A Cup of Tea With Me

I am headed out the door. Hubby has a business conference in Las Vegas and he would like me to attend with him. Since all we have to pay for is my plane ticket, and his company is putting us up in the Bellagio, I am going. That and he wants me to go, so it is a given. This goes back to, would you go to a bar? Well, I would go to Las Vegas.

Have a good week, everyone, and hopefully I will get some quality reading and writing time in. I have some great things to write about my journey.

This week I am thankful for:I finally got around to finishing Faith Filled Wives. It seems to have taken me forever to finish it.

I am thankful to my beloved husband who has given me a web server to host Faith Filled Wives on. It may not have all the “bells and whistles” but the price is right.

I am thankful for my friends, Becki and Christina. They held my hand and did not let me give up on my calling.

(more…)

Sheryl over at Peanut Butter and Jelly Boats hosts Tuesday’s top Three. This weeks question is what top three things I’d want with me on a dessert island.

1. My Bible - I would need something to read, and I think I would get lots of reading time in.
2. Lots of bottled water - dehydration
3. My hubby

I have been harboring a grudge for over 12 years. This person did something to offend me one night. He was my husband’s best friend. I guess he thought that they were supposed to share everything, and that included me. Anyway, he was coming for a visit today. I realized that I needed to forgive this man for what he did, 12 years ago. If God could forgive my many sins, I could forgive him this one thing, because it really was meaningless in the larger picture. No one was physically hurt. I just made to feel emotionally vulnerable. It has been obvious over the years that he is going to be a part of our lives.

As I was working through the forgiveness in my mind, I discovered that all this time, I have had bitterness growing in my heart towards my husband, because he was still friends with this man. I talked to him about it. Got it all out in the open, and pruned the root of bitterness.

(more…)

Heather (of Faith Lifts, Moms of Grace and Swank Web Style) wants everyone to share a good Crock Pot recipe. Well, I LOVE my crock pot, so…

Rub roast with equal parts salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and/or any other seasonings that you prefer. Be creative. You know what your family likes. Place beef roast - I use chuck, shoulder or when I can find it sirloin tip roast (My hubby prefers sirloin and the roast is usually not that expensive) - in crock pot with enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. 1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix or 2 or 3 cubes of beef bullion. Also add any carrots, potatoes or celery that you will be using, at this time. I also add a dash of Worcestershire Sauce at this time.

(more…)

Many of you know I have been down for a month or so. I am bi-polar and I cannot take meds for it. They make me physically sick, so I have to deal with it, when the downward swing in my emotions takes place. These “attacks” can last anywhere from a few hours to years. Thankfully, I am getting better at dealing with them when they hit. I have had an internal struggle going on, along with my having to be strong for family and friends. I knew in my heart that my depression was needing addressed.

I was not sure what was the cause, but I knew that it stemmed from my being disobedient to God, some where, some how. I was letting the enemy in my life and he was taking advantage of it.

(more…)

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a Blog Party, and I thought we could carry on the celebration here, too.

*I forgot to introduce myself LOL!*
My name is Melissa. I am a part time stay at home mom, who is about to return full time the the world of the work outside the home mom. My hobbies are studying God’s word, blogging and hanging out with my friends. I love my kids. I have 2 boys ages 15 and 9. I have been married to my beloved husband for almost 12 years now. I hope you enjoy your stay.

I have baked a chocolate cake, laid out a veggie tray with carrots, celery, dill pickles, both green and black olives, and broccoli. There is ranch dip, peanut butter dip and hummus. We have Diet Coke, milk and bottled water for drinks. *I just put out the tea, too. I forgot it. How could I forget tea?*

I will show you around my corner of the blogosphere.

This is my personal blog. The one that I use as a diary, for my life. Nope, not many secrets here. Not many at all.

My Journey is my blog about my testamony. I feel it is important to show the less perfect side of our lives to those who are not believers. You see, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. God knows I have made my fair share of them.

Faith Filled Wives is my blog about being a Christian wife, and showing God’s love to our husbands by living faith filled lives. I also take time to comfort the Christian wife, married to the unbeliever. That can be very hard sometimes, and I know that they need encouragement.

I hope you enjoy your stay. It will be a fun week. (((hugs))) and God bless you!
M

Dear Melissa, (early 1980’s)

I know you do not like to be called that, but one of these days you will shudder at the name “Missy.” So just listen to what I have to tell you, anyway.

I am you, all grown up. I wanted to tell you that you will make mistakes. You will feel awful about them. I need you to know that all the mistakes you have made and will make will develop the woman you become. Do not change anything, thinking it will make your life better in the future. You have a hard road ahead of you. There will be times when you want to give up. Do not. The rewards you will have later in life are worth all that you will go through now, to earn them.

I am the almost 37 year old you, who is mom to two wonderful boys. Wife to an amazing man. I have a life and a purpose. You will feel lost. You will feel helpless and hopeless.

I thought about writing you and telling you to stay away from this place or this thing. To not look into certain things, but beloved, those things will make you into me. I would not change me for anything. Every pain, every heartache, while hard when you are going through them, has shaped my heart, my life.

I do not want to give away too much, just know that you do have a purpose in this world, and it is not what you are thinking right now. Do not fret the mistakes. Remember, the best in your life is yet to come.

Love,
Melissa

Thank you, one more time, Iris, for reminding us to be thankful. God is good and He provides for us. We should remember that on more than just Thursdays, although, I am certain that everyone that participates in Thankful Thursday, is very thankful, all the time.

I am thankful that my depression is lifting. He can forgive us when we mess up, and He is always faithful. When we completely surrender to Him an issue that we were selfishly trying to handle ourselves, He blesses us with the immediate feeling of our burden being lessened. He will not instantly change things, that is where faith comes in. But you no longer feel the burden weighing you down.

I am thankful that I have friends. Life would be so lonely with out them. I have been working outside the house recently. Sad story involved there with a friend being ill, but it has allowed me to get back into the public. To talk with women I have not seen in a while, because I am a home body. I have gotten to reconnect with old friends and it has been great.

I am thankful for online friends. Old and new. I just love it, when God opens your eyes and shows you what treasures you have, right in front of your eyes, and you did not realize it until then. There is one friend of mine, in particular, over at MOF, that I had not even realized how much she had come to mean to me, until this week. It was such a wonderful feeling to realize it.

I am thankful that the transition of my stepping down at MOF will go smoothly. It is a blessing, and a sign from God, that I am doing the right thing.

I am thankful that I am submitting myself to my beloved’s will. It will not be easy. I have not worked outside the home, full time, in a long time. But when I think of all the opportunities I will have to meet new people. Who knows who God will put into my life? It is an exciting journey I am looking forward to! (more about this in another post on another blog to come when I have time to sit and write it)

I am thankful that my son has his driving permit. I am really torn on this, but in the end, I know he has to grow up. I know he has God leading him, guiding him. I know he is a good kid. I know he will make the right choices. Besides he cannot drive on his own until October, right? LOL!

I am thankful that I belong to such a great church and that my pastor is a toe-stepper most of the time. I really feel like I am getting blessed, when my toes are stepped on, and I know I need to grow.

I am thankful for my readers. Love you!