Love and Surprises

For my birthday this year, I got a note. A rather mysterious note. One that has had my curiosity peaked for days now.

First of all, a little explaining might help all of you understand why the note was so mysterious. In our household, it is customary to make a list of the things you want for your birthday or Christmas. Dad goes through the list and makes checks next to the things he thinks are all right to get us. Then Mom selects the ones she will purchase, buys and wraps them. This can make for some funny situations when the gift is finally opened. Dad will watch you open the gift and say, “Wow, that’s really nice. Who gave you that?”

“Um, you did, Dad.”

“Oh! Of course I did!”

So when you get a note from your mother – like I did – that says Dad has something particular he wants to get you for your birthday that year, it’s a little curious…

Sally, Haley and I spent a few moments Friday evening after I opened the note pondering on what the gift might be. On Saturday evening, something came to my mind (besides a rolltop desk…), but I didn’t think it was very likely. After all, I did turn 31.

I got home around nine last night from my writer’s critique group. I had my hands full of things and was on the phone but at the sight of the large box, I put all my stuff on the table and told my friend on the phone, “My birthday gift!” Then I proceeded to find a knife and slash it open. Guess what I got for my 31^st birthday?

A DOLLHOUSE!

Now are you curious? Look back and read my blog from January 31. There you will discover the longings of a little girl’s heart. And now you will find a grown woman whose wish has been fulfilled. She has a dollhouse. One that will take her months to put together: lots of sanding, glue and patience as she pieces together walls, clapboards, floorboards, staircases and shingles. Once that is done, more hours will be spent painting, staining and wallpapering. Then a little family will move in with all their furniture.

“Every wise woman buildeth her house…” Proverbs 14:1a says. It is a verse I have been thinking about a lot lately. I guess I now get to put it into practice – literally. But as I spread it out on a table in one of the spare rooms, I have a feeling I’ll be dreaming of my next wish: a little girl of my own to enjoy the dollhouse her grandfather lovingly gave her mother for her 31^st birthday.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11


Today this little girl celebrates 31 years of being kept safely in the loving hands of her Heavenly Father.

Random Thoughts to Round Off my Week

Well, today is my last day of work for the week. Hence, I am blogging now because I probably will not be anywhere near the internet again until Monday. Four day work weeks - love them!

My sister Sally arrives today. Grandpa is picking her up at the airport, probably before I finish typing this blog. He'll drop her off at my house at some point where I will see her when I arrive home from work this evening. Which is the reason for the four day work week. Tomorrow, she and I will find something to fill our hours. First, we'll try to start a run on a bank if they don't co-operate and close her accounts. Then we'll probably wile away some hours at a bookstore. After that, who knows. But around 5 we're meeting Haley for dinner to celebrate our birthdays: Sally's last Tuesday, Haley's tomorrow and mine on Monday. Haley is buying my dinner, and Sally is buying Haley's dinner, and I am buying Sally's dinner. Or maybe it's Sally is buying my dinner, I am buying Haley's dinner and Haley is buying Sally's dinner. We'll figure it out enough to confuse the waiter.

On Saturday, Sally, a friend and I are headed to the Fort Worth Zoo for the day. I cannot remember the last time I went to a zoo. Probably the last time I lived in Texas. We're all really looking forward to it and the weather should be very pleasant for such a day. And Sunday evening, we will finish off our weekend with more friends, good food and games. Sadly it all ends about 4 o'clock Monday morning when I have to get up to take Sally to the airport, followed by back to the office. Great way to start the 31st year of one's life!

I'm glad for the activity. For yesterday my life resembled a soap opera. Mountaintop, to valley, to mountaintop - drama, drama, drama. Thankfully, though, life is not a daytime television show full of fake characters and ridiculous scenarios. My life is beautifully orchestrated by my Heavenly Father. The same Heavenly Father who over the past months has taught me how very much He loves me. In fact, He loves me so much I cannot contain it. And this week has been more proof of that. Even in the midst of some hard blows, God's love shines forth. And how doubly blessed am I as He has placed people in my life who love me. For example:

On Tuesday I was standing at the counter in the office stuffing envelopes. A woman walked in from the Edible company with a fruit bouquet. I thought it was for Charlene, the new Home Health nurse, for not only was the day before Valentine's for her but it was also her 23rd wedding anniversary. Imagine my surprise when the lady said, "I'm looking for Melissa."

"Um...I'm Melissa," I said.

"Then these are for you."

Stunned, I signed for the bouquet and then opened the attached card. It was from my siblings in Indiana. Yes, I cried. For who am I to deserve such love? And yet my God so graciously gives it - each and every day.

Lovesick

Okay, so some of you might wonder what's up with the title of this blog? Has Melissa been hiding something? Well, truth be told, there are many things my readers don't know about me. For I'm not into publishing my life for all the world to read on a blog that can be read anywhere in the world. I just thought it would be a cute title for two reasons:

1. It's Valentine's Day.
2. I'm sick.

It started Saturday morning. (The sickness, I mean, not Valentine's.) I woke up with a cough and some sinus trouble. For me, a cough is rare. But sinus problems are a part of my regular life, so I took some drugs and went on with my day. By 6 that evening, I knew I was coming down with something serious. When Haley's mom remarked that I didn't look too good, I knew it was inevitable. So, I took some NyQuil and went to bed.

I didn't sleep well, though. NyQuil can do wonders, but I guess it kept keep a person from getting the chills. And then sweating half to death. And now since you're up, coughing. Not to mention my already swollen sinuses. So even though I felt half way decent by morning, I decided driving myself 45 minutes to church and there sharing my germs was not a kind way to spend my Sunday. So, I got a bite to eat in order to take some pills and went back to bed.

I had a wonderful day of rest: sleeping, catching up with people on the phone, reading, sitting in the fresh air, watching a movie with Haley. Went to bed feeling much better. Only to awaken at about 1 chilled to the bone again. That lasted for about two hours until I finally fell asleep, only to awaken when my alarm went off sweating buckets. I debated about work, but decided I couldn't be that bad off. And I didn't feel too bad after a good shower and some fresh clothes. But I am by no means over this. I don't sound very good. I'm still coughing and now sneezing. My sinuses pound in my head. More than one nurse today has told me I don't look so good. And the further this day progresses, the worse I feel. But I'll make it. And I'll probably even take a walk just to get some fresh air before I find something hot to eat and head to bed with another dose of NyQuil. Hopefully this one will work!

As far as Valentine's go...well, I'm still single - 'nough said!

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world:

Red and yellow, black and white;

They are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Little Bear has many questions about all the different kinds of bears that live all over the world. Why do they look different than she does? Why do they not live in the same snowy world she enjoys? Are they, too, created by the same God who loves her?

As Mama teaches Little Bear about God’s unique creation, there are many lessons children can learn about how wonderful and creative their loving God is. For, truly, He has given us a wonderful world to live in!

Enjoy!: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781400074488

This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah for review purposes only.

Dear Sally,

Today is your 23^rd birthday. It’s rather hard to believe the little baby that “ruined” my 8^th birthday is now three years into her twenties. Or maybe it’s hard to believe I can remember 23 years ago so clearly. But it was very hard to decide on just one friend to invite to my 8^th birthday party and all because there was a new infant in the house. To put it bluntly, you ruined my style.

But then, our styles have never been similar. Whereas you come at the world fighting and ordering it to be as you would like, I usually try to forget it exists outside the circle God has given me. I’ve learned in my nearly 31 years that you can’t even order that as you would wish, so why struggle to try? And I don’t much care for conflict, so why punch and hit at everything I don’t like? By no means should you ever give up your standards and the higher calling God has called you to, but mercy and forgiveness are also a part of life – although very difficult at times.

You have seen a lot of things in your 23 years – things I have certainly never seen or had to contend with. I don’t envy you some of those lessons, but then I wouldn’t want you to have to go through some of the trials I have suffered. For you are my little sister and I love you dearly, no matter what problems we have had in our relationship. Perhaps that is the major problem: I don’t want you to make the same mistakes or endure the pain I have had. Yet you seem to sometimes run in that direction.

Today there are a million things I would like to tell you. Wise things, I hope. Things the Lord has taught me. For you have already learned that being 23 won’t be easy. You’ll see your friends marry while you sit and wait without a male soul in sight. You’ll wonder why God seems to have such great plans for others while you order about kitchen staff at Chick-fil-a. What’s wrong with you that you’re missing out? Did you make a wrong turn? Is your faith too small? Will you ever see your heart’s desires fulfilled?

I hope if I say this, you’ll listen. But you probably won’t. You’re hard-headed, anyway, but I didn’t listen to such things when I was 23 either. But here it goes anyhow: you’ve got to wait. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not missing out on anything – not really. In God’s sovereign plan for you and you alone, you haven’t taken any wrong turns. Keep the faith. God knows your desires better than you know them. And when the time is right, you will be blown away at what He will do. Take it from someone who knows. Someone who didn’t plan for any of the things that have happened in the last two years – two months – of her life. Amazing things. Astounding things. And (which can be quite scary), it just seems to get better and better.

I know it’s not easy. It’s not always easy for me now. It won’t be easy for either of us tomorrow. But TRUST YOUR GOD. He is unchanging. He is faithful. He loves you. Be still and know Him. And then watch what wonderful things He does just for you.

Love, Melissa

Little Sally turning 2.

Sally at 22…and counting.

Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33

For me, the above verse is pretty straight forward. Turn it around anyway you want and it more or less says the same thing. And I’m not even married. I don’t have a husband to love me. And therefore, I do not have a husband to respect. Still, what God says goes. Right?

If you read Dr. Emerson Eggerich’s Love and Respect, you come to realize that there are, apparently, thousands of Christians in the world that don’t take God’s Word for what it says. Which is the whole reason he’s written his book and does his conference. For husbands don’t realize they’re supposed to love their wives. And wives don’t realize they’re supposed to respect their husbands. And even though Ephesians 5:33 seems to state that pretty simply, Dr. Eggerich uses 324 pages to explain it – with a lot of repetition, some pretty ridiculous clichés, and lots of letters that have been written to him. Versus what I would like to see in a book pertaining to godly marriages: biblical examples, Scripture and plain, hard truth. Just as we need for every aspect of our lives.

Towards the end of his book, Dr. Eggerich improves a little. He does make one point I like: marriage isn’t about just a husband and wife but a man and woman who love Christ first. With this solid foundation, most couples would find both love and respect a lot easier to give.

Being single, I won’t judge this book on what it might do to help a struggling marriage. But I will say it wouldn’t be the first one I would suggest to anyone: married or single.

Interested?:

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1404189408&title=Love_and_Respect_for_a_Lifetime&author=Emerson_Eggerichs

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers for review purposes only.

Super Storm 2011

You’ve probably heard that Texas has been hit with some very abnormal weather – the worse in 15 or 20 years. We’re not talking bad snows or even ice, but a couple of inches of rain/snow followed by days of below freezing weather has turned everything into a sheet of ice here. And with no way to remove it, it just sits. Of course, Texas has to pride itself even in that by giving the whole ridiculous weather pattern a name. To follow on the heels of the Super Bowl in Arlington on Sunday, it has been dubbed “Super Storm 2011”.

So, on Tuesday I stayed home from work. But not home in general. For my housemate Haley and her mother (who is visiting) decided a trip to Wal-mart and a movie might be necessary. We skipped the movie after driving the ½ mile to Wal-mart, which quite thrilled Haley.

“It says something that we’re out driving on roads like this in freezing temperatures just to go to Wal-Mart,” she claimed as we pulled into the parking lot.

“Yeah,” I agreed from the backseat, “but I’m not sure what.”

“I think,” Mrs. Myers said, “it says we’re not afraid of where we’re going when we die.”

I guess neither was one of the chaplains at work, for he thought he’d do the smart thing and walk to the bank instead of drive on Tuesday afternoon. Bundled up in all his winter hunting gear and putting his dog on a leash, he somehow managed to get there. But he couldn’t go inside for not only did he have a dog, but he also carries a gun (which, he told me, he didn’t dare leave home without although I asked him how he expected to draw it dressed in all that extra winter gear). So, he walked through the drive thru – and no doubt gave the few bankers inside something to laugh about.

I braved the weather Wednesday morning, not realizing that my office wasn’t just experiencing rolling blackouts but permanent ones. Managed to get the last of the billing done before I called it a day and went home to sit by the roaring fire and read a good book. This morning the roads were a little clearer, but I didn’t go until nearly 10. Tomorrow will probably be the same – or worse. For we might get some snow tonight and in the morning which will make things even more treacherous because then you won’t even be able to see the ice you might slip on.

Winter in Texas. This past weekend it was so warm I washed my car and spent all Sunday afternoon walking in the park with a friend. Now I need a pair of ice skates to get to my car. I guess someday I can tell my grandkids I survived “Super Storm 2011”, but I doubt they’ll care. By then even Jerry Jones and his great Cowboy Stadium for Super Bowl 2011 will be forgotten. And good riddance.