*aNEWday*

Howdy all blog readers - all two of you :-). I have been very lazy at blogging for a few reasons, 1. my computer and blogspot seem to have a problem getting along and 2. it has been so long since i posted that it was overwhelming to try and capture it all...

So, I'm going to give a quick update and go from there!!!

Riley is still enjoying kindergarten - we have our spring carnival on friday and he is super excited about it. As are Jason and I - we get to work at the popcorn machine. We seriously think that is FUN!

Reed is doing well too - sleeping without a diaper is his biggest achievement right now. He is still mimicking everything his big brother does - which is so stinkin' cute to us, but a little bit annoying to Riley!

Jason is now working on a jobsite in Pheonix, Arizona and has started his schedule of traveling every two weeks. Last week was quite an adjustment back to that type of lifestyle but I'm sure we will get it down pat. We are THANKFUL, so THANKFUL for this job - regardless of it being far from home.

I am still working with Giggles and Co, but trying to do as little of work as possible - ha! - just trying to figure out if we should continue with it or be done with it. We shall see!!! However, I did start reading again (ok, for those of you who know me well, just sit down and take deep breaths...ha! I just finished an amazing book by Beth Moore called, So Long Insecurity, and WOW, such a good read - even if you don't battle much with insecurity (however, beware, I don't think ANY of us are insecureless, even if you THINK you are). One of the scriptures that she asks us to memorize I wanted to share with you...

Proverbs 31: She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

The thing is that we have this REGARDLESS - it's just hard to remember it on a daily basis and CHOOSE to BELIEVE it... You know how a few posts ago I talked about LOVE and how I was really being worked on in that area - well, now, I am searching to understand what it means to TRULY BELIEVE - and in this journey, I had a cool picture today of what I think it means to be abiding in Christ...

Hang with me here - We have an old TV in our garage and it usually stays on some sports channel, but today, for some reason, it was off. I was helping Reed get in the car and I glanced over at the TV and saw my reflection unexpectedly... well, I have been trying to get some extra weight off and I haven't been glancing at myself in the mirror lately because to be honest, I didn't want to see how that little love handle looked clinging to my knit shirt... but, out of the blue, I saw my reflection for what i truly was. Immediately, I thought, Melanie, how often do I really take the time to look at my relationship with God - I mean really look. It's so much easier to not even take the time to care than it is to look and see what needs to change, especially those silly priorities that seem to just get all out of whack. God wants us to look in the mirror and allow HIM to show us what parts need to be pruned away or tweaked a bit - but we can only do that if we know who He is. And to know Him, means to talk to him, means to read his Word, means to study more of Jesus' character here on earth, means figuring out what "loving on the poor" means for you (so in essence, abiding!). So, for me, being able to really take what Beth is teaching me to heart - I have to start by BELIEVING that what God says is truth - and in order to do that, I first have to KNOW him... so, gals, let's fall in love with Him all over again!!!

oh, and by the way, i was disappointed to STILL see that love handle in the mirror...:-)

tell me how YOU are doing!