The Chronicles of Melinda

Thanksgiving we’ll be with family
And friends throughout the day
But thought I’d take a minute
Just to take the time to say
As we all sit at our tables
To enjoy a special feast
I wish you all the best
And hope your day is filled with peace
Some of us are quite content
And know just what we’re thankful for
But some are going through hard times
And so may not be sure
To those who have tough choices
That they still have yet to make
To those of us who’ve falterred
Because we all can make mistakes
To those who feel alone
Because from loved ones you’re apart
To those who’ve lost a loved one
And have grief on your heart
To those who’ve made big moves
And maybe are just unsure
To those who have those hard days
That get tougher to endure
To those with big decisions
Of which path they’ve got to choose
To those who may feel down
Because of holiday blues
No matter what your troubles
For this day leave them behind
May you find a peaceful moment
With no troubles on your mind
Rejoice and Praise our Father
For he will set things right
He will calm your heart
And he will wrap you in his light
So praise him in your blessing
Before you touch your plate
For he is the Most High
And there is no one else as Great!
 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!    

This is how it’s defined in dictionary.com.  Trust…I used to sweat this word.  I was that “I trust you until you give me a reason not to trust you” kind of person who always got burned.  I trusted in relationships, friendships, the good intentions of others.  And it’s very sad to say, but there are very few of those I can reflect back on and say I didn’t get burned on when I put my all into it.

The end result - I became one of those…”I don’t trust you until you gave me a reason TO trust you” kind of people.  Not to mention I had someone nurturing that mentality in me who eventually burned my trust factor to the ground.  So from ground zero I built a brick wall a mile high and long around my heart.  There’s really nobody in here, but me.

I think most would say I have a pretty good heart.  But I’ve become much more guarded with it than I used to be.  I guess that can be very unfair to those who are trying to build any kind of relationship with me.  They are plagued with the task of trying to knock down walls they aren’t even responsible for helping me build. 

I, on the other side of that, am plagued by allowing the slightest little indication that I need to start bricking back up my walls when I start to take them down to put me 2 steps back sometimes.  I know what some of you would say…”people are going to let you down.  There’s only one who won’t….”…but is it wrong to just wish you can have a little more faith in PEOPLE?  I mean the people around you that want you to trust them with your heart, your feelings, your emotions and your sanity and trust that their intentions are what they appear to be.  Crap that’s hard…it really is.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Are you a liar?
A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will perish.(Proverbs 19:9)

There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace. (Proverbs 12:20)

A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin (Proverbs 26:28).

Are you a hypocrite?
1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?  (Romans 2:1-43)

Are you malicious?
8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Are you forgiving of those mentioned above?
32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Do you love God and your neighbor?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30)

I am Belinda, very humbly guest blogging on Melinda’s blog today. Get that? I’m Baaaalinda, she’s Maaaaalinda, the “ah’lindas”. Melinda is one of my truest friends. She knows enough about me to make her dangerous but she also understands about “bury it with a shovel and then bury the shovel” so I know we’ll always be okay! I don’t recall the day, month or year that I started knowing (that’s southerner talk there) Melinda. I know it was on NC Horse News. And I know that somehow I opened up to her in a time of need and she offered me a sympathetic ear and kind words. I remember us meeting at a horse show, or perhaps it was an NC Horse News dinner…the memories escape me, as more and more often they do in my life. But what I haven’t lost is the feeling of connection with her. Deep, interpersonal connection and sister’ness, but without all the silly fighting. As I look back over our friendship I cannot seem to pinpoint when I knew I would be her friend for life. I can’t remember when it was that I realized that I didn’t mind over looking any flaws that she had (and that she did the same for me) and just loved her for who she is, no more, no less, (the way she is, the way she ain’t, her honsety, integrity…oh, sorry, that’s an inside thing between her and I). I have left work to go be with her when she needed me. I would do so today, tomorrow or any day in the future. She is worth that to me, and so very much more.
 
On with the blog. I usually write randomly and I had no idea that if asked to write I’d sit here in front of my computer wondering what in the world I have to say that anyone would want to read. I’m told that I have a sarcastic sense of humor and a twisted view of the world. Being a Christian visitted blog spot, I didn’t think that writing about how I want my husband to wash and wax the car that we have but can’t afford, and then pull up folding chairs and all of us sit around it (instead of the Thanksgiving dinner that I can’t afford) on Thanksgiving, being thankful, for the car. Soooo here’s what I’ve done.

I travelled the some odd 80 miles to Melinda’s for a weekend of fun, and then wrote about it. I suspect it’s going to be pretty boring reading but, here goes. It had been a while since Melinda and I had seen one another. Life has been keeping us apart and when I got the e-vite for the bon fire party I clicked “I’M COMING” because I missed my best friend and gas prices and economic hard times and all that crap just have to be put aside sometimes. This was one of those times.

My trip to Melinda’s got started a little later than I’d planned (but this is the norm for me so I wasn’t stressing about it). As I pulled the truck and (borrowed – thank you Lexie) trailer around for my husband to check the air in the tires for me (that was very nice of him) I made the sharp right turn and pulled the electrical wire out of the connector plug. Oops! The hitch on my husband’s work truck is longer than the one the trailer owner uses apparently. So, now, with great tire air pressure, I had no trailer lights. Many things worry my husband, but me hauling without lights is high on that list. So he said, “It’s okay, I can fix it”. So I’m thinking, “okay, well, that’s nice”. I wouldn’t bring any of this up were I not in the midst of marital problems. I’m a big fan of giving credit where credit is due, and here, it is. He didn’t have to offer to help me and because he did, I am grateful. It took longer than the 15 minutes that I’d hoped for, but when he was done, I had running lights, brake lights and turn signals and he had peace of mind. It was a “win-win” except for one little fact. The reason I was trying to get out early is because my driving glasses broke a few weeks back. Broke in such a way that they can’t be fixed. I have prescription sun glasses for daytime driving but night driving, uh, stay off the roads if you know I’m headed your way! So, I said a little prayer and headed off towards the little slice of heaven they call Hurdle Mills.

I picked up my son along the way, stopped for gas and the journey officially began. It was uneventful, and long but by the grace of God, we arrived safely and to a very warm welcome. I got a long needed hug and went to work. I made homemade mac & cheese and it needed to be cooking right away so I did that while Melinda continued getting ready for all the pretty people. In no time at all, people started arriving and the good times began. I saw lots of people that I hadn’t seen in ages and it was good. The food was plentiful and the mood was happy. The fire was amazing. I enjoyed the feeling I got every time I met someone lucky enough to be in Melinda’s day-to-day life and they would say, “ohhhh so you’re Belinda, I’ve heard all about you”. Sqiuish! (another inside thing)

Sunday we woke up and went to church after a nice breakfast made by Melinda. I enjoyed the ride to church as the long country road was really quite pretty. Something about its prettiness made me get all teary eyed and I took a moment to thank God for that beauty and for the way a simple country road can bring me to tears. We arrived at church and went in and I was greeted time and again with, “oh YOU’RE Belinda, I’ve heard so much about you”. As at the bonfire, things like this make me feel warm inside. We were late so we scooted right in and took seats in a “THIS SECTION IS CLOSED” section. Don’t ask, I just follow where Melinda leads. And really, I couldn’t see anyhow cause it was dark and I didn’t have my glasses.

The service, in the series about “When Life Hurts” was relevant to my life, as I’m sure it was to every ones. I listened to the message and thought how brave and smart Jamie is to be able to get up in front of all those people and deliver such a message. That, in simple terms, when you hurt, the light you receive from God should be shared with someone else that’s hurting, so that even in your time of need, it’s appropriate and expected even, that you try to fill someone else’s need. Somewhere mid-message I got all teary again, but this time the tears wouldn’t be stopped, and as they slid down my cheek, I was thankful to be in such perfect company. Thankful for so many things especially that for the time with my friend, at her church. I can’t tell you why I cried. It wasn’t that one specific thing Jamie said hit me. It was more of a welling up of tears, a warmth that came over me and wouldn’t be stopped or held back. Let’s say it was the Holy Spirit, moving me.

After service we walked around and I met lots more people. I am not good with names and only decent with faces. I realize what a terrible flaw this is and wish I could fix it. So please know that I was happy to meet everyone and felt very welcome and comfortable. This just has to be said… Eddie (I think that’s his name) the greeter who I spoke with between services is simply too cute and has a great smile!

We went upstairs to “do” the Spiked thing. This is the place for the teenagers to get comfortable and worship and be with other teenagers and grownups that still understand. That’s hard to find and so my thanks to each of the adults that serve with the youth. The message was poignant and I am struggling with figuring out a reasonable way to get Justin back for the November 30th conclusion of the Reflections message. I asked Justin about church and he very “typical teenager” and said, “it was okay”. I wish he’d said more. I asked what he thought of the message and his answer only revealed to me that he was paying attention but nothing of how he really felt about it. He said, “well, if Adam said that, it must be true so…” and I asked if he agreed or not, because he could do that, he had that option. And he said he agreed. I asked how he felt about it and wasn’t satisfied with his answer so I may have to bring it up again. Because it needs to be said, I am very much like Adam preached he was. I look in the mirror and see many of the same things that he sees. Only when I looked at him, I didn’t see them. Hey Adam? You’re not fat! Funny how that works, huh? I wondered what I was hiding and have been thinking about it ever since. Thanks Spiked, for letting me sit in. I enjoyed spending time with your group and being a part of Reflections.

We said many “goodbyes” and “nice to meet you’s” before finally leaving. Thank you Leah, for the hug, I needed it! The drive home was just as pretty as on the way to church, only I didn’t cry. I was quite and thoughtful. These days, the less I say, the better, or so it seems. We saddled up and rode our ponies for a little while and then it was time to head home, back to Lillington. I am thankful for the trip and the time spent with friends and good people. I’m thankful that Melinda has found such a fantastic church family and that her life seems to be on a brighter path. I’m thankful for my healthy son and for my faith in God. I hope all Melinda’s blog readers have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Don’t forget to extend the word of God to people you meet along the holidays. You never know whose life you might save.                           Belinda Steinmetz

I have big plans this weekend and well…I’m excited.  I’m having a bonfire with friends over and cookin’ mad food on the grill.  I mean like - at least 48 hamburgers, 115 hotdogs, couple of slabs of ribs, a few packs of chicken, a shoulder, ham…baked beans and whatever the guests bring for sides.  I used to have friends over all the time.  There’s no real occassion for this…I’m calling it my “No Reason Needed” bonfire.  So I’m gearing up.  Stacking wood, moving things around…psyching myself up.  Going to see some people I hardly ever get to see or hang out with anymore…and that’s probably what is the most exciting.

Taira got an overnight invitation so I’m going to pick her up and take her home to pack.  Then it’s off to drop her off, go lend My Dougie a hand doing some last minute things for this weekend’s Spiked and  then shop for a few things still left to pick up. 

One of my bestest friends Belinda is coming and she’s going to stay the night tomorrow.  I’m looking forward to bringing her to NHC on Sunday.  Anothr friend and her family are coming to spend the night so maybe I can get them to tag along, too!  Either way - - - I’m excited about spending some time with people I love (and I think some of them might even love me) this weekend.  Then wrapping it up with NHC Sunday.  Check back in for the weekend in reverse Monday!   Have a safe weekend.    Mel

I had a friend in high school who used to attempt suicide on what I consider to be a “regular” basis…as in more than once.  I  know she didn’t really want to kill herself.  It was just a consistent cry for help.  But the effect of having someone you love try to or succesfully take their own life leaves behind a world of hurt, confusion, what if’s and emotional turmoil for those who love and care for those people.  I can remember my emotions each time my friend would try.  Relief that she wasn’t successful, hurt that she was feeling that bad about her life and there was nothing any of us could do to fix it despite our reaching out to her every chance we got.  She was often “sent away” to a facility to deal with the issues at hand.  Wow that was long ago…and yet I can still get teary just thinking about it.  I don’t even know where she is now, but I woul d love to find her. The last I heard she went through some difficult life transitions but was living her life.

Right about now there are quite a few people around us going through some difficult times.  Financial issues, marital issues, family issues, dealing with grief and loss…I could sit here all day and type a list of things people have to be unhappy about in their lives. These could be people you know…or people you don’t know.

Do you pay attention to those around you?  Do you reach out when you know they are in pain?  Do you share God with them and encourage them to turn to Him when nothing else seems to be going just right?  Do you know how much of a difference that can make in someone’s life? 

I think we get so busy in our every day lives and wrapped up in our own little worlds that sometimes we miss those opportunities to make a difference.  Look around you…do you see someone who looks reserved, withdrawn, uhappy?  Do you see someone who seems to be trying so hard to mask the pain in their life that you can see right through them…but you haven’t done or said anything to let them know?  Do something about it!  Make an effort to reach out to your friends every day and ask them truly…how they are.  “How are things?  Is there anything I can pray about for you?  Are you okay?”  And trust me…sometimes they are going to play it off with short little “everything is fine!  I’m good!  Nothing’s wrong.” answers.  If you don’t honestly believe that is the case…don’t always take that answer as gospel and move on.   Look them dead in the eyes and say “are you sure?  Is there something you aren’t telling me?”  It tells them that you aren’t just going through the motions…but you really DO care.

Sometimes it’s easy to assume that the smile on someone’s face means everything is A-OK in their world.  Don’t make that mistake without truly and genuinely asking and showing them that you truly care.  Sometimes people just need to know that there is at least one person out there who cares about them.  And sometimes you can be the person who makes the total difference in showing them that not only do YOU care…but God cares about them.  Because when things are truly that bad…God is really the only one that can give them the peace they need through the difficult time.  But sometimes they need a little push in God’s direction and that’s what we are here for.  We are his instruments to bring others to Him. 

This Sunday will be the 2nd part of the message “When Life Hurts” at NHC.  Grab someone you might think has some hurt in their life they are hiding (or maybe not hiding) and needs to hear this.  Hey - even grab someone you think is A-OK…because even someone who is walking in a meadow of sunflowers needs a little reminder of where to go when times get tough.

Don’t let anyone fall through the cracks.

EVERYBODY KNOWS - THE DIXIE CHICKS
Tell me now if you came sneaking up behind
Would you know me and see behind the smile
I can change like colors on a wall
Hoping no one else will find what lies beneath it all
I think I hide it all so well

Stepping out, everyone can see my face
All the things I can’t erase from my life
Everybody knows
Standing out so you won’t forget my name
That’s the way we play this game of life
Everybody knows

Looking through the crowd
I search for something else
But every time I turn around
I run into myself
Here I stand
Consumed with my surroundings
Just another day
Of everybody looking
I swore they’d never see me cry
You’ll never see me cry

Stepping out, everyone can see my face
All the things I can’t erase from my life
Everybody knows
Standing out so you won’t forget my name
That’s the way we play this game of life
Everybody knows

You say I’ll pay the price
That’s the chance that I’ll take
Though you may think I’m telling lies
But I just call it getting by

Stepping out, everyone can see my face
All the things I can’t erase from my life
Everybody knows

Standing out so you won’t forget my name
That’s the way we play this game of life

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

 1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

 5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

 9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written:
   ” ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
   ’every knee will bow before me;
      every tongue will confess to God.’ “^[a] 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

 13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food^[b] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

 19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

 22So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Just something to think about.  If , without consulting God, you make an independent decision about taking a path in your life…you may miss out on something pretty great and deprive yourself of a little piece of happiness.  So as always…pray about it!  You may be surprised at God’s response.  I had to pray hard about something I wasn’t sure about…and God answerred me through the Christian friends I talked with after praying almost immediately.  As a result…I’m a dozen yellow roses happier today than I was yesterday.  Dont’ miss out on your dozen yellow roses!

Had a great weekend.  Had a few peeps over to cook on the grill and burn some wood up.  Taira had friends over so they were occupied.  There were burgers, dogs, chili, ribs and a whole lotta cookin’ goin’ on.  K.C. Masterpiece manned the grill and fed the ravenous people and then we just vegged out.  It was overall - - - a good night. 

Saturday a couple of my favorite NHC youth gone adult came for a morning ride.  So 4 of my horses and Taira’s headed out on the trail..  I am taking full credit (well…and Ransom) for lowering Rihanna’s blood pressure!  See…horses are therapeutic.  I stand by my future plans to be able to share them with those who need them most.  After enjoying the absolutely beautiful artwork God creates in the fall, we headed back to the house.  Then we got back and 2 of my students came and me and four giggly girls headed back out again for another beautiful ride.  I know Clue, Levi, Six, Ransom and DMC were thinking WTC?  (What the crap!)  LOL!  But everyone was well behaved and it was just a nice time. 

Returned to the homestead to put the horses up and hook up some grub for the kids.  Then they decided to play hide and seek while I took a breather. (Still not feeling too great with this sudden head cold!) Two of the girls headed home and Taira and her overnight guest agreed to ANOTHER overnighter.  So they occupied themselves.  At some point I repaired the fence at the back of the house.  The rest of the day was quiet and other than heading to make it a Blockbuster night…it was just r&r for the evening.  NICE!  Neela got a bath so she got to sleep in the bed.  This makes her happy.  She is after all…the Princess!

Sunday morning someone made a special delivery so we had cheese cake frosted cinammon buns (the big fat Pilsbury kind) and then headed off to NHC.  What a great day.  There were a ton of baptisms (the final tally for the weekend including Saturday evening and both Sunday morning services was 75).  I have to send out some Baptism shouts of congratulations to some cool Club 56 and Spiked youth who got dunked. Alex, Stephanie, Chris, Tiea and Bjorn.  And to one of our youth volunteers Janet.  Janet is Bjorns mom…and she got Baptized as well with her other son Jonathan.  How cool is that?  Nearly a whole family getting baptized together.  There were also several husband and wife couples who got dunked together. Well to all who got Baptized…I am proud of you and welcome to the kingdom! It really is an awesome place…and this isn’t even the best part.

Got to give mad props to K.G. for his angry karaoke rendition to which he proclaimed he hates us all.  But in reality…he knows he loves us.  That was FUNN-EEE.  I don’t care who ya are. He and Dula are neck and neck for the Angry Karaoke Crown!

After a serving  meeting…headed home to get some hay and some riding in before dark.  A fresh load of hay is just one of those little things that makes me happy (the horses, too)!  And the riding made me equally as happy.  We even pulled up a horse who hasn’t been ridden since I’ve owned her and she proved she can hold her own on the trail so Fiona got welcomed to the hack line. 

Back to the house - horses up - settled in for some chili I had thrown in the slow cooker in the morning.  Then…we headed to go see Madagascar 2.  There’s an advantage to waiting until the initial rush when a movie first comes out to go see it.  8:00PM on a Sunday night….it was far from crowded.  And the movie started off with “I like to move it…move it” so it was all good.  King Julian - he cracks me up.  The movie was crack-a-lackin’.  But I think I like the first one better.  I don’t know!

Well - it’s Monday.  It’s another beautiful fall day and I’d rather be home riding…but there’s work to be done so I better go do it!

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