Second Scripture Memorized

I did it. Praise the LORD! I've memorized my challenging Scripture in one week. God is good; all the time! :) I am amazed at the Scripture He gave me and how much it has already helped me. Also, God has already used my first Scripture for the year many times in the last 30 days. I've also been able to use Isaiah 26:4 to lift up a brother in Christ.

It is amazing to see baby Harper (www.kellyskornerblog.com), just 2 precious weeks old, doing so well. God has allowed her life to impress His love and miracle within me as well. I am in awe at how God is using an infant to draw so many to Himself. There have even been some come to know Christ for the very first time. Praise you Jesus! Baby Harper is now in a regular hospital room at the Children's Hospital in Tulsa. Thank you LORD for bringing her into my life via the Internet.

David is in Commerce for the 2nd weekend in a row...only 13 more to go for his doctorate studies (for this semester). Caleb is snoozing, and Mauri is at a UIL event in White House on the other side of Tyler. Caleb is only sleeping due to him being awake when Mauri and I got up at 4:45 AM. He was not happy when he had to get off his game, but when I went to check on him 10 minutes later he was already sound asleep. He has his bass lesson at 2:30 today. He is getting so good on it. I can't wait to see what God has in store for him in this area of his life. I am so glad God has blessed their lives and are musically talented. Mauri sings in the youth praise band, and I think Caleb is beginning to desire being a part of it through playing the bass. I am in awe at how God is allowing them to get in front of others to worship Him while leading others to worship Him too. I never stood in front of a crowd ... too shy and frozen. I didn't even want to go on stage to pick up my diplomas. ;)

Have a great day in Christ,

Shellye

Scripture Memory #2

Ephesians 4:25-32 (The Message)

25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.

26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

28 Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.

29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

30 Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.

31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.


I think I've challenged myself a bit with my Scripture Memory #2 for the year. The first memory verse for the year is Isaiah 26:4 . "You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is kept on you because he trusts in You." I love this verse. I needed this verse for the beginning of 2009.

I need the verses of Scripture found in Ephesians 4:25-32 too. I think I have a mental block. I like to memorize Scripture from NKJV. BUT, I think I'm going to change and memorize these 7 verses from Ephesians 4 from The Message. It just is easier for me to totally understand the verses. I best get busy I think today is the 24th and I must have it memorized by the 30th so I'm going to work on it throughout this day.

Shellye

P.S. Mauri and I did go tot he doctor again at 4 PM. She now has an upper respiratory infection and I have tonsillitis. Dear LORD... we are ready to be healed and back among the living and going. ;)

I'm home again

Well, I guess I'm resting until Monday. I know I need it when I sleep an extra 10 hours in a day. Mauri is worse today. She seems to have added a cough and a lot of sinus mess. So we'll both being seeing a doctor today. I am so looking forward to being completely well. I think the best thing about being ill is it makes me appreciate being healthy.

Continue praying for baby Harper. She is getting so much better. :) Praise the Lord.

Yesterday David was blessed by watching his high schoolers hang posters at the school for Coach Warren. But the neatest part was during Activity Period when many students went outside to gather around the flag pole (similar to See You at the Pole) to pray for Coach Warren. Coach was there to witness all the prayers and well wishes from students. We are so blessed to live in Queen City where many believe in Christ and the power of prayer. Where else in the world could you see a 100 students (16-18 year olds) gather around praying in front of their peers begging God to heal their coach. I am in awe of our students. David said most were the athletes praying for him. I am grateful God led us to QC for our family to serve and live here.

Shellye

...and here I sit at home :(

Well, my assistant doesn't have strep...she has a viral infection. She is sick at home today too. I had a horrible night. I couldn't sleep throughout the night. I felt horrible. It is unreal how bad my throat can hurt. I ran a fever all night long until about 10 AM. I still feel pretty bad. I hope the antibiotics kick in soon so I will feel better. I need to be at school tomorrow. I hope David and Caleb will stay well. Mauri stayed home until 11:45. She needed to stay home the entire day, but she just can't stay down long.

Mauri is suppose to be at All Region tomorrow and Saturday, but due to her illness we had Mr. Brannan call the people to have an alternate go in her place. I just don't think it would be right to allow her to go and spread the sickness. I hope she'll be okay with it.

She has been looking at prom jewelry and hairstyles. It seems like she is close to making a decision. Oh, also she has a date. He is a great guy who is a gentleman :) which makes me feel very comfortable with her going to the prom with him. Everything is going so smoothly so I hope it will continue.

Mauri is thinking about having an invitation only after prom party. I think she needs to keep it small to her closest friends.

I keep praising God for all He has done with and through her. I am glad it is coming together so well.

I guess it is time to go back to sleep. I've been awake too long. I need more rest. I hope this throat will get well soon.

Shellye

I DON'T like being sick!

Well, we found out, Ethan, my precious nephew had strep Monday afternoon after we arrived back home from visiting this weekend. Mauri was diagnosed with strep throat yesterday afternoon. And now...you've guessed it...I have strep. It is NOT fun being sick. I hope to make some chili soon and then I'll start feeling better...I hope. I hope I don't pass this on to my husband or son. My assistant left early today to head to the doctor with what she thinks is strep throat too. I also hope I don't pass it along to any of my first graders nor colleagues.

Please continue praying for pretty princess Harper who is still in NICU in Tulsa. God is continuing to do great things.

Also, please pray for Coach Warren, our newest AD. :) He has been off chemo since last summer because the spots on his liver continued to stay dormant. But, today they were told the spots on his liver had grown some. The largest growth was 1/2 inch and the others grew a little. He will start chemo this coming Monday. Please continue to keep his family and him in your prayers. God has done miraculous things in their lives over the past 19 months. He has a wonderful wife (a 2nd grade teacher), and three sons (2nd grader, kindergartner, and a 26 month old.

Thanks for praying!

Shellye

Mauri found her prom dress!

What a LONG week! I guess it seemed so long because it was our first week back to school after being off for two weeks. I don't remember school days lasting as long as they did this week. Finally, yesterday went by at a usual rate for me. My kiddos were great all week. I think we are back in routine and ready to go. Plus, we are off on Monday the 19th, so that always helps us move on.

God is good, all the time! I am in awe of how God provided Mauri's prom dress in January on the first day within the first 3 hours of shopping, and that included eating dinner with mom, dad, Kevin, Ami, and the four of us. Mauri realized earlier this week she is going to be gone on the next 5 or 6 Saturdays due to UIL writing, honor band, All-Region band, and solo/ensemble contests. Therefore, our Saturday shopping spree for the "perfect" prom dress would be put off until mid-February with her prom on March 28th. I know way early for prom.

We left the house about 4 to head to Traditions in Texarkana. We spent about 30 minutes there trying on 4 dresses. Then, we ran to Bridal Castle to try on 4 more dresses quickly in 15 minutes before they closed at 5:30. We met the family for dinner at McAllisters. While showing the pics Ami mentioned looking at Dillard's. Mauri and I went there right after dinner. There were what seemed like slim pickin's. There were so few dresses that we almost missed them. I finally found a couple while Mauri was looking through some too. We finally got a dressing room where she tried on 4 dresses once again. She tried on a gray dress. I would have never thought of gray but when she put it on it was a beautiful dress. Mauri got kind of down pretty quickly early on after the second or third dress she tried on for the day, BUT as soon as she slipped this dress on she was beaming!!! :) I could see that her whole countenance changed in an instant. She is so beautiful on the inside and out and I think for the first time in a long time she could she her outer beauty as well. I am so proud of her and grateful God blessed us with a beautiful girl who has a very nice prom dress so early on in the shopping process. Now on to shoes, necklace, earrings, hair stuffins, etc...oh me oh my...Dear Lord please continue to help us in all areas.

The most amazing thing of all is God allowed us to have the money in January which is just unheard of during this month of the year. David and I both being teachers is tough during this month because we were paid on December 17th and won't get paid again until the 24th of January. However, David wrote a curriculum for Texas A&M - Texarkana in the fall and he got compensated for it on December 19th. We put back $600.00 for Mauri's 2008-2009 dual-credit college tuition which will have to be paid next week. Praise the Lord -- Mauri's tuition is $425 which left us $175 for a dress which cost only $170 --- isn't GOD GREAT!!!!! :)

Bless Caleb's heart...he has had a tough week getting adjusted to a school schedule again. Being in 8th grade in Texas is tough with the 4 TAKS tests one must pass to go to 9th grade. Therefore, teachers truly pile it on during the 2nd semester. I don't blame them. It is a good thing God allowed David and I to teach middle school TAAS before, so we know how it is for the teachers getting kids prepared for the tests. He also took on the daunting task of reading Eldest for his AR book this nine weeks --- a mere 668 page book which he was on 350 when he returned this past Monday. He must AR test this Monday. He is finally on page 500. I'll be glad when he gets it behind him because he is overwhelmed with it right now. He is enjoying the book it's just the amount of reading has gotten the best of him right now. It is so amazing seeing how God has worked miracles throughout his life especially in the area of reading. Being dyslexic is so hard yet God provided us to be in a school district that has the best dyslexic program. He was in the Scottish Rite program provided by Queen City ISD for two years. He completed the program last January and he is a new person. I know he is still dyslexic but now I truly understand what the title of the book, Overcoming Dyslexia, truly means. I am in awe of him.

God has blessed us with the most amazing teenagers in the world. I know I am not deserving of them but am so grateful God gave them to us to raise and nurture into the fine Christians He is creating them to be.

May you have a blessed year, too!

Shellye

Happy New Year

What a great way to start your day --- with a new year...a JESUS year!

We rang in the year like no other before: my husband and I went grocery shopping at Wal-mart from 10:10 PM - 11:20 PM. I could NOT believe we spent $220.00 on groceries. I don't think we've ever done this before. We didn't by anything except groceries. I'm sure it was because of all the nutritious morsels we purchased in order to start our year off in a healthier way. ;) The kids rang in the new year with the youth group from 9:30 PM - 12:30 AM. We have an awesome youth pastor. I truly appreciate his wife and he opening the Family Life Center for the kids to have a safe place to ring in the new year. Especially since they are expecting their first born tomorrow. They are a great pair.

I have already journaled today, read a few chapters of Experiencing God Around the Kitchen Table, and chosen my first Scripture to memorize for the year. Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." I am going to go to BAMM to purchase the One Year Chronological Order Bible to start that today as well. I am embarrassed to say I have never read the Bible completely through cover to cover in a year.

I am so looking forward to a healthier new me: mind, body, and soul. God is so good and I am looking forward to the lessons He has set out for me to learn this year. I just hope I learn them quickly and apply them immediately so I can learn as much as He has in store for me.

May God bless you and your family throughout 2009!

Shellye