Fiddlin' for Jesus

The Adventurous Life

2010-05-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37:4

So I’ve decided to start blogging again. It’s been awhile--I can say that for sure. I don’t know how long I will keep it up this time, but I figured I’d give it yet another try.

My life has gone through a lot of changes since my last post. Along with reaching voting age, I graduated from high school. After being home schooled my entire life, I felt that God was leading me to go to a secular university. I’m just finishing up my freshman year (next week is finals week!). I guess time flies when you're having fun!

If you had told me just two years ago that I was going to be a Political Science major, I would have probably looked at you really funny and asked what that was. In fact that’s what most people do to me now when I tell them what I’m studying. Yep, Political Science. Oh, you’re wondering what I want to do with that? Well, honestly, I don’t know. One thing I do know is that God called me into that field and I’m following after Him. Believe me, I’ve seriously looked into transferring to a Christian college, but when I prayed about it, God said no; He wants me right where I am. In a nut shell, I’m there to be a light in the darkness, but it goes deeper than that (if you want to know more, we can get Starbucks some time ;D).

College has brought a lot of new and exciting challenges. Just in these past few months, I have accomplished some scary projects. I did the scariest thing that I’ve ever done in my life just last month. The assignment was a persuasive speech. I could have easily convinced my audience of 25 strangers that the fiddle was way better than classical violin (which it is by the way . . . jk), but I felt like I should go a little more controversial. After praying about it for a while, I decided to do my speech on Creation. Don’t get me wrong, I love public speaking, but this was so scary. My heart would not stop pounding, my hands were shaking, and I kind of forgot to breathe. To make a long story short (or boring, as one of my professors likes to say), I am still alive and I will probably do something like that again.

With as much change has taken place this past year, there is even more to come next year. I am SO excited to see what God has up His sleeve. This summer, I am going to be a camp counselor at a Christian kids camp in Seattle area. This will be the longest that I have ever been away from home in my life, but I can’t wait! When I applied to three camps last winter, I was hopeful, but I wasn’t really expecting that any of them would want me. I was offered two out of the three positions and the third would have offered me a position if I had applied earlier. I am just so thankful for God’s faithfulness. But that’s not the only big change. . .

After commuting in and out of town every day for the past nine months, I made the decision that it was time for me to get my own apartment next year. After praying for several weeks that God would provide a good roommate, there were no possibilities. I had my heart set on getting an apartment with one of my girl friends from youth group, but none of the incoming freshmen could live off-campus and all my other friends already had living arrangements. It was looking bleak and I was beginning to think that I was going to be stuck at home for another year. I love my home and my family, but my independence is beckoning me to move out!

Before I realized that freshmen had to live on campus or at home, I had asked one of my best friends, an incoming freshman, if she wanted to get an apartment with me. She was really excited about the idea, and we were both disappointed when we found out it wouldn’t work. However, after doing some research, we discovered a women’s cooperative on campus that was actually cheaper than living in an apartment. We took the plunge and signed up for a room together next semester. It’s going to be a huge change living on campus in a house with 30 other girls, but I like the idea of change. Now, I just need a job to pay for my new adventure in life. . . I’m trusting that God has it under control.

As I said, I am so thankful for God’s faithfulness. He really is true to His promises. I am trusting in Him and holding on tight to see what kind of adventures He will lead me on. Life’s too short to sit back and relax! I can do that when I’m an old fogey.

Foolishness

2008-11-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm just a little bit angry right now with some people in our country. First, millions of people are foolishly voting in Barack Obama even when, as Christians, they should be against everything he stands for. Second, thousands of people (according to Facebook) are throwing away their votes by voting for Ron Paul. Yes, Ron Paul is a great guy and everything he stands for is great. I have nothing against him. Lord knows, our country could use a leader like him. But, here's the thing, liberals do not have another candidate that they want in the office; it's Obama and Obama only for them. Conservatives, however, now have two people that they're voting for. How stupid is that? Split the votes between McCain and Ron Paul and you get a landslide win for Obama. Are people even using the logic that God has given them? THINK!

I was informed yesterday that this has happened before in the 1992 election. Ross Perot, a billinaire and Reform party candidate, had enough money to advertise. So, it was basically a three party election. Guess who won? Democrat, Bill Clinton, because the conservative votes were split. If the people who had voted for Perot had voted for George H. W. Bush instead, Bush would have won. If Obama wins this election by a few thousand votes, then the Ron Paul enthusiasts will be to blame. There just are not enough people who know about Ron Paul in comparison to the people who know and are voting for Obama.

The polls will be closing in just a few short hours. So if you haven't voted yet, get out there and do it. And if you can't vote or have already, then don't forget to pray for this election.

God bless you and God bless the United States of America. That is, if we can still call them "United".

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." Matthew 12:25 KJV

Think About Your Vote!

2008-10-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Since I am 5 months short of being eligible to vote in this election, I am going to try my hardest to influence the votes of the people who can. Please vote this election! It is so important for more reasons than you could imagine.

I found this article by pianist Huntley Brown on Snopes. Please read it.

Here is the link: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/huntleybrown.asp

My Hero

2008-08-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Feedback, please! This is an essay that is going in for a scholarship application. I want to know if you like it or not or if you have any pointers. :)

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lays his life down for his friends.” John 15:13-- A hero in it’s truest form.

Unless someone in their act of heroism is willing and ready to die, that person, to me, could never be a true hero. The soldiers that are overseas in the armed forces are true heroes; these men and women are willing to fight to the death for the sake of their countrymen. Even the classic action figures of Spiderman, Superman, Batman, and others could all be true heroes if they were real. In each case of rescuing the damsel in distress, they put their lives on the line.

The story that I am about to tell you is the story of my hero. This hero sacrificed his life not for one person or even a whole country, but for the sake of the entire world. Maybe you have heard of him; I’m almost positive that you have. But, if you haven’t, then I’m glad that I am telling this
story because he can change your life…

A crowd had gathered on the Via Delarosa that was much larger than normal. This was a strange crowd. Some people were laughing and jeering at what was at the center of attention; others were weeping. This strangeness drew my attention and I advanced, soon engulfed in the mass.

With the hustle and bustle of the people, I suddenly found myself near the front and I could see what the commotion was about. There, surrounded by Roman soldiers, was the man. His skin was bloodstained from head to foot and there was a makeshift crown of thorns that looked as though it had been pounded into his scalp. The soldiers around him were forcing him to carry a huge, heavy cross made of filthy planks. After the man struggled and could no longer stand, the soldiers yanked an innocent bystander from the mass and shoved him under the heavy monstrosity. The horror of this sight was almost too much to bear; I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face.

The soldiers led the man, the cross, and the bystander along the road to a hill which was called Golgotha, the place of the skull. They nailed the man to the cross. How could they? I had to ask myself; I could not understand.

Then I read the sign that was nailed to the top of the cross, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” Jesus, the carpenter’s son. I could not believe it. He was perfect; completely blameless. He had committed no crime. All that he did was good. Why was he up there? He was doing that for me.

As he hung on that cross and drew out his final breath, Satan, the enemy, thought that he had won. God’s only hope for the salvation of the world was dead. Little did Satan know that God had more up His sleeve; He sent Jesus to set the captives free from the chains of death. And to prove that Jesus was the Son of God, He rose again in three days. Satan was defeated.

When Jesus died he took every sin ever committed by the world upon himself and he took the punishment for them all. He suffered unto death for those sins in place of you and me. All we have to do is admit that we have sinned and ask for his forgiveness and we can be guaranteed that we will live for eternity in heaven with him.

Now, that’s love. That’s a hero if I ever saw one.

My Life Was Busy...

2008-08-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

...But now it isn't for a few days. I wish I wasn't sick. That would make my few days of non-busy-ness much more enjoyable. A snuffly nose and sore throat do not contribute to my happiness.

I was gone for too long! (Any amount of time over a weekend is too long to be away from home.) I went to this Colonial Encampment (CE) thing with my dad for four days. Unfortunately we had to leave on the most fun day of the encampment and miss the potluck and awards and all that good stuff. Who knows? Maybe they would have even figured out another excuse to have me arrested. The point is that I missed it all because I had to go to music camp. I got home and left the next morning for Oregon.

Mom visited my Auntie Kat while I got to learn some pretty cool stuff from master musicians. (Boohers, Voetbergs, Daniel Carwile, Hanneke Cassel, just to name a few...) We had so much fun. I swear that I played my fiddle every day in that whole week more that I ever have in one week before. My brain was on overload; I don't think that I could have fit in one more song. I am so glad that they recorded a DVD of all that was taught or I would forget it all. It was a wonder that I could even play three of the songs for the concert night. Even still, the camp was definitely worth every penny.

So, now we're finally home. And we're leaving again on Friday for a fiddle contest. Then my schedule is clear. Woot!

P.S.
I really hope that Mallory will be able to grace us with her presence sometime in the near future. I haven't seen her for so long. I miss you, Mallory!

Spam

2008-07-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have this email address that I got like two years ago. My friend wanted me to get it so that she could chat with me. I never chatted and never used the email. I even forgot that I had it until now when I happened to click on the link on my sidebar by accident. It was a wonder that I even remembered my user name and password, but I logged in. There were eighty-four spam messages! Eighty-four! Have you ever heard of so much spam in your life? I never even gave anyone the email address! The funny thing is that the server advertises less spam. HA! I've gotten at least one (if not five) everyday since June 15th. And that's only because they delete spam that has been in the spam folder more that thirty days.

I don't know why I just told you all that, but I did. So there. Goodbye.

I'm Lazy

2008-07-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

What? I am. I just haven't felt like doing squat lately. I have these four beautiful horses who are just plugging around in the pasture and no one is riding them; I think that's my fault. We even got a new saddle yesterday.

Well, I guess part of my problem is that nobody goes out with me and it's lonely by myself. Ben hasn't gone out much at all since he broke his arm a year and a half ago. Mom's knees bother her and Dad has way too much other stuff that he needs to get done. Susannah is usually too busy with whatever chores she hasn't gotten done. My other friends live several miles away and I hate to ask them to spend so much gas. I hate you, gas prices.

I got a new fiddle! This exciting feat happened while I was at the National Oldtime Fiddler's Contest the third week of June. Oh, the sound is so lovable. After trying it out at the shop there, I went to practice my old fiddle and I felt like a beginner; I sounded terrible! We had to get it. It's cool. I even played in the contest the day after we bought it. Oh, and I got 24th place out of 58 contestants in my division. :)

Swim team has officially started. We had our first meet on Tuesday. We won. We usually win because our team is one of the largest in the league. Anyway, I felt so sluggish. After I swam the 100 yard freestyle, I felt like someone had knocked me out. I'm sure that part of the reason that I felt so out of shape was because the pool in which we were swimming forgot and turned on their heater the night before. It felt like bath water; not good for energy levels. We have a home meet today. I'm hoping that I can beat some of my times from last year.

Well, I suppose that I should get off my butt for a change and go do something productive. There's still rotten hay in the barn that needs to be cleaned out so we can put some fresh stuff in it. I also have been so lazy and busy (oxymoron, I know) these last two days that I haven't practiced my fiddle at all. I should be practicing at least three hours a day.... :D

Fiddle Contests and Theme Parks

2008-06-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

I feel so bad; it's been forever since I wrote a real post. I just haven't had anything juicy to write about for a while. But, now I do.

So, I went to a fiddle contest last weekend. I played well. I played consistently well. I played well enough to make the second round. And then I made the third round... and the fourth. I suddenly found myself up on the stage accepting my third place trophy and $75. I got third place out of sixteen contestants! I am still a tiny bit excited....well, let's just say a lot more than a tiny bit.

Moving to a different subject...

Sometimes I really can't wait to grow up and at other times I despise the change. Today was one of those despicable times. I don't like it that the simple pleasures that used to excite me abundantly, no longer hold their enchantment upon my senses. Why can't I just snap my fingers and say, "Be wonderfully entertained," and no longer be bored? Oh, for simple pleasures.

I went to a theme park yesterday and I discovered that my childhood spell had been broken. The roller coasters that I used to ride over and over again with so much joy, soon became monotonous. I found that I no longer enjoyed the adrenaline that pumped through my system on the high-intensity attractions; all I get now is a headache. I realized that the reason that I anticipated this venture with so much excitement was because of the company that I would share with my friends. That was, by far, the best part of the whole day.

Growing Up

2008-04-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

It starts out slow without a care
A little inch here a little inch there
Until undoubtedly my parents see
"She's not the same as she used to be"

Pretty soon my clothes are too small
Strangely I think that I'm not that tall
But a quick look at the measure wall shows
Six more inches and up I go

I know that I am definitely not two
But seventeen certainly cannot be true
Where has time gone? Where has it flown?
It must have just vanished as I have grown

Now it seems that the harder I try
The more obvious it is that I cannot deny
That the measure wall will not change my height
But growth of mind and heart I can't and will not fight.

Junior Miss!

2008-03-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night I participated in Junior Miss! It was so much fun. I had a GREAT time.

The first time we were all on stage was for opening number. All sixteen of us wore sparkling, black top hats and our specially made exercise clothes. It was pretty much a mess of teenage girls but it wasn't judged and we had fun anyway.

Immediately after opening number we performed our fitness routine. I ended up losing my number in the middle of the group routine and mistakenly tried to pick it up; I decided that I would leave it though. I was really tired and I don't feel as though I did my absolute best on this portion. Even my solo I messed up because when I was supposed to do my push ups, my hair was in my face. Rats! This was the only portion that I wish that I could have done better.

Next was talent! I played "Don't Let the Deal Go Down" on my fiddle and I dressed up as a cowgirl. As I was backstage waiting to go on, I was extremely nervous. But as soon as I got on stage, I completely forgot how nervous I was. I ripped out my song like never before and the audience even started cheering toward the end of the song. It was by far the best part of the night.

After talent was the Self Expression portion of the program. This is where we got to walk around flaunting gorgeous dresses and fancy hairstyles. Toward the end of this program, we drew a question out of a crystal basket and we were to answer it in the microphone in front of hundreds of onlookers and five judges. My question was, "What is a hero to you and why?" I answered, "The Bible says, 'No greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for a friend.' That is the ultimate hero." I may have said more than that but that was the gist of my answer. My backstage mom, Sara, said that one of the committee members who was watching said that I had a very powerful answer. I felt good about it too.

It was over! The rest of the program was pretty much just entertainment. My dad got to escort me across the stage in his suit. I felt so pretty!

Then it was time for the awards. There were two $250 scholarships for each category that was judged. I received the first prize for the talent category which was wonderful. I had pretty much done Junior Miss because of the talent. Anyway, even though I didn't get any of the top three prizes (second alternate, first alternate, and Junior Miss), I still had a wonderful time.

Afterward, my family and friends came to congratulate me. Even some people that I didn't know complemented me on my talent. I later found out from one of the committee members that the judges gave me a perfect score on my talent; tens all the way across the board. That in itself was satisfactory.

Anyway, I felt so pretty and so loved, I didn't want the night to end. Unfortunately, the night did end. And the long wait and anticipation was all over. Junior Miss is done! Now I have to look forward to next year when I get to help the new group of girls. I had a wonderful journey.

Whoa!

2008-03-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. Junior Miss is only one week away. Can you believe it?! I can't. Today was the last early morning practice (yippee!); I can sleep in on Saturdays again! 6:45-10:00AM is just too early to function.

All this week we will have practices in the evenings from 7-9PM. This means that I have to use gas! I'm sick of the raising prices. Living out of town doesn't help at all either. This is going to be a very stressful week.

I am asking for your prayer; especially for the talent section of the program. When I played the fiddle on the stage for the first time, I couldn't hear my backup CD at all and I was completely off rhythm. Fortunately, one of the other girls' dads said that he has a monitor that he will let us borrow. This is GREAT because I'm not the only girl who needs to hear her music in order to perform.

Wish me luck! I'm sooo excited!!!

Life is a Blizzard

2008-02-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, it has been forever since I have posted on either of my blogs. Life has been extremely busy and the dreaded Facebook has been taking over my coveted computer time.

The main things that have happened since my last post have been pretty important. I guess I haven't wanted to write about any of them because nobody reads anymore...not even on Facebook.

First big thing: I got a job! My first real, hourly paying job. I have some friends that I met through swim team whose dad works at Associated Independent Agencies in Palouse. Anyway, he lost his Account Representive and his wife was taking over for her. She didn't like it at all but they couldn't find any good help. My mom and her are chatting buddies during meets and when Donna was telling her about their dilemma. Mom told me later and I said that I would love that job. Mom told Donna and she thought that I would be perfect. Anyway, they didn't call me in until the school year started and being a homeshooling mom, Donna wanted to spend more time at home with her kids. I now work about three hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Second big thing: My grandparents now live in Moscow! They, with a little bit of nudging from my family and Grandma's brothers, made an executive decision to make the move. It was a huge amount of work; we were in charge of moving their belongings from Seattle to here. Those were the hardest three days of my life. We almost didn't think it would happen but, by the grace of God, we were out of there right on time. It is so wonderful to have Grandma and Grandpa so close again.

Third big thing: I have a mandolin now! The Saturday before Christmas, we got a phone call from John Elwood, a fine mandolin craftsman, saying that he had finished the mandolin that Uncle Jim had brought him to perfect. He brought it to our house that morning; it is gorgeous! He even took my signature from a note that I had sent him and engraved it on the head in abalone. My name (Melissa) means "Honeybee" so he engraved tiny honeybees all along the fret board in abalone, boxwood, and ebony. Here are a few pictures of this masterpiece:

Fourth big thing: I am participating in Moscow Junior Miss! This is a scholarship program, NOT a beauty pageant. I am so excited. I almost didn't do it but I had some friends who convinced me that I most definately should. I am so glad that I did. The program is on March 29th but I can't wait!

Fifth big thing: I'm sick of the snow! When I was living in Seattle, I would have been horrified to hear someone say that. It's the truth though. We have had a couple feet dump on us within a few days. It wouldn't be so bad except the wind blows it into huge drifts. Our driveway is a disaster zone. Not to mention that Latah county has been declared a disaster and Eastern Washington a State of Emergency. This makes it extremely difficult to go anywhere in our vehicles.

Well, that's an update I suppose. Catcha all later!

~Melissa

A Week to Remember

2007-09-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

It started out looking stressful and not worth the work. Dad and I were going to make a trip to Randle, WA, for Colonial Encampment. This is an event where you reenact what it was like in the eighteenth century, specifically pre-Revolutionary War.

We left on Wednesday morning, the 22nd, and drove for six hours. The drive was pretty uneventful, so I won't go into detail there. We did get stuck behind a ridiculously slow vehicle where there was no good opportunity to pass for a loooong way. Needless to say, we got there in one piece.

I am going to list our camp mates because some of them take part in the story I am about to tell you (yes, this is just the introduction, the juicy part is coming.). We had Steve (Dad's good friend of approximately twenty years) and his nine year old daughter Elizabeth. Also included were friends Paul and Dave. And the life of the party was Cal otherwise known as Foushee (foo-shay). Cal brought his friend, Carl.

(This is not the story yet.) Cal is a hoot. He had an obsession with what he called Molly Burgers the whole time we were there. Every morning he would go searching for this not so marvelous delicacy; he found a couple once but neglected to cook them up. He was jesting most of the time. Finally, on Sunday morning, Dad gave Cal a Molly. Cal, believe it or not when you find out what it is, fried it up with lots of garlic and ate the whole thing. It was disgusting! He is still alive to tell the tale.

Days were spent with Elizabeth and I doing the kid's games and picking apples and blackberries. Nights were spent playing rip roaring games of Shut-the-Box and playing the fiddle for the whole camp's enjoyment.

Speaking of playing the fiddle, something more than complements and tips came of it....and not what you would expect. Read on if you dare....

It all started with a scavenger hunt on Friday morning. Elizabeth and I were supposed to go throughout the camp looking for certain primitive items. When we found the items, we were to have whoever had it sign their name next to it. We made our way to a certain camp that belonged to a Glenn Richardson who just happened to be in charge of the tavern and the president of the association who puts the whole thing on. Here is how it happened:

Me: "Do you have a block of tea?"

Glenn: "Yes I most certainly do. It's right here," He holds it up for Elizabeth and me to see.

Me: "What's your name?"

Onlookers: "Awww, make him sign it! He can do the work!"

I handed him the paper and pencil.

Glenn's friend: "Hey, don't sign that until you make a deal with her!" He looks at me, "You're the fiddle player, right?"

Me: "Yep."

Glenn's friend: "Glenn, have her play at the tavern tonight and then sign the paper."

Glenn: "Melissa, does that sound like a deal to you?"

Me: "Sure."

That was how it all started. Later that night I got out my fiddle and had all intentions of playing at said location when it opened. It didn't open. And I waited. Finally, after practicing my fill, I put my fiddle in it's case and decided to play the next night. I couldn't remember which night he had said anyway.

Next morning, I was assigned by Cal to take pictures of an "Indian" fight that was going to happen down by the river. Cal, a licensed (primitive) surveyor to the state of Virginia, was going to show Glenn and his friend some surveying. Cal had gone into the Indian camp and told them what he was going to be doing and where. He said that he didn't want any trouble from them. Open invitation. So, I took the pictures as the men shot black powder at each other in a grownup match of cowboys and Indians with colonists instead.

Meanwhile, Glenn and his friend had not been able to come down right away because of a militia muster back at camp. But, they were there when the action ended. "Why didn't you play at the tavern last night?" Glenn asked inquisitively.

"I couldn't exactly remember what you had told me." I answered nonchalantly.

"Hmm, I'm going to have to bring this before the magistrate."

I giggled. Magistrate? Whatever that means...

I got back to camp and watched Elizabeth and Cal play a couple rounds of Shut-the-Box. I was just in the middle of my turn when Daddy and another guy come into camp. Dad said gravely, "I'm sorry Melissa, but we have a warrant for your arrest."

"Why? What did I do?" I hung my head in mock shame as they locked a heavy "bracelet" onto my right hand wrist.

"We'll attach the other end to Mr. Fields," said the crude looking fellow who accompanied my dad.

I wasn't sure what to think as they dragged me to the grove of trees that served as the courthouse. Many people were gathered around to watch the trial. There was a jury of about ten men, some of whom I was acquainted. The presiding judge was none other that Mr. Glenn Richardson. Great. It wouldn't have been so bad except that I knew there were stocks located outside the tavern.

They brought me over to a scary looking man dressed in a loin cloth and linen shirt. (Even though he looks really scary, he's actually very nice.) His arms and legs were tattooed with designs depicting an American Indian from that time period. His blondish hair was tied in a messy pony tail atop his head; feathers and horse hair were poking out of it in all directions. His teeth were another thing; not the sort of smile anyone would want to be stuck with. He went by the name of Critter. His real name was Timothy Fields. You guessed it. They handcuffed him to the other end of my bracelet. He whispered over to me, "I could throw you over my shoulder and we could make a run for it."

"Nah." I decided I would rather not ride on his shoulder.

Critter was accused of using counterfeit shilling notes to buy drinks at the tavern the previous night. After much debate the jury let him go if he would help look for the one who made the counterfeit notes.

I was next. I, of course, was charged with not keeping my word. Yeah, we knew that already, didn't we? They read the charge in such a way that I didn't quite know what they were talking about. (The whole trial was conducted like in the eighteenth century; accents, big words, etc.)

"How do you plead, Miss Wilson?"

"Not guilty?" I wasn't sure what to say.

They asked me a few questions about my charge and then, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Are you apprenticed to someone at home, or do you have someone whose authority you are under here?"

"Well, this is my dad," I pointed at the under sheriff to my right; my dad.

They asked him questions and finally deducted that a young lady should not be allowed in a tavern in the first place unless they were of lesser demeanor.

Glenn piped up, "At her age she's practically a spinster; she should already be married and have family!" (He was just teasing.)

Not fair.

The jury decided that to pay my debt I must play my fiddle at the tavern that night for free. They also said that they would open it earlier so that everyone could attend. They said they would keep the rowdiness in check so that it would be a place suitable for all.
I played that night and everyone appreciated it greatly. I made twenty eight dollars in tips and had the privilege of a "Scotsman" dancing to one of my reels and one of my jigs. It was great! I hated to leave the next morning.

The Other Side of the Camera

2007-07-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Growing up. It doesn't seem so impending until you look back to where you have come from. Suddenly it feels as though I have no time left to do what I want before I'm out of the house and I have a family of my own. Where did the time go anyway? I haven't wasted away my childhood years yet, or have I?

For awhile, and still occasionally, I was excited for the day when I would get my independence. I would count the years until I would be eligible for marriage. Now, as the number gets smaller and smaller, it's almost terrifying; I miss my days of innocence.

Just recently, we dug out our old, dusty video tapes of Ben and my childhood. The first tape we watched, we were four and two. They bring back so many good memories. Watching them makes me giggle at how silly we used to be and yet we were extremely matured for our ages. Mom and I start comparing us to other kids that age, "[Mary] still can't talk as well as Ben does here and she's much older!"

"Can you imagine [Sally] playing the violin at her age?"

I look back in amazement at our abilities. At five years old, I was the youngest in a kid's choir with kids up to Junior High and I had every word of the songs memorized and I knew what I was singing about!

Yet, even though I could do all those things, I was an absolute brat! All of the camera attention, though it usually wasn't (thank goodness!), had to be focused on me...even though Ben was tons cuter. (I wish I could digitalize some of his so I could show you how adorable he was.) I used to do some of the dumbest things and tell Mom to watch; I was rarely candid. Ben, on the other hand, was always wonderful even when he was trying to show off for the camera.

It's these videos that make me realize how much I have grown up so quickly. Before I know it, I'll become the voice on the other side of the camera. There's no way that I will let the childhood of my (hopefully) future children slip by without me capturing at least some of it in a camera lens. Especially since I am having so much fun looking back on my young life now. And I'm only sixteen!

Officer Newbill's Memorial Service

2007-05-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

We attended our friend, Lee Newbill's, (see last post) memorial service yesterday afternoon at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. It was a very touching service. Nearly six thousand people were there to honor the fallen hero. We are going to miss Lee immensely.

Here is the full service from KHQ news:

http://khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6549148 Click on the link for complete coverage to the left of the article.

I play the fiddle for this at 00:12 and 01:19 if you don't have time to watch the whole thing.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Melissa

PS

If you would like to see more on the Moscow Sniper Ambush, visit KXLY.com.

Sadness

2007-05-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

You have probably seen it all over the news; four dead, including officer, in a sniper attack in Moscow, ID. I am still in shock. I can't believe that this really happened.

Lee Newbill was the officer killed in the shooting. He is the first officer to be killed in the line of duty on the Moscow police force. He was also a very good friend of my family's. The horse pictured in my profile picture was his once; in fact, Lee was the man who sold us our horses. He was the officer that I interviewed for drivers-ed. He was the man that you always wanted to be at the Hog Heaven Muzze Loader meetings and outings because if he wasn't there it was extremely boring. He was the guy whom everyone liked. He was married and had three kids. He is gone. I will never see him again. I will miss him a lot. And none of us got to say goodbye.

You never think that these kind of things will happen to you. They always happen to everyone else and you say, "I'm so sorry for your loss," and forget about it. Oh, how I wish that I was the one giving my sympathies and not the one receiving them. I hate this feeling of grief and loss and I wish I could just get it out of my head. I wish I could somehow turn back the clock and prevent it from happening.

It was 7:40 AM when we got the call yesterday morning. Ben and Dad had just left to go to a car wash for the Boy Scouts. Mom answered the phone and as I rolled out of bed, I could hear what sounded like Mom crying as she went outside. When she came back inside from feeding the chickens, she told me that Lee had been shot by a sniper and was dead. I couldn't believe it. My first instinct was to pray that he would get better and then I realized that he was gone. The tears came. The egg McMuffin that I had made was left uneaten; I didn't eat anything until after we got home from church.

At church, everyone knew about the shooting. This is one of the biggest things that has ever happened in Moscow. Mom didn't sing on the worship team but I decided to play my fiddle anyway. I was hard to hold back the tears especially during "Blessed be Your Name" during the bridge:
You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be your name

As I helped with Sunday school for the kids, I was able to take my mind off the shooting. I decided that when I got home, I wanted to spend the rest of the day with the Bauers to do the same thing.

I ended up spending six and a half hours at their house that afternoon. I really needed the diversion.

This morning, Lee's wife, Becky, called and asked if I would play my fiddle for the memorial service that is to be held at the Kibbie Dome in remembrance of Lee. I gladly accepted but with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I wasn't able to eat this morning either.

I ask for all your prayers as we go through this tough time. I also hope you will pray for Lee's family that they would be comforted through this whole thing and that they would come to Jesus through it all.

Thank you,
Melissa

A Tribute to Mom

2007-05-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teachings of kindness are on her tongue....Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: many women have done excellently, but she surpasses them all." -Proverbs 31:26,28-29.

How can anyone be more beautiful that the woman described in Proverbs 31? I have been blessed with a Proverbs 31 mom; the words in this chapter of the Bible describe her perfectly. She teaches my brother and me with such wisdom and kindness. It is difficult to find any fault about her. She most definitely surpasses any other mom that I know of; God has blessed me with the best mom that I think possible. In all that she does she displays the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). I can see Jesus through the way Mom conducts her every action. If God blesses me with a family of my own, I pray that I can care for them the way that she cares for me. My mom: teacher, mediator, counselor, excellent wife, gourmet cook, expert gardener, and best friend forever. No one could ever replace her.
THANKS MOM FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!!!!!

Who Am I?

2007-05-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

I went to a Bible study with some girlfriends last night and we talked about this list. It's very encouraging.

Matthew 5:13 I am the salt of the earth.
Matthew 5:14 I am the light of the world.

John 1:12 I am a child of God (part of His family). (See Romans 8:16)
John 15:1,5 I am part of the true vine, a channel (branch) of His (Christ's) life.
John 15:15 I am Christ's friend.
John 15:16 I am chosen and appointed by God to bear His fruit.

Romans 6:18 I am a slave of righteousness.
Romans 6:22 I am enslaved to God.
Romans 8:14,15 I am a child (son) of God (God is spiritually my father). (See Gal. 3:26, 4:6)
Romans 8:17 I am a joint heir with Christ sharing His inheritance with Him.

1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19 I am a temple (home) of God. His Spirit (His life) dwells in me.
1 Cor. 6:17 I and joined (united) to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
1 Cor. 12:27 I am a member (part) of Christ's body. (See Eph. 5:30)

2 Cor. 5:17 I am a new creation (new person).
2 Cor. 5:18, 19 I am reconciled to God and am a minister of reconciliation.

Galatians 3:26, 28 I am a child (son) of God and one in Christ.
Galatians 4:6, 7 I am an heir of God since I am a child of God.

Ephesians 1;1 I am a saint. (See 1 Cor. 1:2; Phil 1:1; and Col. 1;2)
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship created in Christ to do His work that He planned before hand that I should do.
Ephesians 2:19 I am a fellow citizen with the rest of God's people in His family.
Ephesians 3:1, 4:1 I am a prisoner of Christ.
Ephesians 4:24 I am righteous and holy.

Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven and seated in heaven right now. (See Ephesians 2:6)

Colossians 3:3 I am hidden in Christ with God.
Colossians 3:4 I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is in my life.
Colossians 3:12 I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.

1 Thes. 1:4 I am chosen and dearly loved by God.
1 Thes. 5:5 I am a son of light and not of darkness.

Hebrews 3:1 I am a holy brother, partaker of a heavenly calling.
Hebrews 3: 14 I am a partaker of Christ....I share His life.

1 Peter 2:5 I am one of God's living stones and am being built up (in Christ) as a spiritual house.
1 Peter 2:9, 10 I am a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession to proclaim the excellencies of Him.
1 Peter 2:11 I am an alien and stranger to this world I temporarily live in.
1 Peter 5:8 I am an enemy of the devil.

1 John 3:1, 2 I am now a child of God. I will resemble Christ when He returns.
1 John 5:18 I am born for God and the evil one (the devil) cannot touch me.

I am not the great "I AM" (Exodus 3:14, John 8:24, 28, 58) "....but by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10)

A Poem

2007-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a poem that I wrote a while back. I posted it on my Xanga alreay but because of a lack of creativity at the moment, I will be content with re-posting it.

A poem

Music of the heart,
Fortes and pianissimos of the imagination,
Feelings formed into thoughts,
Placed into words,
To build the harmony,
Of the mind and soul
A happy march,
Or a lamenting dirge,
A romantic opera,
A solemn hymn
With every crescendo and de crescendo,
It forms the melody of a life,
Music of the heart,
A Poem