Today was a little out of the norm but I like it that way.  Went to Columbia all afternoon to judge an FBLA public speaking event.  About 8 high school students gave 4 minute speeches on a business/FBLA related issue.  Pretty interesting and I enjoyed being an all-important judge.  I thought about coming early, wearing my judge-badge and seeing how much special treatment I could milk out of the deal.   I got convicted just about the time some poor high school boy was getting ready to be my "purse-carrier boy" and decided that abuse of power is not a good thing and can quickly go to your head.

Tonight was the first mowing of the spring season.  I broke a champagne bottle over the mower and set to work.  I love a freshly mowed yard.  Makes me feel like a domestic goddess.  Wait . . . I AM a domestic goddess.   Then I went to play racquetball with Steve for awhile.  I got my butt kicked – that’s right, Steve.  I have homework tonight because Steve SCHOOLED me big time.  Get the plates because I just got served!!!  BTW – the goggles give you a funky face tattoo.  Nice …

Drum-roll:  The all-important-ever-amazing unexpected blessings . . . (in no particular order)  the sound of the racquetball whizzing by your head (makes a very distinct and exhilirating sound that is heightened by the intensity of narrowly escaping death); an a-ha moment about some personal stuff that came during the middle of the premarital session I was conducting today.  A blessing because of the clarity and peace that came with the awareness more than anything; and finding out that Kailey is comin’ to town this weekend! yee-haw

Right now as I type this my dad is flying over the Atlantic Ocean on his way back from Eastern Europe.  He’ll be home Tuesday night which is very good because I miss him and need to give him a major hug.  I think I also need to prepare my nephew, Blake, because Dad is never go to let him go on Wednesday.

And this last parting word from Paul that comes from Acts 23:5 in the Message paraphrase.  First let me set the stage: Paul is before the high priests during a meeting called by the Roman captain.  At one point, Paul says to the Chief Priest that he is a fake and that God will slap him down for being a hypocrite.  In v. 4, they responded how dare Paul talk to the chief priest this way.  So Paul responds this way (v. 5) Paul acted surprised.  "How was I to know he was Chief Priest?  He doesn’t act like a Chief Priest.  You’re right, the Scripture does say, ‘Don’t speak abusively to a ruler of the people.’ Sorry."   Sometimes, Paul just cracks me up.  Other times, he ticks me off.  But tonight, I just had to say in the words of Ben Phelps,  "Good one, Paul, good one."

Peace – Melissa

I know I’ve mentioned it before but it case you have forgotten or in case I didn’t make myself clear the first several times – I positively, without-a-doubt LOVE spring!!!  This weekend was absolute gorgeous and could not have been any better weather wise if I had ordered it myself.  THANK YOU, CREATOR, for spring – in every form and fashion, in every shape and season, in the physical and the spiritual. 

So we went barn-swinging on Saturday and it was awesome.  I love my youth.  They are so fun to hang out with and they were awesome all day on Saturday.  I’m so proud to take you anywhere because you always make the most of the excursion and you do it with a positive and fun-loving attitude.  My Saturday was chalk-full of blessings from simply being with you all and seeing you have such a great time.  I wasn’t feeling too perky but I had a wonderful day regardless.  I was so thrilled that Kailey, Olivia and Amberlee joined us!  These girls are the coolest.  Thank, Kailey, for the surprise card and gift!  You are too awesome and such a great friend to me.  I am stoked about hitting Maurices!  Choices, choices, choices….

Unexpected blessings this weekend: Kailey pouring out the love on a college budget! Hope you have enough Ramon Noodles for the rest of the semester, sister; Brooke Anthony throwing parking lot scum water in my face. The blessing here is not the fact that I tasted grit in my mouth (nasty) but that Brooke called my bluff.  You rock, Brooke.  I didn’t think you had it in you.  I’m proud . . . oh, so proud.; unashamedly  needing and receiving care and a safe haven in a friend where I could just "be" for a few moments.; Meeting a much-loved younger brother.; A quiet Sunday evening at home to get my laundry done and my house in order. 

In my Acts reading today, I was drawn to Acts 20:32 – Now I’m (Paul) turning you (Ephesian Christians) over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends. This is a great verse promise for me – that God will make me into what God wants me to be and that God will be actively involved in the my holy relationships and communities – involved in providing for our needs according to God’s vision as God makes us individually and corporately into what the Creator wants us to be.  It reminds me of something I read the other day about how we often function as "functional atheists".  Here’s the quote from Rachelle’s blog:

Pastors and church planters, more than anybody, tend towards atheism. And by atheism I mean this, “nothing good is going to happen today unless I make it happen.” It’s not an ideological atheism. It’s a sort of functional atheism. And I know this from personal experience. But Matthew 17(?) says that we wake up every morning and step into something that’s already going on – that’s already been put into motion. So what are we really trying to do anyway?

What we should be trying to do is to create environments of grace for ourselves and for others. (Again, Matthew….”unforced rhythms of grace”…”I won’t put anything heavy or burdensome on you.”) As a leader you are not actually a victim of the corporation. You are a co-creator of it. What kind of organism do you want to create? You set the ethos. Will it be an ethos of grace? Will you recognize that it’s not up to you to make sure that something good will happen today? It’s up to you to live into the already-reality of what God is already doing.!!!!

The unexpected blessings project was to help in this manner but I think I’m just skimming the surface. I’m going to work this week to see past the surface and to really allow God to give me new eyes to see the already-reality of what God is already doing and embrace it fully.  Sounds deliciously liberating . . .

Ok, the final dryer buzzer just went off and Monday morning is a few hours away.  Here’s my sincere wish that each of you find yourself in unabashed amazement this week at the grace and freedom Christ lavishes on you if you are willing to receive it. And for the love of all that is good and holy, you’d better be posting some comments.  Even if they are totally random and relate in NO WAY to what I write, leave a blasted comment.

Peace with a cherry on top – Melissa (a.k.a Mel)