Company Girl Coffee 4.9,10

Welcome to my blog. :) Please excuse my yawns, I was up last night with a sick kiddo. I haven't even had my first cup of coffee yet, but I think I'll need a few to get through today. I'm going to keep this short, but please, scroll down and read my thoughts on Mountains and Valleys.

I sure did miss stopping by for coffee last week, but I was too busy having a blast with my family on Spring Break. :)

Have a great weekend everyone! I'll see you around for coffee...after I take a nap, of course!
~Melissa~

Mountains and Valleys

Rachel Anne, over at Priscilla Shirer's blog posted some great thoughts today from Priscilla's new book "One in a Million." I left my comment there on the blog, but thought I would share a little more in detail here.

Not too long ago, I asked God when I would have my next mountain experience with Him. It seems like I've been in this particular valley for quite some time. His answer came to me in a song. "Up on the Mountain" by Patty Griffin. Towards the end of the song I started thinking about how Moses must have felt up there on the mountain, able to see the "promised land" from a distance, but knowing that he'd never get there.

Numbers 27:12-14
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes." (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

I wonder if Moses, who met with God on more than one mountain, longed just a little bit for the valley that day. Back then, the mountain was where you met with God. It was where you would find His presence, and hear His voice. Today, we can meet with God, hear His voice, and find His peace anywhere. Yes, if we steady our eyes and watch for Him, even in the valley, we will find Him in the midst of our "camp."

I once had a conversation with my husband about mountains and valleys. We talked about how, early on in one's walk with God, it seems that there are more mountain times than valley times. Every worship experience, sermon, or prayer time is so fresh and new that you can't help but soar.

Then, as we become more mature believers in Christ, we don't just experience God on the mountain tops. Our relationship with Him becomes based on trust, instead of emotion. We sense God's presence with us on the mountain tops, AND in the valleys of life. There is joy to be found in both. In fact, the more time I spend "camping" in the valley, the more grounded in Christ I feel. I'm not saying I LIKE trials and hardships, but they help me mature in my faith.

James 1:2-4 says this: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Those words, mature, complete, and not lacking anything appeal to me. In order to get there though, we can't ignore the words trials, testing, and perseverance. The good news is that God doesn't leave us alone in the valley. He's right there, camping out with us.

As Priscilla Shirer puts it in "One in a Million,"

Unpack your bags. Because camping out is part of this journey. Patience is part of what's required for our hearts to get in tune with God's desires.

For now, I've stopped longing for my next mountain experience. Instead, I've unpacked my bags and I'm enjoying peace, right here in my own little valley while I wait on God, one day at a time.

May you be blessed as you watch for Him wherever you are,
~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 3.26.10

Good morning everyone! It's a chilly, windy March morning here. I don't mind though, because the wind is blowing the clouds away. The patches of sun shining through my windows warm my spirit. :)

Yesterday I went through all of my cook books, (a small shelf full in my kitchen) pulled some for donation, and straightened what was left. In the process, I found a fun "Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen" book. My oldest flipped through it, and asked if we could make one of the recipes for dinner. We put all of the ingredients out on the counter and set to work. As we worked together my daughter exclaimed "The best part about cooking is getting messy!" And messy we got. The outcome? Yummy homemade chicken nuggets.

Next week is Spring break. We don't have any travel plans, because I am still waiting to see if I will need to take a trip out to be with my extended family. The CT Scan showed two more masses, one in each lung, so it appears the cancer has spread. They will know more after the biopsy on Monday. Thank you for your continued coverage in prayer.

Just because we are not traveling doesn't mean we can't have lots of fun, right here at home. :) We will be making homemade playdough in bright, Spring colors, coloring Easter eggs, and pending a little nice weather, spending some time at the park. I'm really excited to be a part of Easter Sunday at church this year. I will be teaching the lesson for third grade (my oldest's class) during one of the three services. Tell me, what are some of your favorite Easter traditions or memories?

Now I'm off to play with the kiddos. It looks like they are having some block building fun on the floor over there and I just can't resist!

Have a great weekend all!
~Melissa~

Bandaids and Story Time

This afternoon my three year old, CD, got an "owie" on his thumb. After cleaning it up and putting not one, but two bandaids on it (two must be the magic number to help it feel better), the only thing that would calm him down and take his mind off the hurt was reading a book with mommy. Before I knew it, all of my kids were gathered around me. The ones that can read took turns reading as we flipped through the pages of the silly Dr. Seuss books. What a great laugh we had together. All too soon it was time for me to start dinner but CD didn't want story time to end.

Me neither son...me neither. These are the moments I cherish.

Company Girl Coffee 3.19.10

Welcome to Company Girl Coffee!

For those of you who stopped by last week for coffee and have been praying with me, I want to say thank you, again, for your prayers. I found out late Friday that the diagnosis for my family member is Colon Cancer. I have been indirectly touched hundreds of times by cancer, but never so up close and personal. This past week I have been through a wide spectrum of emotions. I am still spinning with unanswered questions but God is good. The next step is a Cat Scan to see if the cancer has spread. That will be at 11:00am West Coast time today. (That is, Friday...I'm writing this Thursday night.)

At first when all of this started I felt guilty for not being there with my family. But then something deep inside of me told me that I needed to stay here. Not just physically, but REALLY here...all of me. I still have a husband and children to love on, laundry to do, meals to make. I just needed to realize that I am not letting my extended family down by continuing to take care of my loved ones here. I don't love my other family member any less if I stay put until I know more.

My husband has been very supportive since I found out, and one way or another, we will make plans for me to go out for surgery when the time comes. Until then, I am lifting my own prayers with yours to the One who hears our cries.

Psalm 28:6-7

Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Still singing,
~Melissa~

Where Does My Help Come From?

I just need to remember where my help comes from this morning...

Psalm 121

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Family Member Update

For those of you who are praying with me about my family member, I thought I would post an update. Test results confirmed that it is colon cancer. This Friday they will go in for a Cat Scan so we should know on Monday what stage it is in and if it has spread beyond the colon. Please keep praying. It is a blessing to me to know that others are standing with me in prayer for my loved one.

In Christ,
Melissa