loneliness and bad choices

I know its been a loooooonnnnng time since we have blogged on here.  I apologize and ill post a blog soonish about how everything has been since our last blog(E.g..we live in Florida now..not Colorado)

A while back i posted something very near and dear to my heart.  It was on facebook and its easy to click that Like button and move on to other people's news feeds.  But now more then ever i feel it needs to be re-addressed. 
Many of our friends at our current church are single.  Many could go on dates and see how that goes, but most arent really interested in the opposite sex at our church.(Although they could and the men are just being sissies on standing up and telling the beautiful single ladies at church)  But what has been happening is a group of people are starting to look outside of church and the Christian faith for companionship, which includes Christians and Non-Christians alike.  Which is great, Christians should build those relationships with all sorts of people...otherwise how does the gospel get spread sillies :)
Ok that was the plug for Mosaic Men to step it up.  Now im speaking in general
The issue that is arising is the group of people who are dating non-Christians.  I have already spoke to and shared my opinion many times with those dating non-Christians.  I have never seen a non-christian date a Christian and have the Christian get uplifted spiritually in the relationship..its impossible.  Iron sharpens Iron(Proverbs 27:17) since Non-Christians are made of mortar and bricks...its not going to happen.  You'll end up with a dull sword and start taking up clay to try to fill those gaps in the mortar.
Its really sad.

I have had/and currently have friends whom are dating non-Christians, and simply put nothing good can come from it.  There are those exceptions where that seed is planted, but those reading this( IT WONT HAPPEN) were talking like 1-10000 people that it might actually benefit them.  Here's an example.

A Christian girl is dating a non-Christian guy.  The non-Christian wishes to take the relationship to "the next level" the girl may say no for awhile, but she's only flesh and bones and may chose to get up her sexuality to the non-Christian.  Then they break up, how will the non-Christian view the Christians.  How the relationship ends, the interactions, and the surrounding friends around the relationship when it was at its prime is how the Non-Christian will view the relationship.  Who knows time may go buy and the Christian girl and the Non-Christian may not think anything of it and start living with each other(seen it happen)

The main cause or root of this issue is simply and delicate.  As Christians we long and desire to be with another person.  And this is biblical.  Genesis makes it clear that Christians are made for Love and its instilled in our very being to be with another person on this earth. Its a gift. So what happens when that gift isnt met( in our eyes anyway) we start to look around for what can fill it.  Some people turn to groups, some to games, online dating, clubbing, sports, school..ect.  Yet some turn to dating and going down a very very small slippery slope. Little here and there and eventually your sitting asking "God what happened" when to be honest, God was never part of it.  It really hurts me to see these relationships forming around me but then again ive been through those stages and im just trying to look out for those about to go through it or whom are currently going through it. :/

Here's what i wrote on facebook that sums it all about up:
Proverbs 11:22 "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. " I could ponder that for hours. A person who looks pretty but has a 10 cent soul, pretty ugly.
Makes me love my wife even more. Such a wonderful women of God.

This is stating that you can dress up a pig and make it look as nice as it ever will be, but when the women has a 10 cent soul..expect a 10 cent relationship.  YOU need to find a person who's soul cannot be sold, and then you realize that you have a winner and a keeper.

Its a good message, but starting at 26:00 minutes is where the pastor speaks wisdom about Proverbs 11:22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkh3Z_uK2jc

I encourage you to listen to this podcast from Tommy Nelson on Dating and marriage. Its fantastic
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/denton-bible-church-love-song/id148822180#


Blessings,
Tyler

A New Adventure Awaits...

It has been a while since our last major post, and I thought I would fill you all in on the latest happenings around here..At the end of May, I (Maryellen) was offered a position as an elementary music teacher at a local charter elementary school here in our area and am SO excited to begin this new adventure that the Lord has called me on! (Over the years, I participated in choral programs as well as the theater program at the high school I attended, and am so excited to be finally involved in both music and theater once again!) I will be working with kindergarten through fifth grade, and it will be an absolute blast getting to know all of the grade levels and have fun imparting my love for music and theater to these little ones during some of the most pivotal years of their life. I will start teaching in the fall and will be headed in for training at the end of July, which means for me, my summer fun will come to a close a little earlier than expected. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Elementary Education through Liberty University's Online MAT program, and am very excited to finally fulfill my dream for teaching little ones and imparting the love of Christ in each child that I come into contact with as well as gain experience for my career field. 

God has blessed Tyler with a wonderful internship for his masters program in school counseling at a local high school starting this fall as well, and we couldn't be more excited for him to gain even more experience for his program and fulfill his lifelong calling as a counselor to youth and children alike.

Our Blu Ray List

290 blu rays

Alien
Aliens
Alien 3
Aliens Ressurection
Batman Begins
Bourne Identity
Bourne Supremecy
Bourne Ultimatum
Holiday Essential Collection(Polar Express, a Christmas story, National Lampoons Christmas vacation, Elf)
Harry Potter(all 8 films)
Jurassic Park 1,2,3
Lord of the Rings Extended edition(all 3)
Oceans 11, 12,13
Planet Earth
Resident Evil 1,2,3
Rocky I-VI
Shreck 1,2,3,4
Spider-man 1,2,3
Star Wars I-VI
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1,2,3
Matrix 1,2,3, animated
X-men 1,2,3
2012
Alice in Wonderland(Animated)
Apollo 13
Avatar
Braveheart
Bambi
Beauty and the Beast(Animated)
Bedtime stories
Blindside
Bolt
A Bugs LIfe
Cars
Captain America
A Christmas Carol
Coraline
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Dances with Wolves
Batman: The Dark Knight
Despicabe Me
Dumbo
Disney Earth
Fast and the Furious 1,4
Fox and the Hound 1,2
Frozen Planet
Gnomeo and Juliet
Green Lantern
The Green Mile
Gladiator
How to train your Dragon+Christmas
Hugo
The Incredible Hulk
Hulk Vs.
Planet Hulk
Hoodwinked
I Am Number Four
Inception
The Incredibles
Iron Man 1,2
James and the Giant Peach
Journey to the center of the earth
lady and the tramp
Last Unicorn
Letters to Juliet
Lion King 1,1/2
Megamind
Men in Black
Monsters Inc
The Mummy
The Muppets
The NIghtmare before Christmas
Pinocchio
Pirates of the Carribean 1,2,3,4
Ponyo
Ratatouille
Rio
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Saving PRivate Ryan
Shawshank Redemption
Sleeping Beauty
Star Trek
Super 8
Superman batman public enemys
Tangled
Thor
Toy Story 1,2,3
Tron Legacy
Terminator Salvation
Transformers 1,2,3
Twilight 1,2
Up
Winnie the Pooh
X-Men first class
X-men Origins Wolverine
50 First dates
3:10 to yuma
August Rush
Anastasia
Be kind rewind
Big Fish
Bridge to Terebethia
Brothers Grimm
Casablanca
Castaway
Charlie St. Cloud
Narnia 1,2,3
Cider House Rules
Cloverfield
Cool Hand Luke
The Count of monte Cristo
Con Air
Dark Crystal
The Departed
Die Hard 1,4
Dont be afraid of the dark
Drum line
Dragon ball Z Revenge and Cooler
Edward Scissorhands
Enchanted
Family Man
Fantastic 4 Rise of the Silver surfer
Furngully
The 5th element
Finding neverland
Fireplace
Footloose
Galaxy Quest
Gettysburg
Ghost Rider
Good WIll Hunting
Gremlins 2
Hellboy 1,2
Hitchikers guide to the galaxy
Hook
Horton hears a who
Hot Fuzz
Ice Age 1,2,3
The Illusionist
Independence Day
Invincible
Journey to the center of the earth
Italian Job
Karate kid original and remake
Kill bill 1,2
King Kong
The Kings speech
a Knights Tale
Kung fu panda 1,2
Labrynth
Lady in the Water
Leatherheads
life as we know it
Lost Boys
Lost in Space
Monsters vs. Aliens
MIssion Impossible
Mask
Madagascar 1,2
Meet the robinsons
Mimic
Miracle on 34th streen(remake)
National treasure 1,2
Neverending Story
Night at the Museum 1,2
The Orphanage
Outbreak
Pans Labrynth
Passion of the Christ
Payback
Patriot
Pearl Harbor
The Phantom of the Opera
Pitch Black
Pixar Shorts
Predator
Planet of the Apes Original, Remake
Predators
Prestige
Princess Bride
The Punisher
The Pursuit of Happiness
Rambo 1,2,3,4
Robin Hood Men in Tights
The Rock
Rocky
Rudy
Run Lola Run
Saw
Serenity
Discovery Channel Shark Week
Shooter
Short Circuit
Signs
The Simpsons Movie
Sixth Sense
Slumdog Millionaire
Stargate
Stranger then Fiction
Surfs Up
Taken
Terminator 2
THumbelina
Top Gun
Twister
Ultimae Avengers 1,2
Underworld
V for Vendetta
Wall e
Waterboy
Waterworld
We Were soldiers
Wedding Singer
Wizard of Oz
You've Got Mail
Zombieland.

Music

So as of late i have been thinking alot about music and its function. 
In the church i have heard that its best to listen to only Christian music to glorify God; and I have heard the complete opposite that it doesnt matter what you listen to.

Any of you that know me(Tyler) know that my musical tastes is all over the board.  In the same setting ill listen to: Metallica, Josh Groban, Yiruma, August Burns Red, War of Ages, Classic Disney Music, Andrew Peterson....

So what i have been debating with is this idea of music..

Here's what i have come up with,

Music has multi purposes in my perspective.  To me the definition of music is; audible tones and melodies that attracts my emotions and engage my though process to an idea at hand.  In both emotions and thought process music enhances those.
I listen to music when im happy, sad, angry, showing off, soundtracks in movies(and outside of movies) and praise.  However im feeling is how the music affects me in a positive way.

Its easy for some people to hear screaming music, and to have them feel that its effecting them negatively or "how can people worship to that."  My response to that, is if you were in India where the worship just consisted of a drum, would you think thats just as good of worship as some Hillsong Songs?

To most people, probably not, but that doesnt mean that its less real for the people that are worshiping with that type of music in India.

So the next issue is music and God.
So to me God doesnt care what music im listening to.  All he cares about is that my life is praising him.  David was the first mosher(2 Samuel 6:14) he was dancing before the Lord with all his might. Moving mountains and defeating demons in the praise....how in the world is dancing related to music? On the surface there is nothing related....but as you dig deeper think about this:
Dancing is a form of movement that brings out the internal feelings and praise to external.  Music has the same effect and brings whats inside to the outside....now sadly what some people bring out is not exactly positive..but thats the best thing to see.

I would love to see someone who is struggling and in dire need of help then to always see people happy and doing "good."


In other news. War of Ages releases another CD 4/24/2012..and im excited.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5EabSfqgys

I dont have the answers, im still figuring out what all this means...but if nothing else hopefully this causes you to ponder the question.


Random:
My top 5 songs listened to in Itunes:
1. Planting Trees- Andrew Peterson
2. Blackout-Allister
3. Beauty and the Beast- Celine Dion
4. All the Small Things- Blink 182
5. Marinas Trench-August Burns Red


Quote number 2:
The modern church is always fishing in the Red area when the fish that need helped are in the Blue. - Steve Holt
(context: When you catch a fish there is blood in the water from the hook in the lip, and most of the fish run away from that smell(except for large predators).  Turning this to Christian standpoints, most people are fishing in areas that Christians are present(Red) while most of the unsaved are in the Blue and Very Dark Blue areas of the ocean)

Mountain Springs Church

I must say that it has been awhile since we have been filled at a church in both Music and Preaching.  Finally after moving to the springs we found something that meets those needs.  Mountain Springs Church.

They are a Church that works there way through the bible in a Calvary type way, and there not afraid to sugar coat anything. There are three things that we look for in a church:
1. Pastor knows Context and Theology
2. The Pastors dont sugar coat the bible
3. The church admits that Christians are not bound by the Mosaic Law.

Number 3. is probably my biggest pet peeve. Wearing hats while praying, loud worship music vs. an Organ, wearing nice clothes on Sundays....All of these things are American Culture and have nothing to do with the heart and being of Christ. Yesterday(4/14/2012) sermon addressed this and i loved it.

-Side Note Great Lyrics about this:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-just-know-lyrics-disciple.html


Anyway i thought i would share with you about our cool church.

Below are some of my favorite quotes this far from the pastors.


The Quotes:

If you know a man whose not being a real man. Look through a pile of stones and pick up two. Go to that man and tell him to hang onto the stones until he finds his own pair. - Pastor Daniel Rolfe

Biblical Law is like a Thermometer. It will tell you if your hot or cold, but wont change your temperature. - Steve Holt

God's Richest at Christ's Expenses - Steve Holt

Math Equation
(Grace + anything) equals worldly perspective on Christianity, meaning that it doesnt take Grace and something to be a Christian.
Grace is equivalent by itself. - Steve Holt

PS Sweet video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M

The Big Green Egg.

So as many of you peeps know we own a Big Green Egg. This is pretty much heaven on earth, in basically the form of a kiln. 

What makes the egg super awesome is its various features(Although they cost separate...of course. Its the Hippies doing mwhahaha)

So the Egg has attachments to make it:
A convection Oven
Grill

Smoker
Brick Oven

So far we have used all of the features of it and everytime the food comes out moist and Awesomeness.

Soon"aka  April 9th" im going to be making Pork Butt ill post some pics after it gets done smoking for 15 hours. Gangster Style.  Some pics of our "creations"

-The Shannons

Pastrami made from a Beef Brisket

De La Pizza Brick Oven Style

As the French Say-Nope i dont know french. Steak

Jalepeno Peppers wrapped in Bacon

Hello! 
Welcome to the Shannon family blog where there will be posts revolving around our cooking interests as well as what our family has been up to lately. Feel free to check back often as this blog is a work in progress.Thanks for stopping by!


-Tyler, Maryellen, and Nema