It's a Lonely Life Sometimes

Man.  I am struggling with some loneliness tonight.  I worry that all relationships are superficial and not worth putting time into.  I worry that maybe I haven't done a good enough job at being a friend, which is why I don't have many deep relationships.  I worry that others are sitting in their lovely, comfy chairs and rolling...

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Life Celebration

This might sound so incredibly morbid, and I apologize to anyone who stumbles across this and thinks, "Man that lady is CRAZY", but I need to get it out.  Recently, a young woman suddenly passed away and left behind 2 little boys and a loving husband.  While it rocked her family's world, they did find a bit of joy in their grief.  This sweet lady had written a blog post, telling her family what kind of funeral she wanted.  It was of great comfort to her family, to know that they...

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God's Better Plan

When Brian and I married, we intended for our kids to be rather close together in age.  When we had Abbie in 2001, we just naturally assumed we would have another child within 2 years.  I also had it in my mind that the next child would be a girl, so that she and Abbie could grow up together and be best friends.  Well...God had a different...

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When the Pastor's Wife is Off...

What happens when the pastor's wife is off?  I don't mean off, like spending the day at the beach sunbathing.  I mean off, like has lost her game...her mojo...her sanity.  What happens when the pastor's wife is off?  What does it look like? 1.  It looks like depression.  It looks like she literally can't force herself off of the couch, even if she wanted to.  No one else may be able to see it.  Afterall, it is her job to put that pretty smile on and walk...

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Good Things?

I find it amusing that we humans have a problem with good things.  We want them, all the time.  I notice it even in the smallest humans.  My three year old thinks that the song of "World Girl" is fabulous.  So, naturally, she will play the song over and over and over and over...well, you get the point.  (Word Girl is now banned from our house b/c of it's undertones, but that is another subject.)  We think that chocolate tastes yummy, so we eat it in large masses at...

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Sweet and Sour...sometimes that's life.

This summer, "our" kids from our youth ministry graduated.  They were the class that we thought we would "retire" from youth ministry after they were gone.  They were some of our first students.  They were extremely loved and prayed over (as were all of our kids).  Because of a few nasty people, all of our plans for serving those kids...went down the drain.  In an instant.  Instead, we had to love them from afar, and watch them grow up via facebook, messages, phone...

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First Baptist of New Washington, Indiana

I have been struggling to get our church's website to show up in google searches, but for some reason, my blog has no issues at all!!!  Go figure.  So, I am going to see if this works: Our church name is First Baptist of New Washington.  We are located in Clark County, Indiana.  Here is our website: www.fbcnewwash.com...

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I still believe in magic.

As I sit here, nearly 35 years old, I realize that I still believe in magic.  I still believe that there is something special about warm chocolate chip cookies.  I still believe that a 2 year old's giggle inspires some kind of wonderful, somewhere in the world.  I still believe that an 8 year old boy can find crazy amazement by playing in the leaves for 3 hours straight.  I still believe that a 12 year tween has a glimmer in her eye, when she thinks of Christmas morning. ...

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Life...

So...I am not a faithful blogger.  I keep forgetting that this new format is MUCH easier than the old one.  Maybe I will be able to keep it up?  Maybe not? Anyhow...life here is busy.  My baby has had kidney stones for the last week.  My active son has started soccer.  My attitude-filled pre-teen has started horseback riding and AHG.  And, my chatterbox 2 year old is potty training!  Fun times in the Shaw house.  Fun times. Through all of this, I have...

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A Clothesline Journey

 3 summers ago, I was hanging up newly washed maternity clothes, while dreaming of all things baby. It was hot and the heat multiplied my morning sickness (all day sickness) by 40...but I loved it. 2 summers ago, I was hanging up sweet little infant clothes, while a tiny (probably less than 10lbs) 6 month old Gracie sat in her stroller...content...

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