Quotes...oh how I love you!

MITO WEEK 2013!!!

Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week!

As most of you know...Mito Disease has affected my family in such a terrible way.
My son Devin was diagnosed several years ago with this terrible disease. He missed most of 6th, 7th, and 9th grade...all of 8th grade and now most of this 10th grade year. It is terrible. He is pretty much homebound this year too. Mito truly depletes your body of ALL the energy. What most people find as easy tasks are completely unbearable for Mito patients.

Devin wakes up every morning trying to live a normal life, eat breakfast, take a shower, go to school, hang out like most (almost) 16 year olds do. Not for my son, mornings are unpredictable. Showers are sometimes the hardest task, and by the time we leave for school...his energy is gone. Which means back to bed.

His friends are able to play sports which he was forced to quit. They are able to hang out at the mall, movies, parks, or at each others homes, but not for Devin. Thankfully he has the BEST big brother ever! He works 65 hours a week but spends every second he can at home and making Devin feel "normal".

I can't explain how necessary a cure is! I was also diagnosed a year after Devin with this same disease. Although I can do things that he can't, Mito affects everyone differently. It's still very hard to run an entire household on my own and some days feel too tired or sick to handle it.

Mito is linked to Autism, Cardiac disease, Liver disease, Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, so on and so on. This is not a disease that should be overlooked.

We NEED A CURE! I have boxes around our local area. The picture is of one of them that are helping raise awareness and raise money towards a cure. Although it will not be likely that you will see one of these boxes. It's only for Mito week! You can always go to UMDF.org and donate to the cause and most importantly PLEASE raise awareness! Help families like ours!
Every 30 minutes a child is born that will develop Mito. More children die from this disease than all childhood disease combined!

Help us CURE MITO!

Commitment

Very few relationships succeed by accident.

 

 

8 year hurricane Katrina anniversary.....

8 years ago today..Katrina devastated New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Lives were lost, homes were lost, our daily life as we knew it was lost, but for me and my kids...hope was found, my faith was tested and strengthened, and I am so thankful for that. Just 4 months later, I was baptized and within a year all of my children accepted the Lord as their Savior and were all baptized as well! The thoughts of what we all endured during Katrina will forever be in my mind but the holes it left in my heart have been filled by the love, mercy and grace of Jesus!

What women want....

Bible in our house, Bible in our heart.

Happy Summer Folks!

I can't believe that summer is JUST now beginning considering how hot it has been for some time.

As usual, I've been busy...won't go into details but life is just plain busy! I have to literally force myself to take a time out and enjoy the journey.

 Lately, I have been reading novels instead of just Bible studies. :-) (They are still Christian novels though ;-))

I've been making an effort to meet my friends at least one night a week for a catch up, and taking the time to connect with friends and family more often even if it's just a quick text or email.

One thing that I feel happens when I'm too busy is that my prayer life and my walk suffers...

Just like a relationship with your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, friends or children....you must take the time nurture those relationships by spending quality time alone with them...same goes for our walk with Jesus and our relationship with Him.

Today I received this by Rick Warren and what a great reminder of how we can keep our walk fresh and strong. I love the part about a Bible in the house is not going to bless your life, you have to have the Bible in your heart.

I have index cards in my purse and there are some scriptures that are vital for my life, that encourage me, reminds me of His love and mercy, His grace and His promises. I cannot make it each day without these reminders!

Thought that Rick Warren summed it up perfectly! Hope you find it as useful as I did.

.....til next time.....Shawna <><

The Bible says in Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly” (NIV). Paul is telling us to let the Bible take up residence in our lives in a rich, profound, and life-giving way.

So how do we feed ourselves on the Word of God and allow that to happen?

• Receive the Word with your ears. Commit yourself to go to church and listen to God’s Word being preached. 
• Read the Word with your eyes. As I said, having a Bible in your house is not going to bless your life. You have to have the Bible in your heart. 
• Research the Word with your hands and mouth. When studying the Word of God, keep a pencil in your hand. Write down what God teaches. Talk about what you’re discovering with other believers in a small-group environment.
• Reflect on the Word with your mind. Think about and chew on God’s Word.
• Remember the Word with your heart. You’ll rarely have a Bible with you when you need it. Commit God’s Word to memory.

Love never fails...

Hi Folks! Yes I am still here. :-)

May has been busy! My middle child turned 18! He also graduated from high school! Not only graduated but made the Honor Roll! My daughter turned 23! She made the Dean's list in college! My youngest child didn't have it so easy being that he's battling Mito Disease..however, I am going to say that we are VERY thankful that he was able to attend a good bit of school this year...more than last year! He was homebound all of last year but this year he made it the beginning and middle but had to stay home for the last 3 months of school. I am still so proud of how far he's come this year and we are praying and believing for a great next year. He has some online summer school that we are about to jump in to. Phew...never ending work!

So today I'm sharing a message from Max Lucado...about LOVE!  I LOVE love! Maybe it's because I associate love with ewwwy gewwwy feelings and Valentine's hearts...a hopeless romantic maybe..lol But love hasn't always gone the way I had hoped. So what is love after all? I know that is going deep, huh? lol
Hope you enjoy this message.....I know that God's love NEVER fails! How comforting!

LOVE THAT NEVER FAILS- Max Lucado

A love that never fails!  Hard to imagine, isn't it?  Has human love ever failed you?  I’m guessing your answer may be, “Yes it has—more times than I like to admit!” I Corinthians 13:8 promises that “love never fails!” Not God’s kind of love anyway.

I sense you may be so thirsty for this type of love. Those who should have loved you, did not.  Those who could have loved you, didn't  You were left at the hospital.  Left at the altar. Left with an empty bed.  Left with a broken heart.  Left with your question, “Does anybody love me?”

Listen to heaven’s answer:  God loves you—with a love that never fails.  Personally.  Powerfully.  Passionately.  God loves you with unfailing love!

And His love, if you’ll let it, can fill you!  Come thirsty, my friend, and drink deeply!