myShannonigans

Some people hate face book and others love it. I personally love the connection we can have with others even though we don't live in the same country, state, or sometimes neighborhoods. Facebook itself is like it's own neighborhood.

You can celebrate a birthday, let a friend know you are thinking of them, encourage others, receive encouragement, discuss questions, and stay up to date with family.

Today, I love the question brought up by my friend Rebekah...

What is the biblical view on tattoos and piercings? Not your personal opinion, but what does the Bible say? When considering how we live out what we believe, my 9th grade girls want to know how to view these types of questions so they are not a stumbling block to others.

This one Facebook post has created a conversation among many. It prompts us to look deeper than our own thought and to really seek what God has to say. It is seeking brothers and sisters in Christ, whether student or parent, to dig into His word to see what He says on this topic. THIS is what we need to do more often with our teens. Not just dictate an answer, not that there aren't times to do so, but to teach them we are all stilling learning and growing in Christ together.

I was immediately drawn back to author Tim Kimmel and his response on the subject. Tim is the author of "Grace Based Parenting". It is one of our favorite books on parenting. He has an entire chapter on the Freedom to be Different. In that chapter he discusses the difference in fad and fashions, which will inevitably bring up tattoos and piercings.

He points out that in Leviticus 19:28 "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourself. I am the Lord.", is referring to tattoos that identify a person with pagan deity or pagan practice. We take this verse out of context when it isn't referring to all tattoos, it is talking about specific-type of tattoos to pagan gods. Does scripture have something to say about a satanic symbol, YES. This verse doesn't necessarily forbid the tattoo of John 3:16.

Does this mean we allow our children to get a tattoo? Not at this time. Does it mean we would forbid it forever? Not necessarily.

Again I will quote Tim Kimmel when he shares his discussion with his kids.

I'm glad we can talk about tattoos because these days, tattoos are very popular. But they are also a fad. Because they are a fad, and because they must be painfully applied, leave a permanent mark, and can be removed only through an expensive and painful procedure, I'd rather you not get one. There is a great principle that says, 'Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.' what you might think is a great idea now many not look so great a couple of years - twenty years-from now. But you'll be stuck with it. Also, a tattoo could affect some of your career options, both short term and long term. And the bigger issue is that the Bible says if you get married, your body doesn't belong to you but is the property of your spouse as in 1 Corinthians 7:4. Since there is a strong likelihood that you will be married, you ought to wait to see if a tattoo is okay with your spouse. Regardless of any of these issues, your mother and I are assigned the financial responsibility for the upkeep of your body. Until you are completely financing yourself, we'd prefer you defer to our wishes on this. Once you are on your own, if you want to get the map of downtown Phoenix tattooed on your face, it will be completely your call."

We should be having more discussions with our teens than just a flat NO. Now is our chance to dig in and learn together what God's word says. Then it is our responsibility as a parent to guide our teens into wise decision making. And that will often be a process, a type of letting the rope out and drawing it back in, as we let them make some decisions on their own, some we ask they defer to us, and others we process and learn together.

Next time your child wants to follow a fad, what are you going to do?

• Is it a biblical or moral issue?

• Is it a practical or financial issue?

• Is it a personal issue with you or them?

A busy day of running kids everywhere. With the upcoming Anti-Freeze (youth retreat) the kids were in high gear to accomplish their stuff and mine. We had errands to run, groceries to buy, school to accomplish, tennis to play, bank accounts to sort, and socks to purchase. Plus, laundry to finish, bags to pack, and tempers to manage.

As I ran errands with different children, spreading the chaos, that means splitting up the 2, 6, & 9 year olds! The big boys cleaned bathrooms and were off to tennis, little boys were with me, senior daughter finishing her school and chasing toddler while our 12 year old fixes dinner.

I am so thankful for the years to have older kids that help pick up where mom just can't do it all!

You need to understand, I don't do it all! It is nice to have others think you have it all together, but I think you need to know that I am not the one doing all the work. I am a manager of the home and as a family (WE) get it all done!

It doesn't always look pretty, rarely does it run smooth, and it never goes as planned. Someone will be mad, most will feel life is unfair, and nearly all of them believe I don't understand the amount of work they have to do.

The truth is, they will never understand the work I do.
The truth is, whether they understand or not I must respond in grace.
The truth is, without one another none of this could be accomplished in one day.

They won't always appreciate me but I should be wise enough to appreciate them. Sad part is...I don't always fully appreciate them either. For today, the 12 year old went above and beyond. She attended school, came home to help with toddler, cleaned the messy kitchen the boys left, fixed our dinner, and then helped finish cleaning the kitchen. Today, she carried the load and was the only reason anyone was able to eat a meal tonight!




Crunchy Taco Chicken was the meal being served! It is simple, kids love it, and little ones enjoy preparing it. Tonight....it was all Abbey! She cooked, cleaned and served....all with a SMILE!

1/2 cup Butter
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
Boneless skinless chicken breasts (we cut into 1/3 or 1/4)
Fritos (crushed)

Melt butter and mix in taco seasoning, dip chicken in butter mix, and roll chicken in crushed fritos. Lay chicken on a pan and sprinkle more chips over top of pan, then bake.

Preheat the oven 350
Cook 1 hour

Serve with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans.

Tip: We enjoy the seasoning so we had more to our recipe than it calls for....ENJOY!

First 10 minutes shopping with the toddler is priceless.

The next 10 minutes will work but no longer can I focus on shopping I have to train and shop.

The following 10 minutes there is no longer any shopping being accomplished, although I would say my stress is on the rise.

The next 10 minutes you are left with seeing how fast you can get out of the store without being brought to tears by the active one!

The final 10 minutes, toddler cries and mom is relieved to be inside her car with him buckled tight!  Now I am happy and he is sad.  

Life will be better soon because the teens will babysit! Toddler can run and play while I go back to finish my original goal!  

How's shopping with your toddler?

To think I used to do this with an infant, toddler, plus 4 more!  Aging has it's benefits!!!

Okay, enough of the free-for-all!

My children are still in snow day mode. Believing they can play like there is no tomorrow, responsibilities are a way of the past, clothes can be dropped by the door, and shoes can be left anywhere you please!

Tomorrow is here and it is time for SCHOOL!
Responsibilities are BACK ON!
Clothes are no longer wet, therefore PUT THEM UP!
Shoes, WELL, that WILL BE our ongoing battle!

The weather going from 11 degrees to 70 has given the false impression that summer is around the corner. Yes, I am fighting it too which means I need their help to stay focused. Since they aren't giving me much help in this area I shall remain the bad mom!

Making them get an education, forcing them to take care of their responsibilities, and begging them to do what I say the first time!

I'm trying to show a little grace but pretty sure I am being taking advantage of today. So, mean-ole-mom is coming out. I'm giggling as I just ask for normal things to be done. They are growling as they feel they have been wronged.

Please Lord, help me keep the giggle for another 7 hours!

YES! YES! and YES!

We are surrounded by a world telling us that we must have someone by our side to really feel loved. But I know there are those out there with someone by their side but they are far from feeling loved.

We grow up with dreams of loving someone and them loving us back. But we are often too quick to jump the gun and call something love before it has developed. We are fooled into thinking we have found it and then disappointed when it seems to be gone.

We believe love should happen now. What happened to waiting on the right one? Must we jump at the first thing that comes by every time? The most wonderful things that happened in my life were definitely worth the wait.

Waiting isn't easy in a world that likes to satisfy itself at the moment it wants it. But I am telling you as a woman who has been happily married for over 20 years that you won't regret moving slow to love. Yes, at 23 I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find the right guy for me. We are forgetting that God has a plan and that I am often not made aware of His plan early. And yet, by 24 I was married and now we have welcomed 8 children into our lives.

I promise to have the love of a man, to know without a doubt you are the only one for him, and to realize you have a friendship that makes your love for him grow all the more each year, is a priceless thing to wait on. I would rather wait for the perfect man, avoiding the heartaches so many feel, and to know that God has His best in mind I just had to wait for the timing to work together.

I heard a comment on the radio that fits my love for my husband. A lady said....continue running the race God has set you on until one day you look over and see someone running the same pace and race you are! Then, ....you marry your life long running partner!

I have married my running partner! And we have been in perfect step with one another from day one. Some days are hard and he sets my pace again and other days are hard for him and I set his pace. Together, we will finish strong!

Wait for love! You won't regret finding your running partner in God's timing! But if you jump ahead of His plan you may find there are more stumbles you complete than races you finish!

My kids are appalled that I am asking them to do a little school! I would say I have been VERY lenient!

I had plans of us staying on schedule but as typical me, fun gets in the way and I CAVE!

We all need some simple pleasures of letting it all go! So it is fun to let them get that chance on occasion. Not too mention I ENJOY it!

Somehow my statement that school will be accomplished today has raised their emotions to near anger. Too bad I can't convince them how blessed they are to be homeschooling. We can make up ground without having to add days to our school like everyone else might have to do.

All they can see is the immediate frustration. Not the fact we took off for 3 days. Not the fact they got to play like there was no tomorrow. Not the fact that our make up days are within reach and won't dip into our summer plans! They just don't see what I see.

We can make up ground in a blink of an eye if they will just get after it. We can be back on track in 2 days and not wait for the end of the year. But just like a parent giving a child medicine they don't see in a few minutes their pain will subside. They can only see what is before them and THEY don't like it!

Now, to keep my focus and remember that my children don't see the benefits I see. Nor will they appreciate it until it has passed. And actually they may never see the benefit because they aren't looking for it and they can't comprehend I know what I am talking about. Here is the tough part of parenting...keeping on task even when the revolt! And then not let my emotions jump on the same train they are on.

I am off to encourage the troops while keeping my eyes on the Lord in a house full of frustrated children! You feel my pain?

Besides looking at the beauty, building a few snowmen, and sledding down a hill or two, YOU must get the opportunity to taste SNOW Ice Cream!

Nothing says you have had a great snow storm like getting snow ice cream 2 days in a row!

And we are well on our way for day 3!

Want to know the secret for some of the best snow ice cream EVER?



First, you need this......

Next, you gotta get a few bowls of that....
18-20 cups of snow, a can of Eagle Bran, and a 1 tsp of vanilla!

Gather a crowd and begin the mixing....

AND....H-e-l-l-o Ice Cream!

The REST...is history!
One bite and your family will have an instant memory for a LIFETIME!

Ask anyone, and I bet they can tell you where they were when they took their first bite of Snow Ice Cream!

ENJOY!

OH! To really finish off the experience...grab the wii and have the family bust a few moves with Just Dance! THIS family has taken full advantage of their winter storm! Have YOU?

There are no words to describe the chaotic ways of a family of 10. And especially as my family gets older. I always thought when other moms told me to just wait until they get older I would be more busy, I thought they were insane. (Just forgetting the busy life of a mom with little ones.) But now that I am at this stage of parenting (the teenagers), I definitely believe they were right!

That doesn't mean that mom's with younger ones aren't busy, because YOU ARE! Oh, you definitely are! It is you and all you!

At this stage though our range of chaos goes well beyond the walls of our home! Basically...out of mom's reach! There is something to say about them being little enough to outrun and within reach! You can control the activities, you can dictate the cost, you can change plans without notifying anyone, you can reach each one of them when you need too. As they age...you can't control all their activities, you can't dictate every cost, you can't change plans on a moments notice because someone else already has an agenda.


As teens and young adults I hardly have any control over those things. Matter of fact, many of those things are dragging me around! Youth events, game night, Bible studies, small groups, school functions, sports, work, etc, etc. From time to time I can actually get on my feet again, but most days I am being dragged!

I'm slowly learning how to cope with this feeling of no control. How do I cope? I get to control my response to being out of control. Meaning...I can chose to be angry, frustrated, and overwhelmed OR I can enjoy the moment, give it to God, and deal with what I can manage.

My kids need to see me have joy in my chaos. I'm not always there but I hope they see mom improving year after year. They need to know it is an honor and a blessing to be their mom! If I need to give myself to something, I am glad God let it be these precious children.

Our days don't always run smooth, my week rarely plays out the way I plan it, somebody is eye rolling and throwing off some deep sigh, BUT the years are flying by faster and faster and faster!

I'm going to pray and hope I remember to choose to look through God's eyes at my busy life. Because if I look through my eyes, I am NOT achieving or accomplishing all I want or need to do.

BUT, if I look through God's eyes...ALL is well with my soul!
He holds the key to their success, happiness, and blessings. I'm just a guide that can lead them well or throw them off track!

I PRAY that I will lead well!

Barry and I feel very blessed to have our children in the church God has us in, here in Little Rock. We were blessed years ago growing up being surrounded by others who sought God with their whole heart. A church that provided wonderful leadership, who challenged us in our walk, and who loved us along the path.

Our prayer has always been that there would be other adults who could and would feed into our children's lives too. And God has answered it.

You never know how wisdom will come. And you can't judge it by some one's age. Our youth pastor may be a young father of one but he is already showing wonderful judgement, a heart that seeks God in every situation, and willing to tackle the tough subjects. He has opened the door for our parents to tackle some tough and hard topics with our teens. He not only is serving our youth well, but he is coming along side the parents.

Take a glimpse at his blog and be challenged with "What is God asking you to do?" Are we busy being busy? Are we moving at the pace the Lord desires? "What Matters Most?"

Yep, Blake Hudspeth is our youth pastor and we are very blessed!