Dinner for the honors college last night...check out the pictures! I really wanted to go to the basketball game afterwards, but I had homework. I've decided that I'm going to have to be responsible and do it in advance before game days. I really <3 the basketball and am DETERMINED to make it to many games this season! I mean...so many rockin people were going, too. Rupert, Ryan Towle, Matt, Patrick Pope!!! It would've been a fantastic time...silly homework...silly responsibilities! LoL

My mom flies out for a work-related trip on Sunday. Especially odd since she hates to fly. My family is kind of like that...likes to stay with their feet firmly on the ground...well...okay...it might just be my mom. Both of her parents had their pilot's lisecense. My grandpa used to have a piper cub...Don't know if you know what that is. It's a small, two passenger plane. I got to ride around in it all the time when I was little SOOOO FUN. We'd fly over my house and wave the wings at my mom, who would usually be out in the yard doing something fairly productive. It really broke my heart when my grandfather died. Selling the plane was really letting him go. I thought it particularly hardcore that my grandma has her liscence too...but then maybe you'd have to know my grandma! Btw...both of these people were high school teachers in Murfreesboro for around thirty years. Your parents probably had them if they took Chemistry or Physics at Riverdale or Math at Oakland. Tangent....but pray for my mom, her trip, and her safety in "far away" places.

I got a call from Adam, one of my good friends from home, on Wednesday after Church. It was really weird because I'd just been thinking I needed to call him. We sang one of his favorite songs at service that night. He sent me a fantastic e mail which I felt like sharing a bit of...

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty,
bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised
and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak..."I was walking through
town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird
cage.On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with 
cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there, son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you gonna do with them?"   I asked. "Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease
'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real
good time" "But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will
you do?"  "Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em
to them." The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those
birds, son?"  "Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain
old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!" "How much?" the pastor asked 
again. The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and  said, "$10?"  The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up  the cage and gently carried it to the end of the 
alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot Setting the cage down, he
opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out,
setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the 
pastor began to tell this story. One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.           "Yes, sir, I  just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used
bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all! "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked. Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun!  I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate  and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them  how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"   "And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked. "Oh,
I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly. "How much do you want for them?" Jesus
asked  "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take 
them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you.
You don't want those people!!" "How much?" He asked again. Satan looked  at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life." Jesus said, "DONE!"  Then He paid the price. The pastor picked up the cage he opened the  door and he walked from the pulpit.

I was reading something last night that I just thought about, really thought about...and well...it made sense all over again...

"And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. everyone to whom much is give, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." Luke 12:47-48

It makes me wonder how often we ask ourselves what we're doing with our faith. Our faith should be who we are not something we do. I feel like I fail God in so much. It's really hard to know what to say to some of the people I care about the most who are still trying to find Christ and have no idea of his purpose in their lives. I pray for them and for myself that I will be the influence and have the words to encourage. I pray so much to be a good example, the salt, and the light. It's so difficult sometimes. Pray for me, I'll be praying for all of you....especially those of you who I know are going through some rough spots... I talked to you about it so you know who you are...but I'm here if you need me. (That goes for the rest of you too)

" A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17 - definitely one of my FAVORITE verses

keep on keepin' on... fight the fights that need fighting...

all my love,

Shannon