Happy Day O' Birth!!!

Today is Shan's Birthday!!!! Whoo hoooo!!

SO this post is for her :)

SHANNON! You are so so wonderful! I hope that this next year will be even more amazing than the last.
I pray that in this next year God would do something new. (As if moving to Texas and starting a new job wasn't new enough ;)  ) That He will renew dreams and desires that have been in hibrination and would breath life into them once again. That He would open doors for you to walk through with all the grace and confidence and humility you have a a Daughter of the King. I am so thankful for your friendship and for your heart. You are a lovely person inside and out! I can't wait to see what God does for you in this next year!!!

"'Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.'" Isaiah 43:18-19  

You pretty thing, you!!

LOVE you dear friend!!!

C

5 Things About Shannon

OK!
Last week, Court tagged me in her post,  5 things about Courtney, so I'm here to share 5 things about Shannon! Here we go!

1. When I was 10, my dad made me join the church's kid's basketball league. I lasted all of 20 minutes before asking if I could not play on the league. Sad day :(

2. I love Starbucks!! My drink is a tall, extra hot, 1.5 pump vanilla latte. For anyone out there wondering. The 1.5 pump part is the most important of all! Too much syrup if its the whole 3 pumps; and that ruins it!

3. I can't STAND it when people pop their gum over and over, yet don't mind when I do it myself. I know thats not really fair, but its the truth!

4. One time, I got a traffic ticket for cutting off a motorcycle cop. When he pulled me over, I still had no idea why he pulled me over. Epic Fail.

5. I love all things Disney. You name a disney movie from my childhood and most likely, I will know the words to all the songs. Is this a useful talent? Not really. But it sure is fun!

Well, thats all for now! Hope everyone is having an awesome start to their weekend!


Shan

Scandalous Grace

I know, quite the title.
The first time I heard it, I had to really step back and think about it for a second. My reason for this post is that this phrase has been brought up to me twice in the last week by two different sources. Usually when things like that happen, there's a reason :) So it really got me thinking. I know what grace is. But what exactly is scandalous grace?

 Well, to start, here are the definitions of each:
 Scandalous : offensive to propriety or morality : shocking
 Grace : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

So, an offensive or shocking display of unmerited, divine assistance for our sanctification? Interesting. But what does that actually mean?

 The first time I heard this phrase was while reading this amazing book called, "Jesus Is". It's by a pastor named Judah Smith. You can check out more about it here, if you want. He tells the story about the prodigal son. You know the story. The son decides he wants to do life his way and asks for his inheritance. A major slap in the face to his father. Pretty much a complete disgrace on the family in that time in history. The father gives it all to him and lets him go. Well, after he spends all of his money, loses everything, and hits the lowest point he can, he finally decides to go home; thinking perhaps he could just ask his dad if he could be a servant in his home. After all, his dad couldn't possibly take him back as son? I mean right? He has completely disgraced his family. 

This is where the scandalous grace shows up. Crazy!

So the son starts walking home. When he sees the house on the horizon,  he sees his dad too. A long way off. And he is running towards his son. RUNNING?! In that culture, men did not run. It was seen as disgraceful. But it didn't matter. The father ran to his son, embraced him, kissed him and completely restored him. He had his servants bring him his finest robe, a ring and sandals and then threw him a massive party in his honor. This did not make any sense for this culture. A son disgraces his father, runs off doing who knows what, then tries to come home and is not only allowed home, but fully restored to what he was before? What was this father thinking?!

But isn't that what God does for us? We mess up and run away, trying to do things on our own. And when that low point is hit, He is still just waiting for us to come back. Waiting to restore us. I don't know about you, but that's pretty amazing.  It doesn't make sense in my mind. Yet, what He does, what He did by sending his son to die for my sins; that doesn't really make sense either. And yet, I am so grateful.

For me, this fresh perspective on grace was needed this week. I hope it helps someone else out there too :)

Much love,

Let it be done

One of my favorite things about reading the Bible is really picturing what it would have been like to have been there in that moment. All of these people God chose to use for his purposes were just ordinary people. Ordinary people who did not have the advantage of knowing the end of the story like you and me. You've probably heard this before, but when you really think about it, its quite amazing. When I read stories in the Word, I always almost instantly put myself in their position and wonder how I would have reacted, not knowing the end of the story.

I was reading in Luke Chapter 1 about the two visits the Angel Gabriel makes to 2 very ordinary people.  It's interesting to compare their reactions as one of them seems to handle their news better than the other. The first visit is to the priest, Zachariah. A man of God who was blameless in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. Gabriel appears to him and tells him his wife will bear a son. And Zachariah's only response is "By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years?". ( Luke 1:18)

Um, hello! An Angel of the Lord is standing before you and thats your question? A priest who is blameless before the Lord and you question whether God could give you a child in your old age? Sheesh!

OK, lets move on to Mary's response. The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a 14 year old virgin and says she will bear the son of God. Her response is also a question, but not filled with doubt like Zachariah's. She asks how this could be since she is a virgin and the Angel goes on to explain how this will happen. ( Luke 1:34)

And both stories continue on as we all know.

As I was reading this first chapter of Luke, I put myself in these positions and just wondered what I would do. Its easy for me to look at Zachariah and wonder what he was thinking, but I wasn't there. He and his wife wanted a child so desperately and it had never happened. And now an Angel appears to him in the Temple and his first reaction is doubt. What would my reaction have been?

Mary, on the other hand, could have very easily been filled with fear. She could have been stoned to death for what was about to happen to her. And who would really believe a 14 year girl that she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit?  But that was not something she allowed to overtake her. What she saw in all of this was a chance to be used by God in a mighty way. What perspective!

My prayer in all of this is that I would have a Mary reaction in moments like this. When God has something for me to do or to step into, that I wouldn't allow my circumstances to define my abilities. But that I would cling to what the Lord has spoken and like Mary say, " Let it be done to me according to what you have said." (Luke 1:38)

Just a thought on a cloudy day in Frisco, Texas :)

Shan

InstaFriday!!

So, this is friday :)

Here is a look into our views on this lovely day.

 

I (shan) have fridays off so my day was spent doing very little really. I was home all day long and it was quite lovely. It's funny how as I grow up, I cherish the moments where my soul just gets to rest and relax more and more. Not having to be doing something or going somewhere all the time is quite nice. A few years ago, I would have thought that was so boring but not anymore :) Here is a glimpse into my day...

puppy dog moments & pancake fridays 

 quiet time & more pancakes...& coffee :)

walk with the new sneakers. spring is starting to pop up..slowly

 the tree still says its winter. but such pretty skies

Fish tacos...yum!

reupholstering some chairs. more to come on this :)

 

 

While Shan was enjoying her day off, I was working...my instagrams are slightly less exciting, as I was staring at paperwork and a computer screen all day...what are ya gonna do? :)

 

I surround myself with hearts and the color pink at work :) And eat yummy breakfasts



 

 

My wardrobe today ...boots, comfy sweater, flower headband, and knotted Tee over a dress...

oh...and that's Cleff, my fish just because he's cute.

 

I ended the evening with Chinese and these two lovely treasures from Anna. :)

 

 



Snow :)

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" 

- Psalm 37:4

OK. So for some of you, a white Christmas really may not be a big deal at all. But for this AZ girl, snow is a big deal. I could count on one hand how many times I have been around snow. For some reason, you just don't get too much of it in Phoenix :)

So, this year, I thought it would be so amazing if we got snow for my first Dallas Christmas. I even asked God for one. Now, as I have mentioned before in previous posts, my God is a God of details. He cares about the little things. The things you may push to the back of your mind as something insignificant. He longs to be so personal with us. He knows the little things that can bring us so much joy and longs to give us that joy. How awesome is that?!

One of the ways He has always brought me joy is through nature. In AZ, it was sunsets and really beautiful, cloudy days when the sky turned different shades of purple against the mountains. I would literally be driving somewhere around town and see one of these skies and just smile because I knew God was behind it. Here in Dallas so far it has been the beautiful trees with all the fall leaves; a part of nature I had never really experienced before. He is so creative with all the different colors of leaves and trees, I love it! But SNOW is an entirely new experience to me.

 Sometime after opening gifts on Christmas morning, small snow flakes began to fall from the white sky. As soon as I saw the snow falling, I just smiled. God was behind this too!

So the snow fell...

                   

and fell a little more...

and even a little more..

until there was nothing but white :) Thank you Lord for my first white Christmas! I'm one blessed girl :)

Hope you all see the little things God has given you to smile about.

Much Love,

Shan

So this is Christmas...

So, I have to say, this Christmas is just a little bit strange.

Usually, I am beyond excited for my most favorite time of year, but with me moving across country, the excitement just hasn't quite been the same. Don't get me wrong, I have taken full advantage of many delicious gingerbread lattes, warm cozy outfits and tons of Christmas decorating. But, its just a little strange to be somewhere new for Christmas.

I am beyond blessed with amazing family and we will all get to be together this year, which is so exciting! But I think being away from my "normal" during such a favorite time of year is harder than I thought it would be.

All that to say, I have been making myself explore my new city a little bit and see what I can find that brightens the season around here in Frisco, TX. So I thought I would share :)

1st on the list! Main Street :)
This shopping center is completely lit up each Christmas. Everything! As you drive through, you tune your car radio to a certain station only to discover that the lights are synchronized to Christmas music :) Very very cool!

Another night this week, I made my way over to the Shops at Legacy. Another adorable area. For everyone in Phoenix, its very similar to Kierland Commons only they have a small lake and a ton of trees and a walking path. Very sweet :) Their street was completely laced in white lights. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful they were!

I will be posting more about my new home for Christmas very soon. This is all I have for now, though. Hope to have new outfit posts up very soon and hopefully, Court and I will do our first combined post with me in Texas and her in Arizona :)

Till next time, hope you take time to enjoy whatever brightens your town this Christmas Season :)

Much Love!

Disney

This post is a little overdue....but....We went to Disneyland!!!
Be prepared for a whole lot of pictures!

Whoot whoot!!

And so it begins!

Hi Friends!

Well, as Court mentioned in the last blog, I made the move to Dallas this week! What an adventure this week has been too! 6AM Monday morning, my parents and I took off from Phoenix and headed out for the 16 some hours ahead through the beautiful landscape of Southern AZ, New Mexico and of course West Texas ( note my hint of sarcasm there). Here are a few pictures from my adventures!

Smiley pancakes at the Waffle House in Tucson.

These were some of the items that could be purchased at one of the random gas stations we stopped at once in Texas. It was pretty easy to tell we had entered the Longhorn State after this :)

 Funny Shannon story!!
I made a reservation for a storage unit last week for everything I need to store while I am living with my sister here in Dallas. My furniture that I needed to store is equivalent to about a one bedroom apartment. So I get here to Dallas, go through all the paperwork at the storage facility and follow the Storage guy out with my truck load full of stuff only to find that the unit I rented is none other than the picture to the left. FOLKS! This wasn't going to cut it! In my head, I pictured at least double this size so I just started laughing. Apparently, I wasn't paying attention when I picked the size of the storage unit. Oops! Thankfully, there was another unit that was the size I had in my head and all worked out well. I'm pretty sure, I am the only person in the world who would make this mistake though, so I had to share :)

Lastly, here is a picture of the street I live on for the time being. Being a native Arizona girl, I have never ever experienced any type of fall season, so these trees are really new to me! Our God sure is creative!

Leaving Arizona was so hard in the sense that I am so fully blessed there with amazing friends and family. But knowing that this move is something God had for me made leaving that much more sweet. To know that I have life-long friendships in Arizona and yet God still has more for me somewhere else is beyond incredible! He really longs to bless us beyond anything we could ever imagine. I am excited for what is to come and so blessed for what He has already given to me. Much more to come :)

Love,
Shan

Deep in the heart of Texas

Update on Shan!

Ok folks, I have news! Big news! 

This gal is making a move. A huge move for me. This gal is moving to Dallas. That's right, Texas :)

Dallas has actually been a dream of mine for like 8 years now. My sister and her lovely family live there and I have always taken any time I can get off to visit, throughout college and into my first years of having a big girl job. I have always been drawn to something there. Maybe how nice the people are or how green it is ( especially compared to AZ). Or perhaps just because God placed it on my heart so long ago :)

Over the years, I have made several attempts to find a reason to move out there but God has never let anything pull through. Timing has been off more than once too, so after several failed attempts, I finally just let it go. After all  I have such a full life in Phoenix. My parents, church and all of my friends. Not to mention the bible study I am part of that has been a huge part of my life for the past 3 years. I mean, I am one blessed girl!

It's funny though how if you listen to God and let something go when you are supposed to, it just might come back to you again and even better than before! Timing, after-all is everything. That's how I feel about this move. I wasn't even looking for a job there, and God gave me this amazing opportunity to work for a growing church doing something I am so passionate about. It is so true that God's plans for you are always so much better than anything you can come up with yourself. If I had moved when I wanted to, I would have missed out on so much that God still had for me here in Phoenix and may not have been able to step into the opportunity I now have.

This verse sums all of this up ever so perfectly:

"Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand."

 - Proverbs 19:21

So, having said that, the countdown is on, people! In a week and a half, I will be taking a U-haul across the scenic route of west Texas headed to my new city. More updates to come on this new adventure :)

Much love,
Shan

Mouse Ears

To be known and loved is a beautiful thing.
This weekend Shan and I went to Disneyland with a few of our friends.
We had so much fun being silly with these ladies.
There is something so amazing about being yourself with people...
knowing that they care about you, and that you care about them...
knowing that they know your faults and love you anyways...
that they know what makes you laugh...
what makes you cringe....
its wonderful to be known.


Here are a few instagram shots from the weekend...I will post a few real photos later :)

Goodbye Cali,
Until next time!
C

Sunday Funday

We love Sundays around here!

Well, we are generally pretty happy-go-lucky about most days, but especially Sundays.

Why you ask? 

We love our church. 

We both agree that we have never seen a church with so much compassion for people.

It doesn't matter what walk of life, what mistakes, what situations a person has been through. 

We are so grateful for Pastors and a congregation that embrace people in their fallen state, picking them back up to start again in the newness of Christ. 

After all, isn't that Christ does? 

Romans 3:23-24 says:

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus"

What a beautiful promise we live in daily. 

That despite our fallen state, we are justified freely in Christ's redemptive grace.

Another reason we love Sundays is that we get to spend quality time with our dear friends. 

Last week we went to a new place in town called McCallister's. 

A lovely salad and sandwhich shop.

We spent entirely too much time chit chattin' it up about the current dating scene, and why there are so few couples around us.

It was thoroughly entertaining, and we enjoyed every moment....and we are still single. :)

Court Wore:

Cream Dress: Papaya     Blue Top: Thrifted

Earrings: NEW YORK BABY :) Shan brought them back for me :) She's the best!!

Shan Wore:

Stripe Topped: Buffalo Exchange (Ralph Lauren $5)     Skirt: Thrifted (Banana)     Shoes: Last Chance (Steve Madden)

That's all folks,

Shan and Court

Garden 24

There is a park near where I work that has become one of my happy places lately.
I frequently take my lunch break under the beautiful trees and watch the ducks on the lake.
It is just so peaceful and restful.
I can't tell you how many times God has met me there to share in my day.
It has been special to me over the past year.
So, this year I decided I wanted to have a lovely party in the park with my some of my dearest friends for my Birthday.
It was perfectly lovely.
We played croquet, then sat on quilts as the sun set while eating some fabulous food.
As I sat listening to the different conversations and laughter that were going on around me,
I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and blessed by the people God has placed in my life.
Each friend there, and many others that were not, have touched my life in such a special way.
It was the perfect beginning to a new year of life.
Thank you to everyone that has made this past year special, and who will be there for me this new year.
You are special and I love you.

Happy end to another week,

C