It is getting so very close now! (Part 2)

He questioned. Yes, my husband questioned.    In one hour, he turned around again and going the other direction, was another truck with a white cab instead of black, that had 6 foot letters saying:  Jesus Is The Answer       At that point, Greg said:  ok, ok, I get it! J

As Greg is telling us the full story, Ryan is staring in disbelief as am I.  We decided then and there that we were going.  We didn’t know HOW we would come up with the money. But we knew that if it was God’s will, He would provide and show us the way.

The next day, Greg saw the truck again–I now thought that God was having fun and just continuing to show Greg the answer. God DOES have a sense of humor, you know.

We now needed to work hard on raising the money for this trip and we had about 3 months to do it.  I am so proud of my son. He worked hard to raise the money by working for others for a donation to the trip.  He is a hard worker and found out that raking leaves is not all that it’s cracked up to be.  But, he did it to help someone and he did it for the trip.

I held a garage sale this early fall with the help of a friend.  It was my ONLY profitable garage sale and we know it was only because of God.

We were also blessed with others donating once they heard the story and our plan because they believe in their heart the life lessons that will be learned on a trip like this that cannot be taught in any classroom.  They believe in God.

As the deadline for our money came to a close, we were a little short of our goal. It was a Friday night and the phone rang.  Out of the blue, a person that we knew called because she had talked with someone else who had shared Ryan’s story.  She talked to a few people she knew and they had decided that they wanted to donate to the trip and would we meet her in the morning?  She had a check!  Ryan could work in the spring when the weather was better, but they wanted to give us the check now.  The check that came at the midnight hour for us was exactly what we needed!!!  God is GREAT!

As I was driving today, tears came to my eyes as I thought about all that has happened in the past 3-4 months and what God has allowed to come our way.  It is amazing that we are going on this trip to El Salvador in 3 weeks. THREE WEEKS!  It really hit me because today we received most of our official information about the trip including luggage tags.   That ALWAYS makes a trip official, right?

Stay tuned in as I will share more along the way and while we are on our trip.

Take Action 4 what you want and pray to see if it is God’s will. If it is, then He will take care of you.  He always does.

~Melanie

It is getting so very close now! (Part One)

Sorry I’ve been ‘missing in action’ for so long since my last blog post.  For some reason, the fall and holidays really took time away from writing as I was putting my focus on my family and business.

I shared in the summer when my son came home from Big Stuf camp that he had a desire to go on a mission trip. I had the same desire, but never vocalized it until he shared his desire.  As a family, we had decided that yes, Ryan and I should go on our church’s mission trip that happens in the winter.  But as the announcement was made with the details, we realized that day sitting in church, that financially we couldn’t do it. It was double the price I had thought it would be (not sure where I got that price in my head, but I did).   We were both heart broken, but decided that as a family, we would save and go on the one that would be in 2013. THAT was doable!

Very early fall, we were asked about going and I had given our story.  We were asked to have our family pray about it for 4 days and then give our final answer. WOW is all I can say to those 4 days.

My heart and mind were consumed with praying about what God’s will was for us regarding the mission trip. God knows all, so what was HIS will?  I found myself praying incessantly.  I was consumed with hearing God’s answer for us.  I had also prayed to God to have my husband also hear what we were to do as I knew this was a complete family decision. We all had to be on board.

Greg works outside on a “rock crusher” in a recycling yard.  He cannot hear anything BUT that machine during the day.  They are set up near an interstate, but cannot see it due to the tree line except for one small opening that gives him a millisecond to possibly see a semi go by.

On the 1^st full day of praying, Greg came home from lunch and for some reason, Ryan was there with us.  He shared what happened that morning (I knew because he had texted me as soon as it happened).  As he was on the crusher, he had been praying and asking God what He wanted us to do and what His will was for us and the mission trip. He asked if God could just really tell him and hit him over the head with the answer so that there would be no doubt.  (At this point, I told him that asking to be hit over the head was not a good idea since he works around heavy machinery!).

Greg turned around at 1036am to face the interstate and in that one small opening, he saw a Semi drive by. It was one of those tankers that carry liquid, possibly fuel. This one was the brightest chrome he had ever seen on a truck. On that chrome, in what looked like 6 foot bold, black letters, were the words: Jesus Is The Answer      WOW    Greg said he immediately thought: ok, God. I hear you and that is your answer. They need to go on the mission trip. Right?

Stay tuned for the REST of the story

TakeAction4 what you want

~Melanie

Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving being this week, I’ve read many Facebook posts regarding what others are grateful for this month. I love reading when people are grateful for the small things in life. Even more, I pray that everyone is grateful even when this month is over.
Over the past year or two, I have made it a point in the morning to thank God for everything big and small. Especially the small! Small things are usually what we take for granted and that is not what we want to do because you never know when the they will be taken away.
I am grateful to wake up in the morning, being able to have a wonderful flavored creamer in my coffee that has already been made (thanks honey)! I am grateful to be able to work from home, earn more than I ever did as an RN, and be there for all the small things in life including being able to pick the kids up from school.
I am grateful that I can walk where I want, when I want and for how long I want! I am grateful to have a van that does not break down and to have gas in it. I am very thankful for the food in our house, and a wonderful bed to sleep in at night (we love our bed!).
I am thankful for our wonderful family. There is love in our family and we all enjoy spending time together. It’s hard to explain the FUN we have with our ENTIRE family–parents, sisters, brother –in-laws, nieces and nephews. I think those are the times that we laugh the most!!
Most of all, I thank God for giving us everything and keeping everyone safe, healthy and together!
As we approach Thanksgiving, remember to TakeAction4 your gratefulness every single day of your life!
~Melanie

Great Perks!

 

Do you love your job?  I love mine!!  I get to help others improve their lives in several ways.  That alone is gratifying–helping people.  That is probably why I became a RN in my younger years.  I loved helping new mothers learn how to take care of their newborns and have them feel empowered to go home with them, sometimes even after only a 24 hour stay.

But now my job has changed.  I have been blessed to be able to work from home full-time for the past 7 years.   I set my schedule and work it around the family schedule.  I am now able to pick up my children if they are ever ill at school. They don’t have to wait in the nurse’s office or wait for a grandparent to bring them home. I get to do that and that is how it should be.

But I also love the extra perks of my job.  Twice a year my company takes me away for a leaders retreat for 4 days.  We have great training scheduled for us, we learn first-hand any updates or new ideas that are going to be publicized to the rest of the company.  They answer our questions and we get the time to engage in speaking with other leaders that we normally wouldn’t be able to meet up with. We share ideas and brain storm.  The resorts we go to are 5-star and beautiful!!!   Food is abundant and fabulous.  It is relaxing to be able to have fun evening with other Executive leaders and see everyone ‘let their hair down’.

I am not sure if other corporations do the same for their leadership team, but I tell you what–they SHOULD. It is a great way to re-charge, re-commit and realize again and again why you love what you do.

My Company TakesAction4Freedom for everyone–yours should too!!!

 

~Melanie

Seasons

Image via Wikipedia

October always reminds me about the seasons and all the changes that come with it.  Fall is a beautiful time of year, one of my favorite, but it never seems to last long enough.

I love the warm days and the cool nights. The hardest part is being able to know how to dress!  We start out with pants, short sleeve shirt and then sometimes a jacket. By 1pm we need shorts and a t-shirt, then at 7pm we are back to long pants and a jacket.  As much as that can drive people crazy (especially moms with little ones), I would not give up these months for anything.

I love bonfires, cool air and perfect temperatures. With that bring roasted hot dogs, chili and smores. Smores are not the healthiest snack for you but WOW are they delicious!

What do you think of when October comes around on your calendar?  We are coming close to ending our football season. There will be a short break and then the Holidays start (that is an entirely different blog).  Football has been so much fun—watching the boys come together as a team this year and really work hard.  They are having a great season which reflects in their hard work.  It’s been our social life for the past 6 weeks so it will be interesting when it ends.

New friendships, new activities, always changing~ the cycle of life!   My best advice would be to tell you to take a deep breath, stop, smell the air and enjoy this time.  I had the blessing of visiting my best friend for a week in September that puts life in perspective. I will share that with you later so be sure to come back!  Just know, she is learning to enjoy every single minute of her life with family and not to sweat the small stuff.

Take Action for your changing seasons

~Melanie

Do you have any Labor Day traditions?

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

Summer has officially ended for our family. Why do I say that?  Because Labor Day has come and gone; this is the ‘ending of summer landmark’ for us.

Our Labor Day tradition started years ago, so many that I cannot remember when we started it.  Growing up on a private lake we were able to ski, swim, layout in the sun all summer long. I remember many times when we would not swim choosing instead to stay inside with the air conditioning.   When you move away, you realize how much you took that lake for granted and would do what you could to get back to it.

Labor Day has become the official unofficial time when our family converges on to my parents’ house at the lake.  IF they are home (usually they are but we need to check!), everyone starts heading home.  Some will arrive on Friday, some on Saturday and even more on Sunday.  Whenever we can make it, we arrive.  Of course, the arrival goal is Friday because if others are there before you, several fabulous conversations will have taken place without you there and that cannot happen!  These are fun, loud, long conversations that no one wants to be left out of.  You would understand what I am talking about if you are there for just one.

This year, most of us arrived on Saturday. What a beautiful day –sunny and hot—just what was ordered! All 7 cousins were together this time and they all had a blast being together swimming, tubing and just hanging out.  Most of the adults/parents were there as well.  Our adult numbers change as life goes on and we know they are in Heaven looking down and laughing with us!

The theme of the weekend is to spend the time together chatting, eating, playing cards, eating, swimming, relaxing, eating and playing cards.  Great food that we all bring and now we have even gotten to the point where we order some of it to keep things easy!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday weekend and I can only pray that everyone also has a great family like we do so that you can have your own family traditions!

If not, start one for your own family right now. You will be so glad you did as your family grows.

TakeAction4 your traditions!

 

~Melanie

What Happened to Summer?

As the kids are going back to school (one this week and one next week) it sure makes me wonder where the summer went.  What did I do over the summer?

We sure seemed busy and the time definitely went fast. Our kids get out early so summer starts for us towards the end of May.

This year we took our vacation early to beat everyone else to Florida. J  We had the ability to take two of our nephews with us which worked great having someone else for our kids to play with instead of each other.  We love Florida! Mainly we love having the sun, pools, beaches, palm trees and relaxation. Who doesn’t like to be in ‘vacation mode’?

For the first time ever, we took an airboat ride south of Kissimee.  It was a small thrill riding on top of the water with air and water blowing in our faces while learning about nature in the area. Most of what we saw, we had never seen before and I think it was a great way to show us that there is more to Florida then Amusement Parks. Too bad I cannot title the pictures on my camera as I take them since I forget the names of what we saw by the time I upload them.

Now don’t get me wrong– I LOVE Disney and all they offer. It’s a magical place where nothing bad ever happens on property.   Even my son enjoys all there is to offer.  Epcot was our choice this time and even though some started out thinking a full day would be too long (not me, I knew I wouldn’t have enough time!), they learned that a 2^nd day would have made it even better!!  Ending our day there with our own mixture of Jelly Belly’s (black licorice and Dr. Pepper for me) and fireworks was the icing on the cake.

After that our summer was filled with Youth group camp, football camp and weekends away visiting family.

I am very thankful that I do work from home and not a RN schedule so that we are free to pick up and leave for 3 days when and if we want.

I do look forward to school starting for everyone only because I like a schedule I can count on!!

What did you do with your summer? I’d love for you to reply here and let me know!

~Melanie

TakeAction4Freedom.com