January til now.....

Greetings to all! I hope that everyone is having an amazing 2007 so far. I can definitely say that mine has been an adventure thus far! I'm sorry it has taken me soooo long to update, things have just been amazingly crazy busy lately. I guess for organizational sake, I will try to go month by month. So here we go......January. January started off with a trip to Atlanta for the PASSION 07 conference. Which to sum it up, was GLORIOUS! The 4 days that I was there, were jam packed with some of the most intensely amazing worship for God that I have ever been a part of. PASSION opened me up to a whole new side of my faith and walk with God. Although it hasn't been easy it has definitely been worth it! I also got introduced to several different mission opportunities at PASSION. I honestly have felt my heart pulled closer into mission work in the past couple years and while I was there, explored several different mission groups. I think that my time might be well spent in Africa, at least that's what my heart is telling me. Other than that, I started my last semester of school. YAY! I am sooooo ready to be out of there! Although school has been tough. Anyways, February.....not much happened there. I went on break between classes February 12th and don't go back until March 12th which is a pretty sweet deal. After that, only 2 more to go. CCC Charity Ball was in February and it was amazing! I got to spend it with 3 of the most amazing people in the world, along with all my favorite CCCers. Brendon, Leigh, and Sam are some of the most amazing people ever! And the Charity Ball was a beautiful night and we had tons of fun.
And well, that was the most exciting thing that happened in February, so now we are in March. March is still developing. But over the span of the last 3 months, I have made a major decision for my life. I had recently mentioned in a previous post about visiting my friend Thad's church, Mosaic. Well, it has since drawn me in so much that I have decided that it is where I want to make my home as far as church goes. I have felt so taken in by everyone there. It is just amazing the things God has given me through there. I have started helping with the youth, which has always been something I wanted to do at my old church but they never would let me. I get to help out on the first Monday of the month with 4:12, which is an amazing high energy worship service for youth.
It is so awesome! I also get the privilege of helping 2 other amazing ladies, Susan and Sarah, with leading a small group for the middle school girls! It is a lot of fun and I learn so much each week. OH! I almost forgot one VERY important thing that happened in February! Kristi and Ian Miller, two of my friends from CCC, finally got to meet their little girl! They adopted the worlds CUTEST baby in China, something they have been in a process of doing for 2 years. Little Kylie is amazing and she has already stolen my heart!
She is beautiful and I absolutely adore every minute I get to spend with her! Well, to keep this as short as possible, I think I will end it here. There is so much more happening but for now, I think this is all I need to talk about! God is amazing! He has given me so much, I can't even begin to describe! Hope everyone has an amazing week!

Soon, very soon!

I promise there will be an update on Passion and my life in the New Year soon......I am just trying to collectively put my thoughts in a readers digest version! But do know that God is doing amazing things in my life right now and giving me amazing people to share it with! Love to you all!

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas.....

Wow, so December has totally flown by really quick and it's hard to believe that Christmas is just a week away. So today was a pretty amazing day. I visited Mosaic Church this morning with my friend Thad and it just blew me away. It was pretty much amazing and I can't wait to go back! I met alot of cool people there including Gil Gatch, their lead guitarist/vocalist. The music was pretty much amazing! I totally felt at home there. It was an experience beyond words. Like their slogan says, it truly was a fresh new way to do church. I am totally hooked! I aslo go to spend the whole day with one of my absolute favorite people in the world. And even though he picks on me alot about the way I say certain words like why and bye, I love spending time with him. And hey, if it makes him laugh or smile, then its cool. It makes me happy for him to be happy. I wouldn't let just anyone do that to me haha! So then we went to our Christmas party for work down at the Fox & the Hound. That was an adventure. But good times as always!
But all in all it was a pretty good day. Wait pretty awesome day! And then I got to go meet the sweetest most adorable dog in the world at Thad's house. Thad, I am so going to kidnap her! But anyways, most of all I wanna wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Hope everyone has an amazing time with family and friends remembering the real reason of the season!

Gingerbread Madness!!!!! (And more.....)

As I sit here writing this blog (wait I start alot of blogs off with that, oh well), I actually started writing some of it a week ago and never finished it so I decided to start over, I'm sitting here in my hotel room staring out the window at this beautiful view that God has given me. Really, words can't explain. So today was the National Gingerbread Contest at the Grove Park Inn, which this place in itself blows me away. There were so many amazing houses and alot of competition. And although we didn't win anything, it was an AMAZING experience and I am so glad Wendy and I did this. The most important thing was that we can say we did it. It was a stressful/crazy day and my mind was off in a million places. Started off really rocky for me too.....but anyways, nonetheless Wendy kept my mind off things. But all in all, I am greatly pleased with the way things turned out. And by the way, we really do have the cutest log cabin ever! And I'm not just bein biased.....well maybe a little. Anyways, it has been quite a while since I have posted anything on here, since the wreck anyways, and alot has happened. Let's see, I finally got a new car. My little Jeep Liberty which is so much fun, but I work my butt off to have that car. More importantly, everything is working out pretty well. I started listening to the sermons from the pastor from Mosaic Church, Naeem Fazal. Let me just say that I really relate to him and understand him and he is just amazing! My friend Thad does the podcasts for Mosaic and so he told me I should give them a listen. But I love them, and I actually want to start going there. I think it will have to be a gradual transition for me what with telling mom and dad and all. But I have really grown and learned alot from Naeem's sermons. If you have never heard of Mosaic you should check them out they pretty much rock (under podcasts on ITunes as Mosaic Church - Charlotte or online at www.mosaicchurch.tv). But the last series I just finished was REDEFINED and the last one of that was on relationships. I won't go into details but it really solved alot of problems me and a friend were having. It talked alot about no matter if you and that person are still talking or whatever that the issues need to be solved because it can kinda pave the way to what the rest of your relationships are like. So needless to say we are ok and I think somethings have been solved. Others will come with time. So yea, Mosaic ROCKS my socks! And Thad is amazing. Let me just say, the fact that I can talk to this guy and he to me about anything without either of us getting freaked out, thats awesome. I really feel a good connection to him and I see us potentially becoming greater friends than we already are. I really don't have many people I can have deep intellectual conversations with and him I can. So ThadMac, if you are reading this, thanks for being such and awesome friend and listener. Well, it has been a long few days and I am on about 4 hours of sleep so I better head to bed so I can get some sleep in this beautiful hotel! More to come later.....

Someone told me I was crazy today ;-) I wonder where they got that idea???

As I sit here writing this blog, I am sitting at work, 30 minutes before I clock in, and I seem to have a lot on my mind. I am supposed to be here working on an assignment for school, which starts tomorrow by the way, but I am procrastinating like you wouldn't believe. I have forgotten that all my books I need to do this assignment are at school in my second locker known as the library. So I am semi-resourceless as the internet is not finding me much. Anyway, the past week has been a whirlwind since the wreck. I have been working everyday which has been great to get my mind off things. I have great friends at work and I absolutely love my job. It has been a really long time where I have absolutely been happy at work and did not mind going in everyday. One day I'll fly away.....ha ha sorry, I'm listening to Moulin Rouge. I really need to watch that movie! Anyways, GET HOOKED! starts up in a couple weeks and I couldn't be more excited! WOO HOO!!!!! It's high time to get my CCC off season off to a rockin' good start! Although it will kinda be sad that this is my last summer on staff but hey, God has blessed me with an amazing ministry to help out and be apart of and it is my life! Speaking of ministries, I am SO proud of my parents! They have always been kinda quiet people when it comes to church and stuff but lately, they have done some amazing things. Mom started a Prayer Shawl ministry at church where her and some ladies at the church get together, knit and crochet these shawls and pray over them and then give them to people who are sick and stuff to help heal them and remind them that people are praying for them. It is so amazing seeing her doing something she is amazing at and loves doing and giving it back for the glory of God. Then dad is sort of taking over and revamping the Foothills Fishers of Men Trail for fishing tournaments. And it is great to see him doing something he loves as well. I am so proud of my parents and all that they are doing! I have truly been blessed with the best family ever! Also, He has given me some amazing friends. Especially this guy Thad from work. It is great to have someone there that I can discuss life issues and religion with. Recently, he has gotten me thinking about these questions. They are part of a sermon series from his church, Mosaic (which is pretty rockin' and I totally plan on visiting soon and you should check it out), called Kairos. And even though I haven't heard any of the sermons yet, I plan on downloading them later, there's this magnet with them on it. And I'm not talking just questions to get your mind running. I'm talking the kind of deep thought questions that it takes a lot of time and prayer to understand and find answers for. And what's great is that it has me searching deep inside myself to understand and answer these for myself. Anywho, it has been great talking with him and understanding his point of view on things. I have a sense of freedom talking with him than I do with other people. Like, don't get me wrong, my CCC people get me thinking and talking on a totally different amazing theological scale. Which is a reason I am so dedicated to that ministry. It has forever changed my heart and soul. Oh no! I have to go clock in, so I will continue later when I get off.....be back soon!

And.....we're back! So work was CRAZY! I was on cashier tonight for like the first time alone and it was ridiculous! Last time I did cashier at least I had my friend Scottii there to explain and go through stuff with me but tonight it was like I was totally alone. Not so bad, a few errors and mean people but hey, I survived right? Not to mentions we were out of like EVERYTHING! Anyways, what was I talking about earlier.....Oh yeah! So Thad is amazing and definitely someone that if you ever get the chance to meet I just know you will get along great with him. So I am hoping that I get some decent sleep tonight because the past few nights this week haven't been so promising. I was talking to my friend Wendy tonight when she brought me gingerbread dough to bake and she seems to think that its leftover wreck stress. Which totally makes sense because I never really accepted what happened until a few days later. But I am totally drained of all energy and I have school tomorrow at 8am.....EEEKKKK!!!!!! I know it will be ok because I have amazing people looking out for me! :-) By the way, the gingerbread house thing is goin along well. For those of you that maybe don't know me and my friend Wendy are entered in the National Gingerbread Competition at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Which, you should totally come and check out because they will be on display for like ever! I did some trial runs today on two different doughs she brought me and they seem like they will hold up pretty well! It is exciting! Anyway, this thing is getting extremely too long! If you stuck around until now, I thank you and I apologize for my jumping around randomness! Another update soon! P.S. Hopefully I will have a new car by the end of the week!

Oh what a night.....

Oh what a night.....the title says it all. Good, bad, a little of both??? Well it started out an ok day, you know slept in til noon.....got up made a wedding cake. Not bad, usually pretty stressful for me but today it wasn't so bad. Got stopped by every stoplight between here and Freedom Park but otherwise arrived with the cake pretty easily. Kind of a dreary day but not bad, I like these kind of days sometimes. Anyways, got the cake set up and delivered on time and I was half way proud of this one.....I am really critical of my work.

So I was really happy that that part was over and it looked ok. So then I went to work and saw my friends there and had a little dinner. Not bad you know great food, great people. It wasn't until the drive home that the day started to not turn out so well. I was almost home, about 10 minutes away, was sitting at a stop light and got rear ended pretty bad. So as I lay here writing this I am really sore. The guy apparently didn't see me behind this line of cars stopped and slammed into me. Which made me hit the car in front of me which hit the car in front of it which hit the car in front of it. Resulting in a total of 5 cars involved. However, my car was the only one really badly damaged. When I got hit, my seat was slammed forward then back to a reclining position so I got jerked around a little. But I am ok thank the Lord.
I was a little shaken up, wasn't sure what to do. So I called my brother in law,who was photographing the wedding I just left a short while before, who in turn called my sister and mom who were across town shooting another wedding. Then called my friend Thad from work. Let me just say that this guy is amazing. I really think the world of him. He came over and stayed with me until I left to go home so he was there a good hour or more. Amazing how great he is. Then dad got there and the rest is history. So thats about it for now.....I'm going to go try to get some sleep.

To new beginnings.....

So, I have never really been successful at this whole blogging things. Hopefully this will change things. I always have alot of thoughts, and they always seem to get out the wrong way in the wrong places so I am going to try to keep them here. Anyways, if you are reading this and you don't know me, my name is Melissa. I am an aspiring pastry chef and I graduate in May! Can't wait for that! I love cooking and baking in case you didn't know or couldn't tell. As well as music and singing in all forms. But enough about that if you want to get to know me email me or whatever. For those of you that are reading this and do know me.....you are probably laughing by now at my random rambling. So I have a wedding cake to do for this Saturday and I can honestly say that I am scared out of my mind! It is the first one that I have ever done totally alone! Kinda stressful but cool in the sense that I am getting my name out there. As soon as I finish it I promise to put a picture up. Anyways, enough randomness for now, I know this is short but I'm sure there will be more to update later.