Anticipation!!

Where does the time go I cannot believe that it has been like 2 months since I last blogged... guess I am busier than I thought! Just a Shubin update... we are doing good Christmas was sooo much fun and relaxing with friends and family. We are so blessed and ofcourse it is a time to reflect on the best gift of all JESUS! Ok so you are probably wondering what the title of this blog is all about so let me get to the point:) We are waiting with anticipation for a medical grant specifically to do the invitro process. We have been going down the infertility road for like 3 years now and some of you know how hard it has been for us. At the end of all our testing we were told that invitro was the our best bet (they must not know the God I serve cause He does incredible miracles). Well we found out that the place that we were sent to for the invitro process is gifting away 20 free invitro cycles and we have a good chance of getting this. So why "anticipation" because they pick in February and waiting is so hard at times! I am also in anticipation to see all that God has in store for us regarding this! I know that Scripture clearly states that God wants to give us in His abundance of blessings!! Please stand with us in prayer over this as we truly believe that this is an answer to prayer! We love all of you and are blessed to call you friends!!

Giving Thanks

Why is it that our society totally skips over Thanksgiving? The day after Halloween the stores are setting up for Christmas. I love Christmas, but I also love Thanksgiving! I love the smell of the air, the color of the trees and just having a time to remember what I am thankful for and blessed with! I am such a blessed girl and my good friend/ pastor's wife Robin Fuller always reminds me when I am feeling sorry for myself to write out what I am thankful for! I find that when I do write them out, I have quite the list:-) Anyway I am not totally over the harvest season and refuse to decorate my house until December... so there!! The day after elections I got to thinking... election time is such a funny time because there are so many emotions wrapped up into it. No matter who you voted for and whether your canidate won or lost the truth of the matter is that we are visitors on this earth and that all of this will pass away! My God is still on the throne and very much aware of what is going on and what is to come. He is over all the kings of the land and He will use all things for His glory. So I am thankful first off to live in the best nation in the world, to have freedom to worship and pray to my Savior, to evangelize and talk about the gospel so freely, to have the right to vote and be apart of the making of history, and last but not least the power to be on my knees in prayer for the leaders that the Lord has placed over me and to watch the Lord at work!! That is only a few things that I am thankful for... I could go on and on but I don't want to bore you :-) Here is one of my most favorite and encouraging psalms...

"Come, everyone, and clap your hands for joy! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the LORD Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob's descendants, whom he loves. God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. Sing praise to God, sing praises; sing praise to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm!God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together. They join us in praising the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere. "

Psalm 47: 1-9

Ouch Report!

Ahh the days when I used to teach pre-school and had to fill out ouch reports. Like if a child was bit, skinned their knee, ect... Well today I not only got an owie, but was totally embarrassed!! Mind you I work with Junior Highers so imagine. So I am walking out of the teacher's lounge going to class talking with some of my favorite girls and one decides to stop right in front of me. I tried to stop but tripped over her foot and fell hard on my knees, how embarrassing is that totally felt like a DORK and looking around to see who is looking! Oh ya all the students lunch just got over so yah for me. My students were awesome no one laughed instead they ran over to help me up or see if I was ok, yes even the "cool" football players! Good thing I am liked for the most part. I was super embarassed, so I get to class my left knee is throbbing and I have to teach. Luckily I have a student TA so I had her run to the office to get me a bandaid and some antiseptic. I took a good fall and my knees are skinned nothing major! If you did'nt know already kids are a hazard... they need to come with brake lights or a blinker:-) Anyway hope it gave you a laugh!

Refined!

Before I tell you about something I learned today I will give you an update on my health... so basically I have GERD and some of you are like what in the world is that?? In lay man's terms it is really bad acid reflux, only it makes me sooo nauseous! Anyway at least I am not dying and have started on some new meds so hopefully it will be under control soon! Thanks for all your prayers!


Ok so every morning on my way to work I listen to Chuck Swindoll on the radio... I am so turning into my mom, she used to listen to this every morning when I was little. He is probably one of my most favorite speakers, I could listen to him all day. Anyhow he has been in the book of Daniel and today narrowed in on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo... or for veggie tale lovers Rack, Shack and Benny! Well we all pretty much know the story of faith of these 3 fellows but Pastor Chuck said something profound: When they were thrown in the fiery furnace the only thing that the fire consumed was the ropes which bound them. That totally took me back... how profound! I have read that story so many times and I never saw that before! That is how God works, He wants us to experience freedom in the things that bind us or hold us back... but to get there will take REFINING which is what the fire or in our case trials represent! The refining period is soooo hard yet so rewarding! I know that personally I have failed alot of refining tests and allow the things of this world or the lies of the enemy bind me from the freedom the Lord has for me. Good thing the Lord allows do overs and will allow me to take that test over and over until I pass and get it right.... then we move onto the next.
Lord, thank you that you never run out of grace to give and that you are always willing to re-teach until I get it right. Thank you for always seeing my potential and walking me through the fire even when I want to give up. Thank you for refining me even when it hurts.

I'm Back!

Well I am back and again I realized it has been a while since I have blogged. I was looking around at some others blogs and realized that I am not the best at all this technology stuff. I don't know how to add pictures, and add fun stuff:( So when you look at my blog it is just gonna be boring! So updates let's see... well The Shu's are condo/home shopping who would've known? The market has pretty much dropped alot so for those looking to buy it's awesome, but if you were one of the crazy's who got in way over your heads then not so good for them! We are praying our way through it and asking the Lord to open the door if this is what He has for us if not then I KNOW He has a plan better than I can imagine! Oh ya the not so fun news... I have been having stomach pain and it has not been pleasant at all!! So I went to the doctor last week and he ran all kinds of tests, and yep still waiting on them apparently my health is not a priority for everyone, so I am waiting! The doctor told me it could be an ulcer, a bacteria.... he is not really sure! So in the meantime I will wait until they figure it out and hopefully am fine:) The school year has started for me and I am off and running in all directions... teaching is like a circus some days. All in all I love my job and I love my students and am looking forward to pouring into their lives! Andrew is doing very well and is the best husband ever:) All is all the Shu's are doing pretty good!!

Finally

Hi All,
So I noticed I haven't blogged since April... my where has the time gone? Well I decided to go back through my blogs and reread what I wrote. Wow, this has been quite the journey however I am not where I was then! Life is good... God is good- ALL the time! That has been my latest journey I have had to walk through. That was a question that was posed to me by Pastor Kurt in one of his sermons at Family Camp- by the way the best time ever...woo woo! It seriously took me back, not because I have never heard it before, but because I did'nt know if I believed that! I know that the Christianese answer would be "God is good can I get an Amen...," but it was the thing I spent the most time thinking about all week at family camp! It once again challenged my prayer time and I can honestly say my God is good ALL the time:)
So many things have happened this summer that it has been quite crazy... first we went to celebrate our 6yr. wedding anniversary in vegas which was relaxing, then a few weeks later we left for a week of camping at the beach with our church family... seriously it was soooo much fun and I will forever have memories of D28 (our campsite), a few weeks later we took our Jr./Sr. High Youth to youth camp in the mountains that was some really good fun! Andrew was able to lead one of the boys into a relationship with Jesus...praise the Lord! That made the whole trip worth it.... my grandpa passed away- however Andrew and I got to lead him to the Lord 2 days before he passed! I was so humbled that the Lord chose us to do that! The funeral was beautiful and we had peace cause we knew he is with Jesus. My brother was rushed to the hospital due to an allergic reaction and it was super scary, we were there til like midnight- we are happy he was fine... we had an earthquake ya that's right 5.4!! It wasn't really that bad however being in the shower was definately not the highlight for me! We just got back from Texas visiting The Bullard Family... it was great fun! We saw and did so many things, but mostly it was just good to sit together in person with them. Andrew taught Gavin some wonderful phrases like... "Okie Dokie, which at first was dokie dokie" as well as "What up Homes." That's right Drew was teaching him gangsta talk:) This summer has been quite fun, busy and relaxing and I am gettin gready to go back and teach! I hope this has given you a little overview of what's been going on in the lives of The Shu's! I promise to update and blog more often:)

It's Been So Long...

I realized that it has been so long since I have blogged... not for a particular reason just been super busy with moving in and getting back from DC trip. By the way I had sooo much fun on that trip, I know that I am crazy for going with 140 8th graders, but hey I love kids:) Anyway, we are doing great, we love our new place and have already had people over which is the ultimate to us. The Lord is sooo good... I have been reveling in His goodness and faithfulness. He has blessed us financially, he has blessed our marriage, he has blessed us with some of the best friends we could ever ask for... even those who decided to live far away! J/K:) He has given us clarity on what ministries He is launching us into full time, He is faithful in answering and just being who He is. Thank you Lord for Your continued faithfulness, thank you that You do what is best for us and not just what we want You to do.
Last night I went to ladies coffee talk and what a neat time it was sharing with the ladies of the Warehouse... but the verse we spent time on has been on my heart. " I will bless the Lord who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me, I will not be shaken for He is righ beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy and my mouth shouts His praises! My body rests in safety. For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your godly one to see the pit." Psalm 16:7-10
What a neat promise the Lord gives us in that we can rest in Him because He is not far away but right beside us. The other really cool thing is that David the author is rehearsing his trust in the Lord. He knew that the enemy would be there to try and ensnare him, but premeditated or prayed up ahead of time to not let the enemy have a foothold. This hit me as I was reading this, how many times do I rehearse the things I fall short of. For me at times it is trust... well the only way to get rid of bad habits is to rehearse godly ones. After all David was a man after God's own heart and that didn't happen overnight, he too was human, which is truly comforting to me. Needless to say it was a great time!
Alot of people have been asking now what with the baby stuff... well we were supposed to go to an appt. to meet with the invitro Dr., however bronchitis hit me really bad so that didn't happen. We have not had a chance to reschedule the appt. because we have been busy. We are just continuing to lift it up in prayer and we will know when the perfect time will be to move on with that. I have to say I have such a peace in who the Lord is and am ok where we are at the moment. The Lord is faithful and I know that we will not be disappointed! So continue to pray for us a miarcle would be the ultimate, but we are ok either direction we are led. Only because the Lord is "right beside us!"