Shawn Bowen's Fund

Monday, October 29, 2007

Back By Popular Demand

Sorry for the delays in updating my blog...I have four really great stories to share.

Story #1:
Sunday night at Awana, one of our students had an accident and went potty in her pants while sitting on the floor (or so we thought). Tabby took her to her Mom, and then we proceeded to go to Story Time. When it was time to go back to our tables to say our bible verses, I sat down in a metal folding chair and thought to myself..."My, this chair sure is cold." Then, a few brief moments later I realized that I was sitting in pee-pee. I jumped up as Tabby began to laugh hysterically. I had to clean up as I dry heaved. I had to spend the rest of the night helping with the kids with wet, cold jeans. Ewwwww! Sometimes, it takes crazy things to happen to make you realize just how much you love the Lord and are willing to serve Him. ;-)

Story #2:
Sunday, I found that my ex-husband had dropped my kids off at his other ex-wife's house for her mother to babysit them. Needless to say, I was extremely ticked off. I believe that I was angrier than I had ever been in my entire life. Rob's ex-wife and her family are not the type of people that I trust to be around my kids, and I could not imagine what possessed him to fathom that this might be a good idea. While yelling at him on the phone about how he needed to get a clue, I said..."I'm so, so, so FREAKIN angry!" The people in my truck with me mentioned how proud they were of me that even at my angriest, I didn't use foul language. Again, this is something that months ago, would have been completely different. I wouldn't have hesitated to say exactly how I felt using whatever words popped in my head and out of my mouth. I think Robbie was even shocked that he didn't get a tongue lashing from me. We were able to work it out, and he promises to never, ever take my kids there again.

Story #3:
Each night I pray that God will put me in situations where I can witness and show people how I've changed. I had one of those days today. While sitting next to the owner of Heartland's daughter at lunch this afternoon, I picked up a menu that was on the table. As I started to look through it, I realized that it was an alcoholic drink menu. (I was hoping for desserts.) Corrie and I have ran around together in my past life, and she has seen the wilder side of me. She said something like "Are you going to have a mixed drink with lunch?" I told her, "I don't drink anymore." She laughed, and then the conversation at the table continued onto an unrelated topic.

After a few minutes of chatting, she looked and me and asked "Why don't you drink anymore?"

For a second, I thought that I might not get into details as to why I quit drinking, but then I realized that if I didn't tell the whole truth that it would be like I was denying that I knew God. I had prayed to be put in situations like this, and here I was doubting how to respond.

So, I looked at her and said "I'm going to church, and felt convicted to stop drinking." She just said "Hmm." I could tell that she was thinking it over, and was completely shocked for me to be so honest about giving up something that was just a way of life a few short months ago. I hope that a seed has been planted, and that I'm able to continue to conversation to explain more about the change in my life.

Story #4:
I admit it, I'm boy crazy. I love boys, and I love to flirt. Just because I'm serving the Lord doesn't mean that I lose or completely change my personality. ;-) Now, I just look for Christian boys to flirt with.

So anyway...I was shamelessly flirting with a guy at work today, and a new employee said "She's so crazy." My good friend Georgette (who I spent many crazy days and nights with in the past) said "If you think that's crazy, you should have seen her before she found the Lord." Even though she may have meant it to be a sarcastic comment, I really appreciated that people very close to me were able to see a change in my life.


So...there's my update. I hope that you guys enjoy this post! Continue to pray for me to grow in my faith and to walk closer to God. I'm a work in progress, and I'm far from perfect.

Cara