Reflection of Providence

This is a selection from my "The Lord is My Shepherd" journal that I kept in college...while I was desperate and thirsty and overwhelmed, I'm astounded at how God, well, was there (sometimes I wish I had some of this desperation for Him now, I realize now He was carrying me through this time)...also to all those still in school, I REALLY DO UNDERSTAND... September 11, 2003 Dear Lord, My Song, My Strength, My Savior, How beautiful you are to me. I will praise you with every fiber of my body because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your Grace, Your Majesty, and Your Power are three very intrinsic reasons in why I praise. Because you are "I AM" - all things, and you keep my life gently resting in the palm of Your hand. How I love you for that? Because, instead of wrapping myself in my problems I can run to You and have You hold me, I can smell Your sweet Jasmine and Lavendar breath and feel both at ease and rejuvinated as you gently rock me and stroke my hair a...

This salt still comes forth, streaking down my face, parting my lips. I taste preservation! Intombed in LIFE...MISERY; cured, encapsulated sorrow! Did I not pour this salt for you? Burning opened flesh! Take me! Devour me! Don't keep me in this state! "You need to rest longer," the slithering voice whipsers, "I prefer my meat a little on the dry side!"

Reading Jessica's most recent description of trips to her Grandparent's farm made me think of camping, and my Grandpa's farm. Some of the fondest memories I have growing up are camping with my Mama and Papa. "The Lake" and "Track Rock" were our two campgrounds that were visited throughout the year. My Papa always picked the same spot on both campsites so it was a familiar intimate setting. We recently re-visited "Track Rock" and I was saddened to see how they pack those RV's in like sardines now. In the "olden" days it was open and spacious...I guess nothing can stay the same. I also loved rompin' around my Grandpa's farm. There were always cats to play with, cows to watch, and ponies to ride. I lost both my Grandfather's at an early age, and I still ache for them...one I knew well, one I barely knew. These two poems I wrote in a Poetry Class in college and got the biggest response when I read them aloud. Poetry really...

From time to time I'll put these little feasts in my blog. I really love the blog..."Friday's Feast", check it out in my Blogging Family Favorites...you can feast to. Thanks Becky for the discovery of this little jem! Appetizer: Name something that helps you fall asleep. Rain on a tin roof, waves licking the rocks, crickets putting on a show, soft music, hot chocolate or tea... Soup:Who brings out the best in you? My friend Krystal. She is a beautiful old soul in a 20 something body. She is someone I look up to...she is always honest, always giving, always a light in the darkness. She is really the only one that I ached for when she moved to Iowa. Her goodness, her grace...she is simply amazing...I miss her terribly! Salad:What do you like to do on a rainy day? Oh how it has been so long since I've had nothing to do on a rainy day...I love to curl up with a book or watch movies, or when we had a front porch...sit on the front porch and smell the fresh rain and hea...

With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6: 6-8 "Addiction exists wherever persons are internally compelled to give energy to things that are not their true desires. To define it directly, addiction is a state of compulsion, obsession, or preocupation that enslaves a person's will and desire. Addiction sidetracks and eclipses the energy of our deepest, truest desire for love and goodness. We succumb because the energy of our desire becomes attached, nailed, to specific behaviors, objects or people." - Addiction and Grace, May. "I really coul...

...someone tagged me. Well by golly I would say put me in a pretty pink dress, wrap me up with a pretty pink ribbon and set me at the front of the store, third shelf...a little to the left, ...and well, how much would I cost anyway? HMMM!...(Yes, that is indeed where my mind went when I found out I had been tagged, and you can be tagged to, it will only cost you a few moments of your time, a little sweat, and a new pair of glasses from staring at the illuminated computer screen all day,...so come on down to this little place we like to call blog and see if being tagged is for you!) Saints preserve us, it is 12:30 in the AM, need I say more...Anyway, so I was tagged twice. Unbelievable love oooozing from the room tonight. I love these two ladies to pieces and I'm grateful that they thought of me...so with out further pomp and circumstance I give you the results of me being tagged...(do I get a purple tag?)...oh and to let you know just in case it ever comes up in future history, and...

Well guys, I will be out of town for the next three days, so I will not be blogging...Sniff! I have visited all your lovely blogs and caught up, so if you could please not post another thing until I get back that would be fantastic...laughs loudly in her mind (I am at work)...anyway, given you a few things to chew on while I'm gone...hope you enjoy...I will come back ready to check up on all you dear ones, just can't tell you when...you never know when I'll pop in so be ware...I'm feeling weird this morning forgive me...Just ask for prayers for safe travel and that I take a wealth of knowledge from my training....LOVE YA! SMOOCHES!

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit...NIV

1.If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? That would be so much fun, to be invisible, what would I do...selfishly I think I would visit all my friends and see what they really said about me, I would sneak in behind the closed door of the office to see what secret stuff goes on in there, I would laugh really loud in church, I would hit Kevin, because he is always abusing me...there is a lot of trouble I could get into with this one...in the end I guess I really wouldn't know what I would do unless I was there...it would be cool to be invisible for a while, sometimes I feel invisible anyway, it would also be cool to hear peoples real thoughts...I am getting carried away...great question. 2. If you could eliminate one weakness or limitation in your life, what would it be? Just one, well, hum I think it would have to be my spine, I would like to have one, I would love the ability to stand firm and be articulate in a battle...of course Godly and respectful, but I wish I ...

Alright guys! I spent nearly 45 minutes typing up this entry last night and poof in a second it was gone forever in the large waste basket in cyberspace. I am trying despretely to look at it as a rough draft, but I've never been good at handling rough drafts, and the essence of this original post is gone forever, so after my somewhat pathetic intro to this post I will once again re-attempt to recreate the magic, but I doubt I will succeed! All of you who have ever graced my blog or had the honor(or maybe not) of me leaving a comment on your blog know that I love the statement "My Cup Overflows!" I use it at least a million times in my blog and at least a million and one in my comments, whether that be on my blog or yours. Yes it is derived from scripture... you annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows - psalm 23: 5b. But when I think of this statement I reference it back to the movie "Hope Floats". The Grandmother would always say it when someone shared their ...

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God', he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your traditionl. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he profesied about you: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are rules taught by men." Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does...

Oh this day has held to much beauty, to much passion, to much desire, it is overflowing, beautiful, and a little painful...there is to much that has happened today to share completely what is going on...I am amazed at the beautiful outreaching of God through others hands...I got the most beautiful and amazing letter from a dear friend of mine asking if I would partner in being warriors for one another, Teresa, my cup overflows...I have fellowshipped with so many wonderful people this week, and the fellowshipping is going to continue...praise God! Friends I have known for years are sharing parts of their heart with me that I never knew was there...a caring co-worker shared a passionate heartbreaking and intimate story with me, and my heart broke for her...I'm overwhelmed at how God is working..."I asked for matches and I received a gallon full of gasoline"...I want a servants heart...LET IT BE LORD! I know I'm not making much sense, I'll try to pool my thoughts...W...

Well, here is the thing...God has laid it on my heart to ask this question...I sent out an email to everyone I knew asking the same thing, and I plan to ask my church family the same thing...but, "How May I Serve You?" I'm serious when I ask this question. I want to edify and lift up my brothers and sisters in Christ. God has given me wonderful perspective while being away from my blog, and He has gentled my nerves and brought a new perspective to my heart. I wrote down my 25 weaknesses and yes, at some point I will let you see them, and I learned that if I'm going to really be less of me more of Him, then I need a servants heart. Did you know that there is an ear in h ear t...and we need to learn to listen with that ear in our heart. I don't want to be all about me...me...me....so I ask you once again...How can I serve you? Whether it be a prayer request you have or if you would like me to send you an e-card everyday for a week or if you would like me to pray wit...

A little picture from Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida...vacation I took with two dear friends before they got hitched... 

God has kept me from blogging for a few days. I told Him that I needed to create a balance between human contact and blogging. I can get to wrapped up in anything! Any-hoo! He literally kept me from looking at my blog for the last few days by making my Internet connection be down at work. I have tried several times to access it, and He was like NOPE! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! I just laugh at the thought of that...He knows what we need, and He knows us so well. Oh He is so good. Thanks to everyone who commented on my pervious post...I commented to EACH OF YOU PERSONALLY! You fill my cup to overflowing! Thank you so much... PS...Kat, you've got mail...I sent an email to you...you know what its about! Love you all...God go with each of you and fill your cups to overflowing...we so need that replinishing each and everyday!

Alright, so I've posted three things in one day, it is making me feel better...before I get into the heart of what I'm going to say let me share with you how left of center I've been feeling. I'm always a little askew, but here lately, just the last several days, I have had the most nervous feeling in my stomach. I tend to be worrier, but there really isn't anything for me to worry about, but my stomach is in knots and my thoughts are all over the place. There is also this feeling of loss, maybe it is better to say no passion. I don't no what's going on, but if it could stop that would be great...I felt like if I was going to be honest I might as well start there, and if anyone has a great wisdom shine down on them from Heaven about this, that would be awesome...if not God will whisper it to me in the end... Alright, enough jabbering about that, moving on to my topic for today. I am slowly winding up my study on the "Journey of Desire" by John Eldr...

You guys are going to learn a lot about me, probably more than you want to...anyway, here are the questions Becca asked me, if you are the third person to respond to this post, I get to ask you questions...so enjoy these and the 30 random facts about me below...I love being asked questions so this is going to be fun... 1. Have you any garlic flavored ritz crackers in your kitchen? No I do not, but garlic is one of my favorite flavors...so if I did, I probably wouldn't have them for long, because I would eat them all...HEE! HEE! 2. Where would you like to go the very most? This is a very good question, UMMM! I think in my heart of hearts I would like to go to Jerusalem, followed by Australia, and Germany...(I would say the Midwest, but I want to live there) 3. Ever consider going to Michigan to hang out with me?? ABSOLUTELY! That would be awesome...I'll pack my bags and hit the road now, expect me around Tuesday(just kidding), Michigan sounds awesome though, for real...VERY NEAT...

This is going to be FUN... 1. I love the meaning of my name: Melissa means "honey bee" and I think that suits me to a "T"! 2. I want two tatoos one day...1. on the small of my back of a Shuginyte(totally mispelled) cross, if anyone knows how to spell that it would be great because I need to have a picture of it before I can get a tatoo of it, and 2. one over my left shoulder blade of three tear drops, to remember those I've lost. 3. I LOVE scary movies, I have been watching them since I was around 5, I'm not kidding, I scared my little sister Michelle to death having her watch Poltergeist when she was around 3 or 4...I'm sorry Michelle. 4. My senior year in highschool I was in highschool drama and was featured in two plays...I LOVE TO ACT! It is one of the most freeing things for me, I can become anything I want...I miss it...I ache for it actually...haven't acted in almost six years...want it to be part of my ministry. 5. My favorite show of all tim...

Oh how I wanted to share this with you guys yesterday, but blogger was down in my area, but it still did not put a damper on the day. I truly had one of the best days I've had in a long long long time! This being the first week of my fulltime job and having a 14 hour work day Monday, still feeling sick Tuesday, and worn out on Wednesday, Thursday was such an unexpected blessing. I mean I wasn't even asking for it...I wasn't defeated or depressed or anything, but Christ saw fit in His infinite wisdom to share His love for me more completely and fully. This is like a miracle, and I don't feel that I deserve it or His love. God you are so GOOD! I love you. Anyway, so let me share with you what happened...Woo! Hoo! So, we are having a big fundraiser next week with and organization, Central Kentucky Radio Eye, they read to the seeing impared...we have a fundraiser for non-profit organizations that deal with arts, education, literacy, literature where we set certain days that...

This is something that a co-worker of mine and myself say all of the time, in refrence to ourselves or pretty much anyone we like...if we are using it in context with ourselves we usually tag it with a "na na!" at the end. It is just an enjoyable saying. For her birthday I'm planning to get us both shirts that say "I'm Smart, Funny, Pretty, and Nice" on the front and on the back says "Na!Na!" Just thought some of you might like to know that bit of info...have no idea why... ALL OF YOU ARE SMART FUNNY PRETTY AND NICE! So, let me tell you how I have been all of these things this week: Smart: I did the 2005 Community Relations Blueprint for work all by myself and that makes me feel very smart! GO ME! Funny: I crack myself up, far more than I do anyone else probably! I think I'm funny, and therefore I like to hang out with people who think I'm funny...for example the new Paremsan Chicken Sandwich commercial for Wendy's, where the guy is try...

Major malfunctions with blogger in my area, just want to make sure I can post before I write on something with substance...

Say goodbye to Boone. I'm not sure how many of you watch Lost, but one of the main characters from the show Boone, played by Ian Somerhalder, was killed off the show. So, I say farewell to his character...he smart, funny, pretty, and nice indeed!  

Born: August 27, 1980 at Floyd Hospital in Rome, Georgia Hair: Brown and Curly (God given perm) Eyes: Hazel Green Skin: Porcelien(or pale, whichever suits you, I personally prefer porcelien, which if you noticed I don't know how to spell)w/freckles(cute freckles...I like them) Age: 24 Education: A Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Telecommunications from the University of Kentucky A Little Bit About Me... There are many things that I love to do, among them are reading, writing, taking walks in the woods, nature, sunrises, sunsets, cats, dogs, movies, creativity, spending time with my friends, spending time with my family, laughing, crying, living life. I grew up in the church, and at 13 accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I lived in Rome, Georgia for 18 years of my life and my family and I moved to Kentucky when I was a Freshman in college. I still live at home and every job I've had is in retail. I enjoy my work, but it is not my passion. I am intrigued by photography and wa...

I thought you might like to see some pictures of my family. They are very special to me, especially my sisters. These are a few years old (I've lost weight since these...thank God), but I figured you would get a good idea of my family package as it were...Enjoy...

My sisters...Michelle (on your left) and Meredith (on your right)...aren't they beautiful!