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Calm or Chaotic? The holiday season is here and with Thanksgiving over and Christmas around the corner, this time of year can be full of excitement as well as chaos and stress. We are faced with deadlines to meet, places to travel, people to visit, and food to prepare. It can be a wonderful time reuniting with loved ones, but it can also be a stressful time if we allow it to be that way. You see, I love this time of year. I love all the changing colors of the leaves, the crisp air with winter awaiting around the corner, the aroma of freshly cooked meals prepared by loved ones, the laughs of family and friends, and the precious memories that are made with relatives far and near. This season brings so much of our busy lives together for a few moments where we can stop and soak up each laugh, hug, new memory, and reminisce about days ago.  But not all holiday seasons are happy. Sometimes, if we allow it, holidays can be very stressful. The joy is stolen when we t

Good morning friends!  This morning I wanted to share a post with you from my personal blog.  I felt strongly that God wanted to encourage someone that might be facing something "scary" today. I hope you find encouragement and comfort in knowing that God is never caught off guard. Love, Melaina ****************************************************************************** Have you ever been caught off guard?  A couple of weeks ago I had a scare.  I have had a health issue that I have put off and put off.  However, the day came where I could not put it off anymore.  As a Mom and wife, sometimes I put my health on the back burner while trying to "fix" everyone else.  (Sound familiar?)  With Chad's urging I decided to go on to the doctor and much to my surprise it was not a minor thing.   In fact, I had a biopsy on the spot.....something I have never had before.  I was told that I either had something "bad" or something "really bad".   You n

Have you ever been hurt before by someone? I'm sure we can all agree that we have at some point in our lives. I know I sure have, not once, but many times over and over again. It can be overwhelming to say the least and you end up on a roller coaster of emotions that you never wanted to ride to begin with. Many times, I just want to unstrap that safety harness and jump off. I want to run away to the ends of the earth so that I can never be hurt again, but we all know that would be impossible. We can't just run away from our hurts and problems all the time. We must face them and we can do that with Jesus Christ.    Jesus did not promise us an easy life. Jesus didn't have one. In fact, He died a very cruel death for me and you. He loved us that much. He said, "In this world, you will have trouble" and we can look around us and see all kinds of trouble. From hurts, to conflicts, to sorrow, and devastation, it's in our faces all the time. BUT, I have good

November is here! I can’t believe it! A new month, a new season, and lots of new changes. This time of year brings about everything pumpkin spice, hoodies, leggings, smell of campfires, color changes, hayrides, rustling of falling leaves, football games and family. It also brings about a state of mind change for so many. For me, it’s a time to be mindful of all the blessings God has given us. It’s a time to be more aware of how blessed we truly are.   Fall is my favorite time of year. I am reminded of all the things for which I am grateful and thankful. It seems like November is the month where we are all privy to more gratefulness in our heart and I hope you are feeling grateful, too. But, did you know that we can be thankful all year? Yes, its true. Not only for the month of November, but all the other times of the year as well. I know our lives can be filled with our busy schedules and hectic lives, that we forget to stop and be thankful. We can spend the month of November b