Shining Her Light

It is our prayer for Sofia and the words that daddy says to her most mornings before she heads off to school, "Shine for Jesus!".

A couple of weeks ago Sofia shared with us that something special had happened at school that day.  She shared that some of the lunch teachers noticed that she enjoyed helping Vanessa, a special ed student, on the playground.  The teachers asked Sofia if she would think about eating lunch at Vanessa's class table everyday because Vanessa was the only girl out of 10 students.  Sofia didn't even have to think about it.  She   answered the teachers right there and said she was willing.

We as parents are so proud and thankful for her heart.  It didn't surprise us when she shared this development because last year she had volunteered to be the helper for Yvonne (a little girl in special ed) in gym last year.

Sofia's willingness to help someone who may not think, act or look like all the other students is definitely a way she is shining her light for Jesus.  

Chicagoland CBU Alumni Dinner

California Baptist University is not only Kevin and mine's alma mater but a place we both worked at for many years.  It is a very special place to us.

According to the Office of Alumni and Parents, there are close to 50 alumni who live in the area and there are 10 current students from the Chicagoland.  Who would've thought?  I mean, Chicago to So Cal is quite a distance but hey, when you know it's a great university you go, right?  :)

Anyway, we had a great time at the Chicagoland CBU Alumni and Parents Dinner.   There were 10 alum and one parental unit in attendance.  Interestingly, 4 of the 5 guys are pastors and being that all their wives were alum as well, it made pastor's wife the most popular role of the women alum.   Another interesting thing, I graduated the longest ago (not sure how to state because I wasn't the oldest age wise).  However, being that we worked there for so many years, we already knew the other alumni.  I had actually been the admissions counselor for a couple of them and a couple of the others I was the Director of Mobilization when they served on an ISP team.  Of course, they all knew Kevin as the postman.

Here's a couple of pictures from the evening.

From left to right:

Standing:  Jacobs family (son Sam current student) - Alex Huerta ('09) - Mike Parsio ('96) - Mark Rogers ('02) - Nathan Brown ('96) - Keri Sheckler ('92) - Kevin Sheckler ('03)

Seated:  Lisa Blough ('07) - Jen Parsio ('96) - Stephanie Rogers ('03) - Danielle Brown ('99) 

  FUTURE LANCERS!!!!

It was a fun evening remembering the old cafeteria, swapping stories of certain professors, laughing at stories of pranks, asking who knows who and where they are nowadays but most of all it was a time of giving thanks.  Cal Baptist for many of us was a place for us to figure out what we believe and why.  It was a place that introduced us to our spouses.  A place that gave us lifelong friendships.  Thanks, Cal Baptist!

We'll try again.

All I wanted was a picture of my kiddos in the beautiful fall leaves.  Unfortunately Isaiah did not wake up from his nap in the greatest of moods.  And with the trees about bare I'm not sure I will get a perfect ideal picture. Ha!  That's okay.  This is life. 

The girls, however, were more than willing to pose.

Nine!!!!

October 18.  Nine years!!!

 We are thankful for the goodness and grace of God.  Marriage is beautiful.  It is fun.  It is challenging.  It is sanctifying.  It is loving.  To God be the glory.