Keep Calm And Write On

"Where do you see you see yourself in ten years?" Well...I'd be almost 31, (gosh, I got old.) Where will I be? Six years out of college, still teaching most likely. The only question is where. I'll probably be done with my master's, maybe a second bachelor's. I would probably get a second bachelor's in biblical studies, and a master's in special ed or higher ed. I'd hopefully finished a few books, and have a total of five or six books finished and published. But most of all...most of all, I want to be still be a follower of Jesus Christ, still looking for ways to brighten the day of those around me. Still be laughing, still be creative, still be writing, drawing, figuring out this thing called life. Seasoned in adulthood now, but still...still filled with childlike wander at the simplest things. Maybe I'll finally be a missionary, be sharing the gospel in hostile countries, boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. Or maybe,.. Maybe m

I've been thinking a lot about what I would like to accomplish in my life, and I've come up with a list. A lot of these will hopefully be done this year or next. (I'm all about crossing things off a list.) -Pay off next semester's tuition -Finish writing and editing Arising -Write Surfaced -Publish both books -Have a section on my shelf for my own books. *grin* -Finish "The Girl And The Coffee" -Finish the unnamed WIP. ;) -Finish College -Earn Second Bachelor's Degree -Begin making interest payments on student loans -Pay off student loans -Go on a mission trip -Work a paid summer internship -Earn a Master's -Start teaching -Finish reading the Psalms -Read through the New Testament -Read through the Old Testament -Fill up current journal So there you have it. There's my bucket list for now. I'll update it every so often and mark what's completed and what I decided to add. Until then, friends. - Shannon

"Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?" almost every job interviewer asks this question. But whats the real answer? In 2020, where do I think I will be? Who will I be? What will I do? Five years from now, Lord willing, I'll be a Geneva graduate, (Go Tornadoes!) I'll be midway through my second year of teaching, and about to celebrate my 26th birthday.  (how did I get so old?) I'll have a good chunk of my student loans paid off, and probably be living in a cute little studio somewhere. I'll have some kind of pet, probably a lab or a pit bull. I'll be a special ed teacher, probably in Pennsylvania or Ohio. I'll make a point of encouraging my students, and if I teach in a christian school, in reminding them of the gifts God has given them. I'll still be supporting my child, Edison, and will hopefully have added another child as well. I'll still be writing, and hopefully will have a couple more books under my belt by then.

Words. So many little letters All lined up in a row When we have something to say We line the letters up just so Words can wound Or words can heal. Words can talk Or words can feel Through words we express our thoughts Unleash our minds on the world. Through words relationships are deepened And lives are unfurled. Sometimes words evade us They just won't appear So we line up a bunch of letters on paper And we can say it all without fear,

The last few months have been a wild ride. The semester is almost over and I am filled with relief. Thanksgiving break starts tomorrow and it is not a minute too soon. I miss my family, I miss the card games and chess matches with my siblings and I miss my mother's cooking. Oh how I miss my mother's cooking. But mostly, I just miss my people. I miss talking theology with my dad and everything under the sun with my mom. I miss watching the Three Stooges with dad, Gilmore Girls with mom, and countless, countless cartoons with the siblings. I miss the feeling of home, that these four people have my back no matter what. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is only a dayyy awaaayyyy. Now then. On with the business of the post. Currently...drinking coffee. Ask me which number cup this is and I will plead the fifth. College upped my caffeine tolerance. I don't have a problem... listening to...DC Talk, which is basically a given. I've also been semi obsessed with tenth avenue north and pen