Meli's world

I wish I was at the point I could just write about being loving and kind all the time. Yet here I am again to tell you of how badly I handled myself in a situation. On Friday, my brother called me so that I could stop to buy him some Publix fried chicken he was craving since he was unable to drive that day. I picked up my kids and nephews and headed that way. Right after making a pit stop to deliver my neighbor some flowers  since she had recently been discharged from the hospital. Kindness was my mission. We stopped at our local grocery store which never fails to have hot chicken ready. Yet to my surprise they only had rotisserie, not what my brother wanted. I asked the lady behind the counter as her and a co worker were loading the fryer and changing the filter and she replied it would only be 20 minutes until the fried chicken would be ready to go. At my brother's request, I waited. All 3 kids and I would stroll the aisles after a stop at the water fountain and...

In the past few months, a lot has changed. The biggest has been me finally tackling my weight and being successful at losing 30 pounds so far. I have been eating healthy and even tried cross fit as my workout. It was intense and there were things I'd never thought I'd do but everyday I pushed myself a little more and pushed my body to new limits. My least favorite thing to do and probably the most painful; the one thing that pushed my lungs and legs to the point of puking, was running. So I found the verse Hebrews 12:1 and used my spiritual race as a reminder of how much to physically push myself to persevere and to "run" as well. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,  the pioneer and perfecter of faith" - Hebrews 12:1-2 However, this week as this verse ...

  If any of you read my 2016 wrap up blog, then you would know the word "Go" is the word from God for 2017 for me personally. And I have been meditating on this verse: Mark 16:15 that reminds me we are instructed to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation". And that has been something I have thought about a lot, because as much as I love Jesus, as much as I write and no matter how much I love teaching, I know I need growth in the area of evangelizing and telling people the good news. A couple days ago on my lunch break, I went outside to about one of the five new picnic tables around our property, A picnic table in the middle of the parking lot is where I sat to blog on my phone. The blog was going to be about a lesson I am learning as I parent Emeli, but instead this is what I got. A man who walked past me in the lot, came back around and asked if I minded him sitting with me. Of course I answered "no". And once he sat ...

Everybody knows that song from the famous show, "The Jefferson’s".... you know the one that says they finally got a piece of the Pie. I think that's exactly what my kids would have been singing last night if they knew the song.  The past couple of weeks, I have been one of those crazy moms. I have been driven crazy by sibling rivalry and the constant yell of “ That’s not fair”. My son and daughter want to make sure everything is fair. That they get the same snack, get the same amount of television or tablet time, that they get served equal portions and that I even compliment them equally. It’s been a lesson I have been trying to get through to them all the time: LIFE IS NOT FAIR. Yes, as a mom I love them equally, and will always try my best to make sure they feel the love, but I cannot measure every single word, gift, or food I ever give them. And I cannot control the things that happen to them out of our home either. Sometimes Emeli will get a movie day, or Ma...

I always love posting pictures of my family on facebook. They're the greatest blessings I get to experience day in and day out here on earth. However its funny I was thinking to myself last night at Emmanuel's school trying to get them to pose for a picture how long it takes me to get one where everyone's eyes are open, looking at me and posing nicely. Yet somehow I always manage to find a picture that looks perfect to post. A little lightening here, add a filter, a border and voila! Picture perfect. The picture above was taken last night during Emmanuels school family night . I had to catch Emeli while she was sitting freezing since she refuses to take pictures lately. And the picture of my husband and son was taken right after a little back talk and attitude from Emmanuel after we splurged a little on books he wanted from the book fair. As we left and we got in the car I saw my picture and I loved what it captured. A nice night out being involved, close, and l...

For the past 6 and half years, I have worked at an endoscopy center. I work for a group of gastroenterologists who perform their procedures here. Colonoscopies, a scope that looks into the colon and intestines, and Endoscopies, a scope that looks into the esophagus and stomach. Since then, I have learned first hand the effects of what we eat on the body. Indigestion, heart burn, diverticulitis, ulcers, polyps and even cancerous tumors. I rarely think of it since I work up front. I check them in, get them registered and rarely see them as they leave. Most of them are cranky from not eating the day prior or weak from the prep they take to clean their body. Some are scared. Some are nervous. People come for many reasons from constipation to diarrhea, abdominal pain, or bleeding. I have become so used to working here, I rarely think of the people that leave her with bad news. Until yesterday. Yesterday I was reminded the importance of getting your body checked out whenever you fe...

High school started with me trying to follow Christ and  be different. I was meeting new people and had the chance to change myself without any one knowing me. But I can say I still truly hadn't surrendered my pride, my needs or my heart to Jesus. The minute a cute guy told me he liked me I was back to wanting a relationship. It was a battle wanting to live a life free of sin and dealing with the real world and high school and all the temptations it had to offer. But I kept on going to church, learning more of the Bible.... And I kept on longing for a relationship, with respect and no cheating. I wanted love. A couple months into high school, I met my husband as most of you already know. He was so different. He was a senior and more mature than any guy I had dealt with. He was a great student. He was friendly, outgoing, respectful and didn’t have a “player” reputation. We became friends. We ate lunch together everyday and we had so much in common. He was a believer ...

Many of you who read my blogs are people who know me, or have known or met me at some point in their lives. Just because we talk, doesn't mean you know me, who I am, who I've been, or what I've been through. I'm sure most of you see me as this "religious" married mother.... Some of you may remember me as the girl that was barely in high school, or the boy crazy smart overachiever middle school girl, or some of you now know me as the church going woman I am today. But all of this is only bits and pieces of what has made me.... And what is still molding me and changing my life by His grace and power. I don't tell everyone I know my story, I am sure not everyone is interested. But I believe our personal stories can be of help to others and I have no reason to be ashamed of the mistakes I've made. I was raised "Catholic". Not a devout catholic, but I did get "baptized" by the sprinkling of the water as a baby, did my first commun...