So it’s Monday
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Still in a bit of mourning for my beloved Starfire. If there’s a Heaven for animals…I know she is there.
Thursday evening Group-Link took my mind off of things for a bit. And it was amazing how “real” and open we were. God did some amazing things in connecting folks last week!!! Excited to see what God is going to do this Thursday in part 2!
Friday my Spiked teens had pretty much an impromptu hang out at the youth room that wore me out. Pizza and wings were consumed and 3 rounds of guys versus girls dodgeball were played by 25 teens. Need an uplift? Hang out with Spiked teens.
Saturday I woke up amazingly sad. Delayed reaction? Cried for the better part of the morning as if I realized my loss for the first time.
Matthew 5:3-4
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Comfort me Oh God and give me the peace to know that my decision was the right one and that it was in due time. Ease my pain and put peace in my heart and help me let go and find joy in the other animals you have blessed me to be caretakers of.
After getting out of my sulking, Malcolm helped me spend most part of the day working on some horse fence that had been over run by weeds. We pulled posts and restrung wire. There is still much to be done.
Sunday was a great day at NHC. Spiked teens hung out in the front row and set a great example of some awesome worshipping. Join us next Sunday and jump around a little for Jesus!!!!
Lots of awesome folks participated in the serving tour to see what goes on behind the scenes of the ministries to see where serving opportunities are. A whole lotta folks signed up to serve. But here’s a hint…you can sign up to serve ANYTIME!!!
Went home and relaxed a little then had a mini-cook out with some group folks and then rode horses literally into the darkness.
Now I’m just about done with the Monday work day and hoping rain holds out so I can get some riding in tonight when I get home.
I knew the day would come…
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
When I wold have to say goodbye to my very first horse Starfire who I have owned since 1994. She was approximately 26 years old when I hd to say goodbye yesterday! I’m sure I should have been far more prepared emotionally than I turned out to be…but even though I know it was the right decision I really wasn’t ready.
I just don’t have the words to say….so all I can say right now is goodbye my sweet, sweet Starfire.
Taira and Starfire about 8 years ago.
Running out of church!
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Why is it everyone is always running from the church? They were active in the church…something happened they didn’t like…they ditch the church. They were serving…asked to step from that serving position…they ditch the church. Something changes at the church…they don’t like it…they ditch the church. They don’t like someone who goes to the church…they ditch the church.
Is it so easy to let some miniscule event, occurence or happening run you out of the church? If so I have to ask…was your heart ever really IN the church to begin with??? I mean seriosly -probably stepping on a few toes here…but it just seems everyone wants the church to revolve around what THEY approve of or think it should be or they’re out of there.
I’ve seen a lot of changes take place in my two years of attendance at my church. I’ll admit…they all haven’t made me jump for joy (and okay…maybe some have)! But the things that attracted me to my church in the first place have remained the same. A feeling of unconditional love and acceptance among other people in the church…a feeling of purpose and belonging in the church…relevant teachings of the word of God in the church! One of my favorite sayings from a christian e-mail of witty sayings is “quit griping about your church…if it was perfect you couldn’t belong!”
Here’s the deal…if you are looking for the “perfect” church where everything will be the way YOU think it should be…you might as well plant your own church (good luck!). But guess what….I bet there’s going to be plenty of someone’s who don’t like the way YOU do church!
But yeah…I understand there’s nothing you can do to keep people from leaving a church. Here’s the deal though - we should be concerned that even if they leave a church…they continue to walk with God and seek out another church that can help them in that journey. Because each church, no matter how big or small, is only part of THE church as a whole. All together making up the Body! Lest me remind you that the church makes up the body of CHRIST!
23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Ephesians 5:23
18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:18
24Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24
We should be concerned. There’s nothing more concerning on this issue than an individual or a family that leaves a church for one reason or another and then falls out of THE church completely. Don’t let them ditch the body of Christ…help, encourage and pray for them move onto another part of the body.
I hear people all the time say “so and so has left the church”. Of course the response to that is usually “WHY?” But you know what? It’s most likely that whatever the reason…you won’t be able to change whatever it was (and it probably won’t make them come back anyway). Not without perhaps making someone else in the church unhappy. Plain and simple you just can’t please everyone. Church is not about keeping people in the church happy…it’s about saving souls and nurturing people’s walks with Christ through relationships with other christians once they become saved.
So maybe we need to condition ourselves to making the response to so and so leaving the church ”have they found another church” and if not “how can we help them find another church?” THAT’S what’s important. The most important thing isn’t finding out WHY they left…but doing our best to try and help keep them walking with God. Even if doing so means they go to another church within THE church.
I took a wrong turn somewhere…
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Monday I woke up in Surf City, NC…and Tuesday I woke up back in HM. I definitely took a wrong turn somewhere.
Thanks to the graciousness of a couple with a beach house that overlooks the sound and is within walking distance of the beach and the willingness of friends to tend to the critters (ALL of them) I was able to be whisked away on a 4 day vacation.
So Friday we packed the Tahoe with 5 people (one of those being MOMZ!) and 5 people’s bags worth of stuff and hit the road to Topsail. I can’t remember the last time I ever got away somewhere jst for the sole purpose of relaxing and getting away. Not for a conference. Not for a fundraising ride. A real trip with the sole intent to worry about nothing and do nothing I didn’t want to do.
The beach house was lovely. A 3 bedroom house with a private boardwalk out back that led to the sound (which made for great, relaxing fishing) and a deck with a swing accessible from all bedrooms and another deck accessible from the living area. Of course there was beach time (you can’t go to the beach with kids and not afford real beach time). Not too crowded…weather was on point. Even got a smidgen of a tan while I journalled and people watched. (Watching people on the beach is an interesting past time).
The Surf City Pier was madness with a fishing tournament taking place…but the flounder sandwhiches in the grill at the back of the shop were definitely on point. (Had two over the course of the weekend).
Watching the sunset on the sound was breathtaking. Watching the fish jump and the cranes hunt was just overall relaxing.
I didn’t realize how much I could actually fall in love with the beach atmosphere and a beach house to enjoy it in. Don’t get me wrong, I have been to the beach twice in the past couple of years. But both trips were solely for work purposes and a little afforded God time in between. This was different. And for the most part I enjoyed every minute of it.
I missed seeing people, getting hugs and hearing the message at NHC on Sunday. But I got the message second hand off the website first thing Tuesday so it’s all good.
Of course I brought some local shrimp home (hmmmm…maybe dinner tomorrow) ! And I was content to pull into the drive to see all my critters had been taken care of and with the exception of the dogs didn’t really seem to notice my absence as long as someone fed them. But I truly am missing the do nothing, don’t HAVE to do anything R&R! Might have to do that again.
Ever so thankful for the blessing of the weekend getaway. Now God…about this work thing….
Excited, Inspired and Motivated about Student Ministry
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
(When I was writing this blog the PC battery died….but luckily it saved in the Draft so I am able to finish and post this…though a little late. Still important stuff!)
Well just got back yesterday from spending some time with other NHC peeps at a conversation (a.k.a. a conference, but much more personal) at Newspring Church in Anderson, NC. I have come back refreshed, revitalized and ready to watch God work through our student ministry with implementation of some of the great things we brought back.
I’m sitting in a car right now blogging this (no I am not driving!) My mind is going 100mph (which is why I shouldn’t be driving) on things we can do at NHC to serve Student Ministry with a standard of excellence. I am completely inspired by some of the conversation we had with Perry Noble and his very dedicated Student Ministry staff! And even better, some of my misconceptions of what we need to have a successful student ministry have been cleared up and my eyes have been opened.
Perry Noble laid out seven convictions regarding Student Ministry that were totally awesome. Check it ou
- Youth and Children’s Ministry has more potential than any other ministry in the church
- Healthy Youth and Children’s Ministries must be supported by the Senior Pastor at your church. (Our Senior Pastor was in attendance…and I’m pretty sure he’s behind NHC Kids and Spiked!)
- Senior Pastors m,ust be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
- Environments Matter.
- Keep it SIMPLE.
- Tension and conflict MUST be addressed NO MATTER WHAT! We must COMPLETE one another and not COMPLETE with one another in ministry!!!! (That’s good Perry!)
- Right People must be in the right place. (Are the volunteers in your you ministry serving with a passion for the ministry or are they just serving to serve?)
That said…let me tell you what - our Senior Pastor was on board this trip the whole time. So I’m pretty sure that means he’s in support of the Student Ministry. And as for as being comfortable being uncomfortable…well that’s nothing new at NHC!
The youth are the church of tomorrow….so why shouldn’t we be concerned with their ministry today? Kids are infectious and contagious and peer pressure is iminent. So imagine what influence they can have on each other and how God plays such an important role in that. So don’t turn your nose and scoff at the idea that teenagers and kids need their own relevant area of ministry.
NHC is working on our environments all the time. That’s why we have separate environments such as NHC KIDS for the wee ones, the soon to be kicked off SHOCKWAVE for tweens and SPIKED for middle and high school teens! The environments serve a useful purpose. They not only allow parents to be able to encounter God and engage on an adult level without worrying about the distraction of their kiddos…they allow kids to experience God on a level THEY can relate to.
And COMPLETING and not COMPETING with each other is especially important with ministry areas. The church and all of it’s ministries should complement each other and together…so many souls will be ripped out of the throngs of hell to have eternal life.
We attended and observed the worship service for Middle School at the Newspring Student Ministrie’s service on Wednesday night. You want to get a little humbled by worship….watch some middle schoolers WORSHIP God. Watch them raise their hands up and jump up and down FOR GOD! It will bring tears to your eyes. It did for me.
So now…if you are volunteering at Spiked Student Ministries at New Horizon Church I can tell you this: Prepare to be held to serve with a standard of excellence. Why exactly is it that you don’t feel like you have to dedicate the time and energy into building relationsihps and BEING THERE for the students you serve at Spiked? Is it because you aren’t getting paid? Do you need to be PAID to serve??? How much is bringing kids to Christ worth these days? Is there a dollar amount on that?
Is it because you think we “need more money” to serve students???? Well in my opinion…no dollar amount can make up for dedication, commitment and a true hearts desire to serve, build relationships with and bring to Christ the students that are walking through our church doors. (Not to mention the ones that aren’t!) So you can throw a billion dollars at our Student Ministry Program…but if the volunteers who are serving there don’t have a heart for it then it would still fail! So all I can say is…if you are volunteering in Student Ministry with only a half hearted dedication now is the time to examine yourself. Evaluate yourself. Evaluate your serving, who you serve and WHY you are serving in Student Ministry. If it’s because you feel obligated to serve…that’s not good enough. Serving out of OBLIGATION is not going to cut it. Serve because you feel called to this ministry. Because you feel called to these kids. Because you feel called to reach into their hearts and touch them with God and show them Love, Acceptance and Hope.
If you can’t find that…don’t be afraid to say…”this is not the ministry for me.” Pray on it and God will show you where he truly wants you to be. If on the other hand he rekindles your passion for students…join us in stepping it up and serving the Spiked Students with Excellence instead of half heartedness.
John 13:12-15
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
OH SHNAP! You got served!!!
Did somebody turn on the heat?
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Everytime I walk outside I think there is a chance I might have woken up in Satan’s lair. It has been RIDICULOUSLY hot this week. I got home from work the other day and my horses were standing in the pastures looking like they’d been hosed off…but they were just sweating. Someday…I will have an air conditioned barn.
It should be a crime to let it get this hot!
That said…favorite quote from my weekend at NHC came from My Dougie. See I decided to be cute …yeah instead of jeans and a tshirt I was rumored to have been seen in a floral skirt (sssh…it was a skort…tee hee) and pretty black top. I told Dougie I was trying to play the part bein’ beautiful and she told me “You are beautiful inside and out no matter what you wear!” Awww….she gets major friend points for that one! :)
Girflriends…make sure you are hitting the Beautiful series directed at us women at NHC. If you missed it - it’s up on the website now so go check it out.
Well I am excited to be headed off to NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC tomorrow with some NHC peeps to get some Student Ministry motivation. Perry Noble always has some awesome Godism to deliver and I can’t wait to see what’s in store. Spiked peeps will be holding down Wednesday night with the teens. And I think I’m gonna miss my teens this week!
When we return from SC…I’m taking a Real vacation. My last real vacation was at Disney World a few years back with one of my BFF’s and all of our kids. It was a great time. But having a yard full of horses, two goats and a house full with dogs, cats, snake, rabbit, hamster…vacationing is hard. But I’m blessed with a great friend who is going to house and pet sit for me so I can go away for some family time for a few days worry free. Not going too far…but I’ll be away either way. Away from home, work and NHC. Going to miss the 3rd phase of the Beautiful series, but thankfully I can check it out on DVD, CD or on-line when I get back. That’s such a great resource. You should check it out…and if you know somebody who hasn’t graced the doors of NHC to be blessed then grab them a dvd then pray that it reaches them to the point that they want to go ahead and check out all that GOD has to offer at NHC on a Sunday.
Well I am about to take off and do a quick little bit of shopping. Might even stop by the Verizon/Alltel store to see what they will do for me today. Ha ha!
Have a great week -updates when I return.
I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
There’s a rap song that spells it out. I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T Do you know what that means?
You know - there’s a lot of songs out about being Independent. They all refer to women or are being sung by “independent” women.
Beyonce sings: All the women who are independent-Throw your hands up at me-All the honeys who makin’ money-Throw your hands up at me-All the mommas who profit dollas-Throw your hands up at me-All the ladies who truly feel me-Throw your hands up at me
NeYo sings: She got her own thing That’s why I love her
Miss independent Wont you come And spend a little time
She got her own thing That’s why I love her
Miss independent Ooh the way you shine
Miss independent Miss independent
That’s why I love her
Kelly Clarkson sings about a girl who was independent…until she fell in love and decided she didn’t have to be.
Miss independent
Miss self-sufficient
Miss keep your distance
Miss unafraid
Miss out of my way
Miss don’t let a man interfere, no
Miss on her own
Miss almost grown
Miss never let a man help her off her throne
So, by keeping her heart protected
She’d never ever feel rejected
Little miss apprehensive
Said ooh, she fell in love
With the current series at NHC Beautiful comes the theme of women recognizing that we are Beautiful in God’s eyes and the need to recognize that. Truth is….some of us have been so busy being or trying to be independent that we forget that we are a beautiful creations of God. We are so busy trying to take care of our every day lives, working (face it the years of staying home playing Suzy Homemaker are long past), paying the bills, taking care of the kids, feeding our families…and forgetting about US because we are independently taking care of NEEDS.
So my beautiful sisters…for just one day…let someone open a door for you. Let someone do something for you. Ask for help and stop trying to do things for yourself all the time.
Now I am guilty guilty guilty (and someone told me that yesterday) of not asking for help when help is right there. Of doing something myself instead of letting someone help and saying no when they offer. I can’t help it. I guess I am so used to NOT getting the offer that I don’t know how to accept it. Oh I a trying hard. But it’s a hard habit to break and it feels so awkward when I try. When push comes to shove I feel all humbled if I’m forced to accept help and then sometimes I even feel bad about needing it in the first place.
However, I have decided that starting to day…if help is there I’m going to ask for it. If someone offers…I’m going to accept it. I know there’s nothing wrong with being independent. I’m just a firm believer that you have to do things for yourself and not to rely on someone else to do it for you. But at the same time…I know that GOD put that help there for a reason and He’s just waiting for me to accept the gift that He’s putting before me to take because He is “enthralled by my beauty”. Maybe some of you need to do the same.
I’m still here…had technical difficulties!
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Wow! I had some issues getting blogs to post, but it seems Blog.com is revising the site so the underground pages that us bloggers see when we post have been updated. Got this e-mail today!
This is an automated message, stating that your blog.com account has
been migrated to the new platform. All content has been moved
successfully to the new platform.support@blog.com.
Expect to see a new user interface when you next login to blog.com. We
believe the new interface is fairly easy to use. However, should you
have any question regarding day to day operations, please get in touch
with the support team by emailing
Checkin’ out the changes and hey…you can’t see them, but they are kind of cool!
So what’s new? Well yes to those who keep up with me I am still on the lookout for a property to rent that can accomodate the critters. It’s not an emergency, but it’s inveitable so please continue to pray that God will provide. (He always does…right?) I have a feeling I may just end up jumping into home ownership. It seems that everywhere I turn there is a house or land for sale. So who knows.
So anyway what is new with me? Well we got a great deal on a big ol’ horse for Malcolm. A 16′3 hand Appendix Gelding. He’s a nice boy. A free lease from a friend of mine. Excited to have a ride for him to take to the beach in October. That will be fun.
Taira is at mom’s again this week. And apparently she is breaking out from something. So say your prayers we can get her cleared up. She went swimming in a pond at a birthday party this past weekend and must have gotten into something.
Taira had band camp last week. It’s really cool because she is playing the flute that I played from 6-11th grade. We dropped it off at Music Arts in Burlington to get it re-padded and gone over. I’m so glad I didn’t sell that thing because it’s going to be a lot cheaper than it would have been to rent one or buy one. I hope she sticks with it.
I’ve got a great new Community Group going in Roxboro so if you know anybody convenient to that area that needs to get in a group send them my way. But my heart still lies with My Dougie, my very firstest Community Group Leader!
Speaking of groups - hope you’ve made it to a block party. If not you have one more chance. The last block party of the summer is August 22nd. Key event to inviting someone to come hang out with some cool people and experience a little NHC and hopefully want to come back and check us out that Sunday!
My boss if fired. She just brought me a lemon cream donut in my office. So bad for me…but so yummy.
Oh check this out…one of my coworkers is a freelance photographer on the side. He asked if he could bring a girl out to take some shots with a horse and in the long run I ended up taking some, too. Never did anything like that before and they were really cool. I usually hate pictures of myself, but I have to say they turned out pretty good. Check out my Facebook to see a couple of them.
I missed the first series message for Beautiful. Yo - NHC peeps when is that gonna get up on the site so I can listen to it while I work? Well hear it was a great message so can’t wait for this Sunday.
We’re planning a mini familyvacation to the beach before school starts . Even mom is coming. How cool is that? Looking forward to some R&R at Topsail. But you know I am looking forward to SHRIMP SHRIMP and MORE SHRIMP! Ha ha!
Well I have to alert everyone that my blog is back up an drunning before I ramble on forever. But ya’ll come back now…ya hear?!
