 I still play the piano/keyboard but it suffered for a very long time with my busy schedule. I'm just now playing more regularly again. Same goes for the guitar. It's okay, though! I thought I'd forgotten a lot, but it's coming back to me. It's just a matter of setting aside the time. My two drum lessons were great, but I don't own a drum set. I think I can still play the recorder, too. Can we ever un-learn one of those? I also like to sketch, but I lost the link to that page, sorry! After nearly six and a half years as Production Manager and air personality at WCLU, I chose to leave full-time radio. So, no more "Middays with Shelley B on Lite 102.3 FM." In all truth, outside of getting to know the listeners, the only thing I'll really miss is doing the news and working in the production studio. Outside of that, I just mostly liked getting to know people.... and where I work now, I actually have so many more opportunities to do that. Sure beats being isolated in a little room with soundproofing (ha). It's fun to be "normal" instead of a star (beats being stalked, too)... to be able to work hard and then go home and not worry about things til the next morning. Believe me, as a recovering workaholic, that's huge. No, it's health! Plus, my vocal cords get a chance to heal and rest a little bit. It's a good thing. I'm still doing part-time work at Christian Family Radio, though, almost ten years there. They've always been, and always will be, my family. My Goddaughter Jessi, is 11!!! She's wonderful. I tell you what, that girl keeps me accountable like few people have been able to. Sometimes she just floors me with the things she'll say. Jessi's mom, Julia, and I and I are closer than sisters. She was maid of honor at my wedding, I plan to have her there at the birth of my children. She's the one I know I can just call up at 2 am and say, "Isn't Jesus wonderful??" and have her understand!  The color photos on my wedding page were taken by then-stranger, now dear friend, Sheryl Hagan-Booth. I was her first solo wedding, and she helped me with my first solo. Where Jules is like another part of me, my kindred spirit, Sheryl is like my sister. I don't know what I'd do without either of their friendship. What incredible friends I've been blessed with. If I stopped and thought about it more, I'd be in tears. I don't know how a person can be so blessed. I really don't.  This is a bit old... okay really old... 7 years ago I think? Some of my old friends.Of course as you saw on my front page, my husband Rich and I have been married over eight years now. Take it from us, if you're worried at all about finding that special someone (as I think we all do pretty commonly), be willing to surrender that to God completely. Don't think when you give something up to God He won't give you back something perfect. Rich and I had both given up dating and really didn't care, just wanted God to do what He wanted, and wanted to seek after Him for a while. Then bang, He dropped the two of us in front of each other one day. If God has someone for you as He most likely does, don't be rushing to find that person. God WILL bring them to you. Trust Him. I know Rich and I wouldn't have given each other the time of day if we'd met before we did. Be patient. God is faithful. Seek after Him and you NEVER go wrong... Nearly all of my close friends have learned that (ask ANY of them)! My mom runs Gorin Genealogical Publishing, and is generally very busy! Over and over she's proven that when the crap hits the fan, your mom will be there for you, and I'm thankful for that! It shows me how God is faithful over and over again... even when I don't think He should be, toward me! My dad just couldn't wait to be with our Heavenly Father. I miss him so much. Now after almost four years, I still think he can't be gone. He was one of the few allowed to kick my tail spiritually when the need arose! He loved Jesus. He had the joy of the Lord. He passed away 10 days after my 23rd birthday, just days past his 65th birthday....but we got to spend both our birthdays together before he died, just reflecting on the goodness of the Lord, and how much we need Him. I consider myself beyond richly blessed to have had him for a father. He had that joy and peace in a surrendered walk to God that we all ache for. I still ache for it. I want him back long enough to ask him how he could walk with that kind of assurance - the kind that my pride and my emotions battle against. But, I know that the only way I'll ever really experience it is to experience it for myself, through the dark times and failures of life. Dad made so many mistakes earlier in his life, even in being a father, but his last few years continually remind me that our God's mercy is great, His healing is miraculous, and He can redeem anyone and make something INCREDIBLE out of them. What a good work He did. I'll leave you with Dad's advice to me (that I wish I'd listened to much sooner)... look to God, and not to this world. That's about it, for now... 'til then.... To leave you with, a few of my favorites.. Foods: chicken and fish (especially salmon, trout, and walleye), particularly with rice... Subway clubs... fettucine alfredo (although I am INCREDIBLY picky about what I consider to be good fettucine alfredo)... most anything from Shogun of Japan... this really cool Thai soup called something like Thom Kha Kai... yeah, I clobbered the spelling, I know... pork chops ... caesar salads... I really eat better these days than I used to, I promise... but I still have my favorites. Drink: tea (Irish breakfast tea or Chai tea are my favorites) B&N/Starbucks Caramel Macchiatos, Surge (even though they haven't made it for SEVERAL years now, I won't take it off the list!! Someday, somehow they'll make it again.... if only in my dreams), milk, and water. Color: shades of blue and violet, cobalt, periwinkle and cornflower...hunter green, natural colors.. Author(s): CS Lewis, Brennan Manning, Rich Mullins, AW Tozer, Oswald Chambers, Gayle Irwin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, J.R.R. Tolkien Book(s): The Ragamuffin Gospel(Manning), Confessions of St Augustine, The Calvary Road(Hession), Hinds' Feet on High Places, and The Pursuit of God (Tozer). Recently read a book that REALLY made me think, "Fearless Faith" by Jon Fischer. Worth chewing on! I do love the Lord of the Rings trilogy, also. Currently reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge.. amazing. Devotional(s): Chambers, Manning, Spurgeon, and Daily Light. Music: Celtic most often starts off my list.... ragamuffin, and most anything that's original and honest. Did I mention celtic? Oh, and ragamuffin. Rich Mullins combined those two occasionally. That's why he's always going to be at the top of my list! Anyway...... I'm not really fond of cheesy cliche's in any style of music, particularly in Christian music, though the style I listen to varies depending on my mood and what I'm going through in life... so I have a pretty broad range of taste. I could be listening to rock in the morning and classical in the afternoon. I'm usually moved to silence by sincere worship (not often the stuff on an award-winning album, sadly), or old hymns that have been buried in either dust or lifeless monotony in a dead church. Take a listen to some of the words when you have the chance. Let's see, I think I like about two country songs. I thought I'd be able to work in country radio, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it just would not have worked. Instrument-wise, I love the hammered dulcimer, flute, piano, acoustic guitar, drums, saxophone, and most celtic instruments, (but I'll stop there, lest I narrow it down any MORE. Musician/Group(s): Rich Mullins, Skillet, Jars of Clay, Keith Green, Beduoin, Iona, and others... Secularly, probably my favorite band is Clann an Drumma... I also like the Pure Moods CD, Satriani, and Weird Al (yes, I saw that look you gave me!), get a BIG kick out of the Irish Rovers... and, oh yes! the Beach Boys! *grin* 
|
