All About Sheril: Missionary, Preschool Teacher, Daughter.
Here are a few (ok, a lot) of random facts & information about me:
1. I have attended the same church for 28 of my 36 years of life (when I began going at the ripe old age of 2, the church had just started 2 months previously and had about 15 or so members). For the last 8 years I have attended via Podcasts of the sermons and when I visit home as I live in another country. I pray for the church all the time as it is going through some MAJOR changes right now!!!
2. I gave my heart to God at the age of 2 (no lie) and through divine understanding, knew exactly what that meant. If you are interested in hearing the story, just ask.
3. My lifelong dream growing up was to be a cheerleader so I tried out for the cheerleading squad as soon as I was old enough. I was a cheerleader in 9th grade and chickened out of trying out for 10th grade because a standing back-handspring was required (I think it also had something to do with my parents divorce). I even took gymnastics and dance for about 2 years in elementary school. When I got older, I taught myself how to do a front-handspring, front-walkover, back-walkover and various other things but of course was too afraid of breaking my neck to attempt any type of backwards flips.
4. I do not get paid as a missionary and have to raise all of my own support & living expenses. If you would like more information about how to partner with me, check out the Join My GO Team page.
5. I have never broken a bone in my body although I used to fall out of trees while climbing all the time. I also used to play this game when I was younger where we would ride our bikes down the asphalt street in front of my house as fast as we could and someone else would try to put sticks in the spokes so that we would flip over our bikes. That was the best game ever!!!
6. Because my parents spent so much money on my sister and brother's dental work, I didn't go to the dentist for 15 years. When I did go back finally, I still didn't have any cavities!!! I have really good strong teeth!!! Incidentally, I have 1 brother, 1 sister, 2 step-brothers, 2 step-sisters, 2 step-sisters-in-law, 1 niece, 1 nephew, 5 step-nieces, 5 step-nephews and a TON of cousins & extended family! WHEW!!
7. I have had 2 warrants issued for my arrest but have never been arrested!! It is not as exciting as it sounds, but if you really want to know the reason behind the warrants, just ask.
8. I moved to Mexico to be a missionary at the age of 28 with an organization called Youth With a Mission. I was one of the oldest people in my training class. I was older than most of the staff. It was fun and all the girls in my room called me MOM!!!
9. My current lifelong dream is to be a wife and a mom. I am patiently waiting on God to provide for both of those dreams. He has promised that He will so I will wait for His perfect Timing!!
10. I have never been on a date, weird I know!!! I've never been asked, SAD!!! I have also never been kissed, weird I know!!!
11. I teach preschool on the mission field in Mexico & have students in my class from Nigeria, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Chile, & Brazil. These students range in ages from 1 1/2 to 7 unless you count the middle/high school boys I help tutor as well. We are in the process of expanding this to include an International, Bilingual K-12 school.
12. I am full of useless information about a TON of different subjects, but my most knowledgeable subject would have to be movies and tv shows.
13. I own over 300 DVD movies and my collection is ever growing. I love all types of moves and tv shows.
14. I have always looked alot younger than I am and people often times think that I am in my early 20's when in actuality I turned 36 this past year (2014). Many people mistake my sister, who is 3 1/2 years younger than me, as my older sister (or if people have known us since we were little, they think she is me and I am her). I am secretly really happy about this!!! I've been carded on many occasion at the movie theatre (true story even at the age of 27) and I was carded at a bar/club I went to with some friends to eat. It was AWESOME!!!
15. I don't have much of a southern accent even though I was born in Tennessee and raised in Alabama. I am not sure how that happened as my parents and my sister have really country accents. My brother and I sound more like the midwest (though we have never lived there). Most people, when talking with me, think I am from California.
16. I have an amazing sense of direction. I love getting lost places that I have never been before and driving around to find my way out.
17. I am horrible at judging distances, weights, etc. I am also horrible at guesstimating. I just can't do it!!!
18. I am a very laid-back, easy-going person and always have an opinion about where to go and what to do but I ALWAYS defer to the other person as I pride myself on being very flexible. I am not that picky and it REALLY doesn't matter to me!!! THIS DRIVES MY FRIENDS CRAZY!!!!
19. For about a year I worked 5 jobs at the same time. I was a live-in nanny, youth pastor, restaurant hostess, taught preschoolers for a bible study, and worked as a preschool teacher in a different church. All of them were as full-time as they could be and my days and nights were REALLY FULL all week long!!!!
20. My favorite subjects in high school were chemistry and algebra. I love Math and Science on the chemistry/algebra side but definitely NOT the geometry/biology side. I hated geometry and biology. I think I just like the idea of mixing chemicals for really cool reactions.
21. I only completed 2 years of college (at Lee University in Cleveland, TN, across the street from where I was born). I was studying to be a teacher with the original thought that I wanted to teach high school. I couldn't decide on a subject to major in as I couldn't justify majoring in Chemistry to teach it in high school. I figured if I were to major in Chemistry, I should go into the medical field or scientific research of some kind. I ended up just taking my core classes and the basic education classes.
22. I made a commitment to the Lord when I was in high school to never drink alcohol. I have many family members who are alcoholics and I have seen how this has affected their lives and the lives of those around them. I felt like this was something God was asking me to do. I have never had any alcohol (except what little is in cough syrup).
23. I really love singing and have been in a recording studio on several occasions. I recorded a worship CD with my youth group while I was a youth volunteer. My mom also bought me studio time for my birthday one year but I was unable to finish. I would love to go back. Music runs in my family. My parents were members of a southern gospel group called "The King's Minstrels" when I was little and my sister and I used to sing for the offering. Our favorite song was "He's Still Working on Me".
24. My mom is a copyrighted songwriter. She writes songs all the time and wrote a several songs for the southern gospel group mentioned above. My favorite song that she has ever written is a song she wrote for me!!! I had watched the news on night when I was like 5 and there was a story about a little boy who had died. I promptly asked my mom if Jesus had a backyard that he could play in. She didn't know but after a few days wrote me a song as an answer. It is called "Jesus's Backyard". I would love to record it for her one day and tried several years ago to do so as a surprise gift.
25. I was also a miracle baby and almost died 3 times when I was first born and then when I was 2 or 3 swallowed a whole bottle of baby aspirin (the chewable orange flavored ones, I still love that taste). God spared me for His Glory!!!! I serve Him everyday in thanks!!!
I know this was long but if you know me at all, you know that I am a talker!!!! Hopefully you find at least one thing interesting in this small recitation of my life. Have questions?? Feel free to ask away! I am an open book & love pen-pals!!
1. I have attended the same church for 28 of my 36 years of life (when I began going at the ripe old age of 2, the church had just started 2 months previously and had about 15 or so members). For the last 8 years I have attended via Podcasts of the sermons and when I visit home as I live in another country. I pray for the church all the time as it is going through some MAJOR changes right now!!!
2. I gave my heart to God at the age of 2 (no lie) and through divine understanding, knew exactly what that meant. If you are interested in hearing the story, just ask.
3. My lifelong dream growing up was to be a cheerleader so I tried out for the cheerleading squad as soon as I was old enough. I was a cheerleader in 9th grade and chickened out of trying out for 10th grade because a standing back-handspring was required (I think it also had something to do with my parents divorce). I even took gymnastics and dance for about 2 years in elementary school. When I got older, I taught myself how to do a front-handspring, front-walkover, back-walkover and various other things but of course was too afraid of breaking my neck to attempt any type of backwards flips.
4. I do not get paid as a missionary and have to raise all of my own support & living expenses. If you would like more information about how to partner with me, check out the Join My GO Team page.
5. I have never broken a bone in my body although I used to fall out of trees while climbing all the time. I also used to play this game when I was younger where we would ride our bikes down the asphalt street in front of my house as fast as we could and someone else would try to put sticks in the spokes so that we would flip over our bikes. That was the best game ever!!!
6. Because my parents spent so much money on my sister and brother's dental work, I didn't go to the dentist for 15 years. When I did go back finally, I still didn't have any cavities!!! I have really good strong teeth!!! Incidentally, I have 1 brother, 1 sister, 2 step-brothers, 2 step-sisters, 2 step-sisters-in-law, 1 niece, 1 nephew, 5 step-nieces, 5 step-nephews and a TON of cousins & extended family! WHEW!!
7. I have had 2 warrants issued for my arrest but have never been arrested!! It is not as exciting as it sounds, but if you really want to know the reason behind the warrants, just ask.
8. I moved to Mexico to be a missionary at the age of 28 with an organization called Youth With a Mission. I was one of the oldest people in my training class. I was older than most of the staff. It was fun and all the girls in my room called me MOM!!!
9. My current lifelong dream is to be a wife and a mom. I am patiently waiting on God to provide for both of those dreams. He has promised that He will so I will wait for His perfect Timing!!
10. I have never been on a date, weird I know!!! I've never been asked, SAD!!! I have also never been kissed, weird I know!!!
11. I teach preschool on the mission field in Mexico & have students in my class from Nigeria, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Chile, & Brazil. These students range in ages from 1 1/2 to 7 unless you count the middle/high school boys I help tutor as well. We are in the process of expanding this to include an International, Bilingual K-12 school.
12. I am full of useless information about a TON of different subjects, but my most knowledgeable subject would have to be movies and tv shows.
13. I own over 300 DVD movies and my collection is ever growing. I love all types of moves and tv shows.
14. I have always looked alot younger than I am and people often times think that I am in my early 20's when in actuality I turned 36 this past year (2014). Many people mistake my sister, who is 3 1/2 years younger than me, as my older sister (or if people have known us since we were little, they think she is me and I am her). I am secretly really happy about this!!! I've been carded on many occasion at the movie theatre (true story even at the age of 27) and I was carded at a bar/club I went to with some friends to eat. It was AWESOME!!!
15. I don't have much of a southern accent even though I was born in Tennessee and raised in Alabama. I am not sure how that happened as my parents and my sister have really country accents. My brother and I sound more like the midwest (though we have never lived there). Most people, when talking with me, think I am from California.
16. I have an amazing sense of direction. I love getting lost places that I have never been before and driving around to find my way out.
17. I am horrible at judging distances, weights, etc. I am also horrible at guesstimating. I just can't do it!!!
18. I am a very laid-back, easy-going person and always have an opinion about where to go and what to do but I ALWAYS defer to the other person as I pride myself on being very flexible. I am not that picky and it REALLY doesn't matter to me!!! THIS DRIVES MY FRIENDS CRAZY!!!!
19. For about a year I worked 5 jobs at the same time. I was a live-in nanny, youth pastor, restaurant hostess, taught preschoolers for a bible study, and worked as a preschool teacher in a different church. All of them were as full-time as they could be and my days and nights were REALLY FULL all week long!!!!
20. My favorite subjects in high school were chemistry and algebra. I love Math and Science on the chemistry/algebra side but definitely NOT the geometry/biology side. I hated geometry and biology. I think I just like the idea of mixing chemicals for really cool reactions.
21. I only completed 2 years of college (at Lee University in Cleveland, TN, across the street from where I was born). I was studying to be a teacher with the original thought that I wanted to teach high school. I couldn't decide on a subject to major in as I couldn't justify majoring in Chemistry to teach it in high school. I figured if I were to major in Chemistry, I should go into the medical field or scientific research of some kind. I ended up just taking my core classes and the basic education classes.
22. I made a commitment to the Lord when I was in high school to never drink alcohol. I have many family members who are alcoholics and I have seen how this has affected their lives and the lives of those around them. I felt like this was something God was asking me to do. I have never had any alcohol (except what little is in cough syrup).
23. I really love singing and have been in a recording studio on several occasions. I recorded a worship CD with my youth group while I was a youth volunteer. My mom also bought me studio time for my birthday one year but I was unable to finish. I would love to go back. Music runs in my family. My parents were members of a southern gospel group called "The King's Minstrels" when I was little and my sister and I used to sing for the offering. Our favorite song was "He's Still Working on Me".
24. My mom is a copyrighted songwriter. She writes songs all the time and wrote a several songs for the southern gospel group mentioned above. My favorite song that she has ever written is a song she wrote for me!!! I had watched the news on night when I was like 5 and there was a story about a little boy who had died. I promptly asked my mom if Jesus had a backyard that he could play in. She didn't know but after a few days wrote me a song as an answer. It is called "Jesus's Backyard". I would love to record it for her one day and tried several years ago to do so as a surprise gift.
25. I was also a miracle baby and almost died 3 times when I was first born and then when I was 2 or 3 swallowed a whole bottle of baby aspirin (the chewable orange flavored ones, I still love that taste). God spared me for His Glory!!!! I serve Him everyday in thanks!!!
I know this was long but if you know me at all, you know that I am a talker!!!! Hopefully you find at least one thing interesting in this small recitation of my life. Have questions?? Feel free to ask away! I am an open book & love pen-pals!!