The Chronicles of Melinda

 
As you ring in the New Year
When the clock strikes Midnight
And make resolutions
To make your life “right”

“Save money, quit smoking
Lose weight, Volunteer”
The same resolutions 
You repeat every year

Ask yourself first
What really needs changing
What in your life
Needs true rearranging?

Is it time to be Baptized?
Since you stopped at the door?
Do you need to Forgive?
Do you need to pray more?

Give more when you tithe
Serve at the church
Witness all you can
To honor His work

Worship more often
Read His Word every day
Walk closer with God
So you don’t lose your way

Perhaps these resolutions
Reap the greater reward
Since living as Christian
So pleases The Lord

So start the New Year
Giving Glory to Him
And this will be when
Your true Blessings begin!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!               Melinda
  

Deut 6:5-7
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

Prov 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Prov 13:24
“He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”

Prov 22:15
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.”

Prov 23:13
“Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.”

Prov 29:15
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.”

Eph 6:4
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

People come and go in our lives.  It’s just the way it is.  But while some of them we are glad to see go…some of them we wonder where they went when they did and can’t seem to shake their memory.

A couple of years ago…I was fortunate to find one of my very best high school friends I lost touch with between moves from Alaska and Japan and back Stateside.  I always wonderred where she was and how she was doing.  When I found her, it was right around the corner - in Raleigh, NC.  And within months of our reunion she moved to Oregon with her husband where they purchased a home and recently have had their first child.  She was someone who’s friendship in junior and high school set the bar for what friendhsip would mean to me.  It wasn’t just a high school thing - she was the kind of friend ADULTS have.  I missed her…and while she is not close enough to see regularly…it just makes me happy to know that she is happy and God has blessed her with a wonderful life.  THAT makes me happy.

I was fortunate enough to find an old friend earlier this year who was pretty special to me 14 years ago and we’ve recently been able to spend some time together.  The military moved us and once again…I lost touch after a couple of months and between both of us moving…communications was lost.

It’s been nearly 6 months that we;ve gotten back in touch.  Of all places - - - the internet was our reconnecting source.  Telephone conversations catching up were as I remembered them.  Uninhibitted, open, honest communication.  Sharing where we’ve been, what we’ve been doing,  where we’re going, etc.

Well…then to spend some face to face time with that person put everything into perspective.  Just like old times we were laughing and joking about everything and nothing just like we’d been together all this time and nothing had changed.  Of course there were a few deep moments of sharing some of our not so pleasant experiences in our absence in each other’s lives.  That to me…just helped show how solid the whole friendship was that we could share these things that were not the “baggage” in our lives when we knew each other back then.  

I KNOW that God often puts people, good and bad,  in our lives for a reason.  Sometimes he puts them in and then removes them just as quickly as they enterred only to be put back in when HE decides it to do so.  (Yes…that does mean that some we will not see until we get to enter the Kingdom… but bear with me that I intend for this discussion to relate to relationships here on earth since that is a “whole-nubba-lebel” to discuss).

Sometimes people stay a constant presence in our lives and contribute to our day to day living.  But sometimes he completely removes someone from our every day lives that we WANT in our lives and when the time is right he may bring them back in.  (Unlike the people who we are glad to see go and hope to never cross paths with again).
Maybe he removes the people we WANT in our lives so that we can miss them while they are absent from our lives and appreciate them that much more when he decides to bring them back in.  Or visa versa (so that THEY can appreciate US!)

That’s where I feel with this rekindled friendship.  We’ve both admittedly missed each other in our lives and I think we both appreciate what we’ve missed a lot more.  I hope God doesn’t intend to part our ways again and pray that it is not his will…in which case I will have no choice in the matter.  But because this person is also Christian and much further in the Journey than I am…I am hopeful there is a purpose in our paths meeting at the crossroads again that God plans to sustain.  Don’t jump to any conclusions here…just know that I’m saying I am happy that an old friend is back in the picture because they always had a knack for letting me be me and may be able to offer some spiritual guidance on top of emotional support.

I like Madea’s say on the matter of people in our lives.  She breaks it down as people being parts of a tree.  The leaves, the branches and the roots. 

Some people come into your life for a lifetime and some come for a season. You have to know which is which. I put everybody that comes into my life in the category of a tree.
 
Some people are leaves on a tree. The wind blows, they go to the left. The wind blows from the other way, they go to the right. They are just unstable. You can’t count on them for nothing. All they ever do is take from that tree. What you need to understand about a leaf is that it has a season. It’ll wither and die and blow away.There ain’t no need to be praying over a leaf to be resurrected. When it’s dead it’s gone. Let it go! Some people are like that. All the leaf ever does is cool you off every now and then. If you’re grown, you know what I’m talking about, because you can call them in the middle of the night and get cooled off. That’s the leaf people. They come to take.

That’s what relationships should be about. That’s what you need, people who want to be in your life for the right reasons. If somebody wants to walk out of your life, you’ve got to LET THEM GO! When you learn to love yourself, you will end up giving standards to everyone around you. Again, I repeat with emphasis, if they don’t meet those standards, you have to let them go, because they might be a leaf. And forgive them with all your might.”

As for me- - - I thank God for the roots.  But at the same time - - - I thank him for the leaves and the branches.  (There have been more than enough leaves in my life…but no matter how temporary there’s always some lesson to be learned before they blow away).  God puts them all into our lives for their own reasons.  But while I’m thankful for the roots…I’m especially thankful for the branches that are destined to become the roots. 

First off…I want to thank everyone who reads my blog.  I met someone at the church who told me she reads my blog regularly (hi…and thanks!) and it’s nice to know that other people are checking out what’s on my mind. I kind of created my blog for friends to read…but it’s nice to know other folks are reading what’s on my mind and might appreciate it.

The week before Christmas has been BUSY for me. Not Christmas shopping or decorating…but hanging out at NHC.  There was rehearsal for today’s music at NHC (get to that in a sec) and the Journey to Bethlehem.  If you missed it…make a note NOT to miss the next Journey (which I’ll blog about when a date is set - but closer to Easter).  The Xalt team worked extra hard to make the Journey a true spiritual experience for reflection and understanding of Mary and Joseph’s ….Journey to Bethlehem.  I helped guest host both nights…and the feedback I got was great. In one word from one Journey-go-er as he exitted…”IMPRESSIVE!”  The girls worked hard and it definitely showed.  I took Taira and her friend Rachel through so I did get a chance to go through myself.  It was MY first Journey—and I highly recommend it.

Saturday yielded another rehearsal, a trip to the feed store and a Christmas party at a long time friend’s house that got me home much later than I should have-knowing I had to be up at o-dark-thirty for Sunday.  But it was a fun time.  Great food, company and karaoke!  You know…..

Sunday morning - how many times could I hit the snooze button on that alarm clock?  But it was up and at ‘em to head to….NHC. 

We already knew…we were going to Bring It for Jesus this Sunday!!!  But I have to say…I think it was BROUGHT!  Now if you missed it….I was blessed to have another opportunity to rap with the team of gifted voices and intrumentalists to a funky version of O’Come All Ye Faithful.  They asked… I wrote… it was.  I want to say I was nervous - but  once I stepped on the stage…it was there in my heart, on the mic and on the stage just as I prayed for it to be. 

NHC had a “mini-choir” today…all of the vocalists sang as a choir!  Too cool.  I have to say…I really think our vocalists have voices of angels.   And yes…I felt great…but I have to say…the Team ROCKED THE HOUSE with “Are You Ready for a Miracle” (which has been a song I’ve always loved since the movie Leap of Faith.  I have the soundtrack to that movie and bought it for THAT song so I thought it was too cool when I found out they were going to sing that).  But I have to say…while rehearsals were many…nothing compared to how it was BROUGHT in front of the congregation of NHC’ers and guests!  After O’Come ….I exitted stage right to run out and jam with the people in the audience and…well…it was AWESOME. (If you were there….you KNOW what I am talking about!)

My mom and stepdad came with Taira all the way from Angier for second service, one of my best friends and her son came all the way from Lillington and another friend I invited came from …Timberlake.  It was a first time for all of them and I have to say…they’ve heard me brag on this church and from the greeters to the music to the message…NHC lived up to all I have bragged it to be. None of my guests won the Ipod Touch - so no IPod Touch for me for my birthday.  HA HA. But it does mean that there was another first time guest with one more reason (other than the church is awesome) to come BACK to NHC! So that’s a’ight!

So thanks to EVERYONE at NHC for making the ultimate impression on ALL of our first time guests.  I talked to a LOT of folks in the lobby after both services and nothing but good was said all around.  A first timer I never met walked up to me to say “It’s my first time here and thank you…I LOVED it” so….hopefully it’s only the beginning and their first time won’t be their last time at NHC.

After music second service I made it up to Club 56 to hang out with the kids and do our small group study.  We have a great group up there…and I am amazed and impressed at how they see things as they relate to God in their lives.   NHC parents…you are doing a great thing by bringing your kids to church.  I feel honorred to be able to help continue to nurture them in Faith up in Club 56! Today we asked them who in their life they felt has helped them to begin to know Christ and ALL of the kids in our group said their parents!!!  So you are doing a good job raising them to know GOD.

I wanted to talk about something for a minute.  One of my new, yet seemingly long time NHC friends said something to me the other night. She said she had thought about me recently and when I asked what about…she told me that she worried that I was getting “into everything” at NHC.  She noticed that everytime she turned around I was involved in something and she worried I might burn out being so busy.   I told her…no worries!  I’m a do, do, do person and I am much happier when I am doing something and being busy.  Another one of my NHC friends came to the Journey and we were chatting as she and her family waited.  She also made mention that she noticed I went from being baptized…to being in the middle of everything everytime she turned around at NHC.  She made mention in a different perspective…that she thought it was great.  But it got me to thinking (UH OH!)
about it a bit….

Anyone who knows me knows…I like to feel like I make a difference somewhere. Wether in my job, just in a friend’s life, wherever I can.  And whether it’s simply smiling and saying hello to someone in the lobby, “rapping for Jesus” or hanging out with the kids…I feel like I’m serving a purpose at NHC.  Being involved where I can…makes me feel like I have a purpose.  And right now…I am purpose driven through NHC and there is a reason for that.  If God intended for me to have a relationship with him and just  show up to worship on Sundays…that’s all I would be doing.  But that’s not me and he knows that.  That’s why I am given the opportunities TO be involved.  So I don’t just feel like I have a purpose at NHC…I feel like I’m serving HIS purpose for me.   And for as long as he intends me to be…I will be.

Well the downside to today…the basketball goal fell on my car at the church and left a nice not-so-little dent. Then I went to Wal-Mart this afternoon to grab a last minute gift for Taira and some guy trying to parallel park his truck backed RIGHT into my car while I was sitting in it checking my finances. There was no damage…and while I might have been angry back in the day…I graciously brought it to his attention (I don’t think he even realized it)….he apologized…and I wished him a Merry Christmas.

BUT - - - those things all seem so trivial right now…because no one understands like Jesus… what I’m feeling today.

WHEN: Thursday 6:00PM - 10:00PM.
             Friday - 6:00PM - 11:00PM
WHY: the Journey to Bethlehem hosted by the Xalt team.  
Come embark on a sensory experience as you walk a path to Bethlehem and participate in the ultimate spiritual and sensory experience of what it might have been like to take the trip to Bethlehem.  Bring your friends, bring your family and yes…bring the kids. 

WHEN: (AGAIN): Christmas Eve-Eve Sunday, December 23rd
WHY:  Come experience Christmas worship NHC style.  Trust me - you DO NOT WANT TO MISS this.  In case you didn’t know…NHC is just not “just another church”.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to see what that means…Christmas Eve, eve is the time to check it out on the real! There will be AWESOME music, a wonderful Miracle message laid out by Pastor Dave Bowman and if it’s your VERY first time (it won’t be your last) at NHC ever you will have an opportunity to win an IPOD TOUCH! 

That’s right - I said you could WIN an I-POD touch!  Hey - if you aren’t a techy - win it and give it to someone who is for Christmas.  One less last minute present for you to buy.  And hint hint…my birthday is in January!  HA HA!  But seriously though - you can win one at either service so if you aren’t an early bird and can’t be there at 9:00AM…then we will see you at 11:00AM. 

I’ll be there both services - so say hi!!!  I’ll be kickin’ it with the cool CLUB 56 kids after music worship during second service…but then I’ll be floating around in the lobby trying not to leave as usual!

What’s YOUR excuse?

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

When I sent the Baptism poem (turned rap) to the worship leader…I believe that is what God willed me to do.  All that transpired from the click that sent that e-mail to the stage at NHC I know was what HE wanted.  And the feedback from people in the church that day after the rap and the message it sent gave me a feeling like no other.  That it moved someone to tears (BOTH times she told me), reached out to youth and that the actual words that were heard put me on a spiritual high like…WHOA!

Anyway my gift has been put to work again in the name of Jesus and well if you want to hear you will have to come to NHC for the December 23rd service.  I hope it will serve it’s purpose and remind people what the true meaning of Christmas is.  It’s so easy to get lost in presents and shopping and the novelty of Christmas….that I think people forget to stop and worship and praise God’s gift to us…  His son, who would be the saviour to us all.  And that in itself was God’s gift to us all and what we should be most thankful for this Christmas and every Christmas. 

Well here’s a few highlights of the past goings ons! 

Friday I gave a friend a break by taking her two girls over for the night to hang out with Taira.  I’m sure she enjoyed the peace and quiet!  By lunchtime Saturday they were driving ME nuts!  HA HA! You know…the whole - two older and one smaller thing where the little one gets picked on and runs to you every five minutes to say who is being mean and doing what!  And Taira wants a little brother or sister….hmmm! 

Well the little one went home and Taira’s pal stayed for another night.  So Saturday evening we hauled Ransom and a friend and their horse to go hang out with some friends at their arena and bonfire.  We cooked some GOOOOOD steaks, porkchops and ribs.  I made stuffed mushrooms by special request and …well they are all gone!  HA HA!   The girls were entertained doing laps outside of the arena on a four wheeler and we entertained ourselves wth horses and a bonfire.  It was a nice way to spend a Saturday evening.

Sunday, of course, was NHC.  Went to early service and my friend (mom of the two girls who stayed Friday night) came for her second service in a row.  Nice to see her come back to church…hopefully she will find some peace and comfort at NHC while getting back in tune with the Big Man upstairs.    Anyway - after first service (which by the way if you missed it was great of course and we had a GREAT guest worship leader, Gary Humble, who is now officially - NHC’s new worship pastor!) Taira went home with my friend and her girls and I hit Club 56.  Another fulfilling Club 56 session with the kids.  

After church I went to get some hay for the hay burner horses that I have to have in my life…and wouldn’t trade for anything.  Then it was off to a trail riding club meeting.  A little strife and controversy in the club, but I hope that God will bring everyone back into focus and the club will get back on track and squash the issues so we can move on.  But we prayed before and we prayed after…so I have no doubt God will help us out.

Just when I was all snug and content at home I got a call from one of my Officers.  She needed assistance……cockfight busted in Durham.  So off I went out to fight crime in the streets of Durham.  3 arrests, 15 impounded live gamecocks and hens and 2 sadly dead ones later I got home at 1:00AM.   This of course meant for a busy day at work.  Phew.

Anyway- everyone be safe in their holiday travels on the roads to go shopping.  Reember - giving far outweighs getting and don’t forget what the true meaning of Christmas is really about. 

Just in case you need a reminder, NHC has the Xalt Journey to Bethlehem coming up on the 20th and the 21st.   Come take a spiritual journey that will put your senses to work.  It’s something the WHOLE family can be involved in and I think you would really get in touch with your faith if you give it a shot.  Let me know if you need to know more.

 And service on the 23rd proves to be a truly AWESOME service.  Giving away two IPod touches to first time guests that day (in case you haven’t gotten my e-mail trying to bribe you to finally come see what NHC is all about and what God has to offer in return!)  A chance to win one first and second service - FIRST TIME guests only.  And …well there’s another one of those surprises I can’t tell you about that if you don’t come…you’ll be sorry you missed!    C-ya.  Mel

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