Barreling down the tracks......

The "move" is really hitting home now - almost in a surreal sort of way.   We are four days out from driving our moving van away from the home we have spent the last 6 years in.  There have been good and bad times, as there always are, but my focus seems to be honing in on the good the past few days.   Thinking of new friends made, porch-sitting time with my husband, times out on the lake with friends, working our butts off on remodeling this 120 year old home, homework with kids at our dining room table.  The list goes on and on......I will miss it.   But, I do know that the Lord is calling us forward for some reason - why? - I have no idea.   I am looking forward to making new memories in Hendersonville and hopefully making some new friends and spending time with old ones from Nashville that I haven't gotten to see in awhile.   God is good - He has a plan and no matter how much I wish I knew it - I don't.   And that's okay.....

I Don't Know Much

I don't know what is coming for our family.  I don't know how badly we will miss living here.  I don't know much at all right now.  But here is what I do know.......He is God.  And this is my favorite song and I choose to worship Him no matter what.

Hosanna!!!! 

My Miss the Most List about Winchester

#1.    B.J. Mathis and the most awesome yutes in the world at WCPC.  I have been so privileged and so blessed to have help serve B.J. and the youth for the past 5 years.  I will SO miss helping with the 30-Hour Famine each year.  Great times and great memories.   I love you all very much.  Love ya Beej!

The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37: 1-14)

The past year to me has felt like wandering through a valley of dry bones.  Read Ezekiel 37: 1-14.  And these past few weeks and days I have felt myself very thirsty and dry.

During my quiet time this morning, I found myself asking "Can these bones live?".   The answer is YES - God can always bring us to a place of spiritual renewal and life.  The real question I believe is - "Do these bones want to live?".   In our journey with Christ, we definitely go through seasons of spiritual struggle - if we aren't we may need to question our growth.  But there are also times in our journey with Christ where we may feel the desire to "quit".  The past year has definitely been a time of spiritual struggle for me, and there have definitely been times where I wanted to "throw the towel in", but it is time to ask myself - "do these bones want to live?".   The answer is, and for my entire life has always been - YES.  So, today I pray for a renewal of my spirit, for a fresh wind of new life to blow through.   I pray forgiveness and grace and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  I pray it this morning for all of you too.

Have you ever found yourself  in the valley?  

Word of the Day

anx·i·e·ty

 - a noun

1. A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

2. Desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease.

"I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems. And I'm going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn't popular to talk about it in some circles today. I'm not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love, I'm talking about a strong, demanding love. And I have seen too much hate. I've seen too much hate on the faces of sheriffs in the South. I've seen hate on the faces of too many Klansmen and too many White Citizens Councilors in the South to want to hate myself, because every time I see it, I know that it does something to their faces and their personalities and I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we are moving against wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. He who hates does not know God, but he who has love has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality."  

Martin Luther King, Jr.

THE MOVE!

If someone asked me to describe my emotions and also my house at the SAME time with one word, it would have to be DISARRAY.   And one thing I don't deal well with is disarray.  I can handle clutter.  I can handle a little chaos.  I can handle even handle massive multi-tasking.   But, THIS, THIS I cannot handle.  For, you see, not only do we have to box up and move (with the obligatory and much needed yard sale), but I have to break them down into categories and different parts of the house.   The categories would be:   APARTMENT, STORAGE, YARD SALE.   I don't like this.  I don't like it a bit.  I have never had to do APARTMENT or STORAGE category before and the amount of brain work involved is obviously something I have surpassed due to old age.  :)

 So, once again, I ask for prayer.  Prayer that I won't put something very much needed into the bottom of a box that ends up in storage.  Prayer that in the midst of trying to divide said categories Chris and I will not kill each other.  Prayer that we make it through this change...........love and hugs ~ Melissa

need to breathe....

some days, many lately, i have to stop and consciously repeat this verse over and over.  It calms me, it helps me breathe and as I say it, I picture my Father holding my hand and leading me down life's uncertain pathways.  Uncertain, yet tranquil.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.   
Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)