Company Girl Coffee...Savor the Smile

Good morning girls! I was going to post something clever this morning but after reading Rachel Anne's post, I thought I'd just have you scroll down so I could pass on a smile during this busy season! Blessings to everyone who reads this...may you find a little something to enjoy, appreciate, and savor today! :)

Enjoy your weekend!

~Melissa

The Blessing of a Smile

This morning when I woke up and came out into the living room, I was greeted with this beautiful smile!All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth...

In every smile there is a blessing. I am incredibly blessed.

Why not pass on the blessing of a smile to someone you meet today?

~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee...A Christmas Service to Remember

Welcome girls! I'm so glad it's Friday. I've been looking forward to today for a while now. You see, my Brother in Law and his girlfriend are in town on leave from Afghanistan and today is girls' day! My Mother in Law is coming into town, and the two of us are going on a surprise trip with Kari. It's her Christmas present to us. The men are going to stay home with CD and pick up the kids from school. Then later this evening we'll join the men for dinner. It should be a great day!

So I'm short on time this morning, but I wanted to quickly share a post from last Christmas. You see, my husband is more than a Worship Pastor. He also programs our services and helps to plan sermon series, special services, videos, songs, etc... He is so good at what he does and I think he is one of the best "story tellers" ever! Last year's Christmas series was amazing. If you're interested, read about it here.

Thanks for stopping in today and I look forward to reading some of your stories this weekend. For now, I'm off to get ready for my "mystery girls' day!"

Blessings to all!
~Melissa

The Light of Life

This morning when I was taking the kids to school the song "Forever Reign" came on the radio. I cranked up the volume and the kids and I sang all the way to school. The song speaks so many great truths about God. If you've never heard it, I'd recommend sticking around for five minutes or so and listening to it.

Later in the day, as I was lighting my candles for today's Small Thing, I couldn't help but think of Jesus.


He is the creator of light (Gen. 1:3).
His Word is light (Psalm 119:105).
He brought me out of the darkness and into the light. (Ephesians 5:8-9)


He IS light.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
-John 8:12

Light of the world...forever reign!

The Little Bitty Small Thing

I've been a follower of the blog Home Sanctuary for a while now. It's a very helpful blog where the author, Rachel Anne, posts what we Company Girls like to call the Small Thing of the day. It involves completing a task that applies to one or more areas of bringing Peace, Order, or Beauty to your home. All three of those areas then work together to create "Sanctuary" in your home.

The fun thing about it is that there are points and prizes involved! :) Since it's a new month, I thought I'd just take a minute and talk about today's Small Thing.

Straighten your kitchen chairs or bar stools. That's it. 10 points a pop! Doesn't get any easier than that. I collected 90 points today in about 2 minutes.

So, if you're interested in maintaining Peace, Order, and Beauty in your home during what can be an otherwise chaotic season, stop in and visit Home Sanctuary and join the fun. You'll be glad you did!

~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday

Hey everyone! It's cold out there, but that's not going to stop me from being thankful! It's the end of another month. Only one more to go in 2010! Where does the time go? Let's see...

In January I was thankful that God knows the big picture, even when we think a few pieces of the puzzle might be missing. You can read about it here.

In February I was thankful that God's Word is so encouraging and I have the freedom to pick it up and read it anytime I want. You can read that post here.

In March I was thankful that I can trust God no matter what my circumstances. Even when a beloved family member is ill. Read about that trust here.

In April I didn't blog much, but I did discuss how thankful I am that life is made up of both mountains and valleys. You can read about it in this post.

In May (and always) I was so thankful that I am a happy mother of five beautiful children. Take a look for yourself here.

In June I was thankful to meet with God in a sweet time of worshipping Him. Not only that, but to realize that He can be found in the ordinary moments of my day. You can read about that experience here.

In July I was incredibly thankful and blessed to be spending time with the kiddos at their Grandma's house. See photos here.

In August we took another trip where I was thankful to see extended family on the Oregon Coast. That post is located here.

In September my dad passed away. Even though I was sad to say goodbye, I was thankful that I got to spend the last week of his life with him. And I'm thankful I will see him in heaven again one day. You can see a photo of my dad with me and LR when she was a baby here.

In October I brought back 10 Things Tuesday. I felt a longing inside of me to express my thankfulness for all the blessings God has given me in this life. My first new list was created with my youngest son, and you can read it here.

I know that technically, I'm done with my list for this week. But since this is the end of November, I'm going to add a little bonus for this week.

I am thankful for the blessing of family and friends. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here at home with snow all weekend long. (Lots of it!) Looking back, I am thankful that God was watching over me and my family through the ups and downs of this month. Feel free to read more about what I was thankful for in November here, here, and here.

Have a great upcoming month everyone! And don't forget to be thankful in all things!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:18

~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday - Relationship Addition

We're approaching Thanksgiving and I am excited to host it here at my house this year. It looks like we're just having two extras - my sister in-law and her husband, but we've left an open invitation for friends in case they can't leave town due to bad weather.

Yes, we have snow! Lots of it. In fact, over the past 24 hours we've been on blizzard warning. High winds plus lots of snow = very poor visibility. My back porch (which is covered) was covered in snow this morning. Crazy. The school district did not declare a snow day, so I just declared one on my own. I am not going to risk driving in those conditions!

Well, now that I've given the weather report, lets get on with the thanks-giving! This is my special tribute to all the people in my life that I am thankful for.

1. My husband - He is my best friend, an incredible dad, a comedian, a Pastor, a gifted musician, and more! I love him so much and if you want to read more about why, just go to this post.
2. Anyone who knows me knows I just adore each of my children! They all have such unique personalities. I am so blessed to be the mother of five wonderful children who make me laugh, challenge me to be a better mom, and keep me on my toes (and my knees) all the time! Just because today is his 4th birthday, I'd like to give special thanks for my youngest, CD. He's so fun and I'm glad I have this year and next with him still at home. :)
   
3. My mom - She is always there for me, even when things aren't going the best for her. She's such a good listener and I still go to her when I need sound advice. The older I get, the deeper our friendship grows. I appreciate all that she sacrificed for me growing up even in the most difficult of times.
4. I couldn't imagine not mentioning my dad, even though he passed away this last September. I have so many great memories with him growing up, and into my adult years. I spent the last week of his life with him and it was some of the sweetest time ever. He will be greatly missed this Thanksgiving.
5. My sister - Even though we are 3 years apart, we are the best of friends. I know I can always count on her through thick and thin. We are mountains apart now, but there is nothing we wouldn't do for each other. I love you sis!
   
6. My in-laws - I could not have been blessed with better in-laws. My Mother-in-law is the reason I wanted to have a big family. The first time I saw all of the siblings interacting I knew I wanted lots of kids. Everyone accepted me as one of the family right off the bat. Family get-togethers are always an adventure!
7. My friends the Phifers - They are such a big part of our lives. I am so blessed to have such committed friends. They were there for us when 4 out of 5 of our children were born. I love their two children and couldn't imagine life without them around! My friend Andrea is the first person I call if ever I need, oh, anything! She is so faithful to me and I love her dearly.
   
8. My friend Michelle - She is so loving and generous. Very sensitive to the needs of those around her. When I have need for prayer, I know she's going to answer the call. I love her family too. Every time I hang out with them I laugh. They are such fun people!
9. The teachers that my children have had since they reached school age - We have been so blessed with good teachers! I love how they have partnered with us to make sure our children get the education that they deserve.
   
10. Our church family - I am so thankful that we are in a church of people who genuinely care about us. The staff is wonderful and my husband really loves working there. The friendliness that I feel every time I walk through the doors on Sunday carries through the week. I know that if ever we have a need, our church family would step up to meet it.
    

These are just some of the current relationships that bless my life. I am so thankful for all my friends and family, near and far. And let's not forget my blogger friends! There are so many moms out there that I don't hesitate to ask for advice when I'm struggling. Thanks for being there when I need you most! :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

May you find yourselves as blessed as I am by the friends and family in your lives.
~Melissa