Crossroads...Reflections from 2008

It's ridiculous how quickly 2008 has flown by. It's almost epic in a way as I reflect on all that God has brought me through. I've experienced some of the most difficult times I have ever faced...only to come out loving and understanding our God to be faithful all the more. This year was undoubtedly a year for major growing and stretching. A year that has been undeniably, one of deep preparation for God's call on my life. Can I just say that on the one hand, I'm pumped that he would deem me worthy of his call to ministry yet on the other hand, sometimes I wonder what in the world God was thinking in calling me at all! REALLY?!! It has been a long and hard road getting to this point...there were legitimately times where I was metaphorically kicking and screaming, but in the end, through all I've been through, the Lord has left me vulnerable, open and submitted to him in full trust. He broke me! LOL!

I praise God that he's blessed me with great friends who are reading this and who have been by my side through the years. I love you guys so much. More than words can express I am grateful for your encouragement and your love for me. You've each played a significant role in my life so thank you. I'm just realizing that perhaps I'm neglecting the fact that many of you who are reading this don't even know me outside the context of FUSION or have only known me for a short time...for you, I also praise God! You've added a richness to my walk, my faith and my life. You are the community in which God called me into service to him, so...thank you for letting me serve you and thank you for making it such a deep joy for me.

As I think about the number of people I've met with for coffee this year, I'm overwhelmed by God's sovereignty and his providence in allowing for our life experiences to coincide or collide into amalgamations of wildly beautiful testimonies of God's love. He never leaves us to our own devices, if you seek him, he will meet you right where you are. Sometimes he does that through others. So as I think about the numerous conversations with people who were in pain, fighting temptation, grieved, heart broken, fighting for joy even though contrary to where they were in their faith, confused or at a crossroads moment in life, God was there. He was, is and always will be present for "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" Hebrews 10:23.

Crossroads...For me that has come to mean one thing only as it pertains to the array of the decisions and choices we face as perceived from our Faith in Jesus Christ. Either we go by way of the road that Trusts and Obeys God or go by the way that Opposes Him. Those are your choices. Remember, if you choose to follow down the path after God, there are no guarantees that it won't at times feel as though you are meandering off the path, just remember "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5&6. "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart" Psalms 119: 1&2. May this truth ring true for you...may it bring you comfort in times of uncertainty and may you always find rest in the one who never slumbers, who never grows weary.

Happy New Years Friends! I cannot wait to see what 2009 holds for each of us. May God richly and abundantly bless you and keep you now and forever!

With All My Heart,
MEL

Merry Christmas

FAIREST LORD JESUS (HYMN)

Fairest Lord Jesus,
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul's glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

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Good Morning Friends! From the Bottom of my heart, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! May the Love of Christ shine upon you this day as we celebrate his birth. I confess I fight ever fiber in me not to take for granted the story of Christmas. Holiday rituals, family traditions, gifts, hustle bustle, traffic, lines at stores...all seem to demand priority over the profundity of the story of the Great HE, Light of the World. So today I decided to do an extended study of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. Over the past couple of weeks through sermons and Christmas worship services, I've been pointed to the fact that Jesus came to us in the most vulnerable, helpless and humble of states. Of all ways to make known His power, He came to us in the form of a baby, born to man. I see such a kindness in knowing that our Maker sent His only begotten Son to thoroughly and completely imbibe the human experience. Emmanuel...God with us indeed. May this day stir in you a heart of thanksgiving and celebration of God's Good and Perfect Plan for man through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Incidentally, I am not saying you should forgo the wonderful and beautiful landscape of Christmas that can be seen in the gathering of families and friends. Eat well, stay warm and safe, laugh a lot, pray contemplatively this day and above all love generously!

Love and Peace in Him,
MEL

Prayer for 12.23.08

Dear Friends,
Will you pray this prayer with me today? ~ Mel

Gracious and Loving God, Thank you for granting us a new day; A day to enjoy the beauty of your creation through the changing seasons, a day to render our lives unto you. Show us how you might want to use us as vessels for your Great and Mighty Works today. Make us sensitive to your leading and give us courage to face the challenges of our day with grace, love and peace. Help us to find rest and comfort in you and to turn our backs to the fleeting comforts of this world. Forgive us of our selfish ways, forgive us for our futile attempts at gaining control of our lives, when you are Sovereign and ultimately in control. May we be a people who desire to follow after your heart. May the words of our mouth, the deeds of our hands reflect the love of Christ now and forever.

AMEN

Sante's Hermit Cookie Recipe

Hey Hey! I know I am long overdue for a post...life is very busy with Grad School Aps. at the moment so show some love and thanks ahead of time for any slack you can throw my way! :) In the meantime...here's a cookie recipe for anyone who loves Morning Glory Muffins. A lot of the same flavor profiles. Make em for your family this Christmas. They'll go over famously! ENJOY!

MEL
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Sante's Hermit Cookie Recipe

I use whole wheat pastry flour here, but you can substitute unbleached all-purpose flour if that's what you have on hand.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose)
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup natural cane sugar, sift out any chunks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup currants
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup milk
1 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
4 - 5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon (good quality) vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Racks in the top and bottom third.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves cinnamon, and allspice into a medium bowl - set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand), cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Blend well, scraping down the side of the bowl a few times along the way. Add the currants and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk. Chill (covered) for one hour.
Drop the cookie dough (one level tablespoon at a time) onto un-greased cookie sheets, leaving an inch or so between cookies. Dampen your fingers with a bit of water and gently flatten the dough. Bake for 12 -15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are deeply golden. Cool on a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Whisk the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl - use immediately. Frost each cookie with an off-set spatula (or pastry bag) - but not until they are completely cool.
Makes about three dozen hermits.

Better Hands Now

"Better Hands Now" - Natalie Grant

It's hard to stand on shifting sand
It's hard to shine in the shadows of the night
You can't be free if you don't reach for help
You cant love if you dont love yourself

There is hope when my faith runs out
Cause I'm in better hands now

It's like the sun is shining when the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying though my feet are on the ground
So take this heart of mine there's no doubt
I'm in better hands now

I am strong all because of you
I stand in awe of every mountain that you move
Oh I am changed, yesterday is gone
I am safe from this moment on

There's no fear when the night comes 'round
I'm in better hands now

It's like the sun is shining when the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying though my feet are on the ground
So take this heart of mine there's no doubt
I'm in better hands now

It's like the sun is shining when the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying though my feet are on the ground
Its like the world is silent though I know it isnt true
Its like the breath of jesus is right here in this room

So take this heart of mine there's no doubt
I'm in better hands now
I'm in better hands now

Post D.R. Thank you Letter

Time has gone by much too quickly...but even that does not excuse me not getting this up sooner. A thousand pardons I beg. For everyone who supported our team in prayer or without making their support known publicly...this is for you. I hope you will be encouraged by my attempt to capture our experience in the Dominican Republic. It leaves much to be desired I realize...so if you have specific questions or want elaboration...just contact me!

All My Love,

MEL
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October 20, 2008



Dear Friends and Supporters,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love, prayers and financial support for the FUSION Dominican Republic Mission Team. The trip was immensely fruitful. Praise God!! Our team arrived very late on Sunday the 12th and most of us have already returned to our daily routine. As I have been processing what I experienced personally and what we as a team were able to share through this experience, I am completely blown away by God’s love and his never ceasing provision to his beloved children. Although we did back breaking work, I am more refreshed than I have been in a long time. We serve a God who would see fit to refresh our weary spirits. Amen? As supporters and active participants in God’s ministry, I am excited to give account of what God did in the D.R.

We were privileged to work with the Rowley Family. Craig and Libby are the couple who head up the Kids Alive Program in Constanza. Craig runs the construction projects and Libby heads up the Care Center and Sponsorship Program. She also coordinates the Arc House, which is a live in facility for some of the at risk children in Constanza. The Care Center provides a before and after school program for the Kids that are sponsored through Kids Alive. The program includes a time for a bible lesson and a craft or activity connected to the scriptural lesson for that day. The Care Center also provides a meal to the kids that in some cases, constitutes the only nourishment they may have all day! Along with a formalized bible lesson, they also get help with their homework. On Wednesday, we spent an entire day helping the morning and afternoon kids make Christmas Cards for their sponsors. One of our team members is a worship pastor and he led the kids in a time of music which went over very well! We did have other pockets of time on Thursday and Friday to play with the kids at the Arc and that was some of the richest time for me personally.

Our team spent the majority of our time working on the property. We dug out dirt and gravel which we piled in order to mix concrete and then we laid a concrete driveway for their donation center. Our team building exercises in preparation for this trip, allowed for us to get a great system down in order to keep up with the demands of digging and shoveling rock as well as sand all day! We also hauled concrete debris, pulled nails from faulty foundation posts and moved them out of the worksite. We moved an entire shed of equipment and tools across the property and organized it into their new space. We were able to do multiple sweeps across the property picking up trash and glass. If this is any indication of God’s awesome work through us, our team was able to accomplish in two days, what Craig had planned for us the entire week. Needless to say, this allowed us to do above and beyond what Craig dreamed we would accomplish! I say this not to boast of our team, but to say that God used us to bless them with getting extra work done for them. In addition, the funds we raised were in excess of $7,000 which we donated to the Rowley’s to open up two school rooms by spring! What a blessing! God is so good!

Lastly, I want to share that most of all, I was struck by God’s AGAPE (Unconditional) Love. When he says that he will never forsake his people…I see it lived out at Kids Alive in Constanza. When I ponder on the forgotten children and the defiled children that are brought through the gates of the Arc Home, it is so amazing to see God’s healing hand and his love changing the very composition of these children completely! When the children should have no reason to trust anyone or open up, because of Christ’s Love demonstrated to them, they are freed up to demonstrate such joy and affection to the teams that come through! I was so blown away by the hearts of the children for one another. They were always willing to look out for one another and give up what little they had for one another! That’s the Gospel right there!

Thank you again for the privilege of representing the Body of Christ by the simple and small acts done with great love! It is an experience that has challenged me, changed me, grown me, encouraged me and ultimately it has reminded me of God’s Love for his people from one corner of the Earth to the other. Even in the direst of circumstances and the darkness that exists in this world...He is our Light and His people are not forgotten!

With Warm Regards,


Melanie

D.R. Trip Prep #3 - HOPE

"There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those."
~Mother Teresa~

Dear Family and Friends,

The Dominican Republic Mission Team will be departing tomorrow (Oct. 4th). We will be returning on the 12th very late. Please pray for our team diligently. One of our team mates will not be able to go with us due to a family tragedy. Please pray in a general way for her and her family during this time of profound grief.
Along with a heart of anticipation for what we will be accomplishing in the D.R....I am feeling a little overwhelmed because I haven't had a chance to run my errands and pack! I am looking forward to getting home and decompressing from the past 2 months. It will be great to switch gears as I'm looking forward to being able to focus on JUST what is at hand in the D.R. No swiveling...just focused, intentional service. I expect Christ's Love to be extended and his work to be accomplished...not because of any great acts but rather as Mother Teresa put it, small acts done with GREAT love.

With LOVE,
MEL

Black Hole Times

Dear Friends...Something to cling to amidst adversity. I find immeasurable comfort and peace in the reminder that ultimately we are not our own. As a result of this truth, we are called to an understanding that everything the Lord allows us to undergo has implications much more vast than our own vision for what we are entitled to or believe our lives to entail. This concept then nullifies any notion of what we think is best for us when it's motivated out of our own selfish proclivities. This means that Despite the fact that I've experienced some of the most challenging, lonely, grief inducing longings and loss during the past two years...I am HIS and I will cling desperately to him even when admittedly I don't find that it comes even close to easy. BECAUSE...Long suffering produces the opportunity to honestly and truthfully put our faith to the test. God is looking for us to endure and thrive through him and because of him, trusting in HIS ways and HIS plans for our lives. This is a difficult process, a painful gut wrenching process at times. When Jesus talks about taking up our cross to follow him, it is the experience of dying to ourselves. Recently I've felt like my heart has been ripped open and out of it has gushed all sorts of emotions and feelings that have left me feeling like I'm dying inside. I suspect that this is exactly what I'm supposed to be feeling, yet I plead for him to take it away. God is merciful and kind, but will not spare us from his refining fire. I keep telling myself that this is good for me and good for others...even when I don't buy it because I can't always trust my feelings. So trust in the Alpha and Omega because he is infallible in all his ways.

MEL
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Deliverance from the Black Hole
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
09-30-2008

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5b).
A black hole is a place of total nothingness. It's a time in our life when God removes the resources and supports that we normally rely on to feel secure - our careers, finances, friends, family, health and so forth. It is a preparation time.
When you find yourself in a black hole experience, don't just sit and brood. Take stock of your life. Take a look at your relationship with God.
First, ask God if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that He might be judging in your life. It's important to discern whether the trial we face is the result of God's discipline for our sin?or if it is preparing us for a future leadership role.
Second, when you enter a black hole, don't trust your feelings. Trust God. Your feelings will tell you, "God has rejected you. Abandon hope. He has left you utterly alone." Feelings change; God never changes. Feelings come and go; God is always with us.
Third, remember that your black hole experience is not only intended to refine and define you; it's also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but others in our sphere of influence.
Fourth, don't try to hurry the black hole process along. Remember, when Joseph was in the depths of the pit, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't climb out, jump out, levitate out, or talk his way out. All he could do was pray and wait upon the Lord.
Fifth, lean on God. Even when you don't feel like praying, pray. Even when you don't feel like reading His Word, read. Even when you don't feel like singing songs of faith, sing. When you pray, don't just talk; listen. Be silent before Him and listen for His still, quiet voice.
Sixth, be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During a black hole experience, God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. A black hole can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.

Prayer for Grace

Today's Prayer

Whew! Sometimes, Lord, it seems I'm "in the fire." Things are hectic, I'm bombarded with trials and temptations, and it is not easy. Please help me through the fiery times. I pray that I will emerge a better person, a more faithful Christian, and a living testimony to Your grace. I need Your strength, because I cannot do it alone. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name I come to You, Amen.

D.R. Prep Entry 2

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Saturday, the Dominican Republic Mission's Team met for a time of fellowship and activities to build Team Unity. It had been some time since we connected as a team and it felt good to share a meal and see the faces of everyone on the team. God has been so good to our Team and his provisions are evident! We have had amazing financial support come in on our team's behalf. Thank you again to those who gave out of obedience and for the willingness to give to the Kingdom's Cause. Your gifts make it possible to go and exhibit the love of Christ in Constanza.

Our team was exhorted by our Pastor to be mindful of finding a heart of contentedness at all times in all that we do there. He instituted a NO COMPLAINING policy!!! We don't know the exact project assigned to our team yet, so in anticipation and preparation...Andrea led us in a team unity exercise to get us thinking about how we might respond to different situations when we are working in Constanza. It was good to gleam some insight into where our hearts might be in response to the different challenges that will inevitably arise. All that from a game involving tenis balls...Don't ask. I've been searching my heart as of late and I've come to realize that I have the propensity to complain when I'm stressed, overwhelmed with all the responsibility and lack of sleep. Knowing that this is in me...I'm submitting it to the Lord! I want to get real with any area where I could even possibly come across in any other than helpful. I don't see myself complaining about any of the work that is asked of us because afterall, my work background doesn't leave room for that particular disposition. However, I think it could surface by way of expecting too much of everyone around me and perhaps complaining when maybe someone isn't working as hard or behaving in such a way that I would want. So basically not having enough Grace or Mercy toward someone who may need exactly that as God works on each of us at different speeds, in dynamically different ways. I am praying for as much patience, joy, love and mercy in my heart towards EVERYONE I encounter period. It's not easy to confront the areas where we are shortsighted yet God examines our hearts and he deals with us and fixes his love on us.

Lastly, Andrea was kind enough to create an ongoing prayer chain which will cycle through to our return home! How powerful is it to know that there are people around the Twin Cities, the country and the world praying for us???? I think the most impactful thing we can do for oneanother on this team, is to pray continuously for one another! It's clear that the enemy of our souls is trying desperately to deter us whether by discouragement, busyness to the point of selfishness, distractions, fear, insecurity...Inevitably as we do the work of the Lord, we present ourselves as a threat to the enemy and he will do what he can to sully the good things that God's people are instructed to carry out. PRAISE GOD that he is faithful and that we are not only rescued from the domains of darkness, but that we are victors in Christ. I was terribly burdened for the needs of our team and through praying, it is clear that God wants us weaved into him through being weaved into one another through prayer and love. Romans 8:31-39 was particularly impactful to my soul today...especially vs. 37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." To even try and conceive of being MORE than Conquerors in Christ is beyond anything I can wrap my mind around, yet that is what we are! The Love of Christ runs deeper and wider than any depths imagineable. We are MORE than conquerors! So, I proceed in faith, trusting that the bounty of the Lord will manifest itself through this mission trip, through our team...evidencing MORE than a conquering victory!!! I look forward to that!

Please pray for us, please pray for those we will encounter in Constanza and pray for spiritual protection for us, all the while trusting that God is gloried through our utter dependence on him to see us through!

Thanks will all my heart,
MEL

Light in Darkness...

Brothers and Sisters...if you find yourself in a dark place...be encouraged that God would see fit to refine your heart, your mind and your spirit in him. May you embrace this part of your walk with him with a rendered heart, assured that you are being prepared for mighty things! Trust that the light is never far, always near. May he always be your portion...

With all my Heart,
MEL


High Positions
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
09-09-2008

"The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position" (James 1:9).

Whenever God takes a saint to a very lowly state it is designed to accomplish something only that process can do. Job learned that "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light" (Job 12:22). Job's trials allowed him to learn things about God, himself and his friends that we all needed to know as well. He assumed things about God that he had to recant: "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know" (Job 42:3).
God reveals things in the dark places of circumstances that will be used to reveal something He wants you and others to know. He has sent you ahead to learn these things so that you and others will benefit from your unique experience. God views this place where you receive these truths as a high position. The world views it as a place to be despised.
"He called down a famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them - Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true" (Psalms 105:16-19). Joseph was also led to this high position. It was here he was prepared to be the most powerful man in the world as a thirty-year old. He learned many things about God during his captivity that was used later as a ruler over a nation.
So, if you find yourself in a lowly state, realize your lowly state is considered a high position by God that is preparation soil for revealing deep things from the dark places that God desires you to learn.

Dominican Republic Mission Trip

As some of you know, I have been actively involved in FUSION,a Young Adults Community and Alternative Worship Service at New Hope Church (www.newhopechurchmn.org/youngadults). On October 4th of 2008, a team of 14 of us from FUSION will be embarking on a Mission Trip to Constanza in the Dominican Republic, to serve through the KIDS ALIVE organization.

“Each of the children rescued by KIDS ALIVE have come from desperate situations. Our children were once street children, abused, neglected, HIV positive and living with AIDS, and still others were orphans or abandoned children. There are still so many children that are victims of war, disease or poverty.” (for more info visit www.kidsalive.org)

We will be working with KIDS ALIVE ministry to primarily accomplish a specific construction project. In addition to the Team's construction project, times of interaction with the Kids Alive children will be included as part of the Service Team schedule.

September is a CRAZY, Head spinning kind of busy month for me. I think I have 4 days where there isn't something scheduled. I find myself trying to distinguish between the many hats I find myself wearing as of late. With the "BUSY"ness of life and the task oriented events and meetings that have come up requiring planning and coordinating, I confess that I haven't had a lot of intentional pause and prayer time to be preparing for this mission trip let alone anything else! There's something profoundly wrong with that picture! I'm so remiss that only now just 1 short month away, I am setting out to be more overt about preparing myself physically, spiritually, mentally! I have committed myself to cleaning up my diet, building up strength and endurance by working out and setting aside separate times during the week to pray for my team members, myself and the kids we will encounter. I want to be sharpened in every sense so as to fully experience and accomplish ALL that God has for us. I don't do this of my own accord of course, I'll get nowhere without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the compassion of our savior to meet me every step of the way. I find immense comfort in knowing that ultimately God is at the helms of this ship and we can rest assured that his sovereignty will sail us into the harbor of his choosing while anchoring us to all that is good in him.

If you could be praying for me and the other team members, I would be most grateful! This is what I asked of my friends and family in my letter of support:

1. Concerning PRAYER SUPPORT: “The Prayer of a Righteous Man is powerful and effective” James 5:16. “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:5-7. So, please commit to diligently petitioning for our team’s protection, our health and that we would be obedient to all that God would ask of us.
Also if you could continue to lift us up in prayer regarding team unity, submission to the leadership of our Pastor Bryan McWhite as well as the leadership of KIDS ALIVE, we would be most grateful. Lastly I’d ask that you would consider asking for God’s miracles to be prevalent and that above all…in all we do, we would honor and glorify God through the labor and the relationships we will be building with the children and staff!

Nature Walks...Communing with God.

I had lunch with a number of ladies a few weeks ago. It was nice to see faces that I wouldn't normally see during the week and it was a time to just share and encourage one another. Some laughed who needed to laugh, some just needed reminder that they are loved and cared for. It was good (incidentally we have made it a Wed. tradition). I opted to walk the 3 miles home after lunch which I was entirely unprepared for. It was HOT out and I didn't have my sneakers on...I had on very flat leather sandals. Despite the not so great planning on my part...it seemed like a really intentional way to commune with God in prayer, in scripture and in taking in his scenic creation along the way. It was a connective, refreshing time indeed. God met me in multiple ways as we walked together and I was comforted deeply. I read from 1 Peter Chapter one as I started my trek home. I paused, meditated, asked the Spirit to speak it into me and unearth anything that needed his light shined upon. It was good. It was necessary and because it was was just that...any sacrifice forsaking comfort was my pleasure, my joy! As I was walking along, I stopped providentially in front of an open field. It was covered in wild flowers and tall grass encroaching onto the sidewalk as if to notify the tamed and subdued of it's feral presence. How befitting was it to come upon this field and arrive to verses 23-24? "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." We're on this earth but a brief time yet the imprint that we leave behind has Kingdom effects that we must give account for one day.

Isn't it baffling to think that we are the very conduits, the very vessels for God's sovereign plan? "Why choose me Lord?" I so often ask. Yet we are set on a course that God has predetermined. He knows our deepest desires, our needs. He knows what will sustain us and what is good for us. "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His Glory" (Ephesians 1:11-12). As I continued on my quest home I was desperate for a little reprieve from the sun so I found some welcome shade underneath a tree. As I opened my supplemental reading I came across one of God's Promises to me in Psalm 84:11 "For the LORD GOD is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." It was sweet to the very core of me. Our God is never far...he is close to my heart, he resides in my spirit and it is well in my soul. May your time with the Lord be rich and abundant! May you always break through the doldrums of a routine that is even tempted to be void of communing with our Lord!

10 Good Reasons to Read God's Word...

I am reading a book by Stormie Omartian called, "The Power of a Praying Woman." If you haven't read her stuff...please do. Her approach to writing is simplistic, but the content of her exhortations and her testimony are drenched with gravy goodness that is God's Word. I found this list to be incredibly practical.


TEN GOOD REASONS to READ GOD'S WORD
If you have trouble being in God's Word every day, here are just a few of the many reasons to read the Bible that should inspire you:
1. To know where you are going. You can't forsee the future or exactly where you are heading, but God's Word will guide you. "Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:133).

2. To have wisdom. Knowledge of God's Word is where wisdom begins to grow in you. "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7).

3. To find success. When you live according to the teachings of the Bible, life works. "This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (Joshua 1:8).

4. To live in purity. You must live a life of holiness and purity in order to enjoy more of the Lord's presence, but you can't be made pure without being cleansed through God's Word. "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word" (Psalm 119:9).

5. To obey God. If you don't understand what God's laws are, how can you obey them? "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep your Law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it" (Psalm 119:33-35).

6. To have joy. You cannot be free of anxiety and unrest without the Word of God in your heart. "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the hearts; The commandments of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:8).

7. To grow in faith. You can't grow in faith without reading and hearing the Word of God. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

8. To find deliverance. You won't know what you need to be free of unless you study God's Word to find out. "If you abide in My Word, you are My Disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).

9. To have peace. God will give you a peace that the world cannot give, but you must find it first in His Word. "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalm 119:165).

10. To distinguish good from evil. Everything has become so relative today, how can you know for sure what is right and wrong without God's Word? "Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!" (Psalm 119:11).

The Worship Service (TGIF)

May you encounter Jesus even in the small and quiet moments of your walk!

~~~~~~~
The Worship Service
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
08-08-2008

"This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed" (Lam 1:16).

Angie and I walked into the worship service. I pushed my Mom's wheelchair into the room among many, many others. This was no ordinary worship service. This wasn't our first time. The organizer recognized us and asked if we would assist in handing out the songbooks.

About only 20% of the participants could actually use them. For most of them it sat on their laps. "Why does life have to be reduced to this?" I questioned and prayed silently to the Lord. "If Jesus walked through this room, how many would He restore?" I continued to ponder. You see, Angie and I were in a dementia and Alzheimer's elderly care nursing home unit where my mom resided. A few chairs over sat the father of my older sisters' longtime best friend. Next to him was my brother-in-law's grandmother.

They were all once successful people - doctors, lawyers, business leaders, and stay-at home moms. They had, at one time, lived in fine southern homes. But they now lived in one-half of a single room. Some patients could recognize their loved ones, others could not.

The service began with singing. Only a few voices could be heard among the patients. A simple message followed. Then, something remarkable happened. The speaker said they would now close with a well-known song. It began this way; "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Suddenly, the voices in the room got louder. Patients that were not singing before were now singing. I looked over at my mom. She was whistling the tune. I looked over at Angie; tears were streaming down her face.

Yes, the presence of Jesus was walking through the room. But it wasn't in the way I thought He'd come. Sometimes the presence of God can show up in the smallest and simplest acts.

He ventured forth to bring light to the world...

Please take this article with a grain of salt. I apologize ahead of time if anyone gets offended. It's very tongue and cheek and it made me laugh. I credit this to my giggling new friend and coworker Annamarie!!! If you want to see more articles, go to www.drudgreport.com where it is said the most reporters go here to be in the know!!! LOL! "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." I don't know who said that, but it's one of my favorites because it's so true! Have a great and fruitful weekend my friends!

Mel

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece

The "New" Beijing

I read this in the Arts section of the New York Times today. Have a look-see! I think it's extremely important to have an awareness of what's going on in the world around us as believers. Our Faith, our pursuit of Biblical truth should be pervasive in All areas of our lives, including Current Events! :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/design/27ouro.html?ex=1374552000&en=c9e8429ab3f57a38&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

H2O Savy!

I'm pretty picky about my drinking water. I love VOS, Fiji water and Evian! I do...I admit it! I'm even the one who will order Perrier when I'm craving some bubbles!!! However, I realize that cooking and drinking with high end Artesian water just isn't feasible unless you make the big bucks. I draw the line there! Trust! A few months ago, my parents decided to put a Culligan Water bubbler system into our house. Admittedly, it was really convenient and the water tasted amazing! It got wicked expensive with the 5 of us constantly guzzling! One day mom and I were at the Dollar Tree and we realized that a gallon of spring water was a buck!!! Mom being the bargain shopper she is, nudged me after doing the calculations in her head and said (in Korean of course)"It would be much cheaper for us to buy cases of water instead of using the Culligan service...AND it wouldn't add to the electric bill." Her eyes gleamed and I remember thinking how idiosyncratically cute she was. FAST FORWARD TO LATER THAT NIGHT...I come home to find 90 Gallons of water being stacked along the bottom shelf of our utility shelf! We were standing there and the bottom shelf fell out and all the water jugs fell! All the work they had done for precision stacking...wasted. We ended up having to haul the 90 jugs to the basement and our kitchen (see above picture). My parents have made a few subsequent runs to the Dollar Tree to re stock. Rest assured the looks they get every time, must be that of utter amazement and or curiosity! Ahhhh...the ways of family! Gotta love family!

A Mending Heart

Fissures along the deepest recesses start to give way...
Cracks seep in and out the unwanted thoughts.
Like the ebbing of gentle ocean waves,
the low tide yields the days discard.
So my heart vacillates.

It wrestles with my mind...
Each encroaching, each demanding.
Where shall my tired spirit rest?
In the safety of my beloved Savior.
My Savior seals the holes in my heart,
with the precision of a Mason cementing each brick in place...
Sure to set an unmovable foundation.

My heart will be pieced together, stronger, wiser, renewed,
because he saw fit to make me whole.

The Cost of Beauty

In our current culture, women are bombarded daily with expectations of a standard of beauty that eludes most of us. Thumbing through a magazine inevitably brings you face to face with a shot of a woman who by the power of photo shop, makes most feel as though they don't measure up. We turn on the television or put in a movie and that same standard inevitably rears it's ugly head. Even the most innocuous of circumstances can bring about a heightened self awareness or insecurities with the presence of a beautiful woman. I could go on about how all media forms defer instantaneously to beautiful women to sell their products and services, but that would be stating the unmistakeably obvious. What I want to focus on is the preoccupation of striving to beget this kind of beauty and the toll it takes on women as a whole. Why are women so driven to prioritize maximizing their appearances, yet overlook other more lasting aspects of who they are in relationship to others? Answer: because our cultural stream dictates the flow and we follow aimlessly in pursuit of it, even if it means going over a waterfall while plummeting to our deaths. The commercials we watch, the ads we see, reinforce this notion that if we are physically without flaw, we are instantly better daughters, mothers, wives, girlfriends, even friends! So inevitably we are led to perceive that the world could be our oyster so to speak, if we would simply look stunning! That's just it, it isn't easy! It almost always costs something even for the ones who are classified as beautiful! They fall prey to the snares of jealousy, gossip, eating disorders, unfulfilled relationships, pressure to stay that way or enhance with plastic surgery, lack of sexual boundaries...as if they somehow forgo their virtue for the sake of displaying the worldly fortitude that is expected to come with said beauty! Beyond even the preoccupation with physical beauty, lies an even more disturbing cachet, competition! Get multiple women into a room and they start to size each other up. Women begin to spin from all the tabs they must keep; "Is she prettier than me?", "Is she skinnier than me?", "Is her outfit better than mine?", "Will the guys be checking her out more than me?", "Am I good enough?", "Who will love me?"...this may seem like the worst case scenario, but as much as it grieves me to say it, we aren't talking about the pejorative! Quite the contrary. Ladies...you know what I'm talking about when I say that the tension in the line of a woman's bathroom (particularly in the setting of a bar, club or event)could be cut with a hack saw! The aforementioned qualitative questions are especially prominent in this setting. Insecurity and jealousy in this regards can eventually tear apart any friendship between women! HOW INCREDIBLY SAD IS THAT???? Under these circumstances, friendships are dubious at best when plagued by the worst of this epidemic! Oh how I wish that women would see just how harmful this competition is to the very core of their being! I learned a long time ago to affirm the beauty of women in this setting. It's interesting how a genuine compliment can diffuse most of this! Take for instance my trip to the Ladies room last night in uptown at Bar Abiline. I was in line behind a woman who kept staring at my sister and I (doing what I said that most do!) Once we had established our relationship as sisters through our banter and our ease with one another...you could see her glances dissipate from critical, to familiarity. At one point I did a voice that I only really subject my family to and the woman in front of us actually smiled! I took that opportunity to tell her that I thought she looked beautiful and that her shirt was very cute! I affirmed her and instantly she started talking to me as if I were her best friend! Over the course of the next few minutes, I got the inside scoop, a short glimpse of who she was. There was no sizing up, just a mutual appreciation for all that is woman!

Imagine the power women have to lift one another up through this act of acknowledging and appreciating beauty in one another! It instantly connects us, it orientates us to who we are and NOT what we look like. There is healing to be found in genuinely expressing an appreciation for another woman's worth in the eyes of the Lord! We are made in his image. We have been entrusted the helper roles of life, the nourishing roles of life. Yet somehow, the world has turned us against one another so that instead of living up to the vital role that was meant for us, we are exploited and are in some ways victims of curtailed usury. I implore you ladies to find ways to remember that the primary focus of your beauty comes from the formative power of Jesus. Your extension of beauty flows from the love that comes first from being loved by your Savior and the fruits born out of the motivation to serve and love others as a result! Am I saying ditch your makeup, your clothes, your gym memberships, the wonderfully girly and smelly lotions and shower gels we go nuts for...no! In and of themselves they are fine, but you may want to reevaluate where they fall on your list of priorities. There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to take care of yourself and put a good face forward. I am not even saying that there is anything wrong with modeling. I'm just saying, it's all about intent. I am challenging you to consider that it does get more costly if you start to obsess over these things before your duty to the Lord. I freely confess that it is almost a daily battle to not give in to the worldly pressures to look beautiful. I'm not saying I do it well a lot, but I do know that this is something I continually bring before the Lord in submission OFTEN! So ladies, next time you are in a situation where you recognize the scenario I pointed out, find ways to compliment and affirm the women around you. It can be an incredible witness to the standard to which we are called as believing women! If you see your friend do something to demonstrate her love and service to you, thank her! Tell her how much you value her and love her! Ladies, know that when we are walking in service and obedience to Jesus, we are DELIGHTED IN...more than any jewels could garner, we are delighted in!

How's Your Joy Quotient?

Finding Joy in my spirit was difficult for me last week...this ministered to my lonely spirit and reminded me to lift my gaze up to my maker, my Father, my Savior, my Helper, ALL THE REASON I NEED TO ULTIMATELY CHOOSE JOY.

With my love,
Mel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How's Your Joy Quotient?
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
07-03-2008

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Neh 8:10).

One of the overriding evidences that someone has a genuine relationship with our living Savior is their consistent attitude of joy and outlook on life. A follower of Jesus should not be a person who always looks at life as if the glass is half full. Instead, we should be the most positive people on earth. We should see opportunity in the midst of challenges.

The light that resides in you should be like the beam of a lighthouse to a ship that is seeking direction. Our lives should have the fragrance of Christ. People should be attracted to our lives just as the bee is attracted to the nectar in the colorful flower.

The apostle Paul understood this when he said, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2 Cor 2:14-16).

I must admit I've been with some believers whose attitude toward life is more like a porcupine. It's painful to get too close to them because of their negative and poisonous view of life that criticizes the world around them.

No matter what circumstance you may find yourself in, the joy of the Lord must be your strength. Paul learned this truth even in the midst of his adversities. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Phil 4:12-13).

How would others describe your joy quotient? On a scale of 1 to 10, where would they rank you? Today, make a commitment to greet every circumstance knowing that the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Happy Independence Day! Enjoy two of my favorite Recipes!

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR YOUR BBQ THIS YEAR!!! Anyone can throw some burgers or brats on the grill...try this one! I promise you it will be like heaven in your
mouth! CROWD PLEASER FOR SURE! BON APPETITE!

~MEL



SKIRT STEAK with CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallots
3/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (1 3/4 to 2-pound) skirt steak

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and shallots. Pulse until well blended but do not puree. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper. Remove 1 cup of the chimichurri sauce from the processor and transfer to a non-reactive bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve at room temperature for up to 6 hours. (If cooking steak another day, refrigerate sauce and return to room temperature before serving.)

Season the steak with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt on each side, as well as 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper per side and place in a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the remaining chimichurri sauce from the processor. Seal bag and refrigerate the steak for at least 2 and up to 4 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Once the steak has finished marinating, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Brush the excess chimichurri sauce off the steak and set the steak over the hot grill. Cook for 6 minutes on the first side. Rotate the steak 45 degrees, and cook another 6 minutes. Turn the steak over and continue to cook until the steak is done, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Once cooked, lay the steak on a clean cutting board, and allow it to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing across the grain into 2-inch wide strips. Serve with crusty bread and the reserved chimichurri sauce.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Sangria Blanca

2 bottles dry white, such as sauvignon blanc
1/2 cup Spanish sherry
1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Cointreau)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 bunch seedless white grapes
1 lemon, unpeeled and sliced
2 peaches, unpeeled, pitted, and sliced
1/2 honeydew, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 liter club soda

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Serve immediately, or if making in advance, refrigerate up to 24 hours, and then add the club soda just before serving.

Measuring Stick for this Christian Woman

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I've started and stopped many blog posts. It seemed that I had like 6 working ideas going at once. Almost daily, an idea or an inspiration was put upon me and I'd whip out my bible and and grab some passages to relate to what I wanted to share. HOWEVER, there was an unjustified pressure placed on me, by me, to somehow produce something that was worth reading, something that would encourage anyone who read it. I would be remiss if I didn't confess that on some level, my English Degree was coming out in me and that "THIRD EYE" was inhibiting me from just putting it out there and sharing. This is all very ironic to me considering the fact that my intent behind starting up my blog again was for the sole purpose to lift others up, by sharing how God was moving in my life! I've found that for me...when I'm authenticating my life in Christ, by sharing it with believers and non believers alike, my life has more impact when I'm sharing with the candor that MOST would attribute to me. Do I believe that God has gifted me with an ability to have insight and wisdom pertaining to life's happenings in a biblical way? Absolutely! However, I don't need to limit the Holy Spirit at work in my life and my circumstance by editing and over-editing to the point of not sharing! That's for certain!

SO...think of this post as the first post in a while that is getting back to MEL. I think it's safe to assume that most people who know me well, know that I'm a very open person, maybe even too open at times!!! :) Do I prize privacy? Yes, but not at the expense of biblical accountability through confession, through sharing and inviting others to speak into my life. I find that biblical transparency is almost always hindered in many believers by the fear of rejection, the fear of judgment, the prideful resistance to enabling correction through biblical truth into their lives. I so desire to use this gift of openness to invite others to participate in it as well! When we talk about FREEDOM in Christ, this is one means to experience the fullness of it. Am I limiting what it means to be transparent to only the "correction by sharing" aspect of fellowship? I'm not trying to, but let's be real...that's where disconnect often starts. When we're unwilling to open up and divulge the details of our struggles in life, we rob others we are in community with the ability to relate, to help, to fully support us in it. Conversely, it becomes difficult to share in the Joyful times, the times we should be celebrating! When we close ourselves up to constantly filtering the how, the when, the what if's, it's too easy to fall into the pattern of not disclosing or sharing altogether! What a shame that is. We short change the healing and connective power of biblical fellowship and then we miss out on the fullness, the richness of Christ's redemptive love in and through one another.

In a nutshell, what today's post purposes to accomplish, is to first remind myself to get back to the roots of who I am in Christ and how God has built me for his good works. Secondly, this serves to encourage YOU to take a step in faith by going out of your way to share who YOU are in Christ with others! Will you be misunderstood sometimes? Yes. Is there a cost? YES...your pride, your ego. But is it worth it???? YES YES YES...the fruit that comes from this continued experience is wonderfully sweet my friends!

Excerpt from TGIF

I thought this was a poignant place that every believer should take note of...ruminate over...and revisit OFTEN. May it bless you and encourage you!

Three Things
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
06-24-2008

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe" (Eph 1:18-19).

Paul's letter to the Ephesians exhorts believers to experience three important things in their spiritual lives that he experienced personally. As a good mentor, he desires those he is leading to follow his example.

First, God wants you to have the eyes of your heart enlightened in order to know the hope to which He has called you. God has called each of us to a future and a hope. Some do not ever realize the dreams they envision for their lives. Paul prays they will experience this.

Second, God wants you to know there is an inheritance for each believer in Jesus Christ. There are riches to be had - not financial riches - but spiritual riches that are laid up for every saint. As you are faithful to His calling in your life, there will be a reward for your faithfulness.

Third, God desires you to tap into the power that is available to every believer. Paul often exhorted believers not to look at his persuasive words, but the demonstration of the power of God in his life. He wants you to know this same power is available to you. After all, Jesus said we would do even greater works than He did after He sent the Holy Spirit to us.

Pray that God reveals the hope that exists inside of you, be encouraged that there is an inheritance awaiting you, and know that you have power that resides in you that awaits those who exercise their faith to release it.

Jesus is Alive...We are Made New!

May this make your spirit rejoice, the way it did mine. May the reminder of God's love for us through our Savior Jesus Christ ALWAYS move mountains in your heart...FOR HE IS ALIVE!

Collection of some of my Poems

Autobiography Poem

Half and Half, plus a whole…

Creates three quarters Korean and one quarter mystery…

A mystery that my father has chased.

A past seemingly erased.

Never quite accepted as Korean

Nor fully an American…

Because my eyes slant and I tower among the trees.

I am quite contrary, but no one wonders how my garden grows.

From Seoul to soul to the East coast I move about.

From the south up to the north, never in one spot

Long enough to feel settled.

As a result, I can never stay still for too long…

Knee jerk! I get antsy…

Even in love, I contemplate my ability to stay for long,

Because I stayed too long and it was poison.

Did I mention that I dropped my brother when he was just a month old?

Or that I used to sneak my sister out of her crib to sleep with me

In my big girl bed?

Do they remember what remains imprinted so warmly in the archives of my head?

I love to speak with food… Express with music.

My voice is never missed with my meatballs and sauce.

Molded with intent and with confidence I express my desires.

My desire to create a unique experience every time with food… with music…

I write my own songs and people are surprised by that.

Music runs through me… It runs me.

Even if I run from it, it finds me wherever I go. It settles me…

It is the only thing that settles me.

I see great things in my life, from Hawaii to Alaska…

From friendships long withstanding, to the mistakes I have made.

We’ve all been careless… I crashed my Toyota because I wasn’t paying attention…

Because I was on my CELLPHONE!

Yet with the rising of the sun comes a new day… A chance to set things right.

“The Fabulous Life of (fill in the blank)”

We are creatures of routine. Slumbering, snoozing…just one more minute. Coffee is my crack. I need it, it needs me, or so consumerism would have me believe.

Floss

Mouth wash

Creamer

Tooth brush

Toilet paper

I will run to Target for a mechanical toothbrush and I will most likely spend more than $30.00 for one. I will leave with T H I N G S I don’t need! Wasting my money, wasting the time I take to care for my autonomy. Of this I can stake my life on. These thoughts run through my head as I shampoo, rinse and repeat…consumerism. Sausage and eggs choke my nostrils and fill my belly before I start the daily grind.

Time for that titillating trip to Target where they will take my money and I will surrender it without hesitation. One hundred and sixty dollars for a toothbrush! It better sing, dance, clean and cook for that price. It better have diamonds on it. Diamond encrusted toothbrushes are a reality in this country. Extravagance is common place in America. Children go hungry and die because they have dysentery, while we pop Imodium and Pepto and maybe spend about 10 uncomfortable minutes on the toilet! People are dying in Africa because they can…VH1 shows me Diamond encrusted sneakers, Diamond encrusted Gameboys…They know that we buy into that crap! They encrust things with diamonds because they can. To Africa I will go to change my life and do something…anything for the wealthy people of the spirit. They may be deprived, but we are depraved. I am 15 pounds overweight while the woman in Zimbabwe once known as Rhodesia can barely keep her skin from falling off her bones. She has buried 2 of her babies…death becomes her…envelopes her.

Disneyworld uses over 1,500 pounds of gingerbread and 1,000 pounds of royal icing and another 1,000 pounds of chocolate to create a winter wonderland that promotes a holiday that we have commercialized…consumerism. Over-compensation for a loneliness that comes from selfishness and things that we can not take with us once we depart this life.

Go forth and be fortuitous with your heart. Be generous with your kindness and be responsible for humanity for it is humanity that sustains, renews…and revives us…

Imperfect Beauty through the looking glass

I see myself through the looking glass

My skin is pale and blemished.

Lines and crevices that reveal my time on this earth

like the rings of the trunk of an oak.

“Beauty is only skin deep,”

I say aloud…

I see that my flesh has been added onto,

smoothed like the clay that is glistening

with water on a potter’s wheel.

I shall never fret this because the alternate is unwomanly.

Besides, you can’t take it with you when you die.

I love the way my clavicle protrudes with prominence.

It is so pronounced, yet only few understand the subtleness

of this treasure of mine.

My eyes are tired, but they are beautiful.

They are beautiful because they have seen so much and

they never hide anything if you look deeply enough.

I see myself through the looking glass

And I see an imperfect beauty.

Man Down in the Outback
You never saw it coming.

The end I mean…

You set off to save the wildlife in your Cessna.

The wing busted mid-flight as you tracked Rhinoceroses.

You hit the ground and when you came to,

The entire weight of the plane had shattered every single bone in your legs.

As you lay in agony, the sun scorched your tongue,

slowly cooking you from the inside out.

Death crept into your legs.

It worked its way up your toes and through the marrow.

Your feet were swollen and you feared gangrene.

The least of your worries…

You endured the excruciating pain, for your will to live was strong.

The muscles in your leg took on a path of their own as they convulsed wildly.

Each wave sent the shattered bits of bone into the sinew.

It was the lactic acid, one of the body’s last lines of defenses.

Vultures hovered above you and you felt It’s shadow lingering around you.

Lionesses were lying in wait, Hyenas jostling the tall grass…

You managed to stave off your demise with the banging of metal,

scattering your predators into the outback.

Night fell and the odds continued against you.

There would be no rescuers at night.

You would die soon… you were sure of it.

As you shivered through the night, your eyes fought to remain open as you waited

for dusk…Any dusting of light as your sign that you had survived even the night.

The sounds you must have heard in your lucid state.

Then suddenly you fell asleep.

It was the most wonderful sleep you had ever experienced.

As your eyes fluttered awake, the pain in your legs was gone and you stood up and walked away from the plane crash amazed.

You began to run… fast…faster until your legs gave out and you began to fly away

Happy that you had survived.

Praise the Lord All the More!

It has been some time since my last post. It has been an interesting couple of weeks. It has been a tumultuous couple of weeks. Being of sounder mind, body and soul today as I have been recovering from a WICKED cold virus, I get a better sense of how to express what has felt like a roller coaster ride. The only semblance of peace that has been lent as I battle a debilitating cough, nasal congestion, body aches, sleep deprivation, seeming vertigo like imbalance and nausea...has been the Word of God.

I don't do "SICK" very well...not that anyone would boast in doing it well, but what I mean is that I don't reside well in my being when I get sick. I confess that I am that person who will stop taking calls, I won't initiate calls, I turn on the TV or put in movies and I tune out. THEN, paradoxically within that self induced isolation, I lament in my loneliness. I find myself wondering how I am valued or cared for by the presence or the lack of well wishes or calls I get for people expressing care for me. I take it hard...I pull in, I retract even further and Satan uses that place to try and discourage me further. It's not fun as you try and battle that. HOWEVER, the saving grace in this predicament always comes down to God's Promises and his never failing faithfulness to us...to me personally. It's a perilous road to go down, Self Pity. There is nothing helpful or beneficial in it. It has the potential to undue the fruits of God's love and provision that has been evidenced in the fellowship and relationships within the context of the body of Christ. Don't fall for it! Counterstrike the enemies attempt to yank you from the Fold of our Savior. He lies and he's good at it! I would exhort you to take your gaze and shift it up to the Cross. If nothing else, praise the Most High for his demonstration of "Agape" love...that's "Unconditional" love. Because we are in a fleeting world and from time to time our bodies will give out. And although our bodies will fail us, our God never does.

I have found considerable comfort and joy in the Psalms during this time. Particularly Psalms Chapters 16-34. It has nourished my soul with it's beauty. The beauty lying within the expressions of who God has been, who he promises to be and who God Always is !!!

* "O Lord my Rock"-Psalm 28:1

* "The Lord is my strength and my shield;my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in Song. the Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their Shepard forever."-Psalm28:7-9

* "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."-Psalms 16:11

* "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom i take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies." Psalms 18:1-3.

Need I go on? How about one more! This is especially indicative of David's uncontrollable impulse to praise God amidst adversity.

* "The Lord Lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name." Psalms 18:46-49.

SO...be encouraged to GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good, his love Endureth Forever and Ever. May you always come to a place amid your trials and the dark times, to all the more express your love and faith in His Goodness!

What Sickness Can take out of you and what it can Add

The Last three days have been a haze...I haven't had a cold like this in a while. I would say that Today is the first time I've had enough energy to do anything beyond a few emails and a comment or two on Facebook...but not much more. Being sick for me is generally a very lonely time. I tend to take on attributes of being depressed when I'm this out of it. I haven't had the strength to put in a decent quiet time in 2 days. I feel like I'm out of the loop of life and I've had to cancel on a lot of people. Phew! Did I mention that I've been blowing my nose and coughing up my lung all the while? :) I say all this because it has worn on me spiritually. This blah feeling makes it difficult to feel excitement for the word, it makes is hard to want to spend time in extended prayer no less. It was actually really scary to wake up yesterday and choose to keep rolling over to block out the world and all the decisions I have to make. I was feeling let down by my own switch in mood. The "High" of the NA Conference was definitely worn off yesterday. What did my circumstance require? My first impulse was to thank the Lord for not abandoning me, for not thinking less of me and for not loving me any less for my futile attempt to stay engaged with him. I just asked him to protect me from the enemies ploys in trying to talk trash! I know he was trying to! Today was a better day. I was able to put in some tunes from the Lu CD "Look Upon" from N.A. the worship songs helped to get my heart attuned to what I need most...which is Christ! "Hallelujah, All I need is Christ...Hallelujah...Jesus is my life." That was a befitting encouragement and exhortation! If the Lord is good even when I'm laid out...if his sovereignty and his grace for me comes no thanks to any feelings I am having or not...than GOOD has come out of this time. I praise God for his faithfulness and I bow my head in reverence for his capacity to love unabashedly and whenever I'm tempted to think otherwise...I'll remember the Cross on Calvary, where my Precious Savior Hung.

Taking a Chance!

I will never forget the first tree I climbed at the age of 8. It was the kind of tree that had been there as a first for many-o-climbers before me I'm sure! Previously I had known this very tree as the tree for the "Big Kids." That knowledge had squelched any notion of climbing the tree. It was big, it was high up and as an adult looking back...I shudder at what could have happened with one wrong step! My sister and I were in the habit of riding our bikes to that part of the neighborhood and so I became evermore the aware of this challenge. I remember looking at it one Saturday morning and thinking..."I'm gonna climb this tree!" So, with my sister Sue and other friends in tote, I decided to go for it. I remember looking at the mammoth tower and not knowing my strategy. I had thrown caution to the wind and hooked my arms around the base of the trunk and hoisted myself up to the first branch! I recall looking down profoundly amazed and frightened that I had gotten myself into this,I had two choices; figure out how to get down which admittedly was going to be much more tricky than going up...or keep pressing on to the top and deal with the quandary of making it down in one piece after a momentous victory! I chose the latter. I made my way from branch to branch with the sounds of squealing encouragement from my gal pals down below. By the time I had made my way half way up the tree, quite the crowd of boys and girls alike had gathered. Some out of genuine concern and some out of pure curiosity as to how this lil gal was gonna manage the dissent. I made it to the top and poked my head through the tufts of leaves and there bestowed the most incredible view of my neighborhood! I had never known that the culminations of all the streets I had ridden my bike on or walked came together in such a satisfying maze of freshness! I sat there unaware of any judgments or chastisements awaiting me upon my dissent. I had even forgone the reality of knowing my sister was inevitably going to tell my mom what I did. I reveled. I took it all in and as a result... I had a vision in my mind that would forever change my perspective of my home. I would never ride my bike the same, I would never look at the streets the same in our family car. I would remember my tree top experience almost daily after that. Although eventually, the climb to the top of the tree became a regular part of my park adventures...I would always be reverent of my first climb because it meant more than all the other subsequent climbs.

Interestingly, when I was struck with my two options, I wasn't somehow inhibited by a fear of failure, rather I was confronted with either going back down, pride intact, but without the experience of knowing the view from the top of the tree and that somehow was not an option. It was the potential of seeing a magnificent view, a different view from the everyday that motivated me. I wanted to look out and see my neighborhood and beyond. There is a sense of accomplishment in that...thus the multitude of analogies of getting to the top. There is indeed something to it. The problem is that as an adult, we forget the precarious balance that lies within the difference between "getting to the top" born out of insecurity, irrational fear or pride and the "getting to the top" born out of the perpetual opportunity for life altering experiences and encouraging pushes for the unknown in a manner that adds richness to one's life experience. Whenever I am prone to pursue things motivated out of fear of obsoleteness, When I am tempted to allow the temperature of the current trends of this world to dictate my response to it, I stop and I remember the innocence in what motivated me as a child. I'm reminded of Jesus's many illustrations and exhortations to being childlike in our faith and our approach to him in life. May these verses from the precious lips of our Savior encourage you to live faithfully to him with the ambition of a fearless child that does not prize glory but new heights in Jesus. May your faith be like that of a child, for his is the kingdom of God!

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." Matthew 18:3-6

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:14-16

"An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me;and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all-he is the greatest'." Luke 9:46-48