Shop Your Closet?

Yesterday morning I did a dumb thing. 

I decided to wear a pair of pants to church that I had rescued from my daughter's yard sale pile. 

Here's where the dumb part comes in. They were extremely long. My daughter is about 4 inches taller than I am and even with my highest heels, the pants were too long. 

So what did I do? Choose something else to wear? Nope.
I put them on and took up precious "getting ready for church on time change Sunday" time to hem them. While I was wearing them. Yes, I said I hemmed them while wearing them. Hey, it's a gift.

The pants are a low rise navy with a faint pin stripe. I picked a sleeveless silk blouse that has a water color-y look to it. It has tones of gray, blue and dark pink (fuschia-esq). Blouses are IN in a big way right now. At least that's what Ann Taylor keeps telling me. She emails me all the time.
I tucked the top in because it's rather long and the pants are quite the low rise.
Since it was also a bit chilly in Florida yesterday I borrowed one of my daughter's cap-sleeved sweaters in navy to top it.

I still think I need to hem the pants a little shorter.

Why am I telling you this?

Because way back in 2009 I started a blog series called "Shop Your Closet" and I am thinking about reviving it. 

And then this morning I found this post on this blog. And I felt inspired.

How about you? Do you enjoy putting things together that you already own in a new and different way?


Have you ever hemmed your pants while wearing them?

Got Fruit?

 ~ I'm a guest blogger at Roof With A View today. Click on the link to visit and read my post.

I'm working on my notes for the Fruit of the Spirit breakfast May 14th at Gulf Coast Church Family Life Center at 9:30 a.m. (Largo, FL)
And you are all invited. Hey, I'd love to share a cup of coffee with 2 or 200 of you!

In the meantime, I'd love your feedback on "fruit." (Galatians 5:22:23)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is...

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Longsuffering
5. Goodness
6. Kindness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control

Against such there is no law."

While these are virtues produced by the Holy Spirit, and not by the work of our flesh, do you find one or two of them to be more challenging to live out?

Thanks for your input and insight!

He's Been Faithful

The first time I sang again after Andrew passed to Heaven was nine days later at a Christmas candlelight service. 

Last fall I had the opportunity to speak twice in Maryland and sing again. 
I chose a song I have been singing for many years but never, never has it had more meaning than now.

Click here to view a 5 minute video clip of the song and bits of the message I spoke on from Galatians.

I suppose  I should start using vimeo for my video uploads so I can put upload them to blogger. 

If you are on Facebook and would like to friend me, see my badge in the sidebar.

"Miles with Melanie"

Often when I run, I meditate on Scripture. Last week a portion of Scripture came over and again to me as I ran my miles.

Click on the link to watch the video I recorded sharing with you what inspired me as I ran.

What passage of Scripture inspires you today?

Part 3 Life ~ Not What I Thought

Part One

Part Two

In the first few months I trashed the idea of ever standing before a group and speaking about the things of God. I still believed, and like Simon Peter, I confessed there was no other place I would go because it is the Lord, alone, who has the words of Eternal life. 

I just didn’t feel like I had anything left to say. I felt that even though I knew Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, I no longer knew, beyond salvation, what to expect from Him. 
 And at the time, I reasoned He probably didn’t need me in the shape I was in to represent Him. 

A few friends of mine lovingly and perhaps courageously took the time to “remind me of who I was.”
I listened. And that’s about it. I heard the words. I appreciated the love.
But all I felt I had to offer anyone was hurt, bewilderment and lots of deep and dark emotions. 

What I knew for sure though was whether God ever did another thing for me, He had made a way for Andrew, for me and for anyone else who believed and confessed Christ as Lord, to live with Him eternally. 
And that was enough. 
That was enough for me. 

I found myself for the first time in many years relieved of the burden of trying to have any answers.
It became okay with me to not know.               
That was huge for me. I’m the thinker. The one who has the need to understand. 
The one who looks for symbolism and deeper insight. 

Once, a few years ago, my husband and I went for a walk through our neighborhood. 
We walked in silence for a bit until I said, “Sometimes I wish I could take my brain out of my head for awhile and get a rest from all my thinking.”

My husband walked on in silence. 

I asked, “Do you know what I mean?”

“No,” he responded. 

Perplexed, I questioned, “You don’t ever get exhausted with your own thoughts?” 

"No. I'm not a thinker." 

"You're not a thinker? You don't think?" What do you do?"

 He replied, “I be.” 
  
In struggling with the loss of Andrew, for the first time in my life I had a taste of what it felt like to simply “be.” I no longer needed to have all the answers. 
I relinquished that need. 

And as I ran at sunset and God and I moved around one another under painted skies, I just was. 
I just was there. 
Present.
And so was He.

(to be continued...maybe)

Part 2 "Life ~ Not What I Thought"

 To read part one, go here.

I’ll answer those questions from my perspective.

·        My life feeling off kilter, out of balance, upside down? YES!

·        Feeling on the inside far from picture perfect even when others commented that I “had it all” or “had it all together”? YES! (I don’t think anyone feels this way about me anymore.)

·        Knowing that God knows EVERYTHING but wondering if He truly cared about my desperation and my pain? YES!

·        Questioning whether He is a God who intervenes…still? YES!

And what about my dreams, hopes and confidence buried in a dark place six feet under? 

The first time I stopped alone at the grave site of my twelve year old son, Andrew, I stumbled from the van to the dark soil of the plot. Tears streamed and dropped off my cheeks. Falling to my knees, I dry heaved. I wanted to die so I could see my son. 

As the weeks passed I began to run again. Another heartbreaking issue reared its ugly head in our home and I knew I had to get to a healthy place in order to fight and shield my family from more fiery darts. Running each day was the setting in which a kind of dance between God and me took place. I won’t go through the details here because I do that in my message entitled, May I Have this Dance?

As God and I moved to the music of His magnificent sunsets, I hesitantly revisited those buried treasures – dreams, hopes, confidence in myself, confidence and trust in Him. They were like garments that I held up, examined and determined whether to keep, give up, or trash. 

What about you?
Do you have buried treasure? Is it time to dig it up? Re-examine the garments of your past hopes, dreams and plans and assess what is for keeping, giving away or trashing? 

(to be continued…)

Spring Fling in TN

This is an open event so if you are in the Nashville area and would like to attend, see the contact info at the bottom of the flyer.