PRAYER POST JAN 2013

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."        Jeremiah 29:12

Since I started this blog back in August my purpose has completely changed. What started out as something that maybe I could make money off of down the road has now been transformed into something that will glorify God. Blog ads and making money has been a complete second thought and I really don't have a desire to pursue that route now.

God laid this on my heart and this is how I want to start 2013 on this blog.

At the beginning of each month I will do a prayer post. This will be a short post with a few scriptures that will encourage up to pray. Once this gets bigger I would love to share a story each month about an answered prayer.

Now the fun part...YOU!! I would like for you, in the comments below, leave a way we can pray for you. A specific prayer request, a general area you need help in, a family member, etc.

YOU name it, WE take it to God.

If you are not comfortable with you name being on there then post it as anonymous. You can be as vague or as detailed as you like.

Then I want you to go through the comments and pray for someone specifically. If you have time to pray for them all, fantastic, if not just pick one or two and come back another day to pray for another. If you feel led, leave a comment on that persons request letting them know you are praying for them.

There are times when we are in a difficult situation that we don't want our family, friends or neighbors knowing about but we really need the prayer so use this Pray Post without fear of judgement or humiliation.

As brothers and sisters in Christ we are to lift one another up in prayer!

Who's ready to start 2013 surrounded in prayer?!?! ME ME ME!!!

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy"

Philippians 1:4

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS

~MEL~

***Any negative comments are not needed and unwanted, if you have something negative to say...keep your mouth shut and have a good day***

Christmas Review

I sure hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was fantastic and filled with family, food and friends. I try to have all my shopping completed at least a week before Christmas so that those last few days leading up to it an be focused on spending quality time with my little ones and teaching them the true meaning of Christmas.

This year I am proud to say we have given more than we ever have before. Maybe not so much from a financial stand point but giving isn't about the money you spend on a gift or how much you dropped in the bucket but it's about doing it from your heart and giving your time.

I'd like to share a short story with you.

The Wednesday night before Christmas I was planning a fun filled Mommy/Son day on Thursday. It had been a long time since just him and I spent any time alone together so I was planning on sending Lanie bug to the sitter and taking my little man out for the day. While planning all the fun activities we were going to do I also one to do another act of kindness for someone. Just show one more child the love of God by buying them a present. I prayed that God would send me a child to bless...boy did he answer and within a few hours he sent me 4 children!! WHOA God...I'm not made of money! I knew, however, that God didn't drop these children in my lap for no reason so I reached out. I sent a short text to about 15 family members and friends. I knew it was close to Christmas and like me, most people had probably already met their budget for the month but I though if I could just come up with $200 then each children could get one outfit and one toy.

Within 2 1/2hours I had $445!

I was blown away, my friends and family went above and beyond what I could have even imagined and just as HE said he would, he provided. God doesn't ask us to do things without providing the means to do it. We just have to push forward and trust Him.

After our fun day at Wonderworks, little man and I went shopping for the 4 kiddos and got them each 4 outfits, a jacket, a toy, some stocking stuffers and most importantly a Bible.

God uses each and everyone of us and when we pray that He will lead us to do His will he will never lead us off course. Just be sure when you pray for something you are ready to move because you never know what he has in store. Shopping for those kids were my Christmas blessing and on Christmas morning while I was watching my little boogers rip in to each and every gift with excitement I couldn't help but think of those 4 little ones that God answered my prayer with. I knew that at those moments too they were ripping into the gifts that we, as a family in Christ, had gotten them.



HULK SMASH!



I'm so blessed to be surrounded with such loving and giving people!

My Christmas was more than blessed. As I prepare for 2013 I pray that God has big plans for me and I hope that I will let him use me all for his glory! I can't wait to share with you all what I have in store!

HAPPY NEW YEARS FRIENDS!

~Mel

The Gift of Christmas

Well it's less than 2 weeks til Christmas day and I am officially ready! About 99% of my shopping is done, 80% of my wrapping is done and we start with all the family Christmas parties tomorrow! I absolutely love these last 10 or so days leading up to Christmas.

They are filled with so much cheer, giving, kindness(unless you are going after that last toy in which case the claws come out) but most of all love.

I have learned more these past two months about Christs' love than my whole 28yrs on earth. I have been on a mission of teaching my children to give and love others just at Christ does. He has opened the doors wide open for us and provided us with many opportunities to 'help' someone else or just to say "Thank You" more often.

I have also seen though how when you are being kind sometimes you get the feeling that you are being held back, that something is standing in your way or something is telling you that it's just not enough. I had a recent conversation with a lady where we talked about giving gifts to people and how she sometimes takes the tags off of things she buys. This is to keep the person on the receiving end of taking it back to (prob wal-mart) for money to use on other extra-ciriculars (putting it nicely). Never thought about this but it did make me think. We do stuff to shine Christs love on others. Sometimes its not always what the receiving party wants, but none the less it is out of the kindness of our hearts. If you are giving, and it doesn't matter whether it is money, gifts, food or anything else that is helping, you are doing your party to show Christ in you to others. Even if it might not be what they want, expect, or even need, you are shining your light a little brighter and Lord knows everyone needs a little light shown on them once in a while. Do not let 'others' who are not satisfied or do what you would like for them not to do discourage you from shining your light. Jesus didn't always please everyone but he did what God wanted him to do and he did it with a loving heart.

I had something said about me today that just absolutely melted my heart and touched me more than that person will ever know. She said "She gives as Christ would give. She loves as Christ would love". 

That is what I want people to say, that they see Christ in me, not that I am a good person or kind or loving because if they say that they see Christ in me then it means I am doing my job at bearing the fruits of the spirit. Praise God that he is allowing me to do work for Him!  
Please continue to shine your lights people, even if you only bless 1 person this season that is 1 less person going without a Christmas blessing and giving is the true gift of Christmas. It is the day that we, as Christians, received the most precious gift of all!

Here is some pictures for Our Christmas Angel and Elfie ~ Oh and they are offering FREE SHIPPING (that saves you $9) if you go order your Christmas Angel now! It's' never too late to start giving!

Elfie brought a "Thank You for being good" letter from Santa

Elfie is shaving while the Angel gathered stuff for us to donate to the Special Needs Adults in our Community

Elfie Shaving

Homemade candy making night with my girls resulted in Elfie getting into the bon bons
but the neighbors sure appreciated a few tasty treats!

Time to play well with our friends!

Now to show you how we have been spending our time leading up to Christmas with a few of our fave family traditions!

Our first year being in town for the Community Christmas Parade and it was a blast! The kids had so much fun!

Here they come!!!

The Christmas Season wouldn't be complete without a trip to Dollywood to see all the beautiful lights and who better to do it with than our best friends!

Bunch of lazy boys!

Poor Lanie bug surrounded by all these boys!

Watching the Musical Light Show!

I hope you all are getting ready for Christmas and having a wonderful holiday season!

~Peace On Earth & GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN

Much Love,
Mel

Giving It All Away

My heart has been opened so much this past month that it is beyond words to even describe the feelings that I am having.

When I started the Month of Thanksgiving it didn't go as well as I had planned. Life just got in the way and all the plans I had of people to Give Thanks too didn't happen. I was sad that I had failed at the first big giving event I had planned to do but then I realized...maybe my plan wasn't God's plan. I prayed asking that he would show me who needed help and that he would give me the willingness to do it.

I have helped people before, done *NICE* stuff for others but there has been a difference. I did it because I was asked to not because I seen a need and decided to fulfill it. I did it because I wanted to but still there was that little feeling inside me that held back. Hoped for some acknowledgment, thanks, maybe something in return. So you know this is hard for me to type, it's hard to admit that I would selfishly do stuff for others. I know though that I am not alone in this. We all want to be willing but how do we do that? Well I want to share with you a few things.

The one thing I did that I hadn't done before was pray. Now I pray all the time but never specifically for giving. I prayed that God would show me who needed help, how I could best help them and then most of all lay it on my heart to do so unselfishly. Oh how he done that and even more! It is better to give than receive and now I am experiencing the true meaning of that. There has been a few times when God has laid it on my heart to do something for someone. Something they might not have even asked for but the reward of listening to his call has been amazing. He has used me as His Light, His messenger and I hope that with each step I take I am portraying a heart like Jesus.

I can honestly say that when I do something now I do not want any glory...I actually would like to do a lot of it without people even knowing where it came from. I give God all the glory because He is the one who has opened my eyes and made my heart be full of love for His people.

I played the lottery a few weeks ago, you know when it was like 500m, and for the whole day I just daydreamed of what I would do with all that money. It was the first time that my daydreams involved building walls and schools in Africa, helping the homeless here, purchasing homes for single mothers in need. I just kept seeing all these people I could help and would want to help. However I didn't win so they are going to have to settle for food, toys and prayer! ;)

Once God opens your heart to giving and you unselfishly give him the lead over it you will be amazed by how blessed you will be from doing for others. You will see through a new light and be touched by the smallest thing.

You have heard me talk much about David, my sponsor child in Africa. Well I had forgot that every year you can sponsor a family in Africa's Christmas dinner. Last year we bought one for a family. The meal included a chicken (alive), wheat, flour, mil, a loaf of bread, mangoes, pineapple, cake, onions, tomatoes, oranges, taters, bananas, and more.

All the families had their pictures taken with their meals and then they wrote a letter to the family who sponsored it. Yesterday I received a picture David had colored for me, some smaller pictures that he drew and then a letter from the family who received the Christmas basket we sponsored last year. Looking at those pictures and reading those letters just melted my heart. These people don't know me and I don't know them but they have been touched by how Jesus is using me to reach out to them. I do love them all and pray that these simple measures will speak Jesus name and honor him with each act I do.

Here are the pictures and letters that I received!

I can just see him setting there drawing this for us!

Him and his sister!

Oh He loves to Sing...he really was meant to be my sponsor child!

I hope that her year has brought so much joy to her!

If you would like to sponsor a child or just give one time for the Christmas baskets 2012 go here and get in contact with Cyndy Waters, the owner/operator of Orbit Village or go to the website to give! You will be blessed beyond measure!

Happy Friday Ya'll

~Mel

The Christmas Angel Days 1-4

It's 3 weeks til Christmas...3 weeks people!! Wow where does the time go? Here I thought I would be a week ahead since Thanksgiving seemed to be a week early this year but it just seems like I am further behind...oh well such is life!

The Christmas Angel and Elfie arrives at our home Saturday morning. Kinley was so excited to have Elfie back, Laniebug doesn't really pay much attention but hey she's only 16months old.

The Angel leaves her messages written in Gold Sharpie on black paper with the theme of the message in the gold dust! She's very nice is helping to keep the mess down as much as possible. I also love how she is getting Elfie involved in her actions of giving.

I will try to update every few days with what all they both have been up to! I can already see such a change in Kinley. He very willingly took snacks yesterday to his friends at school! I love seeing him have such a giving heart for others!

Day 1-  Eflie brought Snow Covered Donuts from the North Pole and The Christmas Angel brought a paper nativity set to go with her book and learning about the Birth of Jesus!

Our first message was to pack up a Christmas box for David, he is our sponsor child in Africa, you can read David's story here. I am so happy to see how after the first package we sent Kinley was so excited to fill a box full of candy, cloths and toys that David would like! I hope they get to meet one day!

Day 2- Elfie wasn't feeling well today so our message of giving was to make food for someone who is sick! So that's just what we did!!

Day 3-  Share snacks with our friends at School!

Day 4- Give Love, Give 5 friends hugs today! Simple yet so meaningful!

Follow me on Instagram @punkslilangel for the daily pictures of Our Christmas Angel and Elfie!

If you don't have one right now it's not too late to get your Christmas Angel and get this tradition started. You will be surprised how much it will change not only the way your children think of Christmas but the way you do as well! If you are in the Knoxville/Sevierville area email me at sweetsouthernmel@gmail.com and I will hook you up with one and save ya some on shipping! If you are not in these areas you can order online here! Just be sure to let me know you ordered one!!

On a side note the hubs and I have been working viciously to get this toy room done and it is in the final stages of completion! Be looking for the Toy Room Overhaul post next week!

Merry Christmas Ya'll!!

~Mel