God's purpose or mine?

My Utmost For His Highest really ministered to my heart this morning. Currently I am struggling with my voice and have been for about 3 months. As some of you may know I used to sing professionally and for the past 7 years have been singing for the Lord. Well, for the past 3 months I just can't seem to get my voice to work. It is hoarse almost everyday and quite a hindrance in my ministry. Yesterday at church, after attempting our morning rehearsal, I grew weary and stepped down. It was too difficult to push through and I just couldn't hit most of the notes because my voice just wasn't there.

Now that I am entering a new season in my life, going back to teaching, I have been wondering what the Lord has been doing. I have wondered if my voice is the way it is because He wants me to focus on the new path He is leading me on or if it is just allergies??? In any case this devotion reminded me that no matter what is happening good or bad, that God wants me to depend on Him and on His power right now. I don't have to think about what He is doing or what the goal is. If I can stay calm, faithful and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil in life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me.

So may we all enjoy the process of the things that we are facing right now and know without a shadow of a doubt, that God is on the throne, is in control and will enable our step by step obedience if we seek Him and that when we do obey, our God would be smiling down upon us and be glorified!!!!

In Jesus name!!!!
Amen

My Utmost For His Highest Devotion

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He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side . . . —Mark 6:45

We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.

What is my vision of God’s purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish— His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see "Him walking on the sea" with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see "Him walking on the sea" ( Mark 6:49 ). It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.

God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.

God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious.

God bless you,

Hugs,

Melanie

Hello!!

For those who have been stopping by I just wanted to say a quick hello. We just had our crop at the church this weekend and I am just settling in at home. I will be posting some pics hopefully tomorrow of our crop. It was a blessing as usual and the Lord was good. I wanted to give a shout out to those of you gals who brought your prized scrapping tools and machines to share will all of the ladies. I pray that you were abundantly blessed and that you feel the warmth of Jesus' smile upon you as you served to bless the body of Christ!

Till tomorrow! God bless and good night!!!!

Melanie

BFF

Well how cute is this? My new blogging friend Debs left this for me on her blog. She has the cutest Westy named Fidgit, a precious little girl and a wonderful blog. Check it out by clicking on her name. Thanks my friend, I appreciate it, right back at ya!!

Here are the rules that came along with the card. I know that is sometimes a weird thing so don't worry about them, just be blessed, smile and know that you are being thought of!!!

1. Only 5 people allowed.

2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog

3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.

4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

So to my dear blogging sisters
Cindy
Adrienne
Leslie
Pauline, my new blogging friend and sister in Christ from the UK

Here's to you. I love that we are able to share what the Lord is doing in our lives and the simple things that make life so sweet!!

Hugs to all,
Melanie

Sketch Challenge

Here's a card I did for Taylor's cupcake challenge. I know I didn't use a cupcake but you don't have to. The challenge was to use her sketch. The hippo was screaming at me, so I had to use it. It was an image I got from Sabrina. Thanks Sabrina! Better late than never right?

I did however wind up making a cupcake card as well. Hope you enjoy!!!
I used my chalks to shade the hippo and doodlebug buttons with ctmh waxy flax for the holes.
I used groovy blossoms and ctmh cs, crystal blue, sweet leaf, chocolate and hollyhock
Used swiss dots, ctmh boom di ada paper and designer ric rac. I used liquid applique and stickles for the icing and used my ctmh markers to color in the rest!

Teacher Survival Kit

Well today I turned in my signed contract for the school. So it's official. I am now the 1st grade teacher. I know that it's going to be an exciting year full of surprises and blessing.
I wanted to share this amazing gift that I received today from my friend Cindy. OMG!!! I was so touched when I opened this. It was just so thoughtful and so darn cute. Check it out. Its a teacher survival kit. I absolutely love that whistle, too funny!

She put to use one of those tins that holds K & Co chipboard and covered it with some really neat paper. Look at that handle. She tied every ribbon into bows, it's absolutely darling!! Wow, that's a lot of bows!!!!!!!

It is such a blessing to have friends to share your life with. Those who will rejoice with you, cry with you, and be there through the journey of life. I have never known friendship like this and it is only by the grace of God that I am able to receive this gift. I feel so blessed and grateful for this gift.

Thank you Cindy!!! This will be by my side everyday and will be a special reminder of that very special gift He has given us... the gift of friendship!!!!
Here's the card she made using my favorite ctmh paper "boom di ada"

Happy Birthday Becca!!

The gang! Me, Terri, Julie, Cindy, Yvette and the birthday girl...BECCA!
Big hugs for a special friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cindy and Becca
Julie and Becca
Yvette and Becca
Terri and Becca
The never ending bag of goodies!!!!!
Yum!! Blow out that candle and eat up!!!!
How can you not smile..... that is one happy sundae!

Happy Birthday friend!!!!!!!! These are just some of the pics from our lunch yesterday. After lunch all my crazy girlfriends went to the church with me as I was receiving my teaching contract. They are nuts!!!! I love you all sooooo much and I thank you for loving me and supporting me and always lifting me up in prayer. You are all such a gift to me and I pray that you are all blessed today!!

Becca, I love you and I pray that you feel especially loved today. Happy Birthday !!!! THE NUT FACTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One day when we're all old and wrinkly we are going to laugh at this silliness. I love you girls!!!

What a Day!!!

Enjoying daddy's time off at Memphis BBQ!!!
It took a few days of trying but we finally found some upholstery thread strong enough to yank that tooth out. Whohoooooo!!!!! Cameron's first lost tooth!
After a little shock, Cameron was happy his tooth was out.

Lexi cut 10 in" for Locks of Love, she was thrilled and loves her new short do!
Wow!!! Is that my girl??????????????
Praise the Lord, some one special will have these precious curls
clip, clip and away!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cameron loved his new spikey do!!!

Well today has been a pretty incredible day. It started off with a wonderful celebration for my friend's birthday. We had lunch and enjoyed some great fellowship, if given permission, I will post some really fun pictures of that!

Then, after some counsel from my gal pal, I made a very special phone call. For the last few months I have been waiting on the Lord regarding going back to work. Not just any kind of work, but back to teaching.... at my home church. Two weeks after submitting my application for our school, I received a call to set up an interview with the principal. That interview was this past Mon. I was generously offered the position and since then have just been waiting for a call back to solidify all the details. I was told it would be a couple of days. After 4 days, I was wondering whether or not I should call to see if everything was okay. Well, I'm glad I did call. After making the call I was told to come in and get my contract.

This has been a very amazing stretch for me because I have been a stay at home mom for the past 8 years and I have been homeschooling as well. My desire has always been to be able to stay home during those formidable years and the Lord allowed that. My next desire has been to be able to be a part of my children's education as well as keep them in a Christian environment.

Being able to go to school with my kids and come home together is such a blessing. To be able to do that in the church that has blessed my life and grown me in my walk is simply unbelievable. To see God opening doors and answering certain cries of my heart is awesome. To have the peace that I am right smack in God's will is priceless. To know that He knows the big picture and is placing me in position for that is exciting. Although I was fearful at first, the Lord assured me that it was okay. That all I needed to do was just obey and take it one step at a time. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be teaching at our school, because we never had a school. But God is a BIG God full of endless possibilities. I am so excited to see what the Lord has for me and my family, and as each day unfolds it will further reveal the big picture that has been written since before I was even created. So praise the Lord!!!

My encouragement to all would be to listen and obey. If God is telling you to act on something then take that step, even if you're trembling. Success is in obedience and the result is up to God!

I praise you Lord for your infinite wisdom and love!!! Be glorified and magnified!!!!!



So these are all the exciting things that happened on July 18, 2008

1. Becca's Birthday
2. I get my contract - 1st grade teacher
3. Cameron gets a haircut
4. Lexi cut's 10" of hair to donate to Locks Of Love
5. Cameron looses his first tooth!!!

Some Cards

Had some time late last night to work on some cards. Lovin ctmh new BITTY BRADS, they are so great for the little flower centers and come in a variety pack of colors. Used my nestabilities for the scallop circle and just cut off the right end to be flush with the paper. I made this card with simple stamping using some of my favorite CTMH stamp sets "friendship blessing" and "Because of You", ocean ink, chocolate ink, bitty brads, ribbon from Michael's.
Same card in a different color combination: black, white, bubble gumThis is the inside, used the scallop circle nestabilities and paper piercer to make the holes

Another color combination: ocean, white and sweet leafCtmh groovy blossoms, ctmh white big blooms, american crafts ribbon, ctmh chocolate cs, ctmh window charms (the clear apoxy bubble over the flower center), ctmh stamp set "friendship word puzzle" Using up those scraps!!!
And my favorite! This is my take on the card on the cover of Cards. I used making memories noteworthy collection pink ledger paper, ctmh chocolate cs, ctmh stampset "Free Spirit" (flourish), ctmh "from me to you" stamp set, leaves from ctmh "angel whispers" stamp set, chocolate and crystal blue ink, prima flowers, textured green paper, hand cut hearts from cranberry cs, Martha Stewart butterfly punch ( I used orange mulberry paper for the butterfly), stamped the thankyou on a transparency in brown stazon, paper piercer and zig zag scissors for the grass, making memories brad, jewel brad from Joann's. The little bird is from the $ stamps at Michael's.

Some Great blogs!!!

I'm a little late in posting this but Percy my SBS sister left this for me on her blog a couple of weeks ago and today a new blogging friend Ramsey surprised me with it as well. Now I would like to share their blogs with you along with some other blogs that I think are pretty brilliant as well. Check them out if you're looking for inspiration. Thanks again Percy and Ramsey, right back at ya! All of your visits and comments mean so much to me and bring a smile to my face. Blessings to all of my blogging friends!!!!

The rules for this award:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you've nominated.

Here are some to check out as well as all the talented ladies on my sidebar, thanks for sharing your talents!!!
Patter
Taylor
Katherina
paperbling

Summer Fun!!!

Here's a layout I did for Becky Fleck's new blog challenge. I used CTMH Floral Tapesty Paper packet and Ocean CS as well as a half a sheet from the All Dressed Up Stack.


Prima flowers, doodlebug buttons, CTMH waxy flax for button holes
Heidi Swapp bling circles and Heidi Swapp photo corner stamp
CTMH He Said, She Said stamp set, ocean CS, cranberry ink, clear buttons, cranberry waxy flax, clear vellum sayings $ spot Target, ric rac and staples
I painted my chipboard letters with white paint and create a shade, inked the edges with ocean ink, and used liquid glass to apply the clear plastic pebbles

Bella Card Holder

I made this accordian style card holder to hold stamped images of bellas. One of my SBS sisters made one to hold our swap images and I just loved the idea so I created one especially for Bella's. I used CTMH boom di ada papers, spot on background stampset, a Bella image from Jenn (thanks you're such a sweetie!), CTMH designer ric rac, holly hock ink, CTMH markers (hollyhock, olive, buttercup, parchment for skin), prima flowers, CTMH bitty brads, stickles and dot's and dashes ribbon. The holder opens up like an accordian file from the side. Super easy, super cute and super useful, that's what I like.

Smiles,
Melanie

To Be or not to Be?????

Our first stop on our journey to find a hypoallergenic dog that would work for me
A little sleep at first but oh so cute!!!!
Now she was ready to play. We took her in our car to see if I would get asthmatic or allergic
I just wanted to eat her up. She's a west highland terrier
Ok, so we named her Missy, even though she wasn't ours, I just couldn't resist
She fits right in, not camera shy, posing for a scrapbook page!!!!
Lexi was in love
Cameron too!
She really loved Vic
And Vic was very fond of Missy!
ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!! that pony tail. That a girl Missy!!!! She actually got his hair tie out, too funny!

Well, this was a pretty emotional day for me. I have been allergic to dogs all my life and very asthmatic. Having a dog has always been a desire but not very realistic. However the other day when I went to get my hair done, the lady next to me told me she too was very allergic and highly asthmatic but was able to get 2 dogs. They were the mini schnauzers. First we went to our local pet store and tried out a west highland terrier. It went pretty well. I tried the mini schnauzers after but they got me sick right away.

Missy, the west highland terrier, had been bathed before we got herand the store owner let us take her to our car and hang out for over an hour with her. I didn't really get asthmatic but I broke out everywhere she licked me or touched me with her nails. I am allergic to the protein in dog saliva. The dander was not bad though, which is why I did well with my breathing. I felt a little something in my chest but wasn't really sure if it would get worse or not. I prayed that God would just confirm what we should do and close the doors if it wasn't meant to be. I don't know that it would be smart to get a dog and then find out I am too allergic and risk breaking all of our hearts as well as compromising my health. I have thought about allergy shots and perhaps building an immunity to her but again I just don't know. So in the prayer closet it remains, but I think it's leaning more to the "not to be" side.

Thought I'd share these pics because she was just too cute. I haven't been this close to an animal in a long time, so I thought I would enjoy these memories and be grateful for the opportunity.

Count your blessings!!! and Be Blessed!!!!

Melanie