to play ball!

Shanna

Snow in Alabama

2010-03-21T07:46:00.000-05:00

This is for my "family" in Alaska. Yes, we got 6 inches of snow in South Alabama!

Shanna

Catch Up

2010-03-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

So many things going on in the Davis house! It is fun here, but oh so busy! We have begun baseball season and are at the ballpark every night except Wednesday. My chair is loaded in the back of my Jeep and there it shall stay! The boys are really having a good time. Corban's team is the Sidewinders and Collin's team is the River Cats. I will be posting pictures as soon as I can remember to take my camera to practice. (Laugh here). Well, I know that everyone is leading a busy life whether you are constantly at the ballpark like us, or doing an endless amount of schoolwork, or maybe you are up to your elbows in diapers and bottles. But remember in the midst of all your chaos that God is still there waiting patiently for you to talk to Him. He is a great listener and a calm in the middle of the storm. I pray your day goes well and the peace the passes all understanding is yours. God bless!

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:7

Shanna

Hunting

2009-12-13T20:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Corban!

2009-10-15T21:39:00.001-05:00

It is so hard to believe that God blessed us with you 7 years ago today. It seems as though it was only yesterday. You have turned into such a handsome and sweet young man. You light up my days and I love you so much!

Happy Birthday Corban!

Soccer

2009-09-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

Thank you Lord

2009-07-27T06:15:00.000-05:00

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." -Psalm 100

Beauty for Ashes

2009-07-24T20:13:00.000-05:00

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." --Isaiah 61:3

I have always loved this song. When I look around, it seems everyone is going through hard times, and this song means so much more than it ever did before. It really convicted me because I had forgotten to give my all to God (in good times and in bad times). Even though I may not have always followed His perfect plan for my life, I know that He only has good for me if I will just trust Him and give everything over to Him. I can trade in my ashes, mourning, and despair for beauty, gladness, and praise! Because my trust is in Him, I will not fear the future, and in that, bring the glory to Him. Where it belongs. Praise you Jesus!

Phenomenal Parker!

2009-07-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

This is for my sister-in-law Amanda. I had forgotten that this picture was even on my computer. Her cat's name is Parker and everyone says that he is too fat to hunt, but Amanda swears that he is, in fact, a marvelous hunter. Well, here is the proof. Take that all you doubters!

Field Day

2009-07-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know that this post is overdue by a few months, but better late than never, right? Anyway, Corban had a really good time at field day this year and we wanted to share these cool pictures with you!

Biscuits Game

2009-06-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

We were so blessed to have been able to attend a Montgomery Biscuits baseball game. Our church purchased tickets for Faith Night and offered us four! What a blast! Neither me nor my boys had ever been to a baseball game like this and we enjoyed every minute of it.

Beach Fun

2009-06-25T11:10:00.000-05:00

We took our first trip to the beach back in April. We had such a good time and got a little sunburned too! (okay, so I got A LOT sunburned) I have learned my lesson though, make sure you are putting on sunscreen and not tanning accelerator!

Getting Settled

2009-04-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

We have been back in Andalusia for 3 weeks now and are starting to get settled. We finally got our Jeep on Friday and are still waiting on our household items. Hopefully they will be delivered sometime between April 7th and 14th. We'll keep our fingers crossed! The boys are really excited to be back with our family and are looking forward to greeting their new baby cousin, Maryn Kate, on Friday!! Merrill is ready to get busy again, and I am just trying to keep up with everything!
I have to admit that I get homesick for Alaska every now and then. To all my "family" in Alaska: I love you all dearly and pray for you continually. Hopefully we can see each other again soon on a visit. I promise to update the blogs more often. Corban plays his first TeeBall game on the 20th and I will be putting pictures on this blog and on his. Stay tuned!
God Bless and keep Jesus FIRST!!!!

Iditarod Race

2009-03-08T22:35:00.000-05:00

The Iditarod Race is a race of dog mushers that goes from Anchorage to Nome. The re-start is in Willow...right down the road from our house. This is where the race actually starts. We offered a nursery for the dog musher's babies and I kept it until 2pm and then Merrill, Corban, Collin, and I all got our snowgear on and headed down. What a sight! Thousands of people on a frozen lake all cheering for the racers. There were 67 teams this year, and they go at 2 minute intervals. The race will take them anywhere from 10 to 18 or more days. It is unbelievable! We were so excited to be able to get to witness this amazing event. Below are some pictures we took while there. I have also posted the link the the offical Iditarod Headquarters website where you can learn about the race, and track the mushers.
http://www.iditarod.com/

Here is the link to the album below http://s423.photobucket.com/albums/pp313/merrilldavis/Iditarod/?action=view&current=7985edc1.pbw

2009-03-08T22:19:00.000-05:00

Alaskan Sunbathing

2009-02-22T21:40:00.000-06:00

I thought Merrill and the boys were sledding and building snowmen, but when I looked out the window, I found them "sunbathing"! It was so funny!

Go Ahead, We DARE You!

2009-02-18T18:29:00.000-06:00

So, most all of you have heard of the movie "Fireproof" and the devotion that they do called "The Love Dare". Well, Merrill and I started it three days ago, and it is AMAZING! We think that it is something that every married couple should do. It doesn't take long, and you don't have to sit and read it together. You just add it to your quiet time in the morning and then do the dare for the day. It is so easy and so wonderful! The first day's dare is to say nothing negative to your spouse and to excercise patience. You can do that!

Go get the book....We dare you!!

http://www.thelovedarebook.com/

A Visit from an Owl

2009-02-14T20:01:00.000-06:00

This owl was sitting on our back porch this morning and then on our front porch this afternoon. It was so cute we thought we would share it with you.

Volcano Watch

2009-02-01T23:28:00.000-06:00

For all of our friends and family who have heard about Mt. Redoubt and its' possible eruption, you can check out the Alaska Volcano Observatory website for current information. http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

From everything that we have been told, we are far enough away that we will be safe. We may or may not have to deal with ash. It is all dependent upon the wind currents. Just to be safe, Merrill has bought some supplies like face masks and plastic to cover things up. We will try to keep you updated. Just don't worry, we will be fine!

Willow Winter Carnival

2009-01-30T11:43:00.000-06:00

As you all know, we live in a community of about 1600 called Willow. This is the place that people come from all over the world to go salmon fishing during the summer. During the winter, however, we get to go to the Willow Winter Carnival. I thought you would all get a kick out of seeing the schedule (like the best Alaskan beard contest).
http://www.waco-ak.org/index.php/Carnival09/Schedule

Although we won't be able to go on Friday nights because of the youth group that we do (we usually have between 30-40 people that we bus in for this), we are definitely going to try to go on Saturday! Hope you enjoy seeing what we do for fun in the frozen north!

God Bless!

Happy Birthday Merrill!

2009-01-25T15:54:00.000-06:00

Merrill, on your birthday, I just wanted to let you know how special you are. I hope that today is wonderful! You are such a blessing to me, your boys, your family, and all those who know you. God bless you on your birthday and always. I love you!!

God of This City

2009-01-24T01:54:00.000-06:00

While listening to this song, I am struck by how true these lyrics are. He is the God of the city we are in whether it is in Alabama, Alaska, or wherever. If we put our trust in Him and allow Him to work through us, then “greater things have yet to come”. I think that the words are so powerful, and in fact, are a praise to our Father who is our all in all. There is no one like Him and He has great things planned for us. Praise God!

"God Of This City"

[Verse 1]
You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

[Verse 2]
You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

[Verse 1]

[Verse 2]

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]

Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

Happy Wednesday!

2009-01-21T18:35:00.001-06:00

It's the middle of the week and we have been having a great one! We pray that you have too. We are all busy, busy, busy. Merrill is giving finals this week, Corban and Collin have been working hard in school, and I have been up to my eyeballs in study material for my Liberty classes! I started off the week with Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday. Those all went well, and I am thankful for that. I have a really good group of kids and am excited at what all they are learning!
We are working on our newsletter and will have it out by the end of the month.
God Bless You All!

What a Trip!

2009-01-15T12:33:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time in Alabama for Christmas! We thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of our family and friends. It seems as though the time went by too quickly, but we were glad that we got to spend it with all of you. When we got off the plane it was a shock to our system. We had been in the heat down south and returned to 4o below zero temperatures! Although we don't mind the cold, that was a big change for us!
Since our return, we have jumped right back in feet first! Merrill preached at a New Year's Eve celebration at a neighboring church, we all went back to school, and I began my classes at Liberty University. We are currently planning our winter events. First of all being the Valentine Banquet in February followed by an Associational Youth Rally in March. We are excited about all of the things God has planned for us!

Home for Christmas

2008-12-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

We're here! We're finally here!
After a loooong flight, we finally made it! We are so excited to be able to spend this wonderful season with our family and friends. We cannot wait to see everyone and share with you all about our life in Alaska. God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Collin's Already 4!!

2008-12-03T02:14:00.000-06:00

Wow! Time sure does fly by! I still cannot believe that Collin is 4. Where did our baby go? We had a great birthday. He requested spaghetti and a race car cake that ended up being a monster truck cake. The look on his face was priceless when he saw his cake-he LOVED it! Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Log Cabins and Country Roads

2008-12-03T02:04:00.000-06:00

These pictures are from various places around Willow that we thought were really beautiful.

Going to Get a Christmas Tree...

2008-12-03T01:57:00.001-06:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we had a great time with 3 other families who have become our close friends. Over the weekend, we spent our time snowboarding, sledding, and snowmachining. We were even able to cut down our first "Alaskan" Christmas tree! We had to drive snowmachines over 2 frozen lakes and through some pretty cool trails to get there. It was a blast! (except when Shanna got flipped into the snow!) Here are some pictures we took while going to get the tree.

WOW! 6 Already?!

2008-11-01T16:34:00.001-05:00

I just cannot believe that Corban is already 6. Time certainly flies! He had a great birthday and enjoyed a pizza dinner and a dinosaur cake. Thank you to everyone who sent a card, gift, or made a phone call. You really helped to make his day special.

2008-11-01T16:27:00.001-05:00

Soccer Pictures

2008-11-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

September Newsletter

2008-10-14T17:13:00.000-05:00

Here is our long awaited September Newsletter. Please Click on each page to be able to enlarge the picture. We apologize for the poor quality of the pictures on this post, and in the emailed copy. The file was so large that we had to scan it to create that file as well as these. (or rather Amber scanned them for us)

We love you all and Thank you for your prayers!

Thought for the Day

2008-09-03T19:28:00.000-05:00

Confronting our Idols:

2 Kings 17:33 & 41
“They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.”

“Could it be that we are serving our own gods, though we sit on the front row of church? Do we claim the Bible as our source of truth while our real counselors come from movie screens and magazines? Perhaps so many of our struggles-lack of freedom, loss of spiritual desire, slavery to image, perfectionism, confusion, and infinitely more possibilities-have much to do with false idols.”
–No Other Gods by Kelly Minter

Who are we listening to? Where are we going for advice, comfort, and reassurance? We sit back and say that we want to grow closer and deeper with God, but we fill our lives, and yes, our hearts, with false gods. We fill our lives with boy after boy, and girl after girl, and toy after toy. We look to the TV, books, magazines, movie stars, singers, etc. to find what we should be, look like, sound like, what we should wear, even who our friends should be. We are trying to keep up with everyone else. When, in truth, we are supposed to focus ourselves on our Father. The one true creator. The one who made us who we are for a specific reason. Why do we want to be what everyone else tells us we should be? We have lost sight of what really matters. You say you have lost your first love, that wonderful, euphoric feeling you had when you fist fell in love with God. When, in fact, you haven’t lost it, you left it. We play church and play at being put together, when we don’t have anything together. How long will we let this world conform us? When are we going to stand up and say “No More!” I will be who He wants me to be, I will go where He wants me to go, I will do what He wants me to do, and I will say what He wants me to say. Examine your spiritual walk with the Almighty. Have you even looked at Him today? He is the Great I Am and so worthy to be praised. Have we neglected Him? He will NEVER neglect us. Stop trying to be what everyone wants you to be and start finding out what He wants you to be. He gave you the manual. “The Complete Guide to Life for Dummies” We have edged God out of our lives. We have left Him with little room in our hearts. Our false gods have taken up our most treasured spaces, leaving little room for God to show Himself strong on our behalf. We say “God reveal yourself to us”, or “Start a fire in me, Lord”, but yet, we are still holding on to all of the junk that gets in the way of a deeper relationship with Him. We have to talk with him daily, no, not daily, every second of everyday. We should be so saturated with Him that we won’t even take one step without consulting Him first. How do we confront our idols? We find out just what it is that is taking time away from our relationship with Jesus. If we would rather watch TV than spend time in the Word, then maybe that’s an idol. If we go to other people for advice before seeking out direction from the Holy Spirit, then we need to reevaluate that. If we look at outward appearance to see our beauty, then we have allowed our vanity to become an idol. (Not that you aren’t to take care with your appearance, but we should know that we are beautiful because we were made in the image of God).

"Mirror" by Barlow Girl

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

You don't define me, you don't define me
I will leave you with this:
Daniel 1:8a
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…”

Daniel refused to conform to those around him. In Daniel chapter 1, we read that Daniel refused to defile himself by sitting at the king’s table and eat. In her commentary on Daniel, scholar Joyce Baldwin says that by Eastern standard to share a meal was to commit oneself to friendship. Sharing a meal was of covenant significance. Daniel would not commit to a friendship with the king because the king did not serve God.

Whose table are you dining at?

Where has the Time Gone?

2008-09-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

I guess that I can hold you
One more time before you grow.
And tell you that I love you
So that you will always know.
Please let me tie your shoe again.
One day you’ll tie your own.
And when you think back to this time
I hope it’s love I’ve shown.
Can I help you put your coat on?
Can I please cut up your meat?
Can I pull you in the wagon?
Can I pick you out a treat?
One day you might just care for me,
So let me care for you.
I want to be a part
Of every little thing you do.
Tonight could I please wash you hair?
Can I put toys in the bath?
Can I help you count your small ten toes,
Before I teach you math?
Before you join a baseball team,
Can I pitch you one more ball?
And one more time can I stand near,
To make sure you don’t fall?
Let’s take another space-ship ride
Up to the planet zoor.
Before our cardboard rocket
Doesn’t fit us anymore.
Please let me help you up the hill
While you’re still too small to climb.
And let me read you stories
While you’re young and have the time.
I know the day will come
When you will do these things alone.
Will you recall the shoulder rides,
And all the balls we’ve thrown?
I want you to grow stronger
Than I could ever be.
And when you find success,
There will be no soul more proud than me.
So will you let me carry you?
One day you’ll walk alone.
I cannot bear to miss one day,
From now until you’ve grown.

What a Great Trip!

2008-09-02T19:49:00.001-05:00

We were so glad to have Baker and Jana with us last week. Corban and Collin were especially glad to see them. I know that memories were made that will forever be etched on the boys’ minds. It seems like we went everywhere and saw everything, but their time with us went by too fast. I am counting down the days until we will see them again. December will be here soon! Until then, we have the memories! We love you Baker and Jana. Thank you for coming to visit us!

Having Fun with the Blog

2008-09-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

As you can see, the blog has undergone some changes. Thanks to my friend Amber, I have become a blogoholic! I have really had a good time playing with the pictures and layouts of our blog!

Salmon Fishing

2008-09-02T02:50:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you all have seen the pictures that we posted of our fishing trip last week, but I just had to tell the story of the one and only fish that was caught. We decided that we would take Baker and Jana salmon fishing at one of our church member's house. Having never been salmon fishing before, we had no idea what we were doing. But we made the best of it. After not catching anything all afternoon, we decided go for a hike. While putting everything in the car, I tell Corban, "put up the fishing pole son, we are going for a hike." As he is pulling in the fishing pole, he yells, "Whoa! I got a bite!" He had hooked a rainbow trout! Thanks to Corban our fishing trip was not a complete loss. I have never been so proud in all my life!

Fishing Pictures

2008-08-29T20:24:00.000-05:00

Corban's Baptism

2008-08-25T01:06:00.000-05:00

As all of you know, Corban gave his life to the Lord on August 1, 2008. We have been talking to him about getting baptized and just weren't sure when he would actually do it because he does NOT like to get his head dunked under water! But, he decided he would do it, and was actually excited about it! We were also excited that Merrill was able to baptize him. God bless you all!

AUGUST NEWSLETTER

2008-08-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

A Little Late, but here is our latest newsletter! Click on each page to enlarge it to be able to read it! Thank you for all of your prayers!

The Pre-Season Iron Bowl in Alaska

2008-08-09T02:42:00.000-05:00

Even though we are 5000 miles apart, when we are together the battle still rages on...

Round 1...

Round 2...Merrill had to intervene..he threw a penalty flag for unsportsmanlike conduct..

Stay tuned for Round 3...

Home from Camp

2008-08-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

We are officially home from camp and we had a GREAT time, but are VERY tired. All of the kids had a wonderful time and I know that they learned a lot. They didn't want to leave! Everyone remember to ask Amber to see her official missionary certificate. She is now an official Alaskan Missionary! We are going to enjoy our day at home and show Amber a little bit of Willow. Since we missed her birthday, the boys are making her a cake! (Don't worry, we will post pictures!) Tonight, we will have our Lighthouse Youth Group and then on Saturday, we are taking a group of 20 down to Anchorage to see Casting Crowns in concert. It should be a great time as these kids have never been to a concert. Look for more updates coming soon!
God bless you all in Alabama and all of us in Alaska!

How to Comment

2008-08-07T14:08:00.001-05:00

This is Amber:

I know that lots of people have said that they read the blog. But no one leaves a comment so here is how to leave a comment so that everyone KNOWS HOW TO DO SO!
LEAVE SOME COMMENTS!!

At the bottom of this post click on where it has a number and comments

Then write your comment in the box and if you are posting annonymously sign your name to the box

Here you can also sign into your google or other type of account if you have one and post under that name.

Merrill Shanna and the boys need to hear and see that people care and are praying for them so leave a comment and let them know that!

So many people have told me, Betty and Richard and other people that they read the blog...and want to see pictures...show us that you read it! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

Torture

2008-08-07T13:26:00.001-05:00

These pictures were unintentionally omitted from the earlier slideshow I couldn't do without them.

JAM Camp 1

2008-08-06T01:50:00.000-05:00

Amber is here and therefore lot's of blog posts are coming...

Amber Shanna and the boys are at Jam Camp (Jesus Arts Music) Camp and here are some pictures of how the campers tortured Shanna Today as well as the talent show tonight.

On the slideshow below I don't know how to fix it so please excuse the odd background. Hopefully it is fixed for this one.

New Pictures

2008-08-05T19:03:00.000-05:00

A New Creation

2008-08-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

We are excited to share some news with all of you! We were blessed to have a group of singers called the Continentals here last night. We had a community BBQ and then they performed a musical entitled "Beautiful Dreamer-The Epic Story of Joseph". We had a wonderful time enjoying the food and music, but what has us really hopping is that Corban asked Jesus into his heart last night!!!!!!! We are so overcome with joy that we can hardly contain it! Corban has been asking questions about becoming a Christian for a while now. During the invitation last night, he raised his hand and told me "I want Jesus in my heart". So, after the service, Corban, Merrill, myself, and Pastor Charles sat down and prayed and talked. Corban said that he knew that Jesus died on the cross to forgive his sins and that He rose again and is alive. After that, we all got down on our knees and Corban asked God to forgive him of his sins and said that he believed that Jesus is God's Son and then asked Him to come into his heart and be his Savior. I am so amazed and happy and thrilled!!!! Afterward, Corban couldn't contain himself. He told everyone he saw "I asked Jesus into my heart and I feel so good!" Please continue to keep him in your prayers as we begin to disciple him and teach him about his new life in Christ. We love you all and are so glad that we can share this moment with you.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-07-25T19:39:00.000-05:00

Praise God that we are so busy! It seems like we are in constant motion. We feel very blessed and are amazed that we get o be on the mission field and do the Lord's work in Willow, Alaska. Our June/July newsletter is in the works, we promise! We had a wonderful visit with Richard and Betty and are looking forward to Amber coming and Baker & Jana. Right now, we are feverishly working to get an "ice cream bash" done for the children's ministry..we will be hosting that tomorrow (7-26). We hope to reach out to young families who are not involved in church. We are also preparing for JAM camp coming up August 3-7. We are so glad that Amber will be here during that time, so that we can share our missionary lifestyle with her. She will be helping one of the leaders teach a class. I will be working with the drama class. JAM camp is Jesus, Arts, and Music Camp and it focuses on worship through many different outlets such as drama, music, singing, dance, etc. I am so excited to be able to be a part of this! Corban and Collin will be involved with it too. They will have crafts to do during the day with some of the Campers on Mission and then be mommy's helpers at night. We can't wait! Merrill is very busy with his new job as an instructor at Charter College and preparing sermons and doing visitation. He preaches every 4th Sunday night and any time the Pastor needs a fill in. Right now, we are preparing for a Revival that Merrill will be preaching on August 17-20. We will be doing community outreach the week before. Please be in prayer that the people here will be receptive to the message. You are all always in our prayers and we are certain that we are in yours!
God bless Alabama and Alaska!

VBS, The Museum, and Riding the Paddle Boat

2008-06-06T22:04:00.001-05:00

Play Group

2008-06-06T19:50:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day

2008-06-06T19:48:00.001-05:00

Youth End of School Cookout!

2008-06-06T14:53:00.001-05:00

Club 2911 Pictures

2008-06-06T14:51:00.001-05:00

Summer in Alaska

2008-06-05T18:37:00.000-05:00

Well, it is summer in Alaska and we are at a balmy 50 degrees! I love it!! We have quickly figured out that everyone stays extremely busy during the summer. We have so many activities planned, it is mind boggling. I'm sure that the fact that the sun barely goes down has a lot to do with it. (that is something we are having to get used to) Right now, we are in our VBS week, and next week, World Changers will be here. Our church is hosting two teams, so we will be providing their lunch next week. I am excited to get to meet all of the volunteers that will be here. We are currently trying to get our newsletter out, so be on the lookout for it. Hope to be able to post again soon.
God Bless!

Happy Early Birthday!!

2008-05-11T22:34:00.000-05:00

This is Amber, The only way that I could get this video to send was to post it, and I decided just to post it here, so that EVERYONE who knows them would see it. I have a big day myself, on Tuesday, plus most people know I am terrible at secrets, but I just had the time to fight with a computer today. Without further delay... Happy Birthday Shanna!! :) To watch this go to the playlist over on the side, and turn press pause.

Pictures

2008-05-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

Newsletter update

2008-04-29T22:07:00.000-05:00

Hello dear friends!
Please bear with us! We are working on our newsletter. We hope to get it out in the next couple of days. We are so busy right now that we are struggling to find time to work on it! Praise God! Isn't it amazing to be serving our King?!

So Far in our Mission

2008-04-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Family and Friends,
For those of you who would like to know more than I am able to fit into the newsletter, I have decided to write a letter to go along with it.
We have been thanking God everyday for sending us here. Sometimes we feel a little overwhelmed by everything that we are doing, and the things that we need to be doing. But, without a doubt, we know that this is the place God wants us. I can see God’s hand on everything that we do. It is amazing!
Let me introduce you to some people, places, and things. Since moving here, we quickly found out that our house would never be empty. Praise God!
The Lord is blessing our ministry. So far, we have had three to make a decision to follow Christ and more with questions about discipleship and baptism. They want to change, they just don’t know how. We really need to be in prayer that the mindsets would change and the enemy will lose his grip on these people.
We have a very full week every week. On Sundays, we start out by running the van to pick people up for church. Then, we may have some stay at our house and eat dinner with us and hang out until time for church again. After church we spend another hour taking everyone home again. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, we have kids knocking on the door as soon as school is out. On Wednesdays, we run our van route again; taking people home after church, and usually one or two will call and come by, or just drop in. On Fridays, we have Lighthouse Youth Group. Another couple leads it. Their names are Paul and Valerie and they have two little boys: Sam (3) and Micah (6months). We help out by cooking, running the van route, and Merrill leads in worship and sometimes teaches 6th grade and under. We usually have 25-30 attend. Saturdays are busy with visiting with our new friends and then Sunday starts again.
The Willow Community Center is ½ mile down the road, and the library is there, along with a playground out back. Once a month, on Saturday night, they show a free movie. We watched Alvin and the Chipmunks our first Saturday here! On Tuesdays, there is story hour at the library followed by play group. Each mom brings a picnic lunch and we play on the playground (when warm enough) or inside the auditorium with bounce houses and riding toys. The boys really enjoy it. I am getting to know some other mothers also. They are so interesting. Some are wives of dog mushers. The lady that organized the play days (we meet again on Fridays), is from Switzerland. Her name is Dora and we have a hard time understanding each other because her Swiss accent is so thick and my Southern accent is so thick! As a whole, all of the mothers are very friendly. But, they are lost. I am praying that the Lord will use me to plant some seeds. I hope that they will bring their children to VBS in June. And, from there, get involved in church.
I will begin teaching the children’s Sunday school class May 4th. Please pray for the children I will be teaching. I will have a wide range of ages, so please pray that we will have fun and learn at the same time.
Every 5th Sunday we have a singing. But we do it a little differently up here. Each church takes a turn hosting it. All evangelical denominations. I am looking forward to the next one.
We have started a new program for young people. It is called Club 2911. We meet on Sunday afternoons at 4:30.
We hope to teach the young people up here Jeremiah 29:11: God has a specific purpose for their lives. And then, we will teach them intentional evangelism.
We have a lot going on this summer. Our VBS is scheduled for June 2nd -6th. We will be doing Cactus Canyon. It was made for backyard Bible clubs or mission teams to come in and do VBS. Because our church is limited in the number of teachers, we have decided that this program will be best for us. I really am looking forward to it. My class will be 3years old-kindergarten.
Merrill, myself, and the boys get to go to Anchorage May 1st&2nd for a minister’s retreat.
May 4th is the Associational Evangelism rally at our church. We are praying that a fire gets started in the hearts of all those here.
World Changers will be here June 8th-13th. There will be a total of 150, but our church is sponsoring 35. We will provide their lunches and transportation.
Willow has a big 4th of July parade every year. Merrill and I will be responsible for decorating the float. We are trying to plan some type of candy and tract to hand out to everyone.
We will have two teams of 16 from Tennessee coming up in July. They will be helping with the church plant that our church is sponsoring.
Casting Crowns will be in concert in Anchorage on August 9th. We would like to try to take a group of young people. Some have never been to a concert before.
There will be a youth-led revival August 17th-20th. Merrill will be preaching and we will use our youth to lead it. They will be doing the prayer, special music, taking up offering, etc. We are going to be witnessing in the community the week before and invite everyone to the revival. If anyone would like a short mission trip, this would be a great time. We not only need people that can get out in the community with us, but we need people that can help feed everyone, or anything that you feel God has gifted you to do.
The Alaska state fair is August 21st-September 1st. This is the fair that I am told you get to see the competition for the largest vegetables. Like a cabbage that weighs 50lbs! We are trying to come up with a clever way to do some witnessing at the fair. Please be in prayer about that.
We have so many things going on. Praise God! I’m sure I’ve left some things out, but I just can’t think of anything else. We love you and will look forward to seeing you.
God Bless Alabama & Alaska!

3 weeks

2008-04-23T16:02:00.001-05:00

Here we are 3 weeks and 1 day since landing in our new home in Alaska and already I can tell that the Spirit of God is moving here. We have seen 3 people come to Christ and others are inquiring about Baptism and the Christian life. We are staying busy with trying to keep up with Corban and Collin along with hanging out with new friends and church. A day doesn't go by when we don't welcome someone into our home to fellowship.

I want to thank everyone for praying for us. It has come apparent that we are on the mission field. Things too vast to tell. But, let me ask you join me in a battle. Not one of the physical nature, but one that touches across the World. You see, we as Christians have a power inside of us that can reach across mountains and oceans. PRAYER!

Ephesians 6:12-14
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm......

I Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

It is time for us to become as humble as a servant and as bold as a child to come before the Father to submit our request to see his power demonstrated in the lives of his people. Let us not lay down to the things of this world but let us be more than conquerors. Go forth and proclaim the gospel in all the world. There is a lost and dying world out there that can not be seen with the naked eye. I have witnessed accounts of heart ache and sorrow in lives of people and we as simple people can do nothing to ease the pain. But, in prayer and by the power of God we can and will see lives changed forever! The curse is to be broken and the enemy will not have victory for Jesus is our victor. Let us continue to unit in prayer and praise the Lord to break down the strong holds in Alaska, Alabama, and across this world. I sense so strong in my spirit that we are in the last days and our lives here on this earth are but a vapor. Thus, we need to call ourselves into action to reach our family, neighbors, enemies, and strangers for the gospel. For Jesus came for all the world to save us...John 3:16 and 17. Let us run the race to win. The call that God has placed on your life is irrevocable so step out anointed one and do what you have been called to do in your place in the body of Christ for God's purpose. Let us Love one another and all those around us by no longer holding the Joy of the Lord for ourselves. Love is action and people need to see true Love...full of grace and mercy with abundant joy.. Love is a choice..we chose to act or we chose to sit back. Let us Love through Jesus to the world around us.

Father God,
I thank you for the miracle of your existence. I come to you now to lift you up and praise you in your holiness and perfection. Thank you for choosing to love us through your Son Jesus. Thank you for loving us first. Thank you for giving us a reason to exist. I pray for every person that reads this prayer that you would ignite a fire inside their hearts in which they can not contain. I pray that your Spirit convicts us of our sins and sets us back in our rightful place with you. I pray that your power will be manifested in our lives so they are changed forever. Heal our hearts and our hurts, oh Lord. Fill the cracks in our lives with your holiness, grace, and mercy. Cleanse us and take our guilt so that we can hear Your voice clearly. In hearing may we then responded. Just as Isaiah stood in your presence (Isaiah 6:1-9) may we come into you presence before Your throne to be cleansed. Show us what a true relationship with you is like. Lead us into your path Lord. Bless your people Lord and guide us into your pathways. Keep us from the evil one and destroy the attack of the enemy that may come into our path. Revive us Lord, in ways that we have never seen or experienced. Make your Word real to us and those around us. Show us Your truth. Give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of your Word. Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers and speaking to us. May we be quick to listen to you and not make excuses any longer. Revive us Lord, Reivive us, set our hearts a fire! In Jesus name....Amen.

Playing In the Snow..

2008-04-10T00:45:00.001-05:00

The Movers made it!

2008-04-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

Our stuff is here,
our stuff is here,
our stuff is here!!!!

Hot diggity dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moving Pictures..

2008-04-05T18:34:00.001-05:00

We're in Alaska!

2008-04-05T13:45:00.000-05:00

Well, We're here! And it's snowing!!! The boys are thrilled (and Merrill too). The weather is forcasting 5-10 inches today. We are told this is normal for Spring. Seems like an awful lot of snow to us!! We had a good flight. The boys did great and even got to sit in the cockpit and talk to the pilots. The airline lost our luggage, but they got it back to us the next day. The moving company is expecting our stuff to get here Tuesday. We can't wait! Other than that, we are staying busy with church. We had our Friday night Lighthouse youth meeting last night and had about 15 there. The boys and I are going to the library Tuesday for story time. We are praying that we will meet some other young children and get them in church. Please be praying that God will move in Willow, Alaska!

Our Last Week Home

2008-03-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

OK. So I said that I wasn’t going to be “overdramatic” this week, but since it is our last week at home in Alabama, I think I get a pass. I want to express how much I love all of our friends and family and how very much I will miss you all. It’s hard to really appreciate someone until you know that you won’t have them around anymore. I think that I may have taken some of my friendships for granted. We get so caught up in day to day activities that we forget to take time to tell those that mean so much to us just how much they mean. Sometimes we feel that if we can’t get together with this person or return that phone call that we can always do it tomorrow. As I sit here and ponder this, I realize that my tomorrows are vanishing. Now, I realize that I can still keep in contact with all my friends and family, but gone are the days when I will be able to just go over to their house for coffee. Am I being “overdramatic” yet? Just wait, I will be. I feel so honored that God would chose my little family to go to such a beautiful place and share His love, but I am going to miss you all so very, very much. I don’t know what to expect when we get there, but I do know that God will provide for us. We really do believe Jeremiah 29:11. I don’t know what’s in store, but I do know that it will be great! I am so happy to be going, but am so sad to leave all of you. Please forgive me if I cry for no apparent reason. I just love you all too much not to grieve a little.

2008-03-21T21:33:00.000-05:00

We have got to learn how to do this because Amber cannot always post!! :)
*This is a test*

In Texas..

2008-03-21T12:50:00.001-05:00

This is Amber. Since i'm not sure that they know how to post yet, i am posting this as a post instead of a comment. My Bad if they do...i'm sure Merrill will make fun of me later.

This is the note Shanna left from Texas:

Shanna here. We are making the rounds visiting family. We are in Silsbee, TX right now with Grandma & Grandpa Stom. (Betty's parents). Only 10 more days to go. The anticipation is building. Please keep praying that God will guide our steps. We still have some big decisions to make. God bless you all! We love you!

Trying It Out

2008-03-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

We have finnally been persuaded into joining the blogging world so that our friends can keep up with us now. We are a family of four currently in the proccess of moving from Andalusia, Alabama to Willow, Alaska. There we will begin working with First Baptist Church- Willow where Merrill has accepted the position of Ministry Associate. We will post more of how God called us there later. We are really excited about the plans God has for us in Alaska, but we will miss our Andalusia friends and family very much. A special thanks to our good friend Amber who is helping us set this up, and teaching Merrill how to blog!!