Siesta Scripture Memory 7.1.09

I can't believe we are half way through 2009! One of my big goals for the year has been to meditate on and memorize scripture more. For this reason, I joined the Siesta Scripture Memory Team at the LPM blog. The goal is to memorize two verses a month. That's 24 verses memorized by the end of 2009! I have been so excited about God's Word this year that I had to go out and get a special Scripture notebook that I could record verses in that speak to my heart. It has become my very own praying God's Word journal and I flip through it often when I am feeling discouraged, weary, or just need to be refreshed. I am really learning how much power there is in praying the scriptures!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 has been a familiar verse to me for many years. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

More recently, I was encouraged by Romans 15:4 "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Through the endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Hope is the word that I am focusing on for my 13th memory verse of the year. It is Psalm 147:10-11

"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

The word "delights" in this verse translates "to be pleased with, be favorable to, accept favorably." God is delighted when we put our hope in His Word, and His unfailing love.

I pray you are encouraged by this promise today.
~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 6.26.09

^{Ecclesiastes 3:11} He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Girls, that means me and you! He has made (insert your name here) beautiful in her time. Sometimes I think, no, I KNOW that we cannot fathom how beautiful we are in God's eyes. How I wish that I could be chatting with you face to face this morning, because some of you (including me) need to hear this! You are fearfully and wonderfully made - His bride, His inheritance.

This is my prayer for you this morning, that no matter how you might see yourself in the mirror, you will know that He sees the reflection of Christ, His Son, in you.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. -2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Thanks for stopping by this morning. I hope that you will let Him fill your cup to overflowing with His love for you this week.

~Melissa

Praise the Lord!

This morning I just feel like praising the Lord! :)

"Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!"
-Psalm 147:1

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Happy Father's Day to my husband, my friend, and the Father of my children. You mean everything to me and the kids! We love you!

Company Girl Coffee 6.19.09

Good morning! I just got done with my insurance exam (we're switching Life Insurance companies) and I'm ready for coffee! Actually, I have an appointment for coffee with a friend at 10:30am so I need to prepare for that but feel free to stick around, read my post about bathtubs, (see below) or just linger a while and listen to the music. :) I sure do love my coffee time with all of you girls and I'll be checking in with you later this afternoon for sure!

Quick question before I go...Now that it's summer and I have my older three kids at home for lunches again, can any of you help me think OUTSIDE the lunch box?

~Melissa

How Big is Your Bathtub?

I've been Spring cleaning in the bathroom this week. I've sorted the medicine cabinet, gone through the drawers, cleaned the outside of the toilet, wiped down the light bulbs...etc. The number one thing that I dread in the bathroom is without a doubt, hands down, cleaning the bathtub. I don't care how many products there are out there that say "no scrubbing necessary," you just HAVE to use a little elbow grease on the bathtub! It's a pain, and I've been avoiding it all week.

Until this morning. I had a little change of heart when I read this:
He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths. -1 Kings 7:23-26

For those of you who may be wondering what "the Sea" was, it was basically one very large bathtub! Actually, it was one large bathtub that held several baths. The "Sea" was to be used by the Priests for washing. Did I say large? I meant gigantic! Think about it. One cubit is about 18 inches. I don't know about yours, but my bathtub is about four feet, or a little over two and a half cubits long, and maybe one and a half cubits high. That is nothing compared to Solomon's bath!

I'm still trying to picture it. I mean, I've heard of claw foot tubs before, but entire bulls? A dozen of them? I would love a nice large jet tub that I can sink into and disappear someday, but I think I'll pass on the one that I need a ladder to climb into! Who's going to clean that? The housekeeper? I certainly would not have wanted to be Solomon's wife back then.

All I'm saying is that today I am going to tackle my tub, and I will never complain about cleaning it again. Well, until next Spring and then I'll just sit down and read this as a little reminder of how lucky I am!

^{Colossians 3:23-24} Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse 6.15.09

I'm half way there! This is memory verse 12. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then visit the LMP blog, or my first scripture post here.

Lately I have been dwelling on wisdom. It all started with a familiar verse that I've had memorized for a while. Psalm 90:12 says "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." That got me to thinking about the different ways that we can "gain a heart of wisdom."

• The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 111:10
• We gain wisdom from reading God's Word. Proverbs 1:2-7
• We grow wise when we walk with the wise. Proverbs 13:20
• The treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. Col. 2:2-3
• If we lack wisdom, we should ask God, who generously gives wisdom. James 1:5

1 Kings 3:5-14 reveals the origin of the depths of King Solomon's wisdom. The Lord came to the young king in a dream at Gibeon and told him to ask for whatever he wanted. Instead of asking for long life or wealth, Solomon asked for a "discerning heart." The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this, (verse 10) and promised to give him not only a wise and discerning heart, but also what he had not asked for. Riches and honor would belong to Solomon plus a long life if he obeyed God and followed His commands.

I pray for God to give me a wise and discerning heart! One that can build this home, love my husband, and nurture my children.

Proverbs 24:3-4 reflects the desire of my heart. That is why I have chosen these verses to memorize for the second half of June. I like the Amplified version the best.

"Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 6.12.09

"Celebrate the significance and wonder of life. Don't wait until it hits you over the head. It's already there; waiting for you to embrace it." ~Nicole Johnson (Fresh -Brewed Life)

Good morning! When I read this at the end of my morning devotional, I had to share it with you. Grab a cup of coffee, make yourself comfortable, and I'll tell you a little secret that I've learned this week. Are you ready? I can picture you leaning in closer with anticipation on the other side of that screen.

Here it is: Life is not meant to be taken so seriously all of the time.

I know that some of you out there are laughing at me, and some of you who are just like me are wondering if I've lost it. You see, I am a serious person by nature. I am, as one would say, "set in my ways." I like routine, lists, and predictability.

While I would like to suggest there is nothing wrong with any of those things in perspective, sometimes my seriousness can be a serious downer to those around me! At that point I just need a little reminder to lighten up and enjoy life a little. For example, this week my favorite small thing was Finding Something to Savor. It has carried all throughout my week and I have been finding myself savoring all kinds of things. A silly dance. A new game with my kids. Laughing out loud at a funny book. A great talk with my guy while giving him a back massage to relieve some tension.

None of these things happened at the expense of my normal daily tasks. I still got most of my normal routine in also. It's just that in the midst of it all, I allowed myself to see what God saw from the very beginning when He created life. It is very good.

I like the wording in the Message version of the Bible...
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!"

Enjoy your weekend everyone! Thanks for stopping by for coffee, and don't forget to stop and embrace life as it happens! :)

Here's a great video for any of you who might remember the show "Fame."

Life is a celebration

Happy Birthday BC!

Today is my son's 6th birthday! I remember very clearly the day he was born. I was scheduled to be induced at 6:00am. My mother in law met my husband and I at the hospital and she roamed the halls with me as I walked out the labor. Before very long we were welcoming our third baby into the world! I love that precious moment when they first hand your baby to you in the hospital. He was so tiny then...

He's not so tiny anymore. In fact, I think he's probably going to catch up with his older brother soon! They grow up so fast. I sure do love spending time with him. He's one of the most creative kids I know. I will definitely miss our afternoon hangout times next year when he starts first grade.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BC! I love you bunches!

10 Things to Savor

This week I thought I would reflect on yesterday's small thing and list off 10 things that I savor and am definitely thankful for. :)

1. Good morning snuggles.
2. Long, lingering hugs.
3. The smell of my children right after they've taken a bath.
4. A fun game of Uno or Dominoes with my son.
5. Yummy Ginger cookies that my husband made.
6. The smell of the grass and trees after a good rain.
7. Watching my kids swing as high as they can go.
8. A good tickle session.
9. The sound of laughter.
10. Tucking my children in at night, lingering for just one minute more.

Savor the moment...it quickly fades into the past. :)

Company Girl Coffee 6.5.09

Good morning! It's a little rushed here this morning so I only have time for a quick cup. I really missed coffee last week though, so I figured one little cup before I'm off and running won't hurt, right? To be honest, most mornings I don't finish my coffee without having to re-heat it. Mornings are kind of hectic around here with five small children and although we try to keep a routine, there are bound to be interruptions! This morning I am looking forward to treating myself to a latte on my way to a play date with a friend of mine. Then we can have some face to face Company Girl Coffee! :)

Actually, when I read Rachel Anne's post today, I smiled to myself because even though school is not yet out for us, it is for my friend Andrea. You might remember that I mentioned Andrea over coffee before. She's taking the opportunity this summer to do some really fun projects with her kids. She's calling it "Make it Mondays", and you can see her first project over at Life With You.

As for me, I still need to come up with a plan. We practically have our own park in the back yard now, so there will be lots of playing on the swing set. We also bought an above ground pool that we will set up after school gets out because summers here are pretty warm. There's a "water park" just down the street from us that has all kinds of sprinkler fun for the kids. I plan to frequent that quite a bit.

When the sun gets just too hot and too dangerous to bear, you will find us in the comfort of our air-conditioned home, keeping cool. I plan on making some homemade playdough (there are lots of recipes to choose from) and keeping lots of craft supplies around. There will also be lots of reading and a little story writing of their own. (My kids have taken to writing their own books lately.)

Have a great summer everyone! I look forward to sharing what your plans are over coffee later this weekend.

-Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory 6.1.09

Check out this valuable little nugget that I am memorizing from scripture in the first half of June...

"Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." -Psalm 112:1-2

Who doesn't want their children to be blessed? Lord, teach me to live an upright life so that my children will receive the blessing promised here in Your Word!

Thankfulness in Busy Times

Hi all! It's the first Tuesday of a brand new month! I've been kind of scarce lately because we've been really busy around here. Seems like there's something going on every weekend now, and the calendar looks just as full in June. Today I want to take time to stop and give thanks in the midst of it all and share a little about what's been happening here.

May 23-24th was our quick trip to Seattle with our three older kids. We got to hang out with a friend we haven't seen in years. I am so thankful that we got to reconnect, meet his wife and daughter, and just spend time with their family. They were so gracious to open their home to us and provide us with free tickets to the game on Sunday.

The game! It was so fun! What a great first baseball game experience for our kids. We walked around the stadium and enjoyed the sights. We even got Branden Morrow's autograph. When the game started, Ken Griffey Jr. hit a home run in the first inning! All in all, it was a great game, and the Mariners won. :)

Although I had a nice trip, I was glad to be home to my youngest two again on Sunday. I am so thankful for all five of my children! I couldn't imagine life without any of them. We spent Monday (Memorial Day Holiday) just hanging out as a family. I love days like that. We worked in the yard and played a little too. Good family bonding time.

Last week I worked some more on Spring cleaning. I spent time in the kitchen on my cupboards and continued to sort, organize and purge. Sometimes I wish I had more kitchen space, but I am thankful for what room I do have. It is my space and what I make of it is up to me. Sometimes all we need is a little imagination to make a space our own. :)

Friday rolled around and it was finally time for my girlfriend's retreat to Women of Faith! I had been looking forward to it for months! My friends picked me up at 8:30am and we headed down to the Arena. What an awesome first day! The speakers, the worship, the company...I am so thankful for all of it!

Another friend was able to join us for dinner and we had a BLAST! We had dinner in style. I am so thankful to my friend Michelle, who made this all possible for me. I only paid for my ticket and t-shirt. She blessed me with a whole lot more!


The evening session ended with a Steven Curtis Chapman concert! I love his music. He's one of the first Christian singers that I started listening to back in my teens. It was a treat to see him in person and I am thankful he was part of the conference.

The fun continued at our motel that night. Andrea met up with us again and the five of us played games and just hung out. It was the silliest time ever! We laughed until we cried. I am so thankful for friends that I can just let go with!

Here's the kicker...in the middle of the night sometime I got sick. I didn't stop throwing up until well after dawn. You know what though? Even though I missed the second day of the conference, I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with friends and I am glad they were there to pray for me and watch over me when I needed them. Andrea brought me home where I spent most of the day sleeping and recovering from what must have been a touch of the flu. Thanks for looking out for me girls!

I could not go without saying how thankful I am for my loving husband. He is, in my mind, the greatest for letting me have a special weekend while he watched the kids. Even when I came home sick early on Saturday morning, he took care of the kids all day so that I could rest. He made sure that I had peace and quiet, which is not easy in a house full of kids! I love him so much!

Well, that's my list for this week! I have so much to be thankful for and I am glad to share it with you. Have a great week!