The Throne of God

This morning, I found myself at the Throne of God. Now, some of you may question that, and the skeptic in me does a little too. But when you have been there, you know it. And you are changed.

The past week or two I have been in a real funk. Lots of migraines, emotionally and physically a wreck due to various things. Just feeling like I can't ever catch up. So this morning when I was up at my usual time of 4:45 (I have three rounds of breakfast to get through by 7:30 and still need some coffee and time with Jesus to start my day), I was in pain again. So tired, so frustrated, so yuck. Again. So I just got out my Bible and all my little books I use in the morning and laid my head down on them.

(As a little background, I am in the middle of Beth Moore's study, "Here and Now", about Revelation and we have been studying most recently the Throne of God in detail, so it was fresh in my mind. See Rev. 4.)

I started praying again, but aiming for praising Him. Trying to imagine me at His Throne. I imagined myself at His feet, near the sea of glass, with the four living creatures around, the rainbow behind Him, the 24 elders...and I could totally see myself there. I could almost feel Him rubbing my back, reminding me that it was going to be OK. I could hear the wings of the living creatures....and it was amazingly comforting!!! And I specifically remember not being afraid.

Before I knew it, round one of breakfast was about to come down and I was "on duty" once again. But the peace I had after that, and the rest of my day, has been amazing. Otherworldly. No words can describe. But I was there. And I can't wait to go back.

What about you? Have YOU ever been to the Throne of God?

O:)
Melissa

Summer School/Camp

I started this summer certain that we would be "in control" of the laziness, chaos, whining and fussing that usually goes on for those long 2 months by developing the really fun Campbell Summer Camp for my girls. At first they were very excited about the rules and cool activities. That lasted about 2 weeks. I quit my teaching job so we all flunked. No one learned the books of the Bible, we did not get a head start on Bible Drill, we did not do any art projects, go bowling enough, learn about the fruits of the Spirit, or write enough in our journals.

BUT!!! One thing we did do was read tons and tons of books! Part of the draw to that was probably the fact that my kids love to read. Part was probably also that when they read they earned sticks which they could trade in for screen time. So, there was considerable less TV watching this summer! Most of the sticks were used for computer games, and the Wii was free. (as in, no sticks necessary). We did several different accounting things, but the only two rules were that it had to be books you had never read before and no book could be written down on more than one place. Also, the books had to be at or near their reading level. No super easy books to finish fast. In fact, you had to read 50 pages for each stick.

How many books did we read? I don't have an exact number, but they each read 10 books for a free t-shirt, 10 b00ks for a free book at Borders, and 8 books for a free book at Barnes and Noble. We also did a Book Bingo, where each girl was challenged to read 19 different books in various categories for prizes and fun little outings. The categories included sports non-fiction, historical fiction, several award books, just for fun, series book, etc. Leah was the only who actually finished all 19 of those with Katie a close second and Rebecca not far behind for 3rd.

Plus, remember this? Our A to Z Challenge? Well, just this week before school started we finished the task, with very little cheating.

Below I present to you, our Author and Title A to Z reading list.

Authors

Anderson, Laurie
Bunting, Eve
Cleary, Beverly
DuPrau, Jeanne
Emmett, Jonathan
Flournoy, Valerie
Green, Jacqueline Dembar
Holm, Matthew & Jennifer
Ives, Penny
Johnson, Linda L.
Kirk, Daniel
Lucado, Max
Meadows, Daisy
Nolen, Jerdine
Osborne, Mary Pope
Pham, Leuyen
Quattlebaun, Mary
Rue, Nancy
Dr. Seuss
Taylor, Theodore
Urban, Linda
Vaes, Alain
Wikles, Angela
X. J. Kennedey (cheater here...)
Yolen, Jane
Ziefert, Harriet

Title

All the World
Beautiful Ballerinas
Candlelight for Rebecca
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Ella's Big Chance
Falling Up
Giant Pandas
Hooway for Wodney Wat
If Peas tasted like Candy
Jessi's Secret Language
Kristi Yamaguchi
Library Mouse
Mind your own Business, Kristy!
Nothing's Fair in 5th Grade
Gentle Giant Octopus (cheater....)
A Penguin Story
Whatley's Quest (cheater...)
Running Out of Time
Scrambled Eggs Super!
The Three Wishes
Unite or die
V is for Volunteer
What to do about Alice
eXtreme Weather (cheater...)
You can'd see a Dod at the Zoo
Zoobreak


If you are interested in reading things like this, let me know and I'll be happy to share with you more details! Happy Reading!!

O:)
Melissa

Not so dead.....

The good news is our new computer arrived right on schedule and I am happy to be back working at home. The bad news is, now I am up at 11:00 pm *just because I can be* working and playing on it. I am wondering if I can set those parental controls on my user too!

O:)
Melissa

Dead dead dead

Luckily that does not apply to me or any family members, but it does apply to my faithful computer who is like a family member to us. He provided us with so much useful information and help that I have not even realized how much a part of our family he had become. Well, about a week or so ago, he breathed his last breath. I knew things weren't looking good for him, being 5 years old and all, but I guess I just wasn't reading the signs. The next thing I know the girls are fussing for me to "come fix the computer" only to discover their method of making it "work" was flipping the surge protector off and on.

Off he goes to the BigDogs for help. They call a day later and say, it's dead and they will try to save what they can. They then call back only moments later and say, sorry, it's all gone.

ALL GONE!!!

I keep telling myself it's a clean way to start over and we'll just go with that. Then I start thinking of everything that I had on there, like cool scrapbook layouts, a lot of my recipes, lots of church library stuff, sermons I downloaded (and paid for!), fonts and other cool scrapbooking things I paid for, oh yeah, and that little thing called Quicken!, etc.... However, there were no pictures on there (I think!) because I am manic about those. They go to CD and Snapfish.

So now my local library and I are good friends (I visit once daily!) and Roger has been so kind to bring his laptop home every night. Just the other night, we finally got around to deciding on a new computer. Let me present my soon to be new family member: The Dell Inspirion 570 MT! I really wanted the cool plum purple custom color, but decided the new 18.5" monitor and finally having Microsoft Office and Home were more important. We also ordered an extra flash drive that will hold a ton of stuff to use for download EVERY NIGHT, if I have anything to say about it! Easier than using CDs and DVDs. Hopefully it should arrive in arrive in about a week or so and I will be back amongst the land of computer junkie again.

Until then, it will be a while before I can post here again. I'm still addicted to FB and e-mail, but can only get to it about 2x a day...how dreadful!!!! But somehow I have made it. Hope to write soon on my new friend!

O:)
Melissa

My Sweet Jesus Kiss

When I first started this journey of license renewal, etc I was kicking and screaming. God gave me a promise from Joshua - "I will never leave you or forsake you."

On Monday all my paperwork was done and I was able to turn it in to the state. The whole experience was absolutely perfect (good weather, kids were playing with friends so I didn't have the added stress of hoping they would behave themselves, great parking place, easy to find office, all my entries were right on my form, I didn't need anything else) and I was quite relieved to have it off my back. Now it is in their hands and the waiting game begins.

After I dropped off the papers, I drove down to Cool Springs to get an oil change. Luckily they could do it then and in about 45 minutes. Again, yeah that I didn't have my girls with me because the waiting room was not exactly kid friendly. During that time I took my Bible in to catch up on my daily readings (I'm doing a Read the Bible Through chronologically). I was quite behind from being out of town last week! So anyway, I just chilling out in the waiting room reading along the end of Joshua. The Israelites have finally arrived in the Promised Land and all the tribes have gotten settled in their new lands. Then I read in Joshua 21:45, which I then applied to me, "None of the good promises the LORD has made to the house of [Melissa] failed. Everything was fulfilled."

As I write this, I realize it was easy to be happy with all good stuff God poured down on me on Monday. Would it have been so easy to be happy had it been raining? Storming? I needed more documentation with my papers? I had the girls with me and they were not behaving? I had to park far away? The oil change would take 3 hours? I want to believe that I would, because we are called to praise Jesus even in the storms.

Life is not always easy, in fact most the time it isn't! But the sweet thing we have to hold on to is that even in the storms God is still there, no matter what. I just love that guy!

O:)
Melissa

Stay there until...

From my journal, 3.17.2010

I love it when I hear a direct word from the Lord, even when it is not what I want to hear.

This morning in my quiet listening and singing time I was praying and thinking again about a mission trip for this year. My hopes were raised again Sunday night about the possibility of going to Mazatlan, but then quickly died Monday morning. I have been so jealous for the Monday group over India and Michelle announcing her intent to go ~ all the new excitement, scared feelings that always come when a new adventure is presented. So jealous of all the girls and guys going to Africa ~ not that I feel He is calling me to either place, but just the excitement of going.

However, every time I pray about it, I keep hearing, "The elementary school is your mission field." Since starting up our Moms In Touch group I have developed a love and passion for the teachers and kids there and love the opportunity to pray for them. I just wish I knew them all better.


Ding - ding - ding!!

Flash back to other mission trips -- Thailand was a crystal clear call from the Lord, Mazatlan was not. I struggled until the week before we left as to if I was even to go or not, not having ever felt "the call". However, once I was there and throughout the trip I realized my main job was as a pray-er and thoroughly loved that job. Angela gave me a great little prayer card that had specific prayers to pray for people.

After returning home I realized I could use those prayers any where ~ grocery store, school, church -- like a secret weapon for people who didn't even know! I was talking with Sandy one time and she was sharing about their mission field being their child's football team. I commented on how much harder it must be to be "on mission" on your home turf. But she reminded me that that way people could see that you can be in the world and not of the world. They see your human side and Jesus in you too.

Back to my Word ---

This morning as I was listening and praying I was just praying God would reveal to me if and where and when I should go, and I got my standard answer, "I've already told you." But my stubborn self was still, "Yea, but...." So when I went to open my precious Streams in the Desert here is what grabbed me right up --

"I'll stay where you've put me; I will dear Lord,
Though I wanted so badly to go..."

thus begins a poem that I could have written myself. I have now accepted my assignment from Him. The final bit from Streams today --

"Oh, restless heart, that beats against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you."

It doesn't mean I'll never get to go out of the country again, it means not now.

SO ---

2007 - Full introduced to and developed relationship with Angela who, through Jesus, opened my eyes so much more to Jesus and missions. Felt clear call to go to Thailand.

2008 - Continued developing prayer + Bible study + worship experiences with Angela, Joel, Debbie, Teresa, others... Thailand - eyes opened to situations around the world and the sacrifices people like you and me make for the Lord; discovered the joy of helping and serving them. Developed new passions for helping others.

2009 - Continued developing prayer, worship with Angela, Deb, Jennifer, and others; open to where God would lead, no clear answer for many months. Never got a clear answer till summer ~ Mazatlan ~ even then not ever truly clear until a week before leave. Amazing, amazing time with the team, completely different than Thailand, but good in a different way. Realized the major importance of prayer for situations and people. Much deeper and more important that I ever imagined. All this time I now see how God has been working this out in my life to get me where I need to be NOW. Started MiTi group and developed passion for teachers and kids at elementary school.

2010 - Passion grows stronger to reach teachers to meet their needs, whatever it may be.

But yet, I still want to go -- use my passport for Jesus. Take Rebecca to Mazatlan. This year.

3.17.10 - After pouring out my heart to Jesus, I get a clear, no question about it, black and white answer -- Matthew 2:13 - "Stay there until I tell you...."

Good News!

Boring post, I know, but we figured out how to unlock the girl in question. I knew there were many of you laying awake sleepless over this.

Help needed....

HELP!!!! We have the wii fit plus and one person can't remember their password. When you miss it 3x, they then ask you for the height of the person in question and we don't know that either. Short of trying every inch around how tall we think she might be, does anyone know a way to unlock her?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

O:)
Melissa

Postcard Swap

For the two of you all that read my blog, here is a cool idea you might want to do. Over at http://www.tanyapeila.com/ she is doing a postcard swap where you send out 49 postcards to people from all over the US and in return you will get a postcard from each state. We signed up and can't wait to get started. Check out her website for more info and states she still needs!

O:)
Melissa

God in the pillows

So, last night I was done! I was tired, grumpy, achy, and ready to go to bed. As I sauntered into my bedroom I realized to my dismay that there were no sheets on my bed. I had stripped it to wash the sheets and had not put any back on. The last thing I wanted to do at that point was put on clean sheets. So, knowing full well that it was unacceptable to SH, I crashed on top of the bed and pulled up a blanket. I was warm, had my soft, squishy pillows, and drifted effortlessly to dreamland.

Some time later (I was asleep, so I have no idea how long...) SH comes upstairs and wants to put sheets on the bed. As talented as he is, he apparently did not take the hospital candystriper class about how to change the sheets when someone is bedridden. We had a pull and tug fight about it, but finally there were sheets on the bed and I did not have to put my feet on the floor. He covered me back up and I was getting ready to drift again when I realized I did not have my pillows. I figured he was still working on them and would take care of it as I drifted again.

As the night wore on, I became very uncomfortable and realized I had no pillows. Now, for someone whose pillow situation is very important this was a tragedy! However, my exhaustion won out and I suffered all night without my precious pillows.

Finally it is 5:00 AM and my wonderful alarm goes off reminding me of the pleasures of my quiet early mornings. As I go to stand up and walk over to the alarm, I realize my pillows are right beside my bed on the floor. Right beside my bed. All I had to do was reach over with one hand and grab them and my night would have been so much better.

My help, my relief, my comfort, was right beside my bed; but I was too wrapped up in my own misery to try to find it. And it was right beside my bed.

If there is not a spiritual lesson in that, I don't know what one is. Even in your misery, if you just reach out with one hand to your Help, He will be there. Right beside your bed.

Reach for it, friends.

O:)
Melissa

Me on TV!!!

WZTV FOX 17/Nashville :: Music Beat

This was made when I went to see Beth Moore last week at LifeWay. I promise I'll post pictures later!

O:)
Melissa

A to Z Challenge

In digging around tonight for someone I found this awesome blog that is about a year or so old. It is a book person like myself who challenged anyone to read through the alphabet. I'm thinking it would be a great thing for my kids this summer in lieu of the reading programs at the library where they only read a few books and get a bunch of trashy toys. Hhm...anyone else interested in joining us?

O:)
Melissa

Snow and ice and more snow....

I know many of my FB and bloggy friends have been chatting away about all the fun they had outside playing with their kids and sledding. Well, we don't have any hills around here, but we do have a slide!




Enjoy!

O:)
Melissa