Special gifts...

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope yours was a good one.

I received a couple of special gifts.  They were made from the heart.

A pinwheel flower and two books.

Molly had things written in her book like:  

My Mom Helps Me...to tie my shoes.

I Love my Mom Because...she takes care of me.

My Mom's favorite hobby...going shopping.

(My favorite) My Mom likes to...play on her phone.

Cameron's book was very sweet...

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have delicious snacks.

If it weren't for you, I'd have to walk three miles to baseball practice.

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have help with my homework.

If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have love.

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have a clean room. (damn straight)

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have good meals.

Such nice and kind words from the loves of my life.

I am thankful to God for letting me be there Mom!

Lucky Day...

How lucky am I?

I got to go on two field trips this week with both of my elementary kiddos.  They were both nature related and had outdoor things to do.  Cameron REALLY wanted me to go on his field trip, Molly not so much.  In fact, I wasn't going to go on Molly's but her sweet teacher put out not one, but two requests for one more parent to come along and I couldn't say no.  Grandma and Grandpa Choo were more than happy to hang with Miss Amanda so it was all good.

Here's a couple of pictures I snapped with my camera phone.

My group in the second grade...Matt, Bradley, Jaxon and Mr. Cameron.  

They were a great group and very well behaved!

More second graders!

Molly and her BFF :)

Some gals from the first grade!

Molly's first grade class!

I am so blessed to have a chance to get to go on the field trips and also get to know my kiddos friends.  Although summer is quickly approaching and I'm ready for a break it has been a great school year!

If I'm not to pray for patience...

then what do I pray for?

Because I need some.

Every day.

Sometimes every hour.

I pray for me to appreciate what I have.  But it can be hard to see what it right in front of your face.

Especially when I read things like this...

Letter from a Mother to a Daughter: "My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter. 

Sorry I had to share it.  It's too good of a reminder.

Grab the Kleenex now.

Witness...

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in a Holy Week service on Tuesday, April 3rd.  Every morning at 6:30 am our church had a 15-20 minute service.  The United Methodist Women were in charge of the Tuesday service and I offered to share a devotion.

It was scarier than I thought it would be.

I'm not sure why I felt this way, but I did.

Here's what I shared...

I would say Good Morning to all of you, but I have trained my children that anything before 7 am is still the middle of the night so I will wait until after this service to wish you all a good morning.  So for now I'll say Good Evening.

I am Beth Shook and I graduated college with a public communications degree so standing up in front of all of you doesn't bother me but having to share any kind of devotion is down right frightening.  You see, I don't really have a story to share.  Or at least for many years I didn't think I had a story to share.  But, through some personal reflection I have become more aware that I actually do have a story.

When I was 6 weeks old I had to have emergency surgery on Thanksgiving for pyloric stenosis which is a problem with a muscle between the stomach and the small intestine.  Before the surgeon could do the surgery my parents have me baptized by our minister in the hospital.  I think if you asked my parents today they would probably agree that they didn't think I wouldn't go to heaven if something happened to me but it was 1970 and that's what you did back then.

And this is where my story begins.

With my parents who are extremely faithful Christians.  I grew up going to church every Sunday.  That's just what we did.  My father worked in college athletics and even when we traveled to away football and basketball games and got home very late we still went to church on Sunday.  My Mom was hard core when my brother and I were little and there wasn't such a thing as a "church" bag.  You may have seen me dragging a church bag around on Sunday's and it contains goodies like crayons, coloring books, books to read, and if you don't tell David Betteridge, the occasional snack.  My parents didn't believe in any form of church entertainment so my brother and I use to pass the time circling all the vowels in the bulletin and memorizing the hymnal.  For years my favorite hymn was This is my Father's World.  All through elementary, junior and senior high school church was a very important part of my life.  We went to Sunday school, my Dad taught my senior high class, I was active in UMYF and was president my senior year.  I am truly blessed to have parents who took me to church every week.

But, I believe that it is because I have known how Jesus has impacted my life for so long that I sometimes need a "sign" or a moment to remind me the presence of God in my life.  I have never wanted to purposely take that presence for granted but I know that I have.

If we fast forward to post college I was a working gal who was still trying to figure out my place in the world when I had one of those distinct moments.  I was dating this guy who really, really wanted me to be serious with him and I wasn't quite ready for that.  I had tired the polite tactics and he just wasn't getting them.  So I had to break up with him and ask him not to call anymore.  I felt bad but was sure life would go on.  I went to bed one night and had this vision I guess you might call it, it was more than a dream, and God specifically told me that I was acting ridiculous and I was missing the best thing that was going to happen in my life.  I woke up that morning and knew from the bottom of my heart that I had to do everything I could to win him back.  I guess you could call it a success because tomorrow we will be married 14 years.  God knew exactly the man to send to me and my heart swells with love for him.  Mike was truly a gift to me from God. I know this from the bottom of my heart and I feel so blessed to share my life with someone who feels the exact same way I do about our  God.  He was raised just like me, going to church faithfully every Sunday, and together we our raising our children the same way.

Mike and I decided to take the latest Alpha Class together and this past Sunday's video especially spoke to me.

In Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 it says:
Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

The image that was shown in the video was of a door with no handle.  One would think how do I open a door with no handle?  But, what we need to do is invite Jesus in our lives because he will push open the door for us.  God promised us this and dares us to believe him.  Push open the door and let Jesus in.  I have been blessed to have Jesus as a constant in my life for many years.  I now strive to keep that door open,to know that he is always with me, and to share with others the good news that he died for us so that we may have eternal life.

I may have needed the occasional sign in my life to know what has been right in front of me, but there is no sign needed to know that on Sunday we celebrate the greatest gift we as Christians have been given - the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour.  As the hymn we sang earlier says "All I  have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

A few things around here...

We've been busy here, how about you?

But we hit a highlight here today...

It's called Kindergarten Round Up!

Today is the day where we go and visit the Kindergarten class and meet the teachers.  The kids stay and listen to a story and do a fun craft while the parents get all the info for the next year.  Having done this two other times I felt pretty confident that it would go well.  And it did!  Doesn't my girl seem ready to conquer school?

And of course Amanda and I had to take our standard photo.  After all, there isn't anyone home to take pictures of us together.  

Last week I had the fun time of chaperoning Amanda and her class on a trip to our local high school where the FFA hosts a Barnyard Zoo.  Here's a picture that I just loved:

That smile speaks volumes!!

Leaving my babies...

This Saturday, Mr. Shook and I as well as 2 new friends, Joe and Sondra are taking 13 8th graders on a Confirmation retreat. It's just 24 hours, but 24 HOURS without my kiddos. On one hand it's very exciting but on the other hand it's very terrifying. I'm not use to doing this at all. We haven't have the ability or the luxury to leave our kids with anyone for any extended time. Count your blessings now if you have someone who will willingly do that for you. Besides having 2 babies and 2 one night getaways that's the extent of us leaving the kids. They will be fine, I already know that. But let's get to the real topic...

We're taking 14 year olds on an overnighter!! What are we thinking??!!

Actually, I think it will go well. We have spent every Sunday since September teaching the Confirmation class at our church with Joe and Sondra. I have actually learned a lot and our time together has been pretty enjoyable. We are in the home stretch now. Confirmation is April 29th and we will have 13 new members of Morton UMC. A few of our students have started coming to our church because their friends asked them to. A few are soaking up the information like it's sun rays. And let me tell you that is AWESOME!! Mr. Shook spends every Wednesday night will these kids in a youth group type setting. They do some devotion, they do gracing projects and they have fun. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to get a taste of it.

And, I have to say that I hope sometime you get an experience like this in your life. Even when these kids can be silly they are still talking the word of God and really trying to lead real Christian lives.

So as you read this will you please say a prayer for us this weekend. For our 8th graders, for their families, for my family and honestly for me. I hope that we are all aware of God's presence in our lives and this weekend allows us the opportunity to slow down and soak it all in. How great is our God??!!

But, before we leave on the retreat we have one matter of business...THE LINCOLN SCHOOL CARNIVAL!! Maybe all the parents need prayers so we survive it! It is a year's full of fun in 3 short hours! :)

A new look...

It came to our attention that our boy was in need of a new look...

Yep, following in the footsteps of his Mother...glasses. I also got my first pair in second grade at around the same time of the year. Look how handsome my boy looks!