Bryan and Mel

New Blog!

2010-02-11T22:27:00.002-05:00

I've moved on to a new phase of blogging. I'm channeling it towards things pertaining to the kitchen...mostly, at least. The new blog can be found at mykitchenmypassion.blogspot.com. See you there!

Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies and Chicken

2009-12-03T08:28:00.002-05:00

A New Favorite! (inspired by Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian on Food Network, see link for original recipe)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces:
1 red pepper (she uses 2)
2 zucchini
2 summer squash
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (she uses 4 cremini mushrooms)
1 leek (she uses a yellow onion)

Place on baking sheet (I use large stoneware bar pan from Pampered Chef) with:
2 Tbsp. olive oil (she uses 1/4 c. olive oil)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
(she uses 1 Tbsp. dried Italian herb mix or herb de Provence; I think the salt and pepper and veggie flavor is enough)

Toss vegetables in oil gently and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes (or until tender).

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta for 6-7 minutes (needs to still be hard on the inside; it will finish cooking in the oven):
1# whole wheat penne pasta (she uses regular penne instead of whole wheat)

In a large bowl, mix:
1 large jar of Ragu Organic Original Marinara Sauce (she uses 3 c. homemade marinara sauce)
1 c. ricotta cheese (she uses 1 c. grated fontina cheese)
8 oz. shredded part skim mozzarella (she uses 1/2 c. grated smoked mozzarella)
1 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed
3 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken (she does not add chicken to hers, as hers is a vegetarian dish)

Drain pasta and add to cheese/sauce mixture. Add roasted veggies. Toss gently and pour into greased 9x13 pan or large casserole dish.

Top with:
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (she uses an additional 1/3 c. on top and mixes the 1/4 into the pasta; I only used the 1/4 c. on top since I used extra mozzarella)
2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces (placed on top of Parmesan to make a nice crispy topping)

Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

She says it serves 6. I swear it serves 12. Could also be used as a side dish for a large party.

It is SO yummy!

My Favorite Protein Shake

2009-11-10T08:51:00.003-05:00

So, I've finally figured out my perfect protein shake. Here's the recipe:

1 frozen banana (peel before freezing)
3 Tbsp. Protein Powder
1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter
8 oz. Low-fat Milk

Blend and enjoy as one of your 5-6 light meals per day!

Fall Update

2009-11-10T08:42:00.002-05:00

So, it's a little past "quarterly," but it'll have to work.

Not too much to update on. We started exercising together and did 1 full month of P90X program before heading off to vacation in Colorado. We will pick back up on it soon.

Speaking of vacation, Bryan and I were able to go to Denver for a week and a half in October. It was an extremely refreshing time and the Denver area is gorgeous! We got to spend a good bit of time with Todd & Carissa Davis (&Brode) and Ryan & Danielle Fisher. We helped Todd & Carissa unpack a bit and hung out, getting to know them and their vision for Brighton and ministry philosophies. If the Lord allows it, I think we'd both move there in a heartbeat. It will probably be a couple years still though. We still have a few house renovations to finish before we would be able to sell it and make a decent profit. We also got to meet up with Bryan's second cousin Cory and his girlfriend Jen. We fell into easy conversation and really enjoyed the time we got to spend with them.

Bryan got to ski with Cory while I shopped with Danielle. This was his second time skiing. The first time, he took me with him. As I had NEVER been skiing, I spent as much time on the ground as my skis did. They didn't have any bunny trails open and their green trails are like the East's blues, so it was quite difficult. I started the day by falling (or jumping, depending on your point of view) off the ski lift. And "it was all down hill from there," as they say. I still had a fun time and the snow was gorgeous! And I was thrilled to see Bryan SO excited to do something he loves.

We took lots of pictures, saw bison and mountain sheep, and overall just had a good time. Our favorite restaurant was Old Chicago Pizza. Ted's Montana Grill was pretty good too.

We got home to a new Tempurpedic mattress. Our last few days of vacation were spent hanging crown molding in our bedroom and chilling.

I highly recommend a two-week vacation for anyone who feels like they need more rest! Rest is a gift from God...one I'm learning to appreciate and enjoy!

Quarterly Update

2009-06-12T21:37:00.003-05:00

Yes, it seems my attempt to do a weekly blog entry is futile. Looks like the last entry was four months ago, so maybe I should call it quarterly updates. ;) Anyway...

You might ask what's been going on with us. Well, we have removed all wallpaper except for one room in the new house! Yeah! The last room to remove wallpaper is the kitchen, but that's going to have to be a long weekend process, since we actually like to cook at home often. We painted the half bath downstairs a pale green and accented with white accessories (round mirror, cabinet, trim) and silver standing toilet paper holder and towel holder. I really like it. We painted the office a Canyon Sunset (kind of a tera cotta orange) with a gray/brown trim. Still waiting on furniture in there. The guest room has been painted Birdbath Grey (kind of a very pale blue grey) and decorated with antique items. We even found a print of an Andrew Wyeth painting called "Master Bedroom." (I know it's the guest room, but it's this old dog lying on a bed with an old white bedspread. It fits perfectly.) We also painted the guest bathroom Classical Violet (I know, do you believe I painted a room in my house purple...so unlike me, but it actually works) with pale yellow stripes at the top for a border and painted the cabinet yellow to match (still needs another coat). We picked the paint for the Master Bed and Bath. It's a pale green (Lynd-something Jade) with cream trim and Bryan wants to install crown molding in the bedroom. It's going to look so good!

Bryan's travelled a little more recently. At least a few nights every other month for business. I'm trying to use the time to get projects done and hang out with my girl friends that I don't see as much. I'm thankful for the experience he's gaining. We just found out that he was Top Auditor in April...99% score! I was very excited for him. I'm sure that was an encouragement. Of course we both dream of owning our own businesses in the future (photography for Bryan and event coordinating for Melissa--along with floral design and custom accessories). But for now, we're thankful that we both have good jobs.

May was a busy month with family visits. My parents stayed with us for a few nights while they helped my brother pack up all his earthly possessions and move them to their basement in TN. (He got laid off a couple of months ago and is working on creating a documentary film on the journey of unemployment with the goal of landing his dream job. The first part of this journey was five or six weeks in Boston/New York area, looking for a job, to no avail, followed by living with Bryan and me for two and a half weeks and us helping him clean out his old apartment.)

Meanwhile, my aunt, uncle, and cousins stayed with us for Anna's graduation from BJU. It was an enjoyable visit, concluding with a trip to the Biltmore (check out my cousin Ryan's senior portraits at the Biltmore on Bryan's website - www.shadowlight.smugmug.com).

The next week, Bryan traveled for 2 nights. Then we had our anniversary (3 years, can you believe it?!). Then Bryan's brother Tony and his family and grandma came up for Memorial Day weekend. We spent the entire long weekend with them (the guys were helping Dad McKinnon put the roof on his pavilion -- what we call it, even though he calls it a gazebo; the thing is huge!). We took one extra vacation day the Tuesday after Memorial Day and the two of us just hung out in G'ville. Then my uncle was back in town for a long layover between flights and spent one more night with us. Then, the last weekend in May, Bryan's other brother Chad and his family came into town and stayed with us for a friend's wedding.

The church's new fellowship hall is finally complete, so we have regular Sunday School classes, instead of the every third Sunday rotation we've been doing for a while now. It's so nice to see everyone every week again!

So, that's about all that's going on with us, except, oh, I've lost 16.5 lbs. since January! I started with www.SparkPeople.com, eating only 1200-1550 calories/day and exercising 3-4x/week. Now I'm graduating on to eating the minimum requirements of the food pyramid and exercising 5-6x/week, including my weekly Pilates class at Reform Bode, across the street from my office (www.ReformBode.com). It's so cool! And I'm actually enjoying the whole exercise thing. I also started the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD and Fat Burning Yoga DVD. I love them! A huge thanks to my friend Leigh for being my accountability partner through this whole process and to Bryan for being such a supporting encouragement to me! I still have 15-20 more lbs. to go, but I'm doing it the healthy way and enjoying the journey. I've also dropped about 5% body fat. I'd like to be down to 19% body fat, ultimately.

Well, see you again the next time our lives slow down for a moment. Have a great summer and give us call. We're not too busy to catch up over coffee or dinner. :) TTFN.

Holidays Come and Gone

2009-02-17T22:25:00.003-05:00

Well, the last two months have been a bit of a whirlwind. My last post talked about our trip to collect family history. And now we know that it was one of the most special memories we may ever have. About 3 weeks before Christmas, my grandpa on my mom's side appeared to be having another stroke. Upon further investigation, they found blood clots on his brain. After several unsuccessful surgeries, Grandpa went home to be with His Savior on the Sunday before Christmas. The funeral was on Christmas Eve morning and was the most beautiful and God-honoring funeral I think I've ever been a part of. Michelle and Jordan and I and my cousins Anna and Ryan were able to sing at the funeral. They also did a testimony time, where people could share what Grandpa meant to them. His life was full of Christ.

Due to the above-mentioned funeral, Bryan and I made an unexpected trip to Ohio. It was wonderful to see family again. We missed seeing much of my dad's side of the family, which was very sad to me, but we were able to spend much time with Grandma in her time of sorrow. We found out some really neat stories and shared some precious moments together. Grandma's doing well now, though still lonely, as you can imagine.

Mom and Dad have graciously stepped in and been an arm to lean on for both grandmothers. And it's so special that my grandmothers are very close friends. I've learned so much from my grandparents and partly hate this season of life when they all slowly leave us. But in a way, I'm happy for them because they're beating me to Heaven. And I know I shall join them someday.

We spent Christmas with Mom's side of the family, and then drove back down to SC to spend a few days with Bryan's side of the family. We had everyone over to our house the weekend after Christmas. Bryan's brother and his family were able to stay with us for a week. It was so good to see them and catch up! Little Isaac is the newest addition to the family and he's at the cute stage of smiling back at you.

New Years came and went with us trying to catch up from the time away from work and home.

Bryan started traveling this past fall. Both of us had colds that lasted over two weeks (fortunately, not at the same time).

We are finally getting back to the swing of things. We were thankful to be back in church this past Sunday after two weeks out for sickness. God is so gracious to us to surround us by family and Christian brothers and sisters in Christ. We look forward to see what He has for us this year.

I never did get around to sending out Christmas cards. The last month of the year was truly hectic, but God was faithful. I had plans of writing a New Years' letter instead, but that has come and gone. Maybe I'll get around to it by "Christmas in July."

The Search for Ancestry

2008-12-09T21:54:00.002-05:00

So, it's been a while since I wrote. I guess I still have a few weeks before New Years' Resolutions hit, right. Maybe I'll write once a week then...

Anyway, Bryan and I were able to go to Ohio for Thanksgiving for a few days. It was a great time with family! We arrived the afternoon before Thanksgiving and spent some time with my parents. On Thursday, we had our traditional Thanksgiving feast at my parents' house with my mom's parents joining us. My dad's mom joined later in the afternoon for coffee and conversation. This was all wonderful, but Friday was my favorite part.

Bryan and I spent the whole day (12 hours!) with my grandparents, listening to stories, collecting histories, looking at pictures and old documents and family Bibles. It was one of the neatest experiences I've had in a long time. See, Grandpa Gons died when I was 12 of a heart attack. This past year, Grandma Gons had a heart attack, Grandma Thompson had a brain aneurysm and Grandpa Thompson has seen some effects from a stroke he had a couple of years ago. All of them are currently doing well, but you can see why I felt the urgency to start collecting stories.

I've actually heard a lot of the stories all growing up. But this time, I wrote them down on more than my brain. I wrote them on paper so I can read them over and over and write them on my heart and mind to share with my children some day (no, this is not an announcement). We found great-grandpa Gons' Army enlistment papers and all kinds of neat photographs that Grandma didn't even know she still had. We found a Bible with details about Martha Washington hand-written in the front pages. We found history on my mom's side dating back to the Civil War! We traced ancestry into Poland, England, Germany, Holland, and possibly Russia. I'm so intrigued, I can't stop researching.

If you don't know your story, start asking. It opened my eyes and heart to a bigger world than me and my immediate family. Everyone's connected. In fact, you're only 6 people away from knowing anyone, so start talking and building relationships. You never know whose name your descendants might find written in the front of your family Bible...and, oh, the stories. Write them down. Family's important. Let's make it a goal to keep it that way!

News from our little corner of the world..

2008-09-29T17:59:00.004-05:00

We've picked a studio name...ShadowLight. Our first webpage is in the works at ShadowLight.SmugMug.com. And our first album can be previewed at Blurb.com, by looking under Purchase Books, and searching for "bryanandmel." It only shows the first 15 pages of the album, but it gives a good idea of our work. This is a step in the right direction.

We're excited to enter this journey and to see where God will lead us in this. Meanwhile, we're taking steps slowly...being cautious.

As for national/world news, it was a rough day for Wall Street, which trickles down to each of us in one way or another. I am reminded, as Job said so long ago, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." So, worst case scenario, we lose our jobs and our house. Say the economy crashes and the U.S.A. is no more. Then what? We trust God, as we should now. He knows what He's doing. And He knows what we need. We may not know what will come next, but He has had it planned out since the beginning of time. There is no need to fret, or get worked up, or to panic. The need is Christ. This may be one way He is building His church. "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Cauliflower Sandwiches

2008-08-27T19:02:00.002-05:00

I know it sounds crazy, but a coworker gave me this recipe and I LOVE it! You must try. Easy to make, cheap, and delicious!

Ingredients:

Loaf of French Bread, thickly sliced

Dijon mustard

1-2 Tbsp. butter and/or olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 head cauliflower, cleaned, chopped

Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350F.

Meanwhile, saute garlic and chopped cauliflower over Medium heat until tender.

Slice French bread and spread Dijon mustard on top side. Place on baking sheet.

Spoon 1-2 Tbsp. of sauteed cauliflower onto the mustard side of the bread.

Cover with cheese slices and bake 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Eat as an open faced sandwich.

My boss, who HATES cauliflower, LOVED this recipe! It was so yummy!!!

Decorating Idea

2008-08-23T19:36:00.003-05:00

The other Administrative Assistants at work took me out to eat on my birthday. We went to a place called The Lazy Goat, here in Greenville. The food was amazing, but that's not what caught my attention. First, there were three different styles of chairs, and they all looked really neat together, adding an eclectic feel to the restaurant.

But my new fascination (and inspiration for my dining room) was a wall filled with clocks of all shapes, sizes, and styles. It was absolutely gorgeous. So, I'm starting a wall clock collection. On one side of my dining room, I'll place a large mirror. And the other will have the clock wall. So it will look like I'm surrounded by clocks. I'm so excited!! I think the color "Organic Garden" green that we selected will really accent the clocks.

I now have a new item to look for in antique shops. Yeah!

"Welcome to being a Home Owner"

2008-08-12T20:14:00.003-05:00

"Welcome to being a home owner"...the phrase I've heard quite often since July 25th of this year. Usually it's because something's happened that we will some day find to be funny...some day.

So, we closed on that Friday and moved in pretty much all that same day, thanks to our family and some friends (Luke & Erin and Daryl & Adrianne and my sister, specifically). We were pretty well set up by that Monday. The only thing left to do was decorate (which will take a few years, I'm coming to find), hang pictures, and get some bookshelves to fill with the rest of our books (I think we could start a library!). "Welcome to being a home owner."

Well, that first Monday after our first weekend in the new house, Bryan went to work and I stayed home one extra day from work to finish up some final touches (and rest a bit). Well, that day, I went outside and found a rather large black spider with a little red hourglass on its belly...you guessed it, black widow...biggest one I've ever seen. And it ran before I could kill it. So, I ran to the store and got bug spray and spider traps (yes, they actually make traps to kill black widows and brown recluses). So I put those out, and, of course, it rained very hard that night, so the traps were pretty much done for. Well, in my fear of the spider, I failed to bring in the mail that afternoon. So, the next morning I went to grab the mail on the way to work...and who should beat me to the mailbox but the black widow...or her sister. So I threw a trap in there, grabbed out my mail very carefully one piece at a time, throwing it on the ground as I pulled it out (I'm sure this quite humorous for the neighbors). And I haven't seen one since. But I'm keeping those traps on hand for peace of mind. "Welcome to being a home owner."

The trips to Home Depot, Lowe's and Walmart have already begun. I hear they never end. "Welcome to being a home owner."

Well, the next weekend, I started the wallpaper project in the dining room. No, not putting it up...tearing it off. The top layer was great...came off very easily. But whoever put the first layer up forgot to prime the drywall, so part of it came off with that layer of wallpaper. :) How exciting...not. So they're taking bets at the office as to how long it will take us to finish that room. :) "Welcome to being a home owner."

Then last Wednesday was a fun night! We've been getting to bed a little later than normal due to the house projects, so Wednesday we got to bed about 10 or 10:30 and thought we were doing pretty good. Then about 1:30AM, we are awakened to this slow, high-pitched "beep---beep---beep." Yes, the alarm system that was supposed to be removed before we moved in wasn't deactivated. So, we check the house...no one's around. We play with the buttons on the system, and it shuts off. Yeah! 15 minutes later...about 1:45AM, "beep--beep--beep." Not again! This time, playing with the buttons doesn't work. There's no phone number on the whole system! And there's no number in the phone book for the alarm system company anywhere! (I even tried calling the former owners to figure out the code, but no surprise they didn't answer at 2AM.) So, Bryan unplugged the phone line from the system and proceeded to cut the wires. I guess we don't watch enough movies about burglaries, because that was definitely not the right decision. The real alarm began going off! Loudest thing I think I've ever heard! I was literally nauseated after that because it was so loud! So he finds the plug. Of course, it's screwed into the outlet, so he has to unscrew that, unplug it, and then pull the wires out of that. Well, that worked...for about a nanosecond. Then the battery backup kicked in! Did I mention it was LOUD?! So, Bryan found the battery, ripped it out of the system and the thing is finally dead!! Praise the Lord! We finally got to bed about 2:30AM. "Welcome to being a home owner."

I'm sure these are just the beginning of our "Welcome to being a home owner" stories. Home ownership is a blessing, but with privilege comes responsibility (by responsibility, I primarily mean expense). Let's just say, if you're thinking about buying a home, be ready for an adventure. :)

A New Home

2008-07-01T19:07:00.002-05:00

Well, we are making the big plunge. Bryan and I are buying our first home in Taylors, SC, on July 25th, 2008! We're very excited! I'm already dreaming in paint colors. It's a 2 story, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, with a screened-in porch, nice backyard with a partial wrap-around deck, in-ground sprinkler system, and even a chipping green for golf (added bonus, not what sold the house). One of the biggest blessings is that everyone involved actually goes to our church (Heritage Bible). Exciting times to be shared with our family in Christ!

Answers to Prayer via Email

2008-06-19T08:03:00.002-05:00

Last night at Shepherding Group we discussed various lies we find ourselves believing and the truth that fights these lies. One are I find myself struggling with is the importance of a daily quiet time. So we discussed this last night and I had some good time of meditation and study after our group meeting. Then when I got to work this morning, I found the following email devotional in my inbox. If you're interested in receiving daily devotionals on email, sign up at the website at the bottom of this entry.

The Most Important Time of My Day
Lysa TerKeurst

“… Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Devotion:
Is it really that important to have a quiet time with the Lord everyday? I mean, the Lord knows how busy my life is, so if I just toss up a few prayers and listen to a Christian song on the radio while rushing off to work, that should suffice, right?

It’s easy to let the busyness of life crowd out time for prayer, Bible reading, and sitting with the Lord. There are a million things on all of our to-do lists, time is tight, and quiet moments seem few and far between. But I’ve learned that if I make the choice to be with the Lord first thing in the morning, my outlook on life that day and my ability to handle things seems to go so much smoother.

Also, I’ve had to change my mindset on having a quiet time. Spending time with the Lord in the morning doesn’t end when I say “amen” and put my Bible back on the shelf. I’ve just invited the King of Kings to participate in my day. So, I get up from spending time with the Lord in the morning and start eagerly looking for His hand of activity in my life.

I think about the Bible verses I read that morning and look for ways to apply them to my life that very day. I watch the circumstances that come my way hour by hour and ask the Lord to constantly give me wisdom to process life in the way that would be most honoring to Him. My mindset is healthier, my attitude more positive, and my ability to extend grace to those who rub me the wrong way is increased just by setting aside some time to be with the Lord.

If you are struggling with having quiet time with the Lord each day, try these helpful ideas:

1. Be honest with God and admit your struggle. Ask God to give you the desire to set aside time to be with Him.

2. Start with just a small amount of time. Even if it is just 5 minutes at first, give this 5 minutes solely to the Lord without any other distractions. Over the next weeks and months, your desire for more time with Him will increase.

3. Use a version of the Bible that lends itself to study. I use the NIV Life Application Study Bible and I love it. It helps me understand the context each book was written in and gives me commentaries to understand specific verses.

4. Ask God for understanding as you read the Bible. When I first started reading the Bible I had a hard time, so I started praying that God would open my spiritual eyes to see the truths in a life changing way for me.

5. Write some of the verses that seem most applicable to your life on 3x5 cards and use them in your prayers. For example, Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” So, I could use this verse in my prayer time by praying, “God, help me to know how to store up treasures in Heaven. Help me to relinquish my tight hold on my earthly possessions so I can use them to build your kingdom now. Show me how to best use that which you have blessed me with. Give me your mindset for the money I have.”

6. Get involved in a Bible Study with friends. This will help hold you accountable to getting your study time done and will open up great discussions to deepen everyone’s understanding of applying God’s truths to everyday life.

Dear Lord, I want a more vibrant relationship with You and I know having a daily quiet time is an important part of that. Help me make this my most important priority each day, no matter how busy life is. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
If you don’t know which book of the Bible to start with, I’d suggest either Matthew or Philippians. These are two of my favorite books that are rich with life application opportunities. You may also want to read a chapter from the Book of Proverbs. There are 31 chapters, one for each day of the month.

Reflections:
The summer months seem to be a time where we take a break from our normal routines, which is great. But, I have to be careful to never take a break from having time with the Lord. How can I safeguard this time and make it a priority each day?

Power Verses:
Matthew 6: 11, “Give us today our daily bread.” (NIV)

Matthew 6: 33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.proverbs31.org

You Are Holy

2008-06-18T20:25:00.002-05:00

The following song refers to our great God, words being written by Marc Imboden and Tammi Rhoton.

You are holy.
You are mighty.
You are worthy.
Worthy of praise.
I will follow.
I will listen.
I will love you.
All of my days.

I will sing to
And worship
The King who
Is worthy.
I will love Him,
Adore Him;
I will bow down
Before Him.
I will sing to
And worship
The King who
Is worthy.
I will love Him,
Adore Him;
I will bow down
Before Him.
You are my Prince of Peace,
And I will live my life for You.

You are the Lord of lords,
You are the King of kings,
You are mighty God,
Lord of everything.
You're Emmanuel,
You're the great I Am,
You're the Prince of Peace
Who is the Lamb.
You're the living God,
You're my saving grace,
You will reign forever.
You're the Ancient of Days,
You are Alpha Omega,
Beginning and End.
You're my Savior, Messiah,
Redeemer, and Friend.
You are my Prince of Peace,
And I will live my life for You.

The Next Phase in Our LIves

2008-06-18T20:21:00.002-05:00

So, we're taking another step in our adult lives, that scary step where you count the cost, do a ton of research, pick a realtor, do a ton more research, and make an offer on a house. The fun part is that the offer was accepted. So, we close on our first house on July 25th. Though we will always have a fond place in our hearts for our little hole in the ground, hobbit cave, basement apartment that we have rented for the last two years, we definitely look forward to having a place we can call our own and decorate in any way we desire. Although I might cry saying goodbye to our landlord's dog Frisbie. So, no more home hunting. The search is over. And now we wait....

BTW, the house is in Taylors, SC.

Our First Official Wedding Shoot

2008-04-20T20:34:00.011-05:00

A few random shots...

2008-04-20T20:03:00.007-05:00

Adrianne & Daryl's engagement shot

Rehearsal at Cleveland Park in Spartanburg

Rehearsal Dinner

Update on Grandma

2008-04-16T18:35:00.001-05:00

Grandma (Mel's mom's mom) passed out last Thursday. She had hemorrhaging on the brain and wasn't responsive, so they life-flighted to the nearest Neuro Center. She began responding, so they did a second CT-scan, which revealed an aneurysm. She had two surgeries on Friday, which went very well. She's responding, moving, talking (they took the breathing tube out 3 days early), and all around recovering very well. She's still considered critical for 30 days, but we're praising God for bringing her this far (she'll be 85 in July...or 39 again, depending on who you're talking to). My aunt from Maine was able to come stay with Grandpa till Grandma comes home. My uncle from Colorado also made it home, so it was a very sweet family reunion. Mom and Dad are still recovering from lack of rest, but we're thankful they're so close to both sets of grandparents.

Thank you for your prayers! We serve a wonderful and gracious God! Keep praying...it may be a long road to recovery.

Wedding Coordinating

2008-04-16T18:21:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm definitely interested in the prospect of an event planning small business. I was able to coordinate two weddings this past weekend: Stacy McKinnon to James Newhart and Adrianne Spencer to Daryl Francis. Both went off well. And though I'm still worn out, they were invigorating at the same time.

Stacy's wedding was at a small community clubhouse. There were roughly 50 guests, mostly family and close friends. It was a windy day, but we did the reception outside anyway (that's what the bride wants, so that's what the bride gets). It was slightly humorous when I had to run outside during the ceremony to hold the table cloth down so it wouldn't engulf the beautiful cake. The punch fountain had its issues, but the father of the groom was able to reset the GFI to keep it going. The most humorous part of the day had to be when I first arrived and opened the refrigerator to grab out the boutonnieres and corsages that Stacy and MOH Carissa had made the day before. That's right...they had FROZEN overnight. Fortunately, the bouquets and extra flower stems didn't fit in the fridge, so I was able to use the extras to remake the boutonnieres the morning of the wedding. Not funny then; very funny now.

We drove straight from that wedding to the second rehearsal in Spartanburg. We started late due to other events occurring simultaneously at the park, but it went okay. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day (weather wise) on Sunday. We got there around 10:30 and started setting up. After almost getting kicked out of the event center, we found out that the lady who told us we could go in early no longer works for the park (so they let us stay). Joy Rowan did a beautiful job with the flowers. And the cake was gorgeous!!! Of course, it was chocolate...it was a Spencer wedding after all. My husband, Bryan, took the pictures of the day, along with his best friend (and Adrianne's brother) Joshua Spencer. The pictures are GORGEOUS! Can't wait to post them, but it might be a while till I get the artists' approval. :)

In the end, it was an invaluable experience. And we're looking forward to the next time we can do a Team Wedding. The other lesson I learned was never book two weddings on the same weekend. This time happened to be unavoidable, but I hope the stars don't align like this in the future. Beautiful weddings, beautiful brides, beautiful pictures...very tired Bryan and Melissa, but it was very worth it!

More Random Pictures

2008-04-06T07:43:00.008-05:00

Random Pictures

2008-04-05T18:47:00.000-05:00

I'm Back

2008-04-05T18:34:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm back on Facebook (www.facebook.com) and I'm going to try to get back into blogging too! Life is in the fast lane right now.

We're gearing up for two "team weddings" next weekend ("team wedding" meaning that I'm coordinating and Bryan's photographing). We're really excited for these opportunities. But we're looking forward to slowing down our pace a bit and getting back into a normal routine. Someday, we hope coordinating and photographing can be a full time job for both of us, but when trying to do that while both of us are working full time, it gets a little crazy. Maybe the next wedding we'll do "team photographers" instead of the coordinator/photographer team. :)

Work keeps us busy, and then we're involved in shepherding group and Sunday school with Heritage Bible Church. We also started a Game Night about a year ago now that occurs every Thursday night (location changes up occasionally, so call me if you're interested in coming).

God continues to be our faithful guide. He is gently leading us still. We look forward to buying our first home this year, Lord willing! Still in the looking stage, but we have a great realtor!!

More to come...I promise! My goal for now is to post once a week minimum.

Happy Belated New Year!

2008-01-11T23:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the New Year! The New Year for us brought a new laptop for me (thank you, Bryan). So, I'm learning how to use a Mac! I love it!! And now we can both be on the computer at the same time. :) It really helps with our New Year's goal: reading through the Bible in the year together. And it will help as we continue getting involved in the photography world.

Bryan took pictures at our company's annual award ceremony this past week (we're both working for the same company now; me as an administrative assistant, him as an auditor). And we're shooting our first official wedding in April! So, we're practicing a lot right now (and saving for more equipment). We're very excited! We're also trying to think of a name for our future photography business. Yes, we're still doing game night every Thursday night. And we're becoming more and more involved with Sunday school and fellowship and development in the Body of Christ at Heritage Bible Church.

What's in a Name?

2007-10-05T10:59:00.000-05:00

Well, the name Melissa is a transliteration from the Greek, meaning honey bee.

I was reading through a list of symbols for Totem Poles and found it interesting that a bee symbolizes the following:
Bee - Organized, industrious, productive, wise, social, celebratory, and enthusiastic about life.

So, is this me? I'll let you decide. I'd love to see your comments.

Update on Life

2007-07-16T11:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't written in forever it seems! Since I last wrote, Bryan has completed his last full semester at Bob Jones University and two sessions of Greek in summer school. So, he only has one correspondence course left.

He finished summer school a day early so we could drive to VA for Chad and Julie's wedding (Bryan's brother and now sister-in-law). The wedding was beautiful and a wonderful testimony of God's grace. Check out either of our Facebook accounts to see pictures.

After the wedding, we drove to Ohio to see my parents and grandparents. This was the most relaxing part of the trip. Dad bought some new guns, so we went to the range to practice one afternoon. Oh, and we got to meet with Eric Leszkowicz one morning and discuss the photography business...very enlightening, refocusing, and encouraging! Then it was back to SC--Mel to work, and Bryan looking for work.

Bryan worked for a guy at church that remodels homes for one week and then had a week off where he posted even more resumes and applications all over Greenville. One day as I was asking my friend Heather to pray that Bryan would find a job soon, she suggested that he work for Resurgent (where I work). I hadn't even thought of that! So, he applied, interviewed, and...drum roll, please...got the position! He'll start as an Agency Auditor on July 30th! I can hardly wait to start driving to work together again! (We did this occasionally when he worked at Port City Java and it was always a good chat time.) He's so excited to learn all that this job entails. Praise the Lord.

Another praise is that the guy from church he worked for previously called last night and asked him to work for two weeks (the exact amount of time he had off before starting this new job at Resurgent). So, he'll be painting and helping Sam move for two weeks. Then we'll drive to Ohio one more time to see Valerie and Jon get married and send them off on their new life together. I am SO excited for them!

Well, that pretty much catches you up to speed. I very glad we're done with school (for the most part) and can start picking up our activities at church. Heritage had a Military Appreciation Luncheon on Saturday and I got to help with the food prep. Bryan helped tear out carpet at a fellow church member's home at the same time. Sunday school is always a good time for fellowship and mutual edification. And Sunday evening was our annual "Family Reunion" for Heritage Bible, Emmanual Bible and Grace Bible Churches. We had a wonderful song service and time of communion followed by a picnic and lots of fellowship.

Sorry I can't post pictures right now, but I'll try to add them later from home. As for me, it's time to get back to work. Have a great day in the Lord!

Falls Park at Night

2007-04-06T06:59:00.000-05:00

I can' believe I forgot to upload these. These are from March 30th...one of our random "let's go on a walk" dates. We love walking around the neighborhood, downtown, and especially at the park.

Bryan's "best of" shots for the night: Bryan likes experimenting with taking pictures at night while walking. Sometimes it turns out really cool, like this one:Melissa took this one:

Bryan's Photography, April 5, 2007

2007-04-05T22:32:00.000-05:00

Shepherding Group

2007-04-05T21:55:00.000-05:00

Shepherding Group is a small group discipleship effort that our church gives its people the option of being a part of. Every first and third Wednesday night of the month, groups of believers meet in homes to share what they're learning, how they're struggling, who God is, and what we're praying about. It's not just your average Bible study; it's Christianity lived out among believers. It's showing grace and sharing truth in a relaxed environment of edification and exhortation. You can join at any time, but the main sign up is once a year.

When the time came to make a decision on whether or not to join a shepherding group this year, we knew it was going to be a busy year with Bryan finishing school. Being newly married, we'd been advised not to make any commitments except to each other the first year of marriage. But somehow this was different. We almost said, "We're too busy." But at the same time, we knew this could be one of the best thing for us. And it has been. We've loved getting to know other believers from different backgrounds, age groups, and life situations who all share the common bond of Christ. There is no stronger bond. And though we've faced several struggles this year in our group, we've gone through it together. And I pray we continue to come alongside each other as Christ desired for us to do.

Meet the Gang:

The Kids:Sharing,listening,watching,
smiling,
hugging,and fellowshipping.

Sam, our fearless leader:

Frisbee! No, not the game, the world's best dog!

2007-04-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

Bryan calls her the cat that barks. I just think she's adorable! She does tricks for cheese and is just so well behaved. I never wanted a dog...until I met Frisbee, that is. :) She belongs to the Cooks, "the people upstairs" as we affectionately call them. They're our landlords (we live in their basement apartment). I just had to add this one. :)

Pictures at the Park, April 4, 2007

2007-04-05T21:42:00.000-05:00

Holmes Park

I think this one is the best shot of the day! Hey, can't a wife be biased?! :)

March 27, 2007 Bryan's Walk Home from School

2007-04-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

A Trip to the Wilds, March 23

2007-04-05T20:59:00.000-05:00

The Saturday after Bible Conference we slept in, did our normal Saturday chores, then decided to drive up to the Wilds. We threw the camera, computer, outfits for evening service and our toothbrushes in a bag and took off. We had every intention of coming home that evening, but after eating dinner and catching up with all our Wilds family, chatting with Joshua and the Brooks, we ended up at the Stoners (Rick and Ellen). It was getting rather late, and they invited us to stay. SO...we did. They were so kind to us, laying out extra bathroom stuff and even pajamas. We went to morning service, stayed for brunch, and then helped clean the campsite for the next school conference coming in. Josh put us in charge of cleaning the duplex areas. It was kind of fun being able to help out in that way. And we had the most beautiful weather all weekend! Plus, the drive is so nice. We just loving having that "chat time" in the car. But then it was back to reality. Maybe the Lord will open it up for us to work full-time at a camp someday. For now, the door is still closed. But we eagerly anticipate God opening other doors (or windows) of opportunities in our future. And we continue to look at it as a God-ordained adventure.

Bible Conference Babysitter

2007-04-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

Mid March is Bible Conference for BJU. Bryan went to all the services (since he's a student, of course). I enjoyed being able to attend most of the evening services with him. On Thursday night, I let my sister and her husband off the hook by watching the boys so they could go to one of the services. Here are a couple pictures of Micah and Jordan Elliott playing with our neighbor's dog Frisbee (who is, by the way, the best dog in the world!).

Okay, I didn't take these, but I couldn't resist sharing them. They're just too cute.

February Weekend in Charleston

2007-04-05T17:19:00.000-05:00

During our honeymoon in Charleston, we sat through one of those "listen to us talk about time shares for two hours and we'll give you gift certificates" speals. We didn't buy a time share, but we did buy a one year no obligation sampler pack. Our plan was to have a pre-payed anniversary trip back to Charleston. However...we didn't factor in that Bryan would be in summer school during our first anniversary. So...we found a long weekend at the end of February and took a trip to one of our favorite cities.

Well, we found this really quaint little coffee house that we went to each morning to read our Bibles. It was amazing!

We got some good R&R, did lots of walking and took tons of pictures! Bryan's enjoyed playing around with my digital camera (and Picasa). He's actually quite good. And every once in a while he let's me take pictures too. :) We also visited several galleries. We especially liked the Martin Gallery! Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures inside.
Well, here are some of our favorite shots from the trip. Enjoy!

At the hotel. I had no idea Bryan was even taking this, but at least we got a picture as proof he was there. :)

This has to be my all time favorite from the weekend!

Look at that sky! The weather was amazing. It had to be 60's and 70's all week...and in February!

You can't go to Charleston without a trip to the Market.

Traditional Gullah baskets.

By Saturday, I was exhausted. So I took a nap while Bryan went out and took some neat shots on the pier.

The view from our hotel room.

I don't think he likes pulling the carriages around. Or maybe he was tired too.

More shots around town.

The trip home. Mel in her element...behind the wheel with coffee.

And last, but certainly not least, Bryan's experiments with lighting at night. I love this one!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2007-02-04T18:12:00.001-05:00

I just had to put this in here. Happy Birthday, Dad! Hope you have a great one! I love you! Oh, and Mom, for future reference, you are not allowed to answer Dad's cell phone on his birthday. I was all geared up to sing the Happy Birthday song and then it wasn't him. :) Just kidding. I love you too! :)

Super Bowl Survival Kit

2007-02-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

FYI...this year the Chicago Bears are playing Indianapolis Colts. Go ahead and memorize those two names. You'll impress your man!

The best football site that I've found for women who want a better understanding of sports is http://www.momsguide.com/football/fb1.html. Seriously, you've got to check this out. And it's not just football. It's all kinds of sports. Here's some helpful insight from the Mom's Guide (copyright 1997-2006, MomsGuide.com, Inc.).

The Field:

“COMMON SIGNALS!”

Another helpful article is A Gal's Guide to Surviving Super Bowl Sunday.

By Chandra Coleman-Ross
Special for eDiets
Updated: February 1, 2007

Most every man on the planet will be glued to a TV on Feb. 4 -- Super Bowl Sunday. Whether you watch the game or not, getting through this day can be a daunting task for those of us who don't have a full appreciation for what the "big deal" is. If you don’t know your full backs from your baby backs . . . this article is for you. The countdown is on. Here’s how you can prepare, so the big day goes smoothly for both you and your man.

Get in the Game
Don't let the boys tune you out. Learn some basic football lingo and hang like a pro.

Touchdown: There are three basic ways to score points in a football game; the touchdown being the most exciting one. A touchdown is worth six points. The second way teams score is with an extra-point kick. This is a post-touchdown kick. A team can score one point if the team can kick the ball through the goal posts. Once you decide which team you're rooting for, you'll want to cheer and clap when you hear "touchdown!"

Field Goal: The third way to earn points is by making a field goal. This is when the ball is kicked through the goal posts of the opposing team. A successful field goal – we’ll spare you the details on how far they kick from – is worth three points.

Tackle: A tackle is the painful-looking move whereby one of more players jump on the one carrying the ball. The quarterback is often the prime target. Once the person in possession of the football is tackled, made to fall down or is prevented from moving forward by opposing players holding him, the play is over.

Sack: The quarterback is the guy who stands behind the center (the guy who begins the play squatted over the ball with one hand on it), yells out numbers and calls for the ball to be hiked, or put into play. The QB also is usually the one who throws the ball. When the quarterback is taken down with the ball still in his hands, it's not good for him. He’s been sacked, and that results in his team losing yardage.

Snow Day!

2007-02-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

We woke up this morning to a beautiful snow covering. Dr. Stephen Jones decided today would be a day of rest for all students. So Bryan and I went on a walk. Campus is so pretty when it snows. Around 9:30 my company decided to cancel work entirely. So now we have the day to study and read. Oh, and the best part is...we get to do this together!

God or Vanity?

2007-01-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

Dr. Stephen Jones spoke on Psalm 119 in chapel recently.

The Word of God is one of the most important things in our lives. It should be our delight, our meditation and desire. I desire the Word because it helps me in my pursuit of God, who is the ultimate desire and delight of my heart. At least He ought to be. But my natural bent is toward myself and my own lust or greed. God must bend me--ply me--toward Himself so that I may behold Him. Without Him my life is vain, empty, worthless.

Rand Hummel spoke in chapel two days last week.
First, from Psalm 119:9. "Have I wandered from God?"
We need to be wrapped up with the words of God. Read it, repeat it, talk about it, meditate on it.
The attributes of God. What are they? What does this mean for me?
In a phrase, "Acquire a taste that encourages a constant hunger for God."

Second, from Genesis 49:3-4. "Unstable as water."
Reuben: his choices tore down his potential to be a great leader. A desire to please only himself. Destruction of himself and others. "A wound shall you get."
In a phrase, "Choose God."

~Bryan

How Can A Loving God Torture People in Hell?

2007-01-30T18:31:00.000-05:00

How can a loving God torture people in hell? Most of the Christians in today's world will either ask or be asked this question. The question will come from the unsaved skeptic and searcher alike. It will also come from professing believers who are skeptical or grieving the death of a loved one. Some say that hell is a myth and exists only as a tool to scare the weak-minded into religion. Other people simply doubt that the God that loves them would ever send someone to hell. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to approaches to the topic of hell. This paper will not address most of these questions. For the purpose of this paper it will be assumed that hell is real, that those who reject Christ are sent there, and that God is the One who sends them.

To begin with, a simple question of “Why?” must be raised. Why do people ask the question, “How can a loving God torture people in hell?” The answer: man has a self-centered view of God's dealings with men. In most of the churches across America, preaching can be heard that says, “Christ died for you,” “Christ came for you,” and “He rose again for you.” While these statements in and of themselves are not false, when mixed with selfish pride, they can lead to a very dangerous way of thinking. It is the idea that everything God does is for the benefit of man. When a person is thinking in this manner, it is only logical for him to ask the question, “How can a loving God torture people in hell?” The man is thinking that God sent His Son to earth to die on a cross in order that he might have an escape from the wrath of God. The problem with this concept is that it does not include God. Suddenly, God is here for man instead of man being here for God. In short, without realizing it, man has made himself and his interests more important than God.

Since the point has been made that man has a selfish view of salvation, another question must be asked. What is God's purpose in saving man from hell? Consider the words of Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians. “11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11-14, italics added for emphasis).

In this passage, Paul is discussing the purpose of God in saving men. He arrives at the conclusion that it is for “the praise of his glory” (v.12b, 14). In the words of Matthew Henry, “He intends that his grace and power and other perfection should by this means become conspicuous and illustrious, and that the sons of men should magnify him” (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Hendrickson, 1991. p.2308). It is interesting to note that we are not a reason for Christ performing this work. Paul blatantly states in Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While this is true, this does not imply that God's ultimate goal in sending His Son to die was to show His love. The Bible still plainly states that His ultimate goal was to magnify His name and bring glory to Himself. In the Old Testament, there was no greater blessing than to be near the presence of God's glory (e.g., Mount Sinai, the Ark of the Covenant, Moses's request to see God's glory, etc.). All of this discussion can only lead to one logical answer for the question, “What is God's purpose in saving man from hell?” It is for His glory. Yes, He loves us. Yes, He cares for us. Yes, He protects His children from their enemies. Yes, He wants what is best for us. But this is not His ultimate goal. He does all things in order that His glory might be known to all the nations.

If God's ultimate goal is His glory, He also will do what is necessary to protect His glory in whatever way He deems fit. It comes down to this: God is not unloving. He has shown mercy, kindness, and grace. Every good thing has been given to us. And yet man spits in His face and turns his back on Him. Romans 1:28-2:5 states, “28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

“2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.”

The key verses in this passage are Romans 2:4-5. God does not show His love by not sending people to hell. His love, kindness, forbearance, and patience are shown by His leading men into repentance and offering them the undeserved gift of salvation. People think that God saving men from hell and God leading men to repentance are synonymous. They are not. God is not trying to keep men out of hell. Rather, He is leading men to Himself so that they may glorify Him instead of themselves.

Who is man that he would presume to define the love of God based on human reason. Furthermore, what right does man have to decide what God can or cannot do based on man's own ideas of love. God gave His Son to die for the sins of the world. If that is not love, what is? Psalm 115: 1-3 proclaims, “1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 2 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

All Scripture is quoted from the English Standard Version.

~Bryan

Bible Translations

2007-01-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

Our church, Heritage Bible Church, is making the transition into using the ESV. We are not becoming an "ESV only" church, and we do not criticize others for using other translations, as long as they are good ones. Pastor Brooks presented a very clear presentation of why we are switching in a Sunday school session last week. If you're interested in the notes, go to www.heritagebiblechurch.org, click on Sermons, then click on Sermon notes. The following is the lesson you're looking for: 1/21/2007 Bible Translations Sunday School Lesson. At the end of the lesson is a list of resources for further study. The title of the sermon is "From the Mouth of the Lord to the Heart of Man." You can listen to or download the sermon at the church website or go to www.sermonaudio.com under Dan Brooks, January 21, 2007.

My Father's World

2007-01-28T13:15:00.000-05:00

This morning at church, some of our friends Dan and Rachel played a duet for the offertory. The words to one of the stanzas especially stuck out to me. I keep singing this verse over and over.

"This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world; the battle is not done; Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one."

This world is not mine. Life is not "all about me." The world and everything in it belongs to Christ, including my life. Though Christ has already won the victory of sin, death, and hell, we still must fight certain battles here. The challenge is to know which battles are worth dying for and to fight in them, not for any glory of self or human ambition, but for the glory of the Ruler. Often it seems like there is so much wrong in this world (and there is) and that the evil is stronger than the good. But it is not! God is stronger than any evil we may face. And we must fight, unlike the evil, with truth and grace, knowing that Christ is our strength in every battle He ordains for us.

Before the Throne of God

2007-01-27T16:05:00.000-05:00

Words by Charitie Lees Bancroft

"Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is 'Love,' Who ever lives and pleads for me.

"My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands no tongue can bid me thence depart.

"When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there, Who made an end to all my sin.

"Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.

"Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb, my perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I Am, the King of glory and of grace!

"One with Himself I cannot die. My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ, my Savior and my God.

"My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart;
My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ my Savior and my God."

~This was the theme song for our Baltic Mission Team 2003. It's on Soundforth's "A Quiet Heart" CD. I will always love this song, for its beauty, but more importantly for its depth of truth.

Family Update

2007-01-27T15:41:00.000-05:00

Well, my twin sister and her family are moving to Greenville. Michelle graduated from BJU in 2003 with a Bachelor's in Special Education. She has one book published (The Girl in the Mirror, BJPress) and stays busy with the two most adorable children in the world: Micah is almost 3 and Jordan Elliott is 16 months. Aunt Mel can't wait to spend more time with them! Micah especially loves Uncle Bryan's wooden toy train set and "Goodnight, Gorilla" (a video Aunt Mel picked up from the library the last time he came to visit). Alan finished his Masters degree in 2003 as well. He's taught English, worked construction, and supervised in a plant, but now he's changing roles. He will be working with a Christian book distributor, servicing Christian bookstores, while beginning work on a Doctorate degree. I have a feeling Mom and Dad will be making more trips to Greenville, now that all three kids live here!

My cousin Valerie got engaged!! She's marrying Jon Adams on July 28th, 2007 in Findlay. Jon and I were in Freshman Speech class together...small world! We're SOOOO excited for them and how God will use them as they seek to serve Him and each other.

Jordan is still our world traveler. He's doing external auditing with Deloitte. The traveling is wearisome, but it is good experience and he enjoys the little side trips he can take as a result (quick weekend trips to Ohio to see family or long layovers in D.C. to visit his best friend Cyrus). And he's planning another summer escapade to Europe. Man, I want to go with him! I know Bryan does too. I know God has great things in store for Jordan.

Uncle Scott Townsend was down this last week working on his Doctorate in Pastoral Ministry. Bryan and Scott had some nice chats this week. We praise God for likemindedness and a challenge towards spiritual growth. We had fun visiting with Scott and his daughter Anna, as well as her new boyfriend David.

Bryan and I are planning a long weekend to Charleston in February. We're hoping Mom and Dad McKinnon will come along for a part of it. We'll see. We are very much looking forward to a break. Bryan is working hard at Greek. His nerd wife loves studying with him. :) I'm really rather surprised how much I remember, seeing that it's been five years since I've been in the Greek classroom. He has this last full semester left, two Greek courses in summer school and a Philosophy of Ed correspondence course to finish, and then he's done! My husband, the graduate! He really would make an excellent teacher! We're not sure where God would have us...maybe on a mission field...maybe in a camp ministry somewhere...or maybe just helping a church plant somewhere. I have dreams of doing remodeling for people (at least on the side)...you know, Bryan doing the construction side of things and me doing the sewing stuff. Or we'd like to open a Bed and Breakfast someday (maybe in our retirement years, if the Lord hasn't returned by then...wouldn't that be cool if He did!).

Chad and Julie have picked a wedding date...June 30th. They'll be getting married in VA at a beautiful little chapel (from what I hear). Wedding plans are in full gear.

Bryan's sister Stacy is now 3 1/2 months along in her pregnancy. She's started working at Resurgent with Melissa. Truly God is gracious and merciful. It's nice to be near her.

We are loving being involved at Heritage Bible in Greer. It's absolutely refreshing. Melissa is really enjoying her new job. Same company, different department. It's been a challenge this week with the other Admin.Asst. out on vacation. But I've enjoyed the challenge. Trust me, there's not a dull moment. Before Jan (the other admin.) and I moved up to this department, they had been without an admin. for several months. Needless to say, lots of details have fallen through the cracks. So we're working on reorganizing the department a bit (mostly just getting all their files back in order). Alphabetization is a wonderful thing! ;)

New Things in the New Year

2007-01-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! They say the years seem shorter as you get older. 2006 certainly did! Where did it go? Well, Bryan starts back to BJU again this January. It's been a year since he's been a student (other than taking correspondence courses). So we're trying to get geared up for Greek II. Hard to believe it's been 4 years since I took the course...no wonder I've forgotten so much! :) (So much for marrying your greek tutor.)

Melissa's starting a new position today. Last year at this time, she was doing research work for Resurgent Capital and looking for a change in jobs. What I didn't realize is that before God changed my job, He needed to change my heart. And He did. I saw lots of discontent, even anger, towards God. Bryan was a trooper and worked with me, challenging me, asking me questions, and pointing me back to Christ. I started seeing the big picture of working in the world. The Lord opened up doors with believers and unbelievers...including Bible studies, lunch chats, and invitations to the Heritage Bible Church Christmas program. After He changed my heart, He allowed my position to change.

As of today, I am the Administrative Assistant-Travel Coordinator for Inventory Management in Resurgent Capital. Same company, different department. I've already learned tons and it's only noon! I'm looking forward to trying to keep up with some contacts from my old department as well as meet new people up here. Need I say it? God is good!!

Filling the Gap

2006-12-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

Ken Collier says, "When there is a gap between God's way and wisdom and my understanding of God's way, I must fill that gap with trust." I found this quote in his wife Mardi's new book, What Do I Know About My God? (copyright 2006, BJUP). I bought this book a couple of months ago and highly recommend it for any believer who wants to learn how to know his/her God better! It's a real thought-challenger.

Today's chapter was "My God is Trustworthy and Wants Me to Trust Him." Philippians 4:19 is a verse I've known since my earliest verse memorizing days. I've never been given reason to doubt it, yet so often I still struggle trusting...about finances, the future, etc. Paul shares the promises of God with us when he records, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." So, may God help me "fill the gap" with trust and may I live believing and clinging to His precious promises.

If you want to order the book, go to the BJUPress bookstore.

Star of Bethlehem

2006-12-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note about flower arranging...mini red roses with white pom chrysanthemums and white "Star of Bethlehem" flowers go beautifully together! Throw some cranberries in the vase for some holiday pizzazz. I'd never seen "Star of Bethlehem" flowers before, but they group themselves in an upside down cone and each little flower looks like a Jewish star.

Isn't this flower beautiful?! I want to make a tradition in our home around Christmas. It just seems to fit. I love how God reminds us of Himself even in simple things like flowers. Christ is the Star of Bethlehem and the Rose of Sharon.

Our First Christmas

2006-12-27T14:13:00.000-05:00

Even though this is the third Christmas we've spent together, it's our first Christmas as a married couple. We decided to stay in Greenville this year. In 2004, we spent Christmas with Melissa's family in Ohio. We got 14 inches of snow that year! Dad was glad Bryan was there to help with the shoveling. And Bryan was glad to have his first ever "white Christmas." Last year we were at Bryan's parents in Easley, SC. Those two years were so special because we got to learn the different traditions of our families. But this year, we started making some of our own "family" traditions.

Christmas Eve fell on Sunday this year. Bryan had to work in the morning, but Melissa got to help serve at the Heritage Bible Church Coffee/Pastry Fellowship. She really enjoyed being able to help in the kitchen at church. It reminded her of all the times she'd helped her mom at her church in Ohio. She got to meet some new people and feel more plugged in. Bryan was home in time for a nice lunch and a nap before the Christmas Eve Communion service. We caught up with some friends that evening, then we went home and exchanged our gifts. One tradition that we adopted from Melissa's family is the exchange of new pajamas on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day, we slept in, made a nice breakfast, read Christmas stories, then had Andrew and Angela Sharps over for coffee. The fellowship was so sweet, and it was good to catch up. Then we headed out to Bryan's parents' house for the McKinnon exchange. Bryan's brother Chad's biggest gift this year was that Julie said "yes" when he asked her to marry him! So we're looking forward to a wedding come summer or fall. Overall, Christmas was very nice. Melissa's still getting used to no snow at Christmas, but we took some pictures to begin our Christmas memory album.

Bryan and Mel

255 Days Left

2005-09-06T15:00:00.000-05:00

Well, Bob Jones University is full swing into classes. Bryan began his last full year as a Humanities major. He will only have 9 credits remaining at the end of the year. We plan to do one correspondence course (a Philosophy elective) together during the summer of 2006. Then he will only have one class per semester for the first year of our marriage (Greek III and IV). Who ever thought he'd marry his "Greek tutor."

The time we get to spend together is limited, but God is allowing those brief times to be very sweet! He is increasing our joy in Himself and our love for each other at the same time.

Melissa is enjoying her job at Resurgent Capital Services. She's been moved to the Contingency Team Audit position. There's still a lot of variety in her job description, but she loves working with a few other Christians...Joel Davis (her team leader) and Heather Silver.

The First Look

2005-07-29T13:34:00.000-05:00

Bryan and I worked four summers each at The WILDS Christian Camp and Conference Center in Brevard, NC. It was that fourth summer that we finally met in the Kountry Store.

Bryan's first three summers (2001-2003) were on the lifeguard/cleanup crew. He also worked during May Staff several years. Melissa's first summer, she worked as a waitress (2000). Then she counseled two summers (2001, 2002). Summer of 2003 found her in Eastern Europe on the Baltic Mission Team. In August of 2003, she went back to the Wilds as a Nine Month Staffer. It was May of 2004 that she first remembers seeing Bryan ("I remember coming home and telling my roommate, 'I'm not saying I'm interested, but you know who's really cute? Bryan McKinnon."). Melissa didn't think much of that comment till a few months later, when Bryan started showing interest in her.

Summer 2004, Melissa was an Assistant at the Snack Shop and Kountry Store of the Wilds and Bryan was counseling for the first time. The first week he had a really rough cabin and hardly got any sleep. So Melissa asked, "How can I pray for you?" This peeked his interest and shortly thereafter he began to be interested. Between Melissa's prayers and great-grandmother's famous oatmeal raisin cookies recipe, Bryan and Melissa became fast friends.

A New Phase in Our Lives, July 23, 2005

2005-07-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

Most of you have heard by now, but some have not. Bryan and I are engaged! He proposed to me Saturday night. We went on a nice drive through the mountains. We ended up at Caesar's Head (a little lookout in the mountains of SouthCarolina). This has been a special place for us. Before we even knew each other, Bryan would come up to Caesar's Head to get away and think. Bryan took me there for my first time shortly after we started dating around October. I've gone a few times by myself when I really just needed to get away and spend some time with the Lord. It's been a good quiet prayer place for both of us.

For background, I didn't think he had even ordered the ring yet, let alone had enough money to start paying for it. But...God's been allowing him to work a few extra shifts recently, so...he's had it for a week. Okay...back to Caesar's Head. The actual overlook spot was occupied by some other visitors, but that was actually good. We walked down a little trail to a place we like to go (you can see the actual Caesar's Head in the rock from here).

He started talking about being best friends and then told me he wanted to be my best friend forever. At the time we were both standing by the fence, looking out at the trees. He said,"Melissa, I want you to be my best friend for life. Would you do that for me?" Of course I would do that for him. We'd talked about this before. (I had absolutely no idea what was coming.) He took me by the shoulders, turned me around, and said, "No, Melissa, I'm serious." He dropped down to one knee, holding out the ring box, and said, "Will you marry me?" At this point, he started shaking a little. I grabbed his neck and started hugging him, laughing and crying at the same time. My response: "Yes, by God's grace, yes." After we stood there for a while, he said, "So, do you want to put it on?" I said, "No, I want you to put it on." And he did.
We went back to the car and got the camera, took pictures of the place where we got engaged, and then had a couple take a picture of us at the overlook spot. Then the phone calls started, and the rest is (as they say) history.

We're not sure exactly the date yet that we'll get married, but it will be sometime next summer. Bryan has one more year left at Bob Jones University as a Humanities major and is working part time at Greenville Memorial Hospital. I am currently working for a Resurgent Capital Services in Greenville as a Senior Bankruptcy Researcher andTrainer (it's interesting, to say the least).

We are excited to see how God will continue to draw us together and grow our love for each other as we fall in love with God even more.

Love,
Bryan and Melissa