Posted by Mel on August 12, 2010 – 12:00 am
Remember that day? What a crazy time! We’ve had a few of those in our life together. Looking back over 23 years of marriage I realized I wouldn’t trade a moment-good or bad. I just wanted you to know on this “Friday the 13th” that I love you more today than I did that day a long time ago. Is that bad to say? That I love you more now than I did then. If anyone would understand that you would! We were such kids..there were lots of things I didn’t know back then that I had to learn along the way. Thank you for being so patient with me all these years.
I’m looking forward to whatever comes next and wherever we go from here. I’m so excited as we’re learning and sharing what it means to love Jesus and love people and follow Him wherever he leads. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than right in the middle of this crazy life with you and I couldn’t let this day pass without telling you…..
Happy Anniversary & I love you so very much!
Posted by Mel on January 11, 2010 – 7:02 pm
Great Expectations!
Sorry, I know you may have been “expecting” a book review on Great Expectations! I really do like books and writing reviews, but this is not about a book. This post is about life….my expectations of this life and how they don’t always make sense.
I’ve realized over a period of time and some life lessons that my expectations of others and for my life are way too high at times. I am very good at grading every moment and person with a pass/fail grade. Maybe this is something you can identify with….
- Putting people on pedestals and expecting them to stay there; having grand ideas when it comes to their character and how they should act.
- Expecting to control certain parts of life: how it should go, what it should be like, what should be received related to how hard I work.
Okay…maybe that’s just me! It became a default for me…I could put moments in my life and people in the #fail category. Just like a twitter post….this person did this, #fail…..life didn’t go the way I was “expecting”, #fail.
I read recently that a world-wide study ranked people in Denmark as the most content population in the world. When one citizen was being interviewed a reporter made the comment that people from the United States would be moving there in droves. The man responded that Americans would just be disappointed. When pressed by the reporter on why people were so content….the man said…we have low expectations. It bears thought that lower expectations might translate to less disappointment.
Being disappointed leads me to frustration and then my old friend-anger-always shows up. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I think most people don’t like being disappointed. I think I can count that as being a true statement. What is different? The way people handle disappoint. Some people are able to handle it with a whole lot more grace than others. I wonder if that’s related to personality, where you are in life, or just how you relate things to your life? Or, could it be about expectations? Do American’s have expectations that are too high? All things I’ve been contemplating.
I’m glad that I’ve made some adjustment in my life-to not run but to stand and face my demons head on….and talk about them to people who value me as a person. It’s never easy to talk about where you fail, but talking with someone you know-who loves you and has your back and who you trust….that’s a really good thing. As 2010 unfolds my hope is I learn to “lower” my insanely high expectations and break the destructive cycle of disappointment into anger. I understand I couldn’t do any of this without God and His desire for a relationship with me. Oh, and that wonderful thing called grace. I hope that He finds me delightfully wacky and I am grateful for the joy I feel even in the midst of some of life’s harder moments!
Posted by Mel on December 25, 2009 – 9:25 pm
Filed under Church, Family, Love
Merry Christmas!!
I hope this post finds you full of joy…and maybe turkey! Or, if you’re like this household we go for the non-traditional meals! Last night’s Christmas Eve supper was fantastic pizza from Keith’s Carry-Out. Can you tell we are huge pizza fans at this house!? Christmas this year was so wonderful and peaceful. It was the 5 of us and we enjoyed each others company very much. We had the opportunity to attend Christmas Eve services together as a family. The Bridge had services which started at 11pm last night and ended after midnight. It was a very beautiful experience to be worshiping God on Christmas Eve and then continuing that worship into Christmas Day!
In the 22 years that Michael and I have been married we have always celebrated our family Christmas on Christmas Eve. That was a tradition I brought from my family. Michael brought the tradition of a live Christmas tree from his. It’s funny how traditions really come to the forefront at Holidays. I can remember going to my Grandma Apperson’s every Christmas Eve and then returning home…to find Santa had already found his way to our house!! That is a big comfort memory for me! Last night’s visit from Santa occurred while we were out and about! So, it was definitely a late night as our Christmas started well after midnight!
My favorite Christmas present is this little blog that the guys from Creative Improv built for me! (Do you build a page or make a page? Hmmm…that’s a question I don’t know the answer to!) I am looking forward to writing more and sharing life. I have this wonderful writing sweater I’ll have to tell you about soon! That sweater has a great story…but that’s one for a different day. God’s been “refining” me a little…okay a lot…this past year and I can’t wait to tell you about some of those crazy moments! Okay, I’m really getting ahead of myself! A little end of the day Christmas excitement on about 3 hours of sleep has me just a little wacky!!
Before I go tonight…I’d love to hear about one of your favorite holiday traditions from your childhood that you continue today with your family.
Also, if you are blogging I’d love to stop by and read what’s on your mind. Leave me a link in a comment on this post.
Good night for now…praying for peace and joy in your life this holiday season and the year to come!!!
