Where Have We Been and What in the World is a Glass Float?

**Another draft from 2017!!!!! We obviously don't live abroad at this time. A lot has changed! Maybe I'll write about that some other time. But for now...

The world of blogging came to a halt for quite some time.  I'm not sure that I have any readers left, and that is okay.  This has been a diary of sorts for me to look back on.  Blogging has been a way for me to share Christ, losing Ethan, our homeschooling journey, plus some humorous stories here and there (see this post for humor).

Where do I even begin?  Life simply just got busy, and I didn't have a lot of time to devote to writing. In honesty, I ended up taking a year hiatus from social networking.  Shut down my Facebook.  Hubby deployed.  We joined Hubby in Germany for a month.  Came home.  Then Hubby returned.  He was promoted.  And then the news came...Japan.  Listed house.  Sold it.  Cried a little (or maybe a lot). Said goodbye to La Vernia, TX and our friends and family.  

After a whirlwind of events, we are now living in Japan, of all places!  Nope, we are NOT in the tropical region.  We aren't even in the Tokyo metropolis area.  Let's just say we get a lot of snow.

And that leads to glass floats.  We have become novice beachcombers since moving here nearly a year ago.  We had never even heard of these things until moving here.  Now they are a favorite around the house, especially with our son.  These floats were used in fishing all different types of fish and sea creatures, which is why they come in all shapes and sizes.  Glass was the material used years ago, but today most fishing floats are plastic.  To find one on the Pacific beaches of Northern Japan or in Mutsu Bay (Aomori Prefecture area) is really to find a rare treasure!  There are even books written on these sea treasures!  To the Japanese they are "gomo" or garbage, but to an American who knows what they are (I cannot speak for other cultures), they're a treasure!

We now adorn our yard and a bit of the inside of our home with these treasures. If there's one thing we miss about Japan, it's beachcombing for glass floats!!!

Blessings,

Shannon

Alone

**This was in my drafts from 2017! Can you believe that??? Little did any of us know what 2020 and 2021 would be like. I suspect people are even lonlier than ever.

Have you ever wanted to be left alone?  It seems like in the world of today that there is no silence, and yet, too much silence.  Does that even make sense?

People connect via social media, text messaging, etc.  That seems to be the most common way nowadays.  Phone calls are far and few between.  Letters are even more scarce.  But social networking...it's an every day normal "thing" for most people that live in modernized societies, and yet, it's SAD.  I mean, can we really fill up our love tanks on the internet?  Are we lonelier than ever?

Thoughts? Comments? I love writing, and have neglected my little space on the internet for far too long. Hoping to re-connect with y'all, and maybe even make some new internet pals! Remember, community is important, though, and this should be a last means to friendship. We NEED people IN REAL LIFE, IN PERSON! 

Blessings,

Shannon

Seven Years Lived, and Seven Years Home

So much time has lapsed since I last wrote a word on this blog.  My mind is filled with many thoughts.  I think I'm a writer at heart like John-boy Walton (Earl Hamner), the star of my favorite show, The Walton's.  But writing on here, I've just not done.  Much time has passed.  We moved overseas two plus years ago.  It was a BIG disappointment and "bummer" for our small family of three.  I mean that.  We GRIEVED moving from our beautiful Texas country home to a foreign land, living on a military base with NO privacy outside our walls.  It has been HARD, and to say anything different would be a lie...and I try to be as honest as possible, because I love the Lord and want to honor Him.

Alas, we are nearing the overseas journey.  Another season ensues.

And seven years have almost passed.  Seven years since my our hearts would shatter to small bits and never be the same.  Ethan lived just over seven years, and he has been gone for almost as long as we had him here on earth.  And I will be honest...it shakes me to my core.  It sobers me.  It saddens me.  Memories are starting to fade...and I tear up and get really sad about that. And what about Evan???  He was just four when Brother passed away?  What about Evan's memories?

In the midst of moving, grief, grief upon grief, we are BLESSED.  God is good all of the time, and we are nothing without Him!!!  To Him be the glory!!!

In Loving Memory of Ethan Joshua Wallace

Even AM Radio has Life Lessons for Children

A couple of mornings ago, Evan and I had our routine, every six months, dental appointment.  On this particular occasion, Josh was off from work and joined us.


Josh is an avid AM Radio listener, so instead of our usual Christian music station, I tuned in AM Talk Radio. The hot topic was Tony Stuart's fatal crash into competitor Kevin Ward, Jr.


Let me preface what I'm about to write with this:  

My heart completely hurts for Mr. Ward's family, for his friends, for Tony Stuart, and those who saw the accident.  I'm not God, and I don't know what happened.  We can only put pieces together of the puzzle and make assumptions based on facts.  It's completely unfair to place blame and assume Tony was a hot head, and intentionally hit Mr. Ward.  It's also unfair to call the deceased an idiot who deserved it.  Based on what I've heard on talk radio, most are blaming Tony and saying he did it on purpose.  

Secondly, there are rules set in place for the competitors.  One of which being--DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR!  Unless you are given the all clear or you're about to burn up inside the vehicle, you do not leave because your safety depends on it!



So we were driving and listening to talk radio.  Evan, was of course, listening and asking questions.  What ensued was a life lesson.  Some time ago, Evan and I memorized Proverbs 25:28, which says:

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

We explained to Evan that when we do not have control over our emotions, it can cost us our life (or someone else's life).  We must learn to control our emotions if we want to live a righteous life.  

The King James version states it this way:  He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down,and without walls.

The facts are that Mr. Ward should not have exited his car.  He should have shown restraint, and because he didn't, it (the lack of restraint of confronting Tony) cost him his life.  Had he stayed in the car, he would have almost certainly beyond a shadow of a doubt survived.  

Likewise, if Tony indeed didn't have self-control of his temper (and purposely hit Mr. Ward), it cost the life of another human. I wholeheartedly pray, and believe,  this is not the case.    

My whole point in writing this is not to place blame on Mr. Ward or Mr. Stuart, but to rather point parents to the fact that we owe it to the Lord and our children to not only teach self-control, but to model it. Life's lessons can be learned on talk radio, or elsewhere.  We do not need Biblical text books or curriculum to teach.  We can use real life.  

My sincerest prayers go to the Ward family and to Tony Stuart.  

Urgent Request

Dear Family of Faithful Readers,

Another tragedy has struck.  Today I received word via Jay Ryan (the author and publisher from Fourth Day Press/Classical Astronomy that a fellow homeschool family suffered the tragic loss of their beloved son, Joseph (4), just this past weekend. 


At a time like this, funeral and burial expenses are the least they should have to worry about.  A fundraiser has been set up at:

http://www.gofundme.com/b80m4s

I would sincerely like to ask that you consider a donation in memory of Ethan.  This could be to honor Ethan's upcoming 12th birthday on November 29th.  


When Ethan passed, we were incredibly blessed with a huge outpouring of love.  We didn't have to put any of Ethan's final arrangements on a credit card.  Everything was paid in full.  God is so good!  Now let's go support another family in their time of need.  

Thank you and may the Lord grant you much peace.  

Here's the link again:  http://www.gofundme.com/b80m4s

Just copy and paste.  

It's All about Attitude and Perspective

Being a military wife has got me to thinking....

We can choose to be unhappy, dislike everything about our new home/city/base, not make new friends and hold onto the past, and not accept the blessings God has in store for us in our new place...

OR...

We can choose to see our new home/city/base as where God would have our family in THIS season, make new friends as God allows, and accept the new and exciting possibilities and adventures the Lord has in store for us.

Here's the deal, ladies...it's up to US to let go.  I don't mean forget about memories of prior duty stations or cities we've lived in.  Certainly, I'm not suggesting that you forget about your friends who live elsewhere.  But we can live in the past.  

Field of sorghum (or Milo) down the road from our home.

Listen, I have.  I'll admit that when we moved to Nellis AFB, NV that I was less than pleased.  My griping and complaining went on and on.  My base house was too small and it had no carpet and office tile floors that needed constant attention.  The desert summers were unbearably hot (not as hot as those who go without A/C nor those fighting for our freedoms overseas) and the desert landscape was not green but rather blah.  Oh, my list could go on and on.  And I made sure to tell everyone that I met.

So I sit here, and I cannot believe I BEHAVED that way!  It's a wonder I made friends!  Who wants to be in the company of a constant complainer!  My poor husband!  

But my story got better...when I changed MY attitude AND my perspective. You see, in the desert, I found Grace and Love like no other...in Jesus Christ. He made all of the difference.  Now don't think that I stopped complaining. 

Yes, I still complained, but not nearly as much.  I got saved, baptised (in that order), started hosting Bible study in my home, made oodles of friends that I still love so very much, became active and on the board with PWOC, watched growth in my two sons, started homeschooling after being called by the Lord to do so, etc.  

Fast forward to present day, some 7 years later, and I can reflect back on my complaining and disdain, and I am so very sorry I was that way.  It's not only unbecoming to humankind, but most importantly, it offends the very One that died on the cross. How dare I complain, when I've been so richly blessed!

Beautiful Morning Glory growing on our fence, neighbor's cow grazing. 

Friends, we live in the most free nation in the world!  We are safe, have clean water, homes that are like mansions when compared with the poorest people in the world, we are free to worship our Creator...why complain?

What about you?  Are you struggling after a recent PCS?  Perhaps you husband had to leave the military or retire, and you're adapting to a new home or city? When you are tempted to complain, STOP!  Please, just stop.  Pray.  Be still.  

Take out a sheet of paper or get a journal.  For every thought that comes to mind in the form of a complaint, write down a positive instead.  For example, you want to complain about the new city you are living in.  Rather, why not write down how blessed you are to live in the USA!  

It's all about your attitude and perspective.  Once you change your attitude to that of Christ's (loving and grace-filled), you won't find room for complaining in your heart.  Don't get me wrong, we are human, and we slip.  We live in a sin-filled world.  But once we have accepted Him into our hearts, the Holy Spirit indwells within us.  It's up to US to listen!

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.  ~Proverbs 16:24

(Just speaking pleasant words will change your mood!  Tempted to complain or brood..STOP IT!  Meditate on His word!)

Every wise woman buildeth her house:  but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.  ~Proverbs 14:1

(You can choose to be wise and build a home of happiness, love, grace and peace;  OR you can choose to literally tear your family apart by complaining and never being content.)

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:  but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.  ~Proverbs 12:4  

(Ladies, even if your husband doesn't tell you, chances are that if you complain about your new home/city/base, you're making him feel inadequate.  Men love to know they are providing for their families.  They do not, however, enjoy hearing your every complaint.  It brings them down.  They don't want to be there when momma isn't happy.  Take the Lord's advice and build your home up with love and peace and much grace!)

Beautiful view from our backyard!  

The Grand Canyon of Texas

In my previous post, I mentioned our little family road trip taking us initially to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX.    It's sometimes referred to as "The Grand Canyon of Texas". 



Located in the Texas Panhandle, just about 30 miles southeast of Amarillo, it's hard to believe such a place exisits!  Why, well Amarillo and surrounding areas are the plains--flat prairie-farming land.  God is amazing, and He carved out such a place, I truly feel in my heart, when the Great Flood occurred in Noah's time.

I think we saw maybe 1/4th of what there was to see!  And sadly, we missed the production called Texas! that they have each summer in the park.  It also included (if you paid) a chuckwagon style supper.  Hey, maybe next year!

I encourage you to go to your state's park website, and see what's near you.  You will be surprised to find gems you've never heard of before!