Travels

How is everyone?

This weekend was a lot of fun. Sister Jackie Zimmerman and I traveled to Michie and Milan, Tennessee, for a Ladies' Day and a boost. So I thought I'd tell you about our journey.

We left on Friday afternoon around 3:00 for Jackson, Tennessee, which is a somewhat decent "halfway" point between the two cities. Normally, it would have taken probably around 5 1/2 hours to make the trip, however, the weather was horrendous. (Thanks, by the way, to all who were praying for us, because we really needed it.) We had to stop a few times because the rain was so heavy that literally you couldn't see the road. And it was daylight. The very last time we stopped before arriving in Jackson was at an Arby's...which was inside of a truck stop. But it was very nice. Suddenly as we were enjoying our meal, a voice comes over the loud speaker and says,

"NOW SERVING SHOWER CUSTOMER NUMBER 68, PLEASE USE SHOWER NUMBER 3. NOW SERVING SHOWER CUSTOMER NUMBER 68, PLEASE USE SHOWER NUMBER 3."

It reminded me of being at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport trams, and as you approach a concourse, you hear this pleasant, poised voice say, "NOW APPROACHING CONCOURSE D, AS IN DAVID. PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE EXIT AT ALL TIMES." While eating Arby's! Ha!

We finally arrived in Jackson probably around 8 local time to a nice hotel and comfy bed. Then the next morning, it was off the Michie for the Ladies' Day.

It was really an encouragement to be there! Probably about 25 ladies attended, if I estimated correctly. Sister Leslei Moncreif used the theme "That Your Joy May Be Full," and there were four different speakers with the topics Joy Is a Requirement, Joy through Trials, Joy Must Be Visible, and Joy in the Word. Then Sister Jackie preached in the afternoon about how our love for one another affects the fullness of our joy. It was really good. The church building was an old bar (or, "joint," as Brother McElmore told me in only the way he can) but it was nicely decorated and you just felt right at home. The only sign I found of this building's days of old was the horseshoe suspended from a pulley that served as a weight to hold the restroom door open when unoccupied. Ha! Pretty wild. I must confess, as much as I love to travel, I have typically avoided going in places that are out in the middle of nowhere, and especially where my cell phone has no signal. But it is amazing how the Lord has completely taken that aversion from me, and being in Michie on Saturday was definitely proof of that. It was so cool to be able to fellowship with the ladies there. They are quite a ways further from everyone else in Tennessee, and it was an honor to encourage them and show them that they are loved.

The next morning we headed off to Milan. Milan is only about 30 minutes from Jackson, and the drive was pretty easy. Of course, I say that because I wasn't the one driving. Anyway, it SEEMED easy. The Sunday School lesson and service were very good. Again, good fellowship and such a privilege to have been there! Sister Jackie and I both gave a boost, then we dismissed and chatted for a few minutes before hitting the road to come home.

And thank the LORD that all the rain and severe weather that was supposed to hit the area went further south on Sunday. Of course, I hope the other areas were not hit too hard with it. We made it all the way to Nashville before running into any really hard rain, but it didn't seem to last too long, and by the time we reached Murfreesboro it had slacked off. I think we made it home around 8:30 last night.

Well there you have it. The Chronicles of a State Booster, Part Two. But before I go, here's a good picture for you:



That's right...Bucksnort. There is actually a town with that name. I tried to take a picture of the exit sign on I-40 that said "Bucksnort", but my camera didn't take it fast enough. I had heard of it before, but just in case any of you hear me mention it, and don't believe it actually exists, here's some proof.

Have a glorious week! Until the next time.

*Shanna*

Buzz - Buzz

I am a busy little bumblebee...

Just buzzing by to say...

How ya BEE???

:o)

*Shanna*

The City of RESPONSIBILITY...Welcomes You

I am sad to report that I may have to find Blue another home. We really don't have a lot of room for him to just run around fancy free where I live. As of Saturday night, he has officially been tied up. :o( I know he hates that, but unfortunately, there have been a few incidents over the last few weeks that just may get out of control if something else isn't done.

Thankfully, no one has been bitten or attacked. You see, apparently one of our neighbors has been complaining about Blue. I was not aware of any of the incidents that have taken place until this weekend. The neighbor was supposed to call me last week and discuss things with me, but she did not. Meanwhile, I'm hearing about it from another neighbor's perspective - who, by the way, is at odds with the other neighbor - so by her accounts, Blue is not doing any harm at all. (Did you get that?) I found out Saturday afternoon that Blue attacked a smaller dog. I have seen him do that before, and have attempted training him so that it isn't a problem. However, I took on Blue from an owner who I belive was mistreating him, because apparently this same person has had other dogs with whom people have had issues. You know the old saying - old habits die hard. Poor Blue. That's exactly what I've been dealing with over the last stretch of time. He really needs someone to work with him constantly, and I've come to realize that I just don't have the time he needs. Besides that, it breaks my heart that he has become the center of controversy between two neighbors - which apparently has been into play long before I moved into the neighborhood - where one seems to use him as a scapegoat. That's just not fair. So I have decided to pursue finding him another home where he can be taken care of the way he should be.

Sure - he is just a dog, but he's MY dog. That means if something serious were to occur, guess who's responsible??? That's right! So why not do the responsible thing now, and consider the saftey of all involved? Not to mention, this whole feuding between my neighbors could easily result in someone killing Blue, and there is no need for things to get to that level. Boy, I tell you. Whoever said good fences make good neighbors must have known a thing or two.

Well anyway, all these things are just LIFE, aren't they? So we might as well deal with them and MOVE ON. After all, the city of MATURITY awaits....

*Shanna*

Transparency

Let me forewarn you that this blog is going to contain some very personal things. I am typically an EXTREMELY private person - as those who know me well already know - but I just felt I needed to open up a little and share a few thoughts with you.

So here goes...

I think it was about two Sundays ago, I was on my way to church service. I was praying, and asking the Lord about certain things that were on my heart, and reached a place in that prayer where I was just in tears. I have felt such a call to a sacrificial trust in the Lord since the last General Assembly, and feel like I am SO FAR away from that! I asked the Lord why, when it comes to certain things, is it seemingly SO HARD to trust Him?! It should be quite simple, really. So then I squalled, "Lord, what's wrong with me that I can't trust you?! I mean, there HAS to be a reason why. There has to be something lurking around in my heart and mind that creates such a hindrance, and causes me to only go so far with respect to certain things. I want to know what it is, Lord, so we can deal with it and move on!" If any of you have ever prayed anything like that, you know how you feel in those moments - without an answer, vulnerable, and just begging God to just wave His hand and *ZAP* you're changed in an instant.

As I was trying to wipe my tears away so I could see the road and drive, the thought came to my mind that trusting the Lord comes from KNOWING HIM. And you know, I have to confess - although I was saved for the first time at age 11 - that would be close to 21 years ago - and have attended church and been around Christian people ever since - the fact is that I had not completely, totally, surrendered my life to Him until August 2008 - some 20 years later. If you do the math, that has only been 7 months ago.

What I'm saying is that I have really, truly, genuinely only been in a journey with the Lord for 7 months. Now sure, it is possible to get to know the Lord very deeply within 7 months. And learn a lot about the Word, and how to live it. But trust is a completely different concept. Sure, we all know in our minds that we can trust the Lord. But I have realized that trusting in Him from the heart takes living it out day by day. After all, it's about being totally persuaded that He really is trustworthy, just as He says.

And ever since Sis. Smith began the Ladies' Bible study "Lord, Change Me," I feel as though heaven has me under a microscope. I suppose this realization is all a part of the CHANGE PROCESS. Well if that's the case, so be it. If I have spent so many years of my walk with the Lord living according to the same old patterns of thinking, then obviously He is trying to renew my mind, because that's where it all starts.

Well anyway, I tried to keep it as brief as possible. Thanks for taking the time to read this. And thanks for your prayers. I am a piece of work y'all!!!

*Shanna*

It's Friday Again!

And I'm so glad!

Our youth convention last weekend was GREAT! You may have read other blogs about it already, but the theme was "I Am Determined to Hold Out 'Till the End". It was a much needed time of hearing the Word and seeking the Lord in the altar.

This weekend is going to be another busy one. Well, not too bad, actually. Tomorrow morning is our local church's monthly service at the nursing home. There's usually a good turnout - both from the church and the home. I tell you, getting the chance to minister to those folks really helps put things into perspective. What really encourages me is how much they love to sing! There are usually five that ask to sing specials every time we're there. But that's just fine with us! And then there are those who aren't really aware of what's going on, but every now and then, it's as if the Lord touches their hearts somehow, because you can see it on their faces.

Then after the service, we will be cleaning the fellowship hall. Hopefully it won't take too long. :o)

And then...off to an auction and chili supper. So in comparison to a few past weekends this year, this one will be a BREEZE. Hope you have a good one, too! Until next time!

*Shanna*

Did I Mention Our God Is the Bomb???

I was leaving a comment on Sis. Smith's blog, testifying of what He did for me last night, and I was almost going to let the day go by without saying a word about it.

Basically, yesterday I had a bad headache. It hadn't reached the point of being just absolutely unbearable yet, but I could tell it was quickly headed in that direction. But the Lord had prompted me to fast, and I wanted to obey Him and follow through. Fasting is SOOOO HARD with a headache! But God is faithful. So by the grace of God, He helped me grab ahold of every ounce of faith I could muster, and I prayed, "Lord, you know you have led me into this fast, and I want to be faithful to obey what You have required of me. Please take away the pain, and increase my faith to trust you wholeheartedly, no matter how badly it hurts." I fell asleep, reminding myself of the Lord's faithfulness, and reaffirming my trust in Him. And this morning, I woke up bright and early, ready to face the day, TOTALLY PAIN-FREE!

I have come to realize that if we can't trust the Lord, then who CAN we trust? For my own life, I have felt for some time that the Lord is calling me to a deeper level of trust in Him. And I know I'm not the only one. I'm talking about a level of trust where even in pain, we wait on deliverance from the Lord. And if it doesn't come and we happen to die in the process, trusting that awaking in His arms in heaven was His will. My friends, times are not getting any easier, and there WILL come a day when the world's methods will only be available in exchange for our souls. It is in our best interest to allow our walk with the Lord to reach a level where our confidence is ONLY in Him. We have to get there.

WE HAVE TO GET THERE!!!!!

Now that I'm off my soapbox...

Please remember the TN Youth Convention in your prayers this weekend. The theme is "I Am Determined to Hold Out till the End." I can't really explain it, but I feel way down deep on the inside that this Youth Convention is going to be one of the most explosive one we've seen. So pray for us. As many from other states have expressed, we desperately need a move of the Holy Ghost in our midst.

Anyway - until next time. Enjoy your weekend!

*Shanna*

Our God is the Bomb

Let me tell you that the Lord answers prayer. But I often wonder sometimes why it seems he answers in "Lazarus" time? (You know, FOUR DAYS LATE!) :o) Yes, I know, He really is an on-time God. And truthfully, in my case, I still have five days to spare, so the answer is not "late" at all.

I have a part on program at our upcoming Youth Convention. I have known about it for just over two weeks now. But as soon as I found out, I began praying for the Lord's inspiration. It seemed that no inspiration whatsoever was coming! But last night - five days before D-day - I prayed a simple prayer, and here I am...with INSPIRATION! Praise the Lord! As a matter of fact, there was a certain thing I needed, and the Lord laid on my heart exactly where to go to get it. So I went where I was led to go, asked for what I needed, and the response was, "Is that all?" :o)

As I sometimes say, perhaps this is nothing exciting to many of you that are reading. But it's just simply amazing when you feel a leading, you KNOW it's the Lord, and the next step is to continue praying and watch Him work. Situations such as these are super faith boosters. After all, if we can learn to trust Him in the small things, great things are just ahead. I am expecting marvelous things during this Youth Convention!

So as you pray this week, please remember Sister Kim and the TN Youth Convention taking place this weekend.

*Shanna*