1 At A Time Of Merging By Jiryis Shaheen This update is for you who, we have found, really care for us. Some of you we may have met once, others, we have known our entire lifetime. We understand that we could just as easily use facebook, twitter, or email to write you individually. However, we want to offer a more personal touch in updating you about how our lives together, by the will of God, are progressing. SHAHEENUPDATE April 2010 In an age where the social environment moves at the speed of light, and information is acquired within seconds, the reasons seem self evident of why I have yet to find a job. Countless resumes and cover letter, hours of web searches and contact connections, and a depleting sense of security over the past 5 months have left me rekindling the age old practices of faith and trust. My wife and I are currently transitioning from one highway to another. The merging process of driving is one of the most dangerous and poetic occurrences found in the sea of cars traveling in determined unison. A thousand triggers go off in our brains, guiding us through each step of the process. Mirrors, acceleration, deceleration, timing, appropriate degree of turning, etc. Then once the time is write, you break away. Now you are no longer part of the flow of the previous highway. Now you are reassessing everything, to ease into and adapt a new motion, and new speed, and a new destination. My God has provided my soul with a vessel. He commands me to go. I may not be on a culturally defined mission at this point, but I strive to live in the mindset of “Go”. God never fails to provide. He never fails to love. His blessings satisfy all aspects of life. Even when my selfishness feels larger than His Will, I think back through my ancestors only to fall in awe of how preciously crafted the process has been that has ended me up where I am today. The reasons seem self evident of why I have yet to find a job. It is not on my terms or time, but His. I choose to keep searching, until I am guided to the future my Lord would love for me to experience. As long as I focus on the white lines and strap in my seat belt of truth, I will be in good hands.
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At A Time Of MergingBy Jiryis Shaheen
This update is for you who, we have found, really care for us. Some of you we may have met once, others, we have known our entire lifetime. We understand that we could just as easily use facebook, twitter, or email to write you individually. However, we want to offer a more personal touch in updating you about how our lives together, by the will of God, are
progressing.
SHAHEENUPDATEA
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In an age where the social environment moves at the speed of light, and information is acquired within seconds, the reasons seem
self evident of why I have yet to find a job. Countless resumes and cover letter, hours of web searches and contact connections, and a depleting sense of security over the past 5 months have left me rekindling the age old practices of faith and trust. My wife and I are currently transitioning from one highway
to another. The merging process of driving is one of the most dangerous and poetic occurrences found in the sea of cars traveling in determined unison. A thousand triggers go off in our brains, guiding us through each step of the process. Mirrors, acceleration, deceleration, timing, appropriate degree of turning,
etc. Then once the time is write, you break away. Now you are no longer part of the flow of the previous highway. Now you are reassessing everything, to ease into and adapt a new motion, and new speed, and a new destination.
My God has provided my soul with a vessel. He commands me to go. I may not be on a culturally defined mission at this point, but I strive to live in the mindset of “Go”. God never fails to provide. He never fails to love. His blessings satisfy all aspects of life. Even when my selfishness feels larger than His Will, I think back through my ancestors only to fall in awe of how preciously crafted the process has been that has ended me up where I am today.
The reasons seem self evident of why I have yet to find a job. It is not on my terms or time, but His. I choose to keep searching, until I am guided to the future my Lord would love for me to experience. As long as I focus on the white lines and strap in my seat belt of truth, I will be in good hands.
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We have our dates approved, tickets bought, and hearts in place. Now all we ask is for your prayers. Amanda and I are leading a trip down to Haiti for a week. We have received a generous donation from a few kind souls which will help us buy supplies for the organization Joy in Hope and their kids. So far we will focus on buying them reusable water bottles, pairs of reliable shoes and flip flops, as well as a few other items the organization is in need of. Please keep us in your prayers May 21st.
HAITI:UpdateBy Jiryis Shaheen
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Our transition from Lincoln IL to St. Charles Mo has been evolving effectively. Amanda moved down about 2 months ago. She has been working at Starbucks and slowly helping my father and I repair our new home. Even though she has only been there about 2 months, she has already created new friendships, and rekindled some older ones. She displays her heart and character at her job, which in turn draws people around her and establishes times of fellowship.
At Harvester, our home church, she strives to help in anyway and represents the body in all life situations. We have been truly blessed to spend more and more time in St. Charles In the top right picture, the woman in the black is my mothers oldest sister. She came to spend time with our family for a few months as we experienced the death of my grandmother on March 17th 2010. She has been great boost of happiness and joy.
Y-Kid Personality Awards This past month at the YMCA my co-worker and I came up with a creative theme. We decided to praise the children by celebrating their individual unique personality traits. Each week we focused on complimenting them on their personalities and helping them focus more on their self identities. At the end of the month we created awards and held a first annual Y-kid awards ceremony. Each award described the child and a unique personality trait as well as how it is incorporated into the group dynamic. This month we will work with the kids to make adventure books. These adventure books will serve as a source of identity. It will be a sort of journal and scrapbook. In the future they will look
back and remember the great times they had as children and the things they found adventure in. This will also keep them passionate about life and better appreciate the world around them.
2010
BUILDING STRONG KIDS, STRONG FAMILIES, STRONG COMMUNITIES
YM
CA
WASHINGTONMONROE
April AwardsWe wanted to show the Y kids that we value their unique personalities....
This month we brought the unique
personality traits to light. We spent certain days emphasizing what a personality is, how people’s
personalities are developed, as well as focusing in on the children's individual personality traits. At the
end of the month, we took a day to celebrate their unique personalities. We had an awards night. Each Y-kid received and award specifically
$$ Y- Bucks $$
Alice in Wonderland poster! 30
Hardees T-Shirt! 10
Yo-Yo/ 2 pencils/ games! 2
Free Hardees burger coupon! 5
What’s To Come
naming each child's unique
personality traits. The awards included, best helper, most caring, most fashionable, and best artist. The
YMCA understands that each child deserves to be recognized for their personal self and achievements. Plus
we figured it would be a good balance from all the times they were in trouble.
In May we will work with the kids to make adventure books. These adventure books
will serve as a source of identity. It will be a sort of journal and scrapbook. In the
future they will look back and remember the great times they had as children and the
things they found adventure in. This will also keep them passionate about life and
better appreciate the world around them.
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“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”1 Peter 1:7
Prayer Requests Upcoming Events
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Prayer:
- May Jiryis find a job. - My brother, as he finishes high school.- Our transition back to St. Peters. Safety and
patience.- My parents, that they are able to handle things- The Trip to Haiti- Graduation goes well- My grandfather recovers well from surgery.
MAY 15th-
GRADUATION!!! 11 a.m. -Jiryis’ Undergraduate Graduation 1 p.m.- Amanda’s Graduate Graduation
May 16th- Finally we move out
May 21st- Haiti trip
June- We find out if Jiryis is accepted to UMSL for masters degree.
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