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.