Thoughts about Holidays from a veteran

I was recently talking with a veteran from the war in Iraq.  As we talked about what it was like to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas away from family and friends.  It was a tender and tough conversation with the seasoned soldier.

As he shared what it was like, we talked about the marginal quality of the food.  "It didn't taste anything like my moms dinner."  Of course, it wasn't an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) but it wasn't that great.  "I really missed the meal with the family."  He also talked about the time around the table where they shared memories about their family, tradition and things that they would normally be doing.  You see, our military serve so that we can enjoy our freedoms.  Freedoms, we take for granted way to often.

Before we finished, he described what it was like to leave the DFAC (Dining Facility) after their Thanksgiving Dinner.

"We left the DFAC and we were hit with incoming mortars that the enemy was shooting in on us.  We ran for cover and saw that the area we were sitting near was destroyed."  "Not only that one mortar came in, we were hit with 5 other rounds."  "Not a great way to spend Thanksgiving!"

The conversation we shared opened my eyes to the way that our military spend their holidays.  You know, I may complain at times about the food, weather or other things when celebrating a holiday, and yet now, I am rethinking my responses.  I have not spent a major holiday in a foreign land nor in a war zone, but, I now really appreciate what I have.

It is very possible that I will be spending next Thanksgiving and Christmas away from my family so I have treasured this years time in a real deep and special way.  Thank you Lord for allowing me to enjoy a great time with my family this season and seasons past.

Praying for each of our military and thankful for their service and sacrifice so we can enjoy our celebrations in safety and comfortably.

May the Lord bless each of our military and their family during this holiday season.

Getting our Christmas Tree as a family, what a great day!

Thanksgiving dinner as a family where are thoughts turned to Tyler's battle buddies.

Christmas Eve Celebration with family! What a great time!

Joining Team Shackelford!!

In my last blog, I wrote about a young six year old that had join our team! Well, a few weeks later a four year old boy joined our team.  Incredible!!  I love how God works in building His team!!!

You see, we have always believed in ministry there are are three parts to our team, but only one team...now I am not going to use the Trinity to describe it nor am I  going to use the clover or egg to explain it...just One team and three parts to it!

The first is PRAY! Those who pray for our ministry as the Lord directs! Daily, weekly or special times! His leading and prompting is when some pray! We love that!  Those our pray team members.

The second is PLAY!  Those that are physically involved in ministry with us! Baking cookies for a Bible study, making meals at camp with us, hosting a function at their home, preaching at a church with our former ministry, working on our vehicles, making curtains for our home as a gift and the list goes on! Those our play team members.

Then there are those that PAY!  Those who are led by the Spirit to financially give to our ministry so that we can do the work call has for us!  They give sacrificially and with their whole heart! They give so that we can go!  Some give monthly, quarterly, yearly and at special times with special gifts!  Each to their own ability and to the leading of the Spirit.  We are so blessed by them.  Those are the pay team.

One Team, One Focus, One Lord and One Purpose...to see people know Jesus!!!
You may be on one or more parts to the team but wherever the Lord has you, we are so thankful!!

This past month, the newest member on the play was at my house helping me to put stamps on the envelopes we used to mail out our ministry DVD.  What a big job and he was willing to help me out for just about two hours.  He was attentive to detail and did an amazing job.  He was so excited to help and did so with a grateful heart! While we were stamping them, I shared with him about Jesus and talked about what Julie and I are going to do! He got so excited! My little buddy "G" was excited to know that he was a part of our team!!

You see, know matter how small or big you think you part is, you are a part!! God uses every gift, talent and resource to His Glory if we will let Him lead and use us!

Thanks for being a part!

Are you a part of our team? Where is the Lord leading you to serve His people and His plan today?
www.cadence.org/shackelford is where you can go to join our pay team. Contact us at shack.shackelford@cadence.org for information about our pray, play and pay teams! We would love to share with you our needs and the opportunities for you to be a part!

"Not right now I am praying," she gently said...

Those were the words told to our friends grandson when he asked his grandmother if he could play with the GI Joe that was sitting on the sill of her kitchen window.  Gramma you see is one of our many team members in ministry!  As a reminder to pray for us, we have given many of our team members a plastic GI Joe.

I know, you are probably thinking that this is a scene from Toy Story.  Or you are thinking, "is this what Shack does in his free time, play with plastic army men?"  No, at least not all the time.  It is however the way that we encourage people to remember the ministry that they are a part of.

As our friend finished praying, she explained to her 6 year old son the reason for the GI Joe and why she was praying.  "Our friends work with the military and their families.  They are preparing to go to Germany and work with junior high and high school student and tell them about the love of Jesus.  So, everyday when I am at the sink and looking at the GI Joe, I stop and pray for the Shackelford's."

After the conversation, gramma let him play with the GI Joe.  As he was playing, she went to get another one that she had in the house.  Gramma proceeded to give it to her grandson and asked him if he would like to have his own.  Really excited, he said "Yes!"  She proceeded to explain to him that with it came the opportunity to remember to pray for the Shackelford's, the men and women that serve in the military as well as their families.

Not only is gramma and grampa on our team, now so is their 6 year old grandson a part of our team.

Will you pray and ask God what part you can have on our team.  We are would love for you to be on our team if you aren't already!

There are three different parts to our team.  Some are able to be only on one part, others on two and then others on all three.  Where do you fit in?  Join the team that is making eternal differences in the lives of students and families in the military!!  Team Shackelford is in need of more team members! Let us know if you would like more information.

From 6 year old to 96 year olds, we have them all!! Thank you for being a part!

You can email me at shack.shackelford@cadence.org for more information.

Counting Many Blessings

Having grown up in the church, I remember a favorite that we always sang and requested...Hymn number 474, Count Your Many Blessing.  Well, this past few days we have had as many of you know a huge bazaar as we downsize our home and earthly goods.  As we are doing the sale, we have been able to count so many blessing.
1.   God's provision for our lives
2.   God's care for our future
3.   God's direction in our lives for all of our life
4.   God's leading as we follow Him as He is righting new chapters for our life
5.   Great memories here in our home
6.   The blessing of friends and family that came through this weekend and through the years
7.   His knitting our lives with so many people and watching the tapestry come together in a beautiful way
8.   The blessing of trials that have produce character, faith, diligence and perseverance
9.   Brothers and sisters in Christ that have walked the road ahead of us that share and love on us
10. A wife that is creative and is a modern Proverbs 31 woman of God!!!
11. The memories of all the things that we have and have shared to make our home a home
12.  The opportunity to minister to people as they have come in our home this weekend
13.  Share the ministry God is leading us to with several that had no idea of our new ministry
14.  The opportunity to share the gospel with a few that have come through our house this weekend
15.  The ability to see the Lord sell and bring in people to buy our earthly treasures and then to say, "When I see this item, I will remember to pray for you and your ministry!" What a blessing!!

When you start to count the blessing that the Lord has and is doing, I literally stand in amazement!!!  He is so faithful.  He is so constant.  He is so caring.  He is so loving.

As we look ahead, we see the Lord writing so many new pages in our book about our life!

Courageous ~ The Movie

Last night my wife of 29 years and one of our children, Melanie, went to the opening of the new release of Courageous.  Wanting to see it, support the producing of good clean family movies we went! The third showing completely packed so that the theater had to open an additional theater and packed it as well, so we went to the 10pm show.

As we were there, I listened to numerous friends that passed by leaving the show and their comments and reactions to it.  I was then even more anxious to watch it.  As we sat through the preview, I began to rehearse the last 25 years of being a father, 29 years as a husband and definitely had moments of disappointment and yet, some incredible highlights.

Dancing with my daughters at weddings of friends or even in our living room when they were younger.  Taking my son to a men's retreat several times.  Talks over coffee at the house or their favorite coffee shop.  Working on their cars, mowing the lawn together of numerous other activities and events.  Even making it not only to games and events in school, but to their football, volleyball and basketball practices.

Making and creating memories for them and myself.  Being the best father I knew and know how to be.

You see, the world, Hollywood and the likes, have made the father out to be a stupid, self absorbed and lazy man.  Unfortunately, many men follow that role.  Many in our churches take that role too.  Because of that, the men that do this lose out on the very privilege and honor to impact lives now and eternally for good.

They trade selfish wants and desires to replace the position that God planned for them to have....shaping the next generations.  They have taken the easy way out when times got rough and jobs were lost.  When the marriage became tough, they quit.  When doing right was traded for compromise.  This has such an impact that the movie really captured that.

In the midst of the messes of life, and boy have I made some and had some, God intervenes when we are willing to "let go of the wheel" and allow Him to take the controls of our life.  When we do this, it isn't always easy, no, it just makes sense and gives a purpose and direction to where to go, what to do and how to do it.

In fact, God never promised that following Him completely would be easy, nice and fun.  He promised that He would be with us!  He in fact tells us that it will be difficult and we might be persecuted.  But, He would stay with us!  Never to leave us or forget about us!

Men, we need to make a decision.  It is either His way or the highway.  If we choose the highway, we then leave a massive ripple in the water of life that impacts and affects so many in it path.  If we choose His way, He will guide us, He will lead us, He will heal us, He will love us and the way He does, rebuilds, repairs and renews what He wants in our lives.

Go out and see the movie.  Take a friend, another family and make an eternal difference.  Don't quit and don't give up, Give over to God what is rightfully His...your life and and He will make you Courageous.

HOW SWEET IT IS!

Today, September 17th, Julie and I celebrate 29 years of marriage to each other!  When I reflect over the past 29 years, there have been highlights and lowlights.  Times that were easy to love each other and times that were difficult.

And yet, now I can honestly say, HOW SWEET IT IS!!  To know the one you are with, to share with the one you are with and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I married the woman for me!  We have experienced so much and yet, have so much more to experience.

We have cried, yes, I cry, we have laughed, hugged, cuddled, walked, ran, climbed and even just sat and were still.  During those times, we knew we had each other.  We have prayed, shared, dreamed, lived and loved like there is no one around and we did it together!

I love you Julie!  I will always love you and wanted not only you to know that, but others!  Hard work, commitment and a focus off of me and on God makes a marriage work.  I am committed to you and will covenant with you again, as long as we both shall live!!!

I love you sweetheart!

The Times Together!!

My Sweet Bride!!

Your Knight for ever!!!

THE POWER OF MEN!

This last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend Men's Roundup in Lebanon, Oregon with 1800 men.  Although I didn't know all of them, I did know a good number of them.  I did have the privilege of attending it with 12 men specifically.  One of those 12 is a man that has impacted my life in some very powerful ways.

It was 9 years ago after a summer of camps, 9 different camps we ran, that my friend came to me and asked me this question.  "When do you Shack, ever do camp for you?"  I remember when he asked me that and my answer was not, "in a long time".  In fact, the last time I attended camp for me, was with my father in law, Bob McCaw in the early '90's.

Well, my friend said that it would happen yearly.  It has for nine years now!  In fact, three years ago, he made it possible for not only myself to go but he made it possible for Tyler to go.  That was 2008 and in 2009, Tyler headed to Iraq.  The weekend ended in 2008 like it did for me in 2011. Powerfully and tearfully.

How you might ask, the same men that laid hands on Tyler in '08 and circled around my son and covered him in prayer, did the same for me.

Tyler would head to the sandbox for twelve months on his mission with the US Army, me, well, I will head out Lording willing in the next few months for our ministry to the US Army and their families!  Different missions and yet, needing the circle of men to make it possible.

Never under estimate the power of men when they are united in the power of prayer.  It caused me to immediately tear up and then cry as these same men called on the Lord to direct, lead, guide, provide wisdom, bring a Barnabas in my life in Germany and provide for the remaining support we need to be fully funded.  What an awesome weekend!

The power of men is measured in my life by their influence in my life!  It is also measured by their commitment to hold a brother up in PRAYER!

Thanks to the men that circled me and prayed over me last weekend!  God bless each of you and keep you in HIS hands as well!  Love you men!  Wish I could join you next year but maybe, we can do one in Germany!!!!!!

Never under estimate the power of prayer!  I prayed over these two young men at camp this year and both are seeking the Lord!