Whatever You're Doing

Here is a song that kind of explains what I feel about my life right now. I know that God is doing a lot of stuff, but it kind of just feels crazy to me. It's all part of God's plan, so I am trusting Him and surrendering daily.

Whatever You're Doing
by: Sanctus Real

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This *is* something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time *to* breathe in and let everything out

Back to the Blog, Back to Missouri

Well, I have now been home for two months. WoW....how time has flown!
It is amazing to me how smooth my re-entry process has been. I haven't really struggled with being here instead of Moldova. The transition into life in the states has been smooth and God has ordained all my plans each day. I feel at peace that the decision to come home was directed by God and that His plan is for me to be stateside at this time. That being said, I did pray about whether the Lord would have me extend my assignment to another term in Moldova or elsewhere. I began praying about the next step during my time in Moldova and then continued praying once I returned to Memphis. There were many days where I was clueless as to what God was doing and where He was leading. People kept asking me, " What are your plans?" "What are you going to do now?" Until last Friday, I didn't have an answer.
Here's the most recent update on my life:
Last week, I received a call about a teaching job in MO. I received another call from the principal asking me for an interview. I travelled to MO for the interview. I was offered the job and I took the job. This is certainly the short version. I feel very much at peace about how God orchestrated the interview and everything that led up to me taking the job. I am so thankful for the prayers and advice from many friends. God is so faithful. SO, I am preparing to drive to Missouri TOMORROW. I will unpack and begin my teaching job this week! I will be teaching 5th and 6th graders. I know that there will be many challenges ahead, but I look forward to all the wonderful ways God will use things in my life to teach me more about Himself. I pray that God will be glorified in it all!

*I intend to continue to post updates and happenings in my life whether I'm in Memphis or Missouri! So, keep checking back for updates and maybe even pictures.
Thanks and God bless.

One Month in Memphis!

Today marks one month of being home for me. I cannot believe it!

My to-do-list:
(Some of things I've done during my time home so far)
spend time with family
Hold my neice
Play with my neice
Love on my neice etc.
go shopping at Walmart no less than ten times
cook
get a library card
check out books on with that card
read those books
drive
take pictures
develop pics (there are still a lot)
scrapbooking
go to church and worship in English again :)
go out to eat
go to eye doctor
get new glasses and contacts :)
make a lot of phonecalls
hopefully talk to a lot of friends and catch up
watch t.v. (and too much of it)

This is obviously just a partial listing. There is lots more to be done.
I am taking things one day at a time and trying to make the most of it.
I am in a re-entry process. This means that I am trying to readjust to the culture that I left for eleven plus months. It is a great process.

I am looking forward to whatever God has next for me. I am not quite sure where He is leading just yet, but I promise to say so when I know.
One thing is for sure. You can bet that whether I'm in Moldova, Memphis, or Missouri, I'll be blogging about my life and the ordinary or extraordinary occurances.

God bless.

6 Random Things

I've been tagged!
Good ole' Casey Chambers tagged me and now I must share some random things to the world!

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Random things most people may not know about Shauna:

1. I had cosmetic eye surgery when I was 4. I'm so thankful. It was not surgery to correct my vision, but rather to make my right eye look like it should.

2. I don't like hotdogs/corndogs, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin pie.(People tell me I'm not American).

3. I once ran into a volleyball net in high school while running laps in P.E. It scared me and I fell to the ground. The whole class came over to check on me. Many were laughing. Some fell to the floor in laughter. I didn't really know what happened. It was all so quick and ridiculous. It was embarrassing to say the least. Needless to say, I don't have an athletic bone in my body.

4. In high school, I worked at a franchise restaurant called,New York Burrito and also at a car dealership. Fun times!!

5. I sat next to BIG Jack Johnson on my flight from Amsterdam to Memphis! It was interesting!!

6. In Moldova, I fell off the curb into the road- hitting the pavement face-first. Luckily, I was fine and there wasn't a car coming!! There were however, lots of laughs from myself and my friends who witnessed the fall. I'm not very graceful!!


Well, I hope you enjoyed these random facts.

Hmmm..... now to tag some others:

Liz

Patty

Elsbeth

Sara

Justin

Joni

Air Conditioning!!!

No pictures yet. I am still trying to figure out my pictures/computer. I think I need to get a flashdrive or just upload them on someone else's computer.

So, those of us with air conditioning are blessed. I remember sitting in my hot apartment in Moldova, riding the hot trolley around town, and walking during the hot summer weather. It is these times of remembrance that I am also reminded to be thankful for the air conditioning that not everyone has.

While I am thankful, I am so COLD. I am freezing at home,in the stores, at restaurants, and in the car! I am constantly asking if I can turn off the AC. I guess I am just not used to it. Since others around me appreciate the AC, I have now trained myself to wear a jacket, pants, sweater, or carry a blanket. Whatever it takes!!

I can even sleep through the night without the AC. I even amaze myself. It can be done.

Be thankful. Be blessed. Until next time, Thanks for reading!
Shauna

In Memphis!!!

I arrived in Memphis on Monday, July 7th. It was so good to see my parents, aunt, and cousin at the airport. My cousin handed me a box of fudge rounds. OH..I WAS SO EXCITED. SO, I ate a fudge round on the way home. For my first dinner at home, I had a greasy cheeseburger, sweet heat chips, and large coke from Top's BBQ in Memphis. It was so good!!

I am enjoying time with my family, especially my niece, Montanah. I have been to Walmart a couple of times now. It wasn't as weird as I thought it would be. It seems really empty. I wonder where all the people are!!! I started a new workout routine this week. I am also cooking for mom and I. I have also been driving! It had been 11 months since I had been to Walmart or driven a car.

Last week was spent in Romania with a missions team from my home church. We had a wonderful time in Romania. I hope to tell stories and post pictures soon.

Anyways, It is good to be home!

Stay tuned for pictures.

Last Day in Moldova

My students and I at my goodbye lunch on Saturday. Aren't they cute?

I have no days left in Moldova! It seems like just yesterday that I was typing that from my home in Memphis about leaving for Moldova. Now I am packing and saying my last goodbyes. Wow. Does time fly or what??

I leave on an early morning flight tomorrow for Bucharest. (I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I opted(or was persuaded by my colleagues) to take a flight out of Chisinau, instead of the train ride. The flight is only a little over an hour, so it should be easy.

God has been so faithful to bless my time here in Moldova in unexpected ways. I am so blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to live and work in another country. My life no doubt has been changed forever. How will I ever forget all the faces, sights, sounds, and smells?? I won't. I will carry this time in Moldova with me for life. I will always have fond memories of the Moldovan friends I made, the culture experiences I tried to embrace, and the students that made it all worthwhile.

I won't miss: the crowded mini-buses, the heat (no air conditioning), or the men wearing speedos as they sunbath at the park.

However, I will miss: all of my friends, students, and co-workers, all the great food, the cheap icecream and candy, my times in worship with the Moldovan body of Christ, the walking, the easy and cheap public transportation system, and so much more!!

Thank you for reading this blog and supporting me during my time in Moldova.

What's next when I return to Memphis?
I am not sure. I am praying and looking into several opportunities. At this time I am not worried about, but rather I trust God's plans.

Will I continue this blog? I hope so. I think I will turn this into a 'Life After Moldova blog'. Still thinking that through.

God bless,
Shauna

p.s. Next time I blog, I will be stateside. Woo Hoo!