Wednesday, March 27, 2019

10 Things About Me

It's hard to think of things that someone might not know if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram.  I tend to be pretty open and sharing about myself and my struggles...I think.  So let's start in the beginning...

1.  I was born in West Virginia.  The town I lived in, and this is not a joke, doesn't have a stop light in it.  Only a 4 way stop in the middle of down town.  Very rural, but very beautiful.

2.  My Daddy worked in the coal mines, and my Mother is a nurse.  When we moved to Florida Dad went to work in welding a fabricating.  He used to build concrete plants.

3.  I work with my husband.  No, I'm not crazy...or maybe I am...hmmm.  T. and I have worked together for over 10 years, probably more like 13 or 14.  I can't remember when I was actually hired to work in the family business, LOL, but I know it's at least 12 years.

4.  I have a fascination with Scotland.  When I was 14 or 15 a family friend traced my Mother's dad's side back as far as she could and found that they were Scottish and English.  I forget which was which, but she also found out that they were sold as indentured servants so they could pay for their boat ride over here from Great Britain.  My great, great...whatever grandfather worked his tariff off first and stayed to help my great, great...whatever grandmother work off hers.  Such a love story!  Ever since then I have been fascinated with Scotland.  Braveheart didn't help either, LOL!


5.  I don't like to read books.  I've listened to some fiction books before, but for whatever reason I have a hard time just reading a book.  Not that I don't.  I just finished a book called Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas, which is fantastic!  But I have to force myself to just read.  My Mother and my Sister read books like there's no tomorrow.  They crave books, they have to read.  I wish I had that craving sometimes, but if I don't read a book for weeks...I'm good.  I do enjoy reading to my girls, but if the book is a chapter book...I am not thinking nice thoughts in my head trying to finish it.

6.  My favorite game when I was little was Mrs. Pac-Man.  I had a Sega Genesis, and I had worked up to being able to beat that game, but only if I used the joy stick.  The controller was too much for my thumb, lol.  Had I not been that good at it I doubt it would have been my favorite.  I also liked playing jacks, cards, and Yahtzee...and do not play Gin Rummy with my Mother.  She will beat you EVERY. TIME!  So annoying!

7.  I'm not a fan of the beach.  Yes, I live 10 minutes away, but I can't even remember the last time I went to the beach.  We went to the jetty the other day to kill time, but that's not the beach.  My Daddy loved laying out at the beach every weekend when I was little.  I remember going with him all the time.  Maybe that's why I don't like it so much anymore.  We'd load up the car on the weekend, stop at the gas station for ice, beer for him, and an Icee for me, and off we went till about 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  Dad would swim with me, and he would help me build sand castles, and find shark's teeth.  Good times.

8.  If my Mother would ask me what I wanted her to make me for dinner it would be 1 of 2 things.  Either biscuits and gravy, or pinto beans, corn bread, and coleslaw.  Those 2 meals are my comfort foods.  I remember the first time my family convinced me to put my coleslaw in my beans with my corn bread.  That was a glorious day, LOL!  The slaw Mother makes is a sweet slaw, so having that with the salt of the beans and bread is a great combo...in my opinion.

9.  I can be very vain.  I have gotten better.  At least I don't look at every mirror and reflection of myself that I pass like I used to.  I have also worn makeup since I was 13.  My hubby tried to get me not to wear any after I spent the bigger part of our summer vacation last year without any on.  He even mentioned how it brought out my eyes, insert eye flutter *here*.  I tried when we got home from NC, I really did.  I spent 2 weeks without makeup and hated every minute.  I have a more red skin tone, plus I'm very fair and any amount of blood flow to my face, you can see.  If I rub my cheek just a little bit, it turns red.  If I cough, sneeze, laugh...I turn red, really red.  That was really hard for me to dismiss especially when I'd get comments about my red face and people would ask if I was feeling okay...when I don't wear mascara or brow product you cannot see my eyelashes or eyebrows.  I really do look like I'm sick.  Two weeks of no make up and I was done!  I tried to do a "no make up, makeup look", but that only worked for about another week before I was back to my usual routine. I did stop using a full coverage foundation however, plus I also really like playing with makeup, especially eye shadows.  So much fun!  I'm addicted I guess and not wanting to give up my habit, LOL!

10.  This one may touch some of you the wrong way, and it's not something that I really let out there because of people's opinions about this matter, but...hey...this is part of me and it's something that you're not likely to know... 

I'm not really an animal lover anymore.  I used to be a huge animal lover, but working as a vet tech for a couple of years changed me.  Also becoming a Mommy changed me even more.  For me, they are just animals, yes I pet my friend's and family's animals and pay attention to them, and I enjoy showing my girls the wild animals at Zoo's and Disney, but I am not going to own any...not right now at least.  That could change down the road, but right now...NOPE!  We are gone most of the day and that's just not fair to a dog or a cat, so much so that the dog I did have, I gave to my sister to take care of.  Also because after Ann was born I just couldn't handle the care that the pup needed as well as my children, husband, and house.  So, after getting peed on, pooed on, barked at, snapped at, scratched by many animals at the vet's office and mine when I'd groom her...I will do just fine without any animals.  Yes, my children did all that to me too, but at least they grew out of it, LOL!  What can I say, if you're an avid animal lover, good for you, but as for me right now, I don't want any. 

I bet you want to know what I tell my girls when they ask if they can have pets...right?  My answer, "Sure, when you move out."  I can also throw in the fact that my husband is allergic to cats and dogs and it would make his allergies flare up.

What do you think?  Are you surprised?  Did you know all that about me?  Some of you might, but I bet most won't.

Till next time!
Peace, love, and God bless,
Shelon 




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Thursday, March 7, 2019

Prayer is Powerful


After I had 2 miscarriages, I call them pregnancy losses, the thought of getting pregnant again scared me.  What if another baby was lost?  What would I do then?  During the losses I had read several books looking for comfort to fill this empty pit deep in my stomach that still held no life.  I think this was the first time my heart actually had a longing for something so badly that it ached.  One thing these books had in common was prayer.  They each encouraged me to pray and be specific about my prayers. 

When I found out I was pregnant again I was so afraid.  I remember not wanting to flex my abs or cough, like doing those things would pop that little life out of me.  So, I began to pray.  I would pray about EVERYTHING to do with this kid.  That their eyes would be good, their ears would hear, their brain would work, their lungs, their heart, and more to do with the heart I would pray that this little one’s heart would be open to all things Godly.  That they would be sensitive to God’s voice and His prompting and that they would say, “Yes, Lord. I’m yours.” 

Fast forward 7-1/2 years later and we find little Gem…now not so little anymore.  This girl stretches me like I’ve never been stretched before.  God is really using her to make me more like Christ, and I am far from being there let me tell ya.  After all the prayers, Gem has accepted Jesus as her savior, and she is attending church and singing in the children’s choir.  She prays at night when we ask her to, but there is always that question of…is all of this really going to stick? 

Well… 

Last night was a busy night with family visiting, meeting her new baby cousin, showering, homework, dinner, playing with her sister and the new baby.  She was all over the place with excitement over everything.  Getting her to bed is always a struggle let alone when we’ve been so busy with wonderful things like babies, but after we prayed last night as I was getting ready to walk out of the room she called me again asking if we could pray for one of her friends.  I walked back into the room and sat on her bed, and she told me of a friend that has been saying false things about herself.  Gem told me that her friend keeps saying that she’s stupid.  Now…how many times have we had that same mental conversation with ourselves saying we’re stupid or dumb?  Self-talk is so important.   This is something that I stress in my challenge groups trying to encourage women towards their health and fitness goals, it’s not something I’ve ever stressed at home that much, but this little gem picked up on the prompting in her heart that her friend calling herself stupid is something that shouldn’t happen.  We prayed for her friend and I encouraged her to tell her friend the truth about herself.  Tell her that God says she is fearfully and wonderfully made and she’s clothed in dignity and strength.  (Psalm 139 & Proverbs 31).  Then Gem asks this question, “What do I do if she keeps calling herself stupid?” 

Can we just take a moment here…like…she 7 people…I can’t…I was not even thinking these things when I was 7, I wasn’t thinking these things when I was 27!  Ok…

I told her to just keep telling her the truth of what God’s word says she is.  Even if it takes many years.  After another few minutes of asking, what if it takes 1 year, or 5 years or even 10 years, I said, “Sometimes, Gem, it takes a lifetime for people to see and understand who God has made them to be.  All we can do is love them the best we can, and keep telling them the truth.  God loves them and they are wonderfully made.” 

Praise God for this little Gem.  

I can’t know for sure that I would have had the same conversation with her last night if I had not prayed over her heart when she was in my tummy, and over the past 7 years.  What I do know for sure that I did have that conversation last night because I have prayed for her and still do. 

Prayer is powerful.  Do it.        

#jesus #prayer #children #girlmom #mom #momlife #powerful #bedtime #cousins #sisters #god #psalms #proverbs #gem #gemma #gemfromgod

10 Things About Me

It's hard to think of things that someone might not know if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram.  I tend to be pretty open and sharin...