Drink more water

I thought I would take a moment and share a little tip with you.  Have you heard that you should drink more water?  Water is good for you. 

But sometimes, it's a little bit hard to drink just plain water all the time.  So, I add these "water enhancers" to my glass of ice water.  It helps me drink more water. 

 

I drank a lot of Kool-Aid as a kid, so the Kool-Aid flavors are my favorite.  I like the cherry flavor the best.  But the grape Crush flavor is pretty good too.  I'm not too fond of the orange Crush.  It's hard to get the right amount in my glass.

 

It's really easy to add these to a glass of ice water.  I find that my taller glass takes 2-3 "squeezes" of flavor.  They don't have a lot of calories, they don't have a lot of sugar, and they don't have a lot of sodium.  You can find them at the grocery store, usually really close to the Kool-Aid packets.

 

It's a great way to drink more water.

 

Hugs,

Melinda

FMF - Choose

This post is part of Five Minute Fridays over at Lisa Jo's blog.  Write for 5 minutes.  No editing.

And GO:

Today's word is choose.  We make choices all the time.  We choose what we wear, we choose what we eat, we choose wear we work (to some extent), and we choose who we love. 

And we choose not to get angry at the child who was supposed to be doing her schoolwork but apparently was not.  We choose how we respond.  Do we yell and scream?  Do we give second and third chances?  How do you deal with a teenager in high school who seems to have an elementary attitude towards school?

Life is all about choices.  Everything is a risk, everything is a gamble.  What I choose, what I risk might not be a gamble for you.  For you, it might be a sure thing.  We are all guaranteed life and love if we follow Jesus.  We are not guaranteed one single moment on Earth.  The only assurance we have is life eternal in God. 

How do you choose?  Will you follow God this day?

As for the child who shall remain nameless, I choose to give grace today.  I choose to let her accept the consequences of not doing the required work.  I choose to try to respond in love, and not in frustration.  (This is big for me, ya'll.)

And STOP:

Now to get back to school.  *sigh*
Hugs,
Melinda

[edited to add a picture of this staircase, because just like some of our choices, we don't always know what lies at the top.  Sometimes you have to make a choice and just trust that there's a beautiful view waiting for you.]

FMF - Small

This post is part of Five Minute Friday, where we write for five minutes with no editing.

And GO:

Germs are so small and cause such a fuss.  It started with a small sore throat.  Then a small stuffy nose.  Now I have a small cough, and a small cold and a small headache.

How do small germs cause such a BIG problem?  And now I'm sleepy and could use a small nap.  Which usually turns into a long nap.

My posts today and yesterday have been small and short, but that's okay.  I guess I needed the time to decompress from our "small" trip.  I like traveling to see family, but I don't actually like the trip part.  12 hours in the car gets to be really long and hard on my hips. 

I can't think of anything else to write.  This "small" cold has got me all bumfuzzled and short on words. 

One minute left to write.  Short and sweet and small and, I wonder how many words I can fit into one small minute?  I wonder what the first word in the dictionary is.  I wonder what the last word is.

And STOP.

Hugs,
Melinda

P.S.  To the person who comes to visit from FMF, don't worry about leaving a comment.  I know I'm kind of scatterbrained today.  lol

The Lord is my portion

²²Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. ²³ They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."  --- Lamentations 3:22-24

I haven't been turning to God.  I haven't been asking Him to help me with every temptation and every craving. I haven't let God be my portion.

I have been thinking about portion sizes.  Or, well, just portions.  Are two portions permissible?  Yes, but maybe not beneficial.  Maybe I don't need to have two tuna fish sandwiches.  Maybe I don't need to take a second piece of pie.  Maybe I need to wait for God.

I don't need to super size my meal, because I don't want to be super size myself.  I want a super sized faith. 

Hugs,
Melinda

Falling in love with the world next door.

I have always wanted to be a missionary.  I wanted to travel to Nigeria, to India, to China.  I wanted to join Avanti Italia.  I wanted to spread the word of God to all the nations. 

But I'm getting older.  The opportunities to serve in a foreign mission field are getting fewer and farther between. 

And I've been feeling a bit worried.  Did I miss my chance?  Am I ever going to be able to serve God in a grand and major way?  Am I too old to be of much use?

Enter Lisa-Jo Baker. 

I've only recently started reading her blog, but I am so very thankful I have.  Not only does she host Five Minute Fridays, she is constantly posting encouraging words such as this.  When you wonder if you're qualified for ministry.  Take a minute and go read it.  I'll wait here.

Did you read it?  I mean, really read it?

I think my definition of mission field has changed just a little bit.  I think my idea of how to be a missionary has changed just a little bit. 

Is it possible that I have been in the greatest mission field all along?  Is it possible that I have been a missionary without even realizing it? 

I will admit here and now that being a mother has been the greatest adventure I've ever been on.  It's full of ups and downs and thrills and fears and laughter and scares and tears and giggles and lots of hugs.  Being a mom is tough.

And I'm learning through Lisa-Jo, through Kristen and Mercy House, that motherhood looks the same no matter what part of the world you live in.



We all want to make sure our children are fed, that they are healthy, that they have clean clothes to wear.  We all want them to know the love of God.



Taking the time to love my children, taking the time to kiss their boo-boos, taking the time to give them a band-aid (needed or not), taking the time to teach them, that has been my ministry.



And maybe, just maybe, I can use the power of the internet to be a different sort of missionary.

I have been asked to invite you to be a missionary, as well.  To be a part of a crazy flash mob of Valentine's love.  To share God's love with the mothers and the children of South Africa. 

Even from the other side of the world.

Lisa-Jo has come up with an idea.  A big bold brave game changing plan.  We're going to build a community center.  And we're going to raise the funds by Mother's Day.  We're mothers, and grandmothers, and aunts, and future mothers, and daughters, and we're going to help God change the world for the mothers of Maubane, South Africa.

We have the opportunity to help build this community center, a place for children to play before and after school, a place for mothers to take some classes, a place for a church, and a place for a vegetable garden.  We have the opportunity to practice love, to practice being a mother to the orphaned.



Now, we're not going to do it all at once, unless the Lord moves in a mighty way, and He very well could.  We're going to do it in stages.

Stage one is a vegetable garden.  We're going to help them build a place to raise vegetables. We're going to try to bless them with food security.  Can you imagine how that would feel as a mom?  To know that your child won't go hungry?



We're going to stand with them in prayer and faith that this will happen.

And maybe, just maybe, we can fall in love with the world next door.

Matthew 18:5 

And whoever welcomes one such child in my name 

welcomes me. 

Hugs,

Melinda

P.S.  Oh yeah.  If you like jewelry, here's another way you can support this dream.  Krafty Kash is offering 3 unique necklaces, and half of the proceeds... 50% is going to the community center!  Amazing!

**Disclaimer:  This post is being linked to FMF even though it took a week to write because I have been #SurprisedByMotherhood.  Please make sure you go and check it out, because it's an awesome tool that has helped me start writing again.**

2 Corinthians 12:9

This post is part of the Made to Crave Blog Hop. 

Today, I'm going to try to unpack 2 Corinthians 12:9.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

 I've been writing the verse out in the planner that a friend gave me.  We also use the planner to write down our daily prayer requests and our gratitude list for the day.  Then I write the definitions of the words above.  Here, let me show you a really blurry photo.

So my thinking is still a little bit fuzzy on this topic, but what I see is that God fills my need.  My need is for his strength to be shown perfect and complete in my weakness.  And then logically, I will wear my weakness in a proud manner so that I can show the strength of Christ.  

Wait, what?  I wear my weakness proudly?  Really?  I show the world how weak I am around food, around chocolate, around bread?

Well, actually, yes.  Because I believe that God is the one that is to fulfill me and sustain me, and I believe that when I turn to him when I crave baked goods, that eventually the weight will come off.  And I will be able to say proudly that I had nothing to do with it, but that God took control of my life. 

So, that's what I have gained this week.  How about you?  What will God's strength look like in your life?

Hugs,
Melinda

P.S.  Tomorrow, I am participating in a very exciting project.  I would be honored if you come back to see.

Something big is coming.

God is moving mountains and has some big plans coming up.

I'm just a little bit a lot intimidated by the thought of being part of it.

There is NOTHING ORDINARY about being a mom, especially to hundreds of kids who don't have one. #SurprisedByMotherhood http://bit.ly/1aScG4w

Hugs,
Melinda

Five Minute Friday - Write

Write even when you're scared.  Lisa-Jo must have been in my high school English class.  The teacher used green ink instead of red.  Every assignment I would get back it seemed like it was covered in green ink.  I don't think Mrs. V ever really understood my writing.  And I have been a bit scared to put myself, my thoughts, my words out there again.  It's me.  It can be my innermost thoughts, or just being wildly silly.  But it's me.  And it hurts when someone criticizes me. 

I have often thought that the story of my uncle's death could make a good spy novel.  I've been told I should write it myself instead of selling the idea.  There's so much we don't know, that we can only guess at.  Could I put myself out there?  Could I dredge up old hurts, old pains, old memories?  Would it be fair?

Writing is again becoming a part of my life.  Five Minute Friday has a lot to do with that.  The Made to Crave Bible study is another part of it.  This blog is my blog, my writing, my online journal, if you will.  I don't write everything I ever think of.  I don't write to please others.  I only write for me.

And STOP

This post is a part of Five Minute Fridays, where you write for 5 minutes without editing.  Today's prompt was WRITE.

Hugs,
Melinda

Can I be obedient?

Today's blog hop with the Made to Crave bible study is a tough one for me.  I can write about #peace (which I'm still learning to find), or I can unpack Isaiah 45:3 (but I'm stuck on treasures in dark places).  I could talk about my crazy modes, but I'm still struggling with that whole #peace issue.  How can I tell you I'm crazy? 

That leaves obedience.  Yesterday, I wrote that I had made the decision to walk away from my coffee pot because I believed God was asking it of me.  That lasted until about 10:30.  When I had dropped something for the 3rd time, when I was falling asleep at the table, when I couldn't focus, something had to change.  I still believe he asks me to be obedient and my goal is to stop drinking coffee entirely. 

But I'm going to have to step it down a little bit at a time.  Instead of 3 tablespoons of sugar, how about 2 and a half?  Instead of 3 tablespoons of half and half, how about 2 and a half? 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, it's not like I'm drinking 2 pots a day like a certain friend in college. (Hi Andy.)  I drink at most 1 cup a day.  Never 2.  I can nurse my cup of coffee all morning long.

But that's not the point.  The point is that I believe God asked me to walk away from it.  So now, I have to figure out how I'm going to be obedient to him.

Maybe I should examine how I'm obedient in a different area.

We're on week 3 of this study.  At the end of week 1, we were running errands.  You know the kind of day where you leave your house at 10 and don't get back until 2 or 3?  And of course, we had to stop and have some lunch, which meant fast food.  And whoever orders just the sandwich?  Of course, if we're stopping to eat at a fast food joint, I'm going to order the whole combo meal. 

Which included a coke.  (A pop, a soda, a fizzy carbonated beverage.)

Normally that wouldn't be a problem.  That day, I was mad.  I wanted my coke.  I NEEDED my coke.  I was mad at my husband (different story), and I was getting "h-angry."  I mean, why couldn't I have it?

So I sat there, and I drank that soda even though I knew it wasn't good for me.  Even though I had been almost a week without one.  I was ignoring that small still voice telling me "it's not beneficial."

I don't remember why, but we ended up going out to dinner as well, where again, I got another coke.  And I started hearing that voice again.  And for some reason, that voice got mad at me.  Do you know what it said?

"This is an act of rebellion against God.  It may be small, but it is still rebellion.  Do you want to live in rebellion to God?"

No, I'm not kidding.  That voice was not very loud, but it was very clear.  I obeyed.  I finished my supper, and threw the almost empty cup away. 

And I haven't had a coke since. 

Can I be obedient?  Yes.  I was, and am firmly obedient in the case of the soda pop.  But I'm struggling with coffee.

So I have some questions for you.  1) Have you ever had to give up something like coffee?  2) How do you do it without getting a major headache?  3) How do you walk in obedience to God?  4) Will you pray for me to be in complete agreement with God on this?  I could use the extra support.

Hugs,
Melinda

Little Things

Good morning.

Today's Made to Crave chapter was about making peace with your body.  But more than that, it was about walking in obedience with God. 

In chapter 5, Lysa wrote the following prayer: “God, I recognize that I am made for more than the vicious cycle of being ruled by food.  I need to eat to live, not live to eat.  So, I keep asking for Your wisdom to know what to eat and Your indwelling power to walk away from things that are not beneficial for me.”  I wrote this on an index card and posted it above my coffee pot. 

This morning, I actually read it.  And I got stuck on that word - beneficial.  Yeah, sure, coffee tastes good, and the caffeine is beneficial to my mood.  But is it really? 

I made the decision to walk away from the coffee.  It's being obedient in the “little things" that will help us on this journey.  I keep thinking of Luke 16:10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”  I choose to be obedient today in not having a cup of coffee.

Have a good day, my friends.  Be blessed.

Hugs,

Melinda