*Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.*

    Hmm ... I think my clothes or sense of style falls here haha. I am not the "trendiest" person, not a girly girl, and usually just dress for comfort. I tend to buy clothes for daughters (mostly 'cause they outgrow clothes so quickly!) and I make sure they have nice cute clothes. But I haven't gone *clothes shopping* for me since maybe high school? I have picked up a thing or two here and there, and received some for Christmas/Birthday, but I still wear clothes I wore in high school. So needless to say, I don't get many (if any) compliments on my clothes/style. Maybe one day when we aren't living paycheck to paycheck I can afford to update my wardrobe, but until then bring on the jeans and T-shirts :)

Stepping out of the Boat

     Sometimes in life we are presented with opportunities to show God that we trust Him. It is in these moments that we are asked to step out of the comfortable boat and walk on water. The only way that is possible is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not to be overwhelmed by the waves crashing all around us. These moments are difficult but can be a very rewarding experience.
     When I think about these moments and struggle, I am reminded of when Jesus chastised Peter for not having enough faith. (Matthew 14:31: Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”) I must take comfort in the fact that Jesus will help me take the necessary steps to following Him towards that rewarding experience; and if for some reason I do get overwhelmed and fall ... I know he will catch me and not let me drown. 
     I am now at a point in my life that God has asked me to step out of the boat and take that step of faith. God put into motion the ball that ultimately is ending my job as Minister of Youth and Children at my church. I know this is the step God wants me to take, as when I realized my job was ending I felt physical relief - almost as if a weight was being lifted from my shoulders. I have no doubts that Jesus is standing there telling me to step of out of the boat and come.
     The waves, though, are high and fierce. I try not to look around at the wave too much because it can be overwhelming, but it hard to not see them. Some of these waves are finances, living arrangements, job details, and other stresses that probably should stay out of my blog for the time being. With my job ending, we will be on David's income alone and right now his income is less than mine. So our income would be cutting drastically. Which leaves us with how to pay bills, and what to do about our house. Right now we own it and pay a mortgage on it. So do we sell it and turn to family for support? Or do we stick it out and eat away at savings until we can't do anything else hoping that something turns around for us? As for job, all of this that has happened was God's way of answering my prayers and making a tough decision for me. I do not plan to look for a new job, especially not one in a church.With me not getting a new job, it puts a lot more pressure on David getting a new job. We prefer one that is with his degree (but that's a whole different blog about companies that require people to have experience, but that leaves people unable to get experience because no one will hire them - vicious cycle!), but if he can't get one with his degree just yet, we hope that something will open up for him that will at least pay the bills.
     All of these waves could really bring us down. They could lead us away from God's plan. And we, like Peter, could start sinking. But Jesus tells us to Trust Him! When we take that step of faith, and we get out of the boat He will protect us and guide our each step. For me, I feel God is calling me away from congregational ministry, but not away from ministry. God is still guiding me in the direction of the ministry that He has planned special for me; I just don't know what that is yet. I've always known I was still on a journey following Him. He has now made it clear it's time to take that step. For me, that step out of the boat is me being able to be a SAHM, teaching my children, taking care of my family, and teaching my children to be lovers of Jesus. My ministry for now is my family. I would hate it if I spent all my time and energy to minister to other people, and I neglect the spiritual and physical needs of my family. I want to devote all of who I am to bring my children up in the ways of the Lord. They were given to me as a blessing from God. He has entrusted David and I with the duty of raising them to be children of God. This is what I know I am called to do. I know that God has more plans in store as life goes on, as my children get older, and I've matured more in my faith. But God only reveals small parts of His plan at a time. And for now this is it.
    So here I am God. I don't know how you will provide, but I know you will. I don't know what's to come, but I know you do. I am getting out of the boat. I am taking a step towards you. My eyes are fixed on you. And, with your help, I will not be overwhelmed by the waves around me.   Amen.

Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

---

Carolyn Carty, 1963

*Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.*

    I would have to say that the thing I am complimented most about is my smile. It is one of those things that is contagious, and I try to brighten people's day with a smile. Through high school and some college, I worked in the customer service field and my cheeks usually hurt by the time I got off work. I would always have so many people tell me that I have a nice smile. I don't know what else to write about that ... I guess never underestimate the power of a smile. :)

"Like Mother, Like Daughter"

     Over the summer, I read an article in a Homelife Magazine that I really liked. It was titled "Like Mother, Like Daughter" and had a list with 10 things a mother should do to set a good example for her daughters. I jotted down the main list to write about later ... and now is later.

     As I watch my daughters grow and learn, there is one thing that is extremely obvious. They learn what they see. They copy other people's behaviors, and say what they hear other people say - especially things they see and hear Mommy and Daddy say.

     When I was growing up, my mom used to say "Do as I say, not as I do." I have always hated that saying. And often my retort was "What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you are saying" or "Actions speak louder than words." When it comes to raising children, it is so important to remember that parents must model good behaviors so their children will see a good demonstration of what is expected. If what I do does not match what I am trying to teach my children with words, my attempts are futile. Before children even have a vocabulary or have language comprehension, they learn from watching those around them.

A country song has a line that I love. It says, "I'm gonna be the kind of woman I want my daughter to be." That is my goal in life. 

With that being said, here is that list of things a mother should be sure to do to teach her daughter well.

• Reading your Bible and praying
•  It is so important for me to show my children how to have a relationship with God. They can learn things from church, but it ultimately falls on my shoulders to teach them how to practice what they are learning at church. If I want them to carry their faith with them when they grow up and start a family of their own, then I need to show them how to make it part of their daily life.
• Treating your husband with respect
• How I, as a wife, treat my husband will lay the foundations that will go with my daughters when they get married. I want my daughters to have healthy loving relationships that thrive and succeed. If I can set a good example for my daughters now, then maybe I can help them make good decisions when it comes to getting married that will ultimately help prevent a potential divorce or years of fighting. 
• Also, if my husband and I can model a good loving relationship that is filled with respect for one another, then our children can learn good relationship skills. They will learn not only how to relate to a spouse, but with their friends and family.
• Dressing and behaving modestly
• In today's world, so many girls and women have lost respect for their bodies. They dress to attract guys or act in ways they think will get someone to "love" them. The sad thing is the attention this behavior and clothing attracts is not "love" and is usually less than they deserve and could get from being true to themselves. I want more than anything to instill in my daughters a healthy respect for who they are as women of God. I want them to protect themselves from potential harm by dressing modestly and acting appropriately, but I also want them to know in their hearts that it is *who* they are that matters most - not how they dress, what they look like, or how flirty they can act. I hope I can teach them that they need to be true to who they are inside, and of course, I pray that I raise young ladies who are self confident, good, Christian girls with values and modesty. And the number one way to do that is to carry myself with the same values, modesty, and attitudes that I am trying to teach them.
• Looking well to the ways of your household
• This is an area I am still working on. I did not grow up in a clean house with good housekeeping routines in place. And because of that, I am still teaching myself how to set good routines that will help keep our house clean, and that I can teach our children good practices for housekeeping. If they don't start learning from a very young age, it will be harder to teach them when they get older. I pray that I am able to set a good example for my daughters on how to have a clean home and good routines that keep the entire household running smoothly. I have to remind myself that the things I do or do not do now have the potential to affect my daughters' households in the future, which then could be passed on to my future grandchildren etc. I have to decide now that I will do all I can to pass on good habits for my children, grandchildren, and so on.
• Speaking kindly to unkind people
• We all encounter unkind people in our lives, and human nature is to respond to them with the same attitude they are giving us. But that is not how Jesus expects us to respond. When our children are faced with those unkind people, they will respond in like manner unless they have been specifically taught and seen model behavior of the proper way to respond. It takes a lot of training to go against human nature, and therefore it is very important for me to always show my daughters how to be kind when faced with unkind people.
• Reaching out to the poor and needy
• Children often learn judgmental attitudes from their parents' behavior - even if subtle. When we see a homeless person, or beggar, or someone else in need, our children see them too, and then they look to see what we do or don't do. If we ignore them, look away, or go out of our way to avoid them our children, then translate that into these are people we don't associate with and that in some form or fashion these people are bad or there is something wrong with them. And this is not the behavior Jesus teaches we should have. Jesus set the example for us that we are to feed those who are hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, visit the sick, etc. We must model the behavior Jesus expects of us for our children.
• Keeping a positive attitude, even in difficult circumstances
• Through life, we all - including our children - will encounter hardships, but it is how we handle these hardships that define the kind of person we are. If we want our children to be positive people who are able to grow and come out of hardships a stronger person, then we have to show them how to do that. If we are always negative and out of control when we face hardships, our children will not learn healthy ways of dealing with these trials.
• Giving honor to your parents and your in-laws
• As parents, we all want our children to respect us and obey us. We can tell them that the Bible says so all we want, but if they see us disrespecting our own parents, they will have a hard time finding respect for us. If we want our children to respect us, we must respect our parents as well.
• Turning off the TV
• There are so many inappropriate things on TV these days. If our children see us watch things without hesitation, they will consider those actions, words, and ideas acceptable. We must demonstrate for our children what things we should or should not allow into our minds by censoring the things we see on TV. If our children see us turn something off because it has bad language or inappropriate content, they will have a clearer picture of what we should and should not allow into our minds. 
• Telling the truth
• This one falls heavily into the "actions speak louder than words" category. We expect our children to always tell the truth, and we discipline them if they lie. But if our children catch us lying, how are we to expect them to always tell the truth? 

All in all ... as a mother to two daughters, I must model good Christian behavior if I want my daughters to grow up to be good Christian woman.

Source the article was found: Homelife magazine July 2010

*Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.*

     Had this question been asked of me when I was in grade school, I probably could have created a list in response. But now that I am grown and more mature, I can honestly say that I don't spend time with people who I know have a negative influence over me, bring me down, or just someone I wouldn't want my children spending too much time with. I now surround myself with friends and family who will only encourage me to make good, sound decisions, and will uplift me. Most people who don't fit this category don't stick around much and don't go out of their way to spend time with me, and I don't go out of my way to spend time with them either. All in all, the people who are worth my time also show me that I am worth their time. And usually, people who consider me worth the effort have similar values that I do.
     I know ... boring. But I'd rather have a happy boring life than have it filled with unnecessary drama. :)

Melissa's Meatloaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup ketchup
• 1/8 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients well (best results, use your clean hands!)
3. Shape into 1 or 2 loaves on pan 
4. Bake for 30 minutes/or completely cooked through.

Personal Flair and Reflections 
     Over the last few years of cooking, I have played around a lot. Meatloaf is one of those foods that I've never had a recipe for, but I've always done a little bit of this, a little bit of that etc. I have finally gotten to where I use the same ingredients each time because we absolutely love it. I never measure things out, so I pulled out my measuring cups to get an idea of how much I usually use so I could share my yummy meatloaf (and so I could add it to my binder and hubby could make it sometime ;)).
     So this recipe you have is an estimation of what I normally do. But feel free to add more or less of your favorites. Have fun! Play until you find the taste you like!
     Additionally, I do sometimes I add oregano, or top with cheese during the last few minutes of cooking. I have also added BBQ sauce to the top while cooking.
     My favorite pan to use while making this is my broiler pan. It is a wonderful way to let the grease run down into the bottom portion of the pan so the meatloaf is not too greasy!

Family Friendly Tip
     This is so easy to make. One way to help with the dinner time crazies is to mix all the ingredients in bowl earlier in the day when you get a free moment (like nap time!) or even the night before. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook!

*Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.*

I grew up in a small town in Florida. I have friends I've known since I was born. We went to the same church, and to the same school from 1st grade-12th grade. After high school, I moved to North Carolina for college and I am still here. It's been almost 2 years since my last trip to Florida. Needless to say, I have drifted apart from some of those friends. Some of them I still keep in touch with some on Facebook, but nothing like I used to.

But out of all those friends, there is one person who I really miss: my best friend, Tana.
I met Tana in the 5th grade. In 6th grade, we rode the same bus and I have her highlighted in my yearbook as my one of "good friends." But in my 7th grade yearbook, she isn't highlighted - guess we didn't have similar classes that year. But in 8th grade, (if you remember I went to 3 different schools that year), my 3rd school of the year was back to my hometown school - Eustis Middle School. We had art class together and sat at the same table, and I got a chance to really get to know her. I invited her to church with me one Wednesday. She started coming with me, and ended up accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior - I will NEVER forget that day! From then on, we were inseparable. We went to school together, church together, lived within walking distance of each other, played soccer together, and I even got her a job with me! We were so close that she was like family. She never knocked when she came over ... just walked in and came right up to my room. We have so many good memories! I could write a lot if I were to talk about all of them haha!
But then college. I left for North Carolina, and she went allllll the way to Seattle, Washington. We both got busy with college. We do still make a point to call each other to catch up. And when we do, I love that it's as if nothing has changed and we pick up where we left off. Which reminds me ... it's time for one of those catch up conversations!
She flew out and was a bridesmaid in my wedding - after not seeing each other for over 2 years ... and that was the last time I've seen her (June 23, 2007). My sweet Tana got married this past summer .... and the plan would have been for me to be at her wedding too ....... but, my sweet Kathryn decided to be born 2 weeks before her wedding. That would have been really overwhelming trying to fly all of us with a newborn out to Seattle. So I sadly and regretfully missed her wedding. But I do plan to try and go see her as soon as I can!
I miss her so much. I have yet to have a friendship like the one her and I shared! *tears*
Love you Tana!

Pics are from my wedding June 23, 2007