I just heard the most interesting thing by Beth Moore -

People normally turn to legalism (the "rules" of Christianity) when they are empty and have not had a fresh Word from God or God is not priority in their lives. When they are not holding onto God fully then they have to have something to hold onto and that usually becomes the "rules of men" because it makes them feel safe.

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.

I Peter 3:8

Ready for the Weekend!

Whew, I am ready for the weekend! Big plans for the weekend! The girls may go down to visit their grandmother in Chattanooga and Jacob and Chris will run the shop and I think I am going to paint a bathroom! Doesn't that sound super fun? I think you know you are officially old when you actually look forward to such things! OR I may just do nothing this weekend - wouldn't that be a thought!?

One thing I do know for sure is that I am ready for warmer weather. Bring on the flip flops!!!

God Is So Good!!!

I received a phone call late last night and it was such a blessing to our family! I was offered another part-time job that allows me to work around my current hours for the church! This is such a blessing to our family as it also does not interfere much with my time with the kids - the most important thing after all. So, starting this week I will be working two part-time jobs and I feel so blessed and loved by God.

One thing I have learned is that there will be times of great rejoicing and times of great sorrow in life (sometimes all at once, like this week), but we are called to do is to praise God in ALL circumstances. I am praising Him for this new opportunity but I also should be praising Him in all situations in my life - this call is for us not to have a complaining spirit about us, but to be thankful all the time.

A dear friend of mine had her parents staying with her this weekend and while they were her their house burned to the ground in East Tennessee. The first thing that their family did was praise God for their parents being alive and then have continued to praise God! Let us learn from that. God is in control and even if bad things happen to us or those we love we can have complete faith that God is working out a good and perfect work. He never means harm to us. Sometimes we just don't see the big picture. Well, most of the time we don't, right? Encouraging you to praise God today for whatever you are going through, even if that something isn't something you feel like praising Him for. Love to all!

Cadoo

This is a good family game for game night. Lots of fun, very easy and can be played in about 30 minutes. It is also put out by Cranium and we all know that the Cranium games are great! Definitely a game I would invest in for the kids.

TGIF!!!

What a Thursday we had! First of all, my aunt passed away yesterday morning after suffering a stroke about a month ago. She lived a long and healthy life and it was a blessing she passed, but she will be missed and her family, of course, is having a hard time. Secondly, I received word that a friend of mine in Chattanooga has a brain tumor (husband and 2 small children). And third, we had a smaller turn-out than we had hoped for our committee meeting. But guess what, God is still God and I still am not and He is in control and has a reason and a timing for everything that happens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
A Time for Everything

1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.
2 A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;
13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.
15 That which is has been already, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

Had To Share!

This is a recipe I received from an email recipe swap. It is NOT for the health counscious or diabetics in the family........we are going to try it out this weekend:

Candy Bar Cake

Bake a 9x13 Devil’s Food Cake (the one in the red box is best, not the blue box).

Once baked following directions, take out of oven and poke holes in the top of it. Pour a small can of condensed milk and half a bottle of caramel sauce over the top of it. Let sit overnight to absorb.

The next day, for your icing put 1 tub of cool whip on the top, pour the rest of the caramel sauce for decoration and add bits and pieces of your favorite chocolate candy. I prefer Heath Bar, but you can use anything you like. For an extra shot of chocolate, I like to drizzle Hershey’s chocolate syrup over the top, but that is optional. Eat with a LARGE glass of milk or coffee!

Joy

Well the Browns are doing well this week. Abby seemed to be recuperating well from her surgery on Monday, but is home today sick. I am hoping it is some sort of virus and not something related to the surgery. We shall see.

We are facilitating the first Franklin County Skate Park Committee meeting tonight and I am a little anxious about it. It means I have to act like I know what I am talking about and talk to a lot of people I don't know! (smile).

Other than that, life is good and we are SO blessed. In all the spare time we have, I am working on 30-Hour-Famine preparations for our church and Chris and Jacob are running the shop on the weekends.

On a more somber note, we have been spending time in prayer as a family for my aunt who is getting ready to pass away and for Chris' sister Paula who begins chemotherapy treatments on Feb. 4th. Please remember them in your prayers.

God is good and He is good all the time,

Melissa

Finish Strong!

Check out this video. We all need a dose of this every morning I believe.

http://www.new.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=63866866400&h=P-aeL&u=Pojb9

Abby is home and doing well. This is a pic of her waking up from surgery and checking out her teeth in the jar. HA! She had to borrow my glasses b/c her eyes were "fuzzy". Thanks for all your prayers!

Please keep Abby in your prayers

Abby will be having surgery this morning around 11:30 a.m. to remove four teeth. Normally not a big deal, but because of her heart murmurs she has to go under general anesthesia with a breathing tube. We covet your prayers and I will post to let everyone know when she is home. Otherwise, it has been a wonderful weekend. The girls and I traveled to Nashville on Friday to spend time with my sister and her family and had a great time, as usual. Of course, I had to post a picture of the man, i.e. Hudson and also of my nieces' booth at their annual church chili cook-off. Their theme this year was A Latte' Chili! So cute!!

Blessed

This is the story of a couple that we knew in Spring Hill, TN and went to church with. What a wonderful story!

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/fbctn/stories/wooldridge.wvx

Geez it's cold!

Another beautiful, but freezing, morning here in Winchester, Tennessee. I am thankful for heat this morning that's for sure!

The kids had quite the surprise yesterday evening when I got home from Chattanooga. I went to see my aunt who is at home under Hospice care and came back home with a pure breed Chihuaha (sp?). Her name is Satin and she is a cutie! The girls are in heaven! Thought I would post a quick pic of her this morning. Praying everyone has a blessed day and remember God loves you!

Sleepyheads off to school....

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

What a beautiful morning

Even though is very chilly here in Winchester, TN, it is an absolutely beautiful morning! I am watching the birds on our bird feeder outside the kitchen window and it reminds me of being a little girl at my home in Chattanooga. We had a window in our den where I could sit and watch the birds. I loved that! One of my favorite things in the world is the sounds of birds when I wake up in the morning. It is a reminder to me of a new day, a new beginning. It is also is a reminder to me that if God is taking care of those birds (watching over them, keeping them fed), then He is certainly taking care of me.

I have been through a lot of loss in my life and the last two years have been especially hard dealing with my brother's injury and then death. Also, there have been several times when I think I can move on and get past it and then something happens to keep me grieving or saddened. I can honestly say this new year and this new morning that I do not feel the burden of sadness resting on my shoulders anymore. I feel alive and rejuvenated and ready to live life! God has had me where He wanted me to be the past two years for a reason and I am sure it was to grow me up in my faith. In fact, I know it was. I think it was also to grow me up in my marriage and in my ability to parent. I am far from the goal line, but I at least feel like I am moving forward. God is a good God. His mercies NEVER fail. Remember that!

Love,

Melissa

Update from the Brown House

Well, 2009 has treated us well so far. We have made a lot of changes in our house this year. We are getting up earlier, Mommy has started exercising every day and not just when she can manage to fit it in, and we have gotten rid of all carbonated beverages or alcohol (i.e. wine) in the house and are not eating out as often. We all feel so much better already - now to see if we can keep it up! Another change we have made is praying together every morning before school and every evening before bedtime. This has really opened up a time where the kids can communicate what is going on with them and/or their friends and that has been a GREAT thing.

I know that as the year goes some of these "resolves" will probably fade into black, but I do know that Chris and I have recomitted our family to Christ this year and that with His help we will be able to make changes for the good and place the bad behind us.

Psalm 71:20 (NLT)
You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

Great Advice for 2009

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________.

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

*From an email forwarded from a dear friend.