O, beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
and mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine.
Till all success
be nobleness
and every gain divine!

Remember.

Deep, Thought Provoking Question

If you were an ice cream topping, what would you be?

This is the question we shall be asking the teenage girls that come up to our house tonight for our ice-cream tasting party. It's meant to be a break-the-ice kind of the thing, not a moral standard or virtue a young lady of godly character ought to find the deeper meaning to and apply to her life. The funniest thing about it is, some of us will try to find meaning in it. When I asked a friend the same question last night, the answer (after a laugh) was, "I'm trying to decide. Do I want to be squeezed out of a bottle? Or scooped up by a spoon and scattered all over the place?" Meanwhile, I was trying to decide what being the topping of nuts says about myself...

Tonight, of course, is meant to be fun. It's a chance of the girls to get together. It's a chance for them to do something funky. (After all, do you know anybody who gathers four different kinds of ice cream together, numbers them, types of tally sheets and judges it by taste, color, texture and overall performance? I mean, except the quality assurance guys at Ben and Jerry's or Blue Bell...which is a job I soooo want - even if it would mean I would spend the rest of my day exercising half to death to keep of the weight!) But for some of us - like me - having fun can be a challenge.

I told a friend this week to keep having fun. I can be serious enough for the both of us. So what I need is someone who enjoys good, clean fun. I'm not talking about anything wild. But I'm not even likely to sit down and watch a movie - at least not without some project in hand. Or stretch on the couch and read a good book - for I work full time so free time consists of chores, unfinished projects and then more chores. I most certainly don't get in my car and go to a baseball game or to meet a friend for coffee. If I'm out I'm running errands, jogging through the neighborhood or at church. Okay, okay...that's all a bit over-dramatic. But the center of all that is basically true: I don't take the time to just sit and enjoy anything - not if there's something else I have to do.

But for a couple of hours tonight, I will sit down and have some fun - well, as much fun as one can have hosting an ice cream tasting party for teenage girls. Just kidding. It will be fun. Or at least a lot of laughs!

'Tis Monday - Again

Well, as the world didn't end this weekend, guess I have to find something to blog about. Either that, or I got left behind. So my blog must go on.

Eventful weekend - and non-eventful. At least as far as blogs go. For while much happened over my weekend, some of it I have yet to sort out in my head. Or see what God will do with it. But as I told a friend, things like that help me live out the verse, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." And most times it is just as well that way, no matter how difficult it can be.

So what did my weekend hold? Well, nothing worth reporting unless you like hearing about Haley and I mopping our floors (which means nearly half a 6300 square foot home), putting away all the piles in my room and other stuff like that. I did go with a friend to our assistant pastor's house for hamburgers and a movie on Saturday. A much needed time to sit on a couch and do nothing! And on Sunday I got a nap. Hooray!

My week doesn't seem to hold much either, but that's the way it usually is on Monday and still it fills up. Tennis tonight - it if doesn't rain. Either writer's group or church on Wednesday. Friday is an ice cream tasting party. Haley and I are having a group of teenage girls up to the house for this - sampling 4 kinds of vanilla ice cream and judging them on taste, texture, color and "overall performance". This will be followed by sundaes. Should be fun.

After that who knows exactly. Something on Saturday - besides cooking. Got to think of something for fellowship on Sunday after church and a friend wants another cheesecake for the fish fry at church on Monday. Might also attend the high school graduation ceremony of my pastor's twin sons Sunday evening. In between all that, I really hope to finish poking out the outside pieces of my dollhouse, sanding them and painting them. But we'll see. As we always see.

Verse from my Week

As I sat down to write this blog, I began to think, "Some days God is amazing..." and then stopped myself. "No, Melissa. EVERY day God is amazing." And it is so. God has given me sooo much. I would run out of ink writing it all down, wear out my fingers typing it and run out of time should I do nothing else from now until the day I die proclaiming it. Below are only some of the verses the Lord has shared with me this week for myself, for another, for prayer. And while they may not speak to you and what the Lord is doing in your life right now, God's Word never returns void. I will let it speak for itself and pray it touches the life of another.

Romans 8:24-26

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Ephesians 3:16-20

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us...

Ezra 7:28b

And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me...

Mark 11:22-24

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Bubbles, Tickles and 2-Years-Old

"I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower."

"I know - I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden."

"It will?"

"Uh-huh."

It probably is a little ridiculous to be thinking of those movie lines, but they describe very well some of my silly thoughts over the weekend. I've asked myself more than once how old I am. 16? How about 2?

This weekend I had some new friends up at the house for grilled quesadillas, chips and a cheesecake that turned out amazingly, if I do say so myself. They have three kids: Abigail, Gideon and Lily ages almost 4, 2 and 2 months. Can't get any better than that.

So my driveway is covered with chalk drawings, bubbles blew all around the house, and I found lots of hiding places for hide-and-seek. The latter was Abigail's favorite. She wanted me to hide ten times and then she would hide ten times. I suggested three. "Okay," she said. But, of course, that was not long enough.

"Miss Melissa, how old are you?"

Ah, the innocence of a child - but what do I care about my age?

"31," I said.

"Then you can hide 31 times."

I leaned over to look into her beautiful blue eyes.

"What if I said I was 2?" I asked.

The look on her face spoke a thousand words. Mostly it said, "I know what a 2-year-old looks like, and you are most certainly not 2-years-old!"

After bubbles, chalk, balls, hide-and-seek and tag; we were all a bit exhausted. So, we went inside and sat in the living room. "Resting" did not last long...Abigail wanted to tickle and be tickled. Like most little girls, she is ticklish just about everywhere. She soon discovered that I am extremely ticklish on my feet. In fact, she almost got kicked in the face...but I guess her guardian angel got it somewhere in his stomach instead.

It was a wonderful weekend. Every house needs the sound of children in it. And maybe someday I will have that every day. For now I will take the brief moments God gives me and enjoy them to the fullest: bubbles, chalk, tickles and flowers that grow into gardens when I close my eyes to dream.

A new adventure, a new place, many new people…and even a new life? Edyth is delighted with her opportunity to teach the small school in a little prairie town of Nebraska. She can hardly wait to get started – try out all her creative ideas on the young lives that will be a part of her classroom. But what will she do with the challenges presented to her? Parents who do not like her teaching methods, a Christian landlady whose faith confuses her, a past that will not let her go. Can Edyth learn to trust a God of love?

Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a delightful book, full of fun characters and a God who loves and guides through everything life holds. With summer on its way, find yourself a copy, a nice shady tree to sit under and enjoy!

Interested?

http://www.bethanyhouse.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&AudId=205F4A61B07648D98551934CA40DE116&tier=2

This book was provided for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Joys of Life

Seems odd that this time last week I was dressed in a sweater and corduroy (loved it!). Today I wish we had a pool up at the house!

Busy weekend. Fixed dinner Saturday night for a friend, Haley and her dad. Turned out great! Guess I'm really good at coleslaw. Even though I never made it, don't like eating it and feel like I cheated (by using the package of cut cabbage because what was I going to do with a whole head of cabbage?), but I was told I need to keep that recipe. That was after I spent the day running, cooking, working on my dollhouse, catching up on the phone, vacuuming my car and the carpets in the house and finally collapsing on the couch with a book - and falling asleep for about 20 minutes.

Sunday was warm, but not too bad to spend most of it outside - and some of it on the roof. At Easter while I was away, Texas received some high winds which blew the chimney cap off our very large chimney. It stayed on the roof, but it was a bent up enough. Although not very heavy, it is quite bulky. So; Haley, her dad, a friend and I climbed up on the roof and put it back in place. We also decided that on the 4th, we're putting chairs up on the roof and watching fireworks for miles around.

Forgot to bring the pictures I took of my progress on the dollhouse to work today, so I'll try to post them up here tomorrow. Not that there's that much to show. I plotted out the electricity so I can wire it this week - maybe. I decided I probably need to buy at least one light so I can test each of the outlets I'm putting and making sure they work along the way. But I did paint the clapboards. And this week I hope to build the two bay windows and wall of windows in the kitchen. Then I hope to paint the outside trim. I'll have at least two evenings to work on all that - I hope. Tonight I have tennis, Wednesday is writer's group and Friday I have things to prepare for some friends coming over Saturday. Since I'm determined to get the cheesecake perfect, that might take a little while...

I can't close this post without telling about the special gift God gave me on Friday at the grocery store. I went to get some apples, having researched online what disgusting Texas apple is best for baking in pies. I knew exactly what I wanted when I saw the first sign: MacIntosh Apples. If I was the sort of person who jumped for joy in public (or in private), I would have right there in the grocery store! I haven't seen MacIntosh apples since arriving in this state. And even though they're not the best for pies, I bought them anyway - enough for one pie and four for eating!

Clapboards, clapboards and more clapboards...

Nurses and Mothers

This week is Nurse’s Appreciation Week. And as I work with nurses whom I REALLY appreciation, admire and even love; I made them little loaves of pumpkin bread.

“Is this for Mother’s Day?” Jill asked me when I gave her a loaf.

“Um, no, Jill,” I answered. “It’s Nurse’s Appreciation Week.”

“Is it? Well, just so you know, Melissa, I consider you my Texas daughter.”

I laughed – flattered. “I think I have lots of ‘Texas’ mothers,” I said.

“Oh, you do.”

A half hour later, Debbie came into the office and I gave her a loaf.

“It’s not for Mother’s Day,” Jill warned her. “It’s Nurse’s Appreciation Week.”

“Although Jill told me I have lots I mothers,” I added.

“Of course you do,” Debbie said as only Debbie can in her matter-of-fact tone. “Don’t you know we sit around and discuss what is best for you?”

Wouldn’t I love to be a fly on the wall for those conversations! For I know what Debbie said is true. The five nurses I work with on a daily basis (and now six counting our Home Health agency nurse – and even seven if you count the on-call nurse I don’t speak with daily but do work with) do love and care for me like a daughter. They want to know what is going on in my life, what I do with my weekends, if I’m drinking enough fluids when I’m sick, what I’m reading, if they can help me in the office. They also gripe and complain when I go on vacation – and then they welcome me back with songs of praise when I return. An adopted daughter could not be more loved or cared for. So, perhaps I should have added Mother’s Day cards to their Nurse’s Appreciation gifts.

But just so you know, not one of those women who I admire for many different reasons could ever replace my mom. Mom was my first nurse. Also my first teacher, chauffeur, personal private investigator, financial wizard, mediator, psychologist, counselor, cook, seamstress, maid, coach…etc., etc., etc. A thousand years of blogs could not praise her enough. Or tell all she has done for me. Or all she will do for me. And I just want my mother to know that I love her, admire her, appreciate her, and want to be just like her one day: a wife, mother, teacher, cook, private investigator, mediator…and most underpaid person on the entire planet. No matter how old I get, I still need my mom. And as my life changes, I realize I need her all the more. For some days I have no clue what the Lord has gotten me into – no matter how wonderful it all is. But just as my mom taught me how to simplify algebraic equations, I know she can make new aspects of my life simpler. I just hope one day as I can now teach algebra to others, so I can later teach what I learn to my daughters. For true learning is being able to pass on that knowledge to others. Which means my mom has written the book on motherhood – a book I hope the Lord will one day let me apply.

Cold and Rainy

Most people in Texas today are probably griping. And they were probably griping yesterday as well. I, on the other hand, am rejoicing! For God is so gracious. It is the second day of May and the weather in Texas is cold, wet and rainy. It hasn't hit 50 today. I went into my closet this morning and happily pulled out corduroy pants, long socks and a favorite purple sweater. Can't get any better than this, right?

And I completely forgot to post with my last post that Allyson had her baby!!!!! The little one arrived Easter Sunday - healthy, well and adorable (at least, I'm supposing that for all of Allyson's kids are). I have to confess that best of all, the little one is a girl. Allyson really needed a little girl. Violet needed a little sister. Her name is Laurel Keziah. And I am counting down the days until June when I shall see her....and Caleb, and Violet, and Seth, and Silas. Yea!

Other than that, I can't say much is going on the state of Texas. Work has picked up a bit. Have to go to the dentist next week. Got a long to-do list...all those little things have just caught up with me. Got to measure the rest of my house for the wallpaper, put in the electricity and buy the paint to start on the outside. Need to balance my checkbooks, e-mail a friend, order a Mother's Day gift, find a recipe. Busy, busy, busy. But good. For do I not serve an amazing God?