Fourth and One

Fourth and One. That was the title of our pastors sermon this morning. It’s a football term. I’m not the best with football. I like to watch it, but sometimes have no idea what’s happening. But, stay with me. 

Fourth and One. Fourth down, one yard to go. It’s crunch time. What do you do? You punt right? The goal is right there. You can see it. Did you know, the answer is not to punt? Just go for it! Statistically, teams win more when they go for it and choose not to punt. 

How often is the goal right there for you? The Lord’s blessing is right there, but he needs us to go for it! Don’t punt. Don’t miss the gift in doing the harder thing. 

I was reminded of the part in Numbers where they were so close to the promised land. The land that flowed with milk and honey and they wanted to turn back to Egypt. God had brought them so far, they were inches from the goal post and it was like, nah, let’s just go back to Egypt. This looks so good, but it looks really hard. What is Egypt to you? What is stopping you from receiving the blessings?

Drop the fear. Leave it at the alter and go and receive his love. Go receive his gift. You’re right at the goal post. Run it!

#faith #hope #love #god #religion #fear 

Invite Him to Come

God’s not said yes to every little thing I’ve asked. Praise you God. It’s difficult to understand the no in a seemingly easy prayer that should be a yes. A prayer for someone or something that we’ve prayed over for years and years. We don’t understand. We don’t understand, but our eyes are on you, Lord. 

There is one prayer he’s always answered instantly though, and it’s always been a yes. I’ve looked to him with big eyes at whatever laid ahead and said, but will you come with me? It’s always an instant yes. So maybe if you feel like you’re getting a no….no….you know I ain’t doing that….just ask him to come. It will always be an instant yes. Truth is, he’s never been anywhere else except right with us. Beside us, in front of us….in us…wherever we need him. 

#god #christianity #spiritual #faith

Untitled 6/1/17

Did you speak to me today and I just couldn’t hear? Were your loving arms around me all day holding me near?

Was your voice a sweet gentle whisper that brought comfort to me? Was my day too hurried and I was unable to see?

I know you are near. I know all your truths and I know your grace. I know your heart and that I’m always welcome in that place. 

Lord when the busy of the world and the burdens of my heart cause me to fear, oh my sweet Lord, please always draw me near. 

Kindness

Be kind to one another.

We never ever know the deep inner pockets of others; not really. We don’t know their deep stresses; their worries. Not by looking anyway. Maybe they just got a scary diagnosis. Maybe they lost a loved one recently (or 4 years ago & are still just breathing through it). Maybe they’re depressed. Maybe they have anxiety. Maybe they are insecure. WE NEVER KNOW. 

I’m a far cry from perfect. I check myself all the time. To be loving. To be kind. To be forgiving. To be understanding. To be how my loving father wants me to be. I fall short. His grace covers me and I get up and start over. 

You never know what someone is going through. I’ll share my real life example. My mom is not yet post 1 year of chemotherapy and radiation. On a DAILY basis she still feels some of the effects of chemotherapy. Out of respect for her and her privacy, I won’t go into detail. But, to look at her, you would never know. She’s done with treatment. Her hair has grown back in, etc. One year from her cancer diagnosis, she was in a bad car accident. Currently, she has fractures in her back pelvic bone. You also wouldn’t know this just by looking at her. 

My point is, be kind. Be understanding. Listen. Love. It’s a short time we’re here. And on the inside, we are all the same. We laugh, we love, we hurt, we cry. And we never know much about the inside and what others are going through. 

Be kind. 

❤️ Melissa 

Am I doing alright?

Somewhere, long ago I heard the words, “what everyone else thinks of you is none of your business.”

I would say that most often I adopt these words; they are freeing. It should matter only how I see myself & how God sees me. Most often others see you through their lenses & life experiences anyway.

Every once in a while though, you can’t help but wonder what others think of you. How do they really see you and you think you might want to know. If everyone compiled their thoughts of you in a little book, would you even want to read it? I really don’t think I’d want to….but still….

You just want to know am I doing it right? This wife/mom/daughter/co-worker/friend, etc thing right? Am I doing alright? Sometimes you just want a little voice other than your own that says, “you’re a good mom” or “you handled that right” et cetera.

You often read the book of the things you did wrong; the world speaks up about those but we should tell each other good stuff & compliment each other for things in our character done right. It’s so unheard of but perhaps we could all try it a little more in case it’s just what someone needed to hear that day.

Melissa

My Cup Runneth Over

Snuggling with my little man, he says to me, “Momma what color are your eyes?”
Me: What color are they? (I opened my eyes real wide so he could see them and check)
Little man: Blue. Momma has blue eyes. (He then puts his finger up and points to his eyes) and says, these are my daddy’s eyes.
Me: Yup, you have your daddy’s eye’s.
Little man: Nope, my daddy has mine (giggle).
Me: You have something of mommy’s though…You know what it is?
Little man: Ya
Me: You have mommy’s heart

I love my son more than I have ever found words for. I miss him when he is not around. I can watch him play, and smile all day and never tire of him. I love his squeaky three year old voice and I love how he thinks and tries to make sense of the world and categorize the things that are happening around him. He is awesome. Children are awesome.

I hope he knows his whole life how deeply loved he is and how wonderfully special he is.

God Bless,
Melissa

Tell me how you really feel

“Hiding how you really feel and trying to make everyone happy doesn’t make you nice, it just makes you a liar.”
― Jenny O’Connell, The Book of Luke

I feel like this sometimes. I try to be kind because The Lord wants me to be kind. My mother wants me to be kind. And truthfully there are so many assholes in the world, I figure I don’t need to be one too. And I like being kind. I enjoy being nice in a world full of asshole people sometimes. I don’t like to rock the boat. I like harmony and all things happy.

But sometimes I feel I compromise my happiness and while I’m trying to be nice I completely leave out honesty and it makes me sick. I feel trampled and sometimes even like a martyr. I just wish I could be honest.

No I don’t want to eat there. No I don’t want to do that. I’d rather be alone. I’d rather have company, please come with me. I’d rather spend my holiday this way, etc etc.

I pray and The Lord always says be kind child. I listen but it’s frustrating when others are not kind back.
Some people are so honest. I have a friend like this. But I find it refreshing because you never wonder what he’s thinking or needing because he will just tell you. Me? I’m choosing my words and sometimes they just remain unspoken.

How to balance honesty and kindness? More praying.

Missy

What I hope he learns

I saw a quote on Pinterest the other day, it said, “Do no harm (but take no shit.)” I instantly thought, oh my goodness, that is exactly what I want my son to know. Do no harm son. Be kind. Go the extra mile. Do unto others, etc., but if someone is harming you or taking advantage of you, or hurting you, do not put up with that shit.

Our best friends are dealing with a bully in their son’s school and it breaks my heart and pisses me off because I love them and I love their son. I see it through a mother’s eyes and I see it through the eyes of the child. Why does this happen? Why do we not have zero tolerance for bullies in school? How does one learn and excel when they are worried about getting jumped on the playground or the bus ride home?

My son is three but I worry about him out in the world without me; in kindergarten, junior high, and in his thirties. I cannot always protect him and I want him to use his head as well as his heart, but I never want him to be bullied. Of course, I know that no mother does and I know that no mother wants their child to be the bully.

I hope my husband and I can teach him the right equation of love, kindness, and standing up for yourself. I don’t even mean physically standing up for yourself, but just showing the world that he will be treated with kindness and decency, and respect. I know most of this comes from treating the world (i.e others) with kindness, decency, and respect and it will come back to you, but there are always some people that don’t play by the rules and I just…..I just want my little man to know that you should be kind but its okay to stand up for yourself too. That you should stand up for yourself.

I should clarify that my friend who is dealing with this, has taught her son this very thing and he is so much of a sweetie pie that he will not harm someone. Even when someone puts their hands on him, he will not hurt them back. He said he just can’t. How sweet is that? Her and I have spoke and I can see my son being the same way. He is such a sweet, sensitive kid, but as a mother you just want to know your kid is going to be okay when you are not around.

I wish bullying and meanness did not exist in this world. I Wish we were all just kind to one another. All the time then we would not have to worry about this.

Melissa

Reso-what’s?

I pop into Facebook and scroll through the newsfeed of my friends. I see many wishes for a Happy New Year, some very specific good riddance wishes for 2012, and of course some resolutions for the upcoming year.

I never make resolutions. I think they’re bullshit. But, as I was reading through all the posts, my heart softened a little bit. Some of the resolutions were good, some were funny, but mostly I just thought they were cute. We all try each new year to be better versions of ourself. That’s cute; I guess its not bullshit.

I think sometimes those of us who don’t make resolutions kind of still make them, we just don’t make them publicly on Facebook, and heaven’s no, we would not dare write them down anywhere to be seen, even by ourselves. But, I was thinking maybe this year, I would make some sort of resolutions. And write them down with my newly sharpened pencil.

I know goals should be measurable, specific, etc but I’m taking baby steps here. I just have general ideas right now. I would like to resolve to be less busy, to have less on my plate. But, I don’t know how to make that happen. I think overall, I just want to take better care of myself. I want to eat better, I want to be more active. I want to take time to relax. I want to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I want to drink more water and take a few more yoga sessions. I want to eat less sugar, because it is shit for your body, but I LOVE sugar. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love sugar and desserts. So, this will be hard, but I want to do it.

Whatever your plans for the new year, I hope it all works well and I wish you nothing but the best for the new year!

Melissa

Tears

When I was a little girl, I believed with all my heart that God collected all my tears. I have no idea what he did with them. But I know my tears never went unnoticed by him and he heard every tear…every word. I always felt better after I cried with him.

I’ve shed many tears this past year over lots of children and lots of families I don’t even know. Some of these sweet, beautiful babies have died from cancer and other diseases. These last children died in their classroom from gunshots.

I’m crying and trying to make sense of it, and I just can’t. I know my Lord. He’s awesome and loving and just. And this, this seems so unjust. Parents burying their babies. I can’t wrap my mind around it and I feel distant from God. I hate that the most.

I’m gonna continue to cry and pray. I don’t know if I will come up with anything but I know The Lord will hear me. I know he will cry with me, and I hope he gives me some peace.

God bless….
Melissa