It's a BOY
Hey everyone... For those of you that know Katie P. She gave birth to a little boy today! 5 weeks early, but from what I hear, everyone is doing well!!! His name is Ethan. :) This Pic was sent to me VIA email... Click Here

Ruthless Trust
Just trying to get this Ruthless Trust Under my belt
But, Lord, I need your help.
Please quiet all the noise!
-Heidi Nance

More on this later...

Morning!
Icey this morning. 2 hour delay at school! I'm sitting here trying to AVOID doing my taxes. I just am not in the mood, but I NEED to get them done. I thought writing here would be a little diversion.

Feminine Appeal
So I finished the book Feminine Appeal: 7 Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney. It was good, gals! Some good wisdom in it. It's based on Titus 2:3-5. The book talks a lot of putting family and others first. (reminded me of some of my favorite Scripture passages From Phillipians 2! - very convicting!) Yesterday I read the chapter called Rewards of Kindness. I think that was my favorite chapter b/c it gave some practical biblical applications. Mahaney talks about having a 'Reputation of Kindness' and desiring to further the happiness of our family. She proposes 5 things that a godly woman should be known for:

PRAYER: James 5:16
In speaking of a family, Mahaney states, No one can pray for them with keener insight or greater compassion. She encourages us to: inform them of our prayers. And then she ties it all up with a quote by Spurgeon: No man can do truer kindness in this world than to pray for me.

GREETING: Titus 3:15

The jist of this is, Do we greet our family (whether it be in the morning, when we arrive home, or when they come home, etc...) with excitement that will make them feel welcomed, loved, and appreciated.

LISTENING: Proverbs 20:5
She states that taking a sincere interest in what individuals have to say is a a primary way to bring them joy.

She adds, Attentive listening entails an eagerness to hear everything with regard to our families' thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

ENCOURAGING: Proverbs 12:25

We should be lavish in dispersal of "good words" about our families. Daily we should bestow much more encouragement than correction or criticism. We should be on the lookout for praiseworthy actions that glorify God and point out these evidences of grace to our family. Specific encouragement of this kind will strengthen their souls and provoke them to godliness.

PLANNING: Proverbs 21:5

We must plan good works

She states, Periodically, I take the teim to just think about each memeber of my family - what that person likes and appreciates, what would entertain or refresh him or her.

Sales Pitch
You may not be a wife or mom yet (as I am not), but even so, I encourage you to go get the book. Not only is it good prep for the future, IT HAS GREAT APPLICATION FOR TODAY! Especially the chapter that I mentioned above! So that's my plug for the book. :)

Alright, I've procrastinated long enough. Now I'm off to do my taxes!

May we walk in kindness today,
Mel

A Song
This is a song I wrote a while back. It came from some of the things we were studying in TL. It doesn't really have a title yet, so if anyone has any ideas, I'm open... Sooo... here it is...

The sun is rising up. It's a Brand new day
And You're mercies are new
Yesterday's failures are far away
Today I want to be more like You

I want to love you, Lord
I want to know you more and more
I want to serve you with all of my heart
(with all of my heart)

How I treat the least of these is how I treat You
Do I take the time
To share the love that You gave me
Tell about the cross on which You died

I want to love them, Lord
I want to treat them like You would
I want to serve them with all of my heart
(with all of my heart)

I want to love them, Lord
But I don't always treat them like I should
Give me a heart to care like You do
To love them with all of my heart
As I love You with all of my heart
And serve them with all of my heart
As I serve you with all of my heart

Sun is coming up on a brand new day
Your mercies are new
Yesterday's failure are far awwwaaaay
Today I want to be moooore like YOU!

Morning Everyone!
I was reading this morning in Colossians 3 and 4 and was really encouraged by some of the verses in there so I thought I would post some of them!

3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

3:5
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature

3:12-17
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Ok, all of it is really good, but those are some verses that stuck out to me. Ok, Got School. Gotta Jet!

May God Richly Bless You With His Grace Today! -mel

One of Our Very Own TLers!
HEY everyone! Just wanted to give you guys a heads up on the BEST Waiter in Danville (According to the Danville Register and Bee's Reader Choice Awards):

Our very own Stuart Kendrick!

Click Here to see OTHER winners of the Reader's Choice Awards in Danville!

What a Morning!
Ever had one of those days? You know, the day when you wake up expecting NOT to go to school, b/c of inclimate weather, but end up having to, so you sleepily get yourself up, ready and out the door, and forget you new cd that you wanted to listen to on your 40 minute drive to work. Decide to listen to another of your favorite cd's only to find that your FAVORITE song on the cd is scratched! Stop to get breakfast b/c you are dying of thirst and a bit hungry, and continue on to school (thankfully with out issues!) Well, that is until your rain covered, traction-less shoes hit the slick hard tile floor and sends you to your snowboard bruised knees. You limp to your classroom hoping that no one saw you and feels sorry for you. Finally, you sit down to enjoy your breakfast and prepare for the school day, only to pick up your drink. The lid pops off, and 3/4ths of it goes all over your desk, books, and floor. *sigh* This is completely hypothetical, of course! LOL! It makes for a Great story for your students! It's a good thing that you have the WHOLE REST OF THE DAY to recover for your clumsy, forgetful, crazy morning!!! :)

Table for Two
by Derek Webb
Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule,
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt.
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden,
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt.
(on Caedmon's Call 40 Akers album)

Just a Few Cute Pics
Got these from Erin today! :)

Ok guys, This is cute and I'm not LION! Click Here

This is a Rock Star Pic

Prayer
Hey guys, Just wanted to request you guys to lift my dad up in prayer this week! He has to go in everyday this week for chemo treatments. (Last time it made him really really sick). THANKS A TON!

God Is Faithful!

Unto You
Helper, Keeper,
Protector, Preserver, Provider
You are my All,
All the time, without Rest
Yeshua!
-Shane and Shane

Blessed
I was in church this morning and was incredibly blessed by the reminder of God's sufficiency for me, and the fact that he has dealt with my every need, the most important being my need of salvation from my sin through the sacrifice of Jesus. I am overwhelmed by his love. Here are parts of some of the songs we sang that really reminded me of God's provision in my life!

I Love You, I Need You
by Noah Pennell
Your light piercing my darkness
Your love restoring my soul
Your blood washing away my sin
Your body making me whole...

Forever
by Chris Tomlin and Jesse Reeves
...For He is good he is above all things...
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever

Here I Am To Worship
by Matt Redman
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross

Enough
by Chris Tomlin
All of you is more than enough for all of me,
For every thirst and Every need
You satisfy me, with your love
And all I have in YOU is more than enough!

My pastor made the following statement previous to singing these songs to the Lord (this is a paraphrase of his thought with my own following.) don't know me by my weaknesses or by my strengths, but by God's grace. Anything I do that is good is God's grace working in me, and the times I am weak and I fall, because of Jesus' sacrifice, God's grace picks me up.