Maybe I'm Finally Growing Up...

Or maybe I'm just hiding my angst well. I'm not sure. But either way, I had a good Valentine's Day weekend. No wallowing, no tears, no bitter tirades, no serious chocolate binges. It was a pleasant weekend.

FRIDAY: My girls-only Pre-Valentine's Party went well. I was psyched that a couple of my married girlfriends could join in the fun, too, since they had plans to celebrate with their spouses later in the weekend. And I am pleased to report that there was no male-bashing, bitterness, tears or drama from anyone present. We had tasty pizzas we each made ourselves, fun snacks in both the healthy and un categories, along with some chocolate therapy. We watched a chic flick and then caught some of the winter Olympics opening ceremonies, too. It was a fabulous evening. Thanks, Girls!

SATURDAY: Becky called me at a quarter to 5 PM, and we met up 20 minutes later for a spontaneous dinner and movie out. Did you catch that? This is big news!! We planned and met up in less than a half hour. I love how we are learning to be spontaneous and plan things on the fly. It's a big deal for us like-to-plan-things-out-in-detail-girls! We had a blast as usual, and while When In Rome is not an Oscar contender, it was a fun evening and brought me my newest favorite movie quote...

Girl: What are you stalking me now?
Guy: No, I'm just running into you in a pre-meditated manner!

SUNDAY: On Valentine's Day, I treated myself to lunch on my own at Ruby Tuesday's after the morning service. I enjoyed the best salad bar ever as I savored (i.e. lost myself in) my new Kate Morton book. I'm getting braver about the eating out at a sit-down restaurant thing alone. Would I prefer eating across from Mr. George Clooney? You betcha, but yesterday was good, too.

Jeremiah 31:3b is one of my favorite Bible verses and a good reminder to all of us, single or not, that we are INDEED loved already by the TRUE LOVER of our souls...

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."

Pre-Valentine's Day Party

I’m having several girlfriends over tonight for a pre-Valentine’s Day party, and I’m excited. I love playing hostess. I really do. I enjoy opening my home to friends and family. I just wish I had more space. But all in good time, and hey, I think I’m finally learning to relax a bit more about it and just enjoy the evening. You know, be less a Martha and more a Mary...

CLEAN: I still cleaned, but I opted not to over-do it. In other words, don’t look behind the couch or under furniture because you just might find a dust bunny or two.

FOOD: I prepared some food items ahead of time, but I tried to keep it all low-key. I cut up vegetables and fruit, but I didn’t go all Martha Stewart and create flower strawberries or anything like that. I forgot to look for chocolate wine at the store this week, which kinda bums me out, but it’s all good. We'll have other drink options.

FLOWERS: I bought flowers for my table because gosh-darn-it, I wanted flowers for Valentine’s Day even if I had to buy them for myself. Don't judge me! It was so worth it. I opted for a non-traditional V-Day bouquet with orange and white flowers, and I love it. It’s totally me, maybe more spring or fallish rather than V-Day, but it makes me happy.

PLANS: I'm not over-planning every second. I'm winging it. No really, I am. We are making homemade pizzas with all the toppings and having some other goodies to go along with it, and that's all I've got planned. I'm sure there will be lots of conversation and laughs, a debate over which movie to watch, and hopefully a picture or two to capture the memory, but this detail-girl is attempting to keep it simple.

Go, Mel! You can do it.

Musical Memories

I love how music can hold memories for us. There are certain songs that always take me back to another moment in time or cause me to think of a certain person. Funny how our minds work like that.

I cannot listen to The Phantom of the Opera or ABBA without thinking of my best friend from junior high and high school. Topher introduced me to both completely different styles of music. I can still hear him singing Masquerade in my ear.

Tunes from Blessid Union of Souls like Jelly or Light in Your Eyes always make me think of my sister and some of our late-night conversations post-college.

80’s songs by Madonna make me chuckle and think of my childhood when I was NOT supposed to be listening to pop or rock music at all, and yet somehow I know her songs quite well.

Richard Marx’s Right Here Waiting will always bring back memories of the Croswell Fair. I loved that song, and I can still picture Lisa, Barbara and I giggling as we served Diana’s ice cream from our cozy booth to our customers.

Along the same lines, New Kids on the Block songs like Hangin’ Tough, Cover Girl, Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time), and Popsicle never fail to make me smile and grimace at the same time. What were we thinking? And which one did I like again? Hee hee!

Elton John’s Blessed album always makes me think of a family trip to Florida and one really bad haircut. My family visited Florida for a few days after my college graduation, and my sister and I drove home to Michigan, following behind my parents in another car. Barbara had her Blessed tape with her, and we played it again and again on the drive. As for the haircut, my great aunt in Florida convinced me to chop off most of my locks for a radical change, and it turned into rather a disastrous phase for me. UGH!

Chris Rice songs always make me smile. He just has such a positive and upbeat presence. One song in particular still chokes me up every time I hear it. He wrote Let the Words Escape as inspired by Elizabeth Barret Browning’s poetry. I’m a big E.B.B. fan, and I hearing Chris’s song reminds me of reading about Elizabeth’s romance with Robert Browning. I love it.

Brandon Heath’s song London naturally brings a flood of memories back from my England trip last May. I close my eyes and once again I am walking along the streets of London, passing the Houses of Parliament as I cross Westminster Bridge, enjoying the river scenes along the Thames… SIGH!

For me, music bottles memories like a photograph can. It's all good!

Happy 68th, Mom!

Today is my Mom’s 68th birthday, and I just can’t let the day pass without stating for the record just how amazing she is.

My Mom is loving. She gives the best hugs, and you just don’t want to let go. She loves keeping in touch with people with phone calls and especially her well-written letters. I treasure her hand-written letters.

My Mom is warm, probably the warmest person I have ever encountered. She doesn’t know a stranger and can make conversation with just about anyone at any time. I love that about her. She is able to reach out to others and draw them in.

My Mom is brave. When she met my Dad 37+ years ago, she chose to date him even after discovering he was a widower with 3 young sons. WOW! That sure was gutsy! I’m not sure I would have been that brave under similar circumstances. But I’m glad she went on more dates and eventually married him, or my sister and I would not exist. It was not always easy raising 5 children, but she managed beautifully.

My Mom is compassionate. She tries to put herself in the other person’s shoes and does not jump in and take a side. As a child and teenager, I did not always appreciate her knack for seeing the other person’s side of an issue or topic, but as almost always, Mom was right. It was the best way.

My Mom is kind. You won’t hear my Mom say a mean thing about or to anyone. She prefers to think the best of people and would prefer not to hear gossip.

My Mom is positive. She is always energetically upbeat about life and able to see a glimmer of hope along the horizon.

My Mom has an incredible sense of humor. She is always able to laugh at her self and see humor even under some of the worst circumstances. Her laugh is real and is easy to pick out in a crowd. I love her laugh.

My Mom is frugal. She has always been able to stretch a dollar farther than I ever thought possible, and as an adult, I have grown to appreciate her skills even more. I love how she likes to get creative with leftovers and reinvent meals.

My Mom is a hard worker. She started a home day care and took on piano students to help pay for her children’s education, and even now, though she is “retired,” she still teaches piano and is rarely idle for more than 5 minutes a year.

My Mom is organized. She plans out monthly menus and shops well in advance. She also never forgets a birthday or an anniversary.

My Mom is hospitable. She and my Dad often host people in their home. She is a perfect hostess and strives to meet each guest’s needs.

My Mom loves GOD and points others to HIM. She is not afraid to share her faith and introduce others to her SAVIOR. She truly has a servant’s heart and attempts to make her Christian walk and talk match.

I realize that my Mom is not perfect, and she would blush to read all of this, I know she would. But I think she is amazing, and I’ve only scratched the surface. I am so grateful that I get to call her my Mom.

I love you, Mom! Enjoy your day and have some cake and ice cream for me!

Proverbs 31:28a “Her children rise up and call her blessed…”

Recent Semi-Healthy Food Discoveries

Flatout Flatbread: These handy wraps are only 1 Weight Watcher point each, and I love them with just about any kind of sandwich concoction. I experimented a wee bit and made my own pizza on one this past weekend as well, and it was rather amazing to this diet girl who has really missed her pizza. OK, so it’s not Papa John’s or Pizza Hut, but it was made fresh in Mel’s diner, and I enjoyed every morsel. And hey, when your whole crust is only one point, you can really add on those toppings without breaking your WW point budget. Bring on the cheese!

Skinny Cow Sandwiches: Somehow I didn’t know about the new flavors until recently (cookies and cream and peanut butter and chocolate - only 3 points each). Someone was holding out on me, I guess. HA! I loved cookies and cream at the first bite. Now, I haven’t tried the peanut butter and chocolate yet, but I’m sure it will make it on my next grocery list since I am an avid peanut butter girl. Truth is that I haven’t tried ANY Skinny Cow variety that I haven’t loved. It’s been a match made in Heaven for almost a year and a half now. WOOHOO!!

Healthy food options are not always easy, but things are going well on my getting-more-healthy plan for 2010. I broke down and ate some amazing birthday cake the other day along with some other not-so-healthy snacks, BUT it’s all good. It was just one day in the life of yours truly, and "tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it..."

Wishing you health, hope and plenty of humor!

Just Wondering...

Does watching 3/4 of an Indianapolis Colts game mean that I am a football fan now?

THE FACTS: I watched the Colts game on Sunday for almost 2 hours. I said it was in support of the city, and the fact that I am trying to embrace my adopted Hoosierness. Sounds legitimate, right? But what if I secretly enjoyed it? I could sense that I was starting to get into it when I was mumbling about how they needed more of a points spread before I would relax. HELLO! That is crazy talk. I am concerned for my sanity and well-being here. This is not the Melanie I would like to be.

THE HISTORY: What about my years of hating football, boycotting it, attempting to hide the remote controls minutes before the games? I'm perplexed. I can't become a football fan. I've been an avid anti-football person for too long now. I can't turn my back on all of those years of prejudicial hate on everything pigskin. I just can't start down this path. I can't enjoy football. It's a travesty.

What will my Dad and my 3 older brothers say? I thought of them the other night--how none of them would believe that I was really watching the game. I always ignored them while they were watching football, discussing the plays, arguing over the calls on the field, yelling at the TV, telling me to get out of the way of the screen, etc. I tried to block it all out. I did, but it appears that some of what they taught me seeped into my cranium anyway. Much to my shock and dismay the other night, I discovered that I understood the game. GASP!

All along, I've been campaigning to end the game, to free the air waves of such brutal pollution because let's face it, the game is brutal and causes serious spinal cord injuries and even brain damage. Plus, THAT GAME took up too much time around the holidays when I wanted to do other things with our family like play games, frost cookies or watch a Christmas special on TV in our 1-television home. (sniffle, sniffle) Apparently, I'm still scarred from those encounters, and I can't let it go. Becoming a football fan would mean turning my back on all those painful memories. Was my suffering in vain? Say it's not so.

FUTURE OUTLOOK: I don't know where this wave of enthusiasm for football is leading. I think it is just a phase, just a slight corruption from living in football country, and perhaps I just need some fresh air and a good dose of watching sports I have always enjoyed like on the upcoming Olympics. Perhaps taking these additional measures will cure me of this heavy-hearted burden weighing on my soul. But for now, I'm going to keep these revelations private and only share them with my readers. Whatever you do, DON'T tell my brothers.

SUMMING UP: I watched 3/4 of an entire NFL game. It's not a big deal, people. It was just a one time mishap. I am not wearing blue, I have not colored my hair blue and white, I don't own a football jersey, my Honda is not sporting a Colts bumper sticker, and in fact, I don't have any Colts propaganda at all. I liken this recent football muddle to my encounters with so-called reality TV shows, which I dislike with a passion. I might not watch them avidly or care anything about them or the crazy people on them, but I might from time to time pop in and view a minute or two so that I can discuss the characters and scenes intelligently with friends and colleagues. It's part of staying relevant in our culture.

So one might say that in reality, I am simply trying to stay educated on current events, and like it or not, football is a current event. Yep. Yep. That's what I'm doing. That is what I am telling myself...

GO COLTS!!!

Just Visiting

While waiting for my apartment door to be repaired, I have been staying with some friends of mine on the North side of the city, and it’s really been quite fun. Fun for me at least. Hee hee! No, we’ve really had some great laughs, and I am so grateful for Barb and Lee’s generosity, warmth and kindness to me.

We’ve cooked together. Barb is an amazing cook. I’m hopeful that just by hanging out with her a few days, that I can soak up just a bit of her knowledge. Lee likes to experiment in the kitchen, especially with the oils, spices and cheeses. You never know what he is going to whip up next.

We’ve shared stories together. Barb and Lee have been married for 34 years, and it is great to watch them interact. Maybe one day I will be so lucky to meet and marry my own best friend.

We’ve had a few drinks. I’m not a big drinker, but I enjoy a sip now and then. Barb and Lee introduced me to ChocoVine, a chocolate wine from Holland, and it is amazing! And the other night, I tried a shot of some Bristol Cream sherry. It was much better than the stuff we had in York, Jess, and I could actually taste some distinct flavors in it. Pretty cool.

We’ve had many entertaining moments. We’ve watched some TV, cried together over the Hope for Haiti telethon, cheered on the Colts, and went to an off-Broadway musical comedy called Smoke on the Mountains (which we enjoyed immensely).

All in all, I feel blessed to have such amazing friends that have provided a safe haven to me. Thank you so much, my dear friends! I hope to not trespass on your kindness for too much longer.

Never a Dull Moment

The past 10 days have been anything but dull for me.

I came home last Friday evening to find that my apartment had been broken into. The front door had been kicked in, and the door frame lay at my feet. YIKES! Naturally being a curious, control freak, I went into my apartment to check things out before making any phone calls. DISCLAIMER: Don’t try this at home! I would recommend those in a similar situation to return to their car and dial 9-1-1 instead. Don’t follow my zany methods. I wasn’t thinking clearly.

Within 10 minutes, the apartment complex staff, the maintenance guy, the courtesy office and a police officer all arrived on the scene, and the investigation was underway. The thief appears to have been after mostly large ticket items, which would sell quickly and fetch the most money. He absconded with electronic goods such as:

flat screen TV (sigh!)
DVD player
laptop (BIG SIGH!)
2 digital cameras (sniffle, sniffle!)
some of my DVDs (68 are missing).

I am completely over the missing TV, the DVD player and the DVDs. It’s just stuff. All of which is totally replaceable. And hey, I wasn’t crazy about all of those movies anyway, and so I’m not sure I will replace them all.

I am slowly coming to terms with the missing cameras, too, but I confess, it has been a bit harder to adjust to my missing appendage. HA! Most of you know, I usually have a camera with me at all times, and so a couple of times this last week, I have reached for my camera only to recall that I no longer own one. SIGH! Fear not, that will soon be remedied, I am sure, and I will be back to my photo-crazed frame of reference, so to speak.

However, there is one item that I am struggling to cope over its loss, and that is my laptop. I had not downloaded all of my photos from 2009 onto thumb drives yet or uploaded them to share, etc., and so now some of my pictures from 2009 and 2010 are lost to me. Fortunately, my sister and I frequently share photos, and so a lot of my family pictures from 2009 are already in her possession, which makes me quite happy because now she can share them with me. In addition, I had the England photos backed up onto CD already. WOOHOO!! I was elated when I remembered those additional copies.

But the second big whammy is that it isn’t just the pictures that are now gone from view. Truthfully, I have been on a writing frenzy the last few months (most of which I have not shared), and a lot of that was on my personal laptop. DEEP BREATH, MEL! That is hard to swallow. Now don’t laugh, but I had recently started putting together chapters for a book. Seriously what are the odds! Now, I don’t think it was ever going to be published. It was simply a collection of my thoughts, dreams, conversations with GOD, etc., but no matter what I intended to do with it, those pages are lost to me now, and that saddens me. I’ve been scribbling down the the fragments still floating around in my mind, but I fear that in my distraction of late, most of the good stuff is gone for good.

BUT honestly, I keep coming back to the fact that I have loads to be thankful for…

That I was not home during my recent visitors excursion into my home.

That the stuff taken was mostly replaceable items, and that the damage to my apartment itself was limited to the door frame.

That GOD kept me safe. I don’t know exactly when the robbery took place, but regardless, GOD kept me away from the scene until it was all done and over with.

That the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived on the scene within minutes and took charge of the situation.

That GOD kept me calm for most of the evening and has given me peace. I can’t explain it. I can’t define it. I can be high-strung and a wee bit intense, but I’ve been pretty calm the last week. I have had a moment or two of panic and fear, but I have honestly sensed GOD’s presence, and I have known that HE has been right here with me.

That the apartment office and maintenance staff along with the courtesy officer have been kind and considerate.

That my visitors were so careful with my furniture and the other belongings they chose to leave behind. Seriously, they seemed to know exactly what they were after, and removed the items without damaging anything else, which I do appreciate. They did not ransack my apartment either for which I am truly grateful.

That my friends and family have responded with such amazing support and love. I have truly been blessed by their generosity and kindness to me.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW

I’ve mentioned this Josh Wilson tune before. But when I heard it again this morning, it just really made me stop and think once more. I love music that does that, that continually reaches out and grabs you every time you hear it! Thanks, Josh!

The lyrics are really powerful, and Haiti came back to the forefront of my mind. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had the urge to just pack up and get to Haiti somehow. I’ve got some of my own drama unfolding, as most of you know, but it seems so small in comparison. Haiti weighs heavy on my heart, and I want to do something, anything really. The image of the children is embedded on my soul.

LORD, please show me what I can do? I want to know.

Do You Want To Know
by Josh Wilson

If you want a heart of sympathy
Then pray to God to help you, please
See the world that Jesus sees, yeah
But be careful what you're asking for
'Cause if you're gonna open up that door
There's no going back to before

'Cause once you see a mother who can't feed
The baby that cries in her arms
Your heart will break and you'll lay awake
No, sleep won't come quick anymore
So do you want to know?

You pass him on the way to work
He holds a sign beside the curb
You look away and avoid the hurt
'Cause why should you be held responsible
Besides, he'll probably just spend it all
On cigarettes and alcohol

But once you see that the man on the street
Has a name and a family like you
Your heart will break and you'll lay awake
'Cause you'll understand God loves him too
So do you want to know? Oh, no

If you want a heart of sympathy
Then pray to God to help you see
But once you see a world that's in need
And a sorrow you just can't ignore
Your heart's gonna break and you'll lay awake
'Cause you'll know you could do so much more

Do you want to know?
Do you want to know?

Dear FATHER,

Thank you for protecting me and keeping me from harm this weekend. Thank you for the comfort and strength you provided. Thank you for allowing me to see the humor in the moment and to appreciate, albeit tongue-in-cheek, the ironic twists and turns of the evening. YOU know me so well and knew that I would find the humor diverting. It was a welcome distraction from the drama unfolding before my very eyes.

Thank you for my amazing sister and brother-in-law, who took me in and graciously kept me occupied this weekend. Thank you for my dear friends and family members that have been praying for me and reaching out. I am truly blessed and encouraged by their support.

Tonight, I wish to pray for my recent home “visitors.” I don’t know who they are, LORD, but YOU do. I think they need Your help, FATHER. Please reach out to them. Please show them that YOU love them. Their souls, like my own, require a SAVIOR. We all are broken, and YOU alone offer the healing that we so desperately need. Draw them in, LORD.

Quite honestly, I realize that my home invasion was a minor incident in comparison to what so many are suffering in Haiti and in other places around the world, LORD, but I am thankful that YOU are big enough to take on the cares and needs of us all. Nothing is too great or too small for your notice. But tonight as I think of Haiti again, FATHER, I pray that you would give strength and hope to the weary there, lift up the hearts of the grieving, provide care for those in need of healing, and give us all the courage to help as we are able whether with finances, supplies, prayers or whatever you would ask of us for Your glory.

Luke 12:48b Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.