Slamming Chunks!

Does that gross you out? Imagine the chunks that are slammed are all over you....
Lauren complained that her neck hurt yesterday. I wasn't too concerned because she was not running a fever and was acting fine. However, at 4 a.m. this morning she crawled into our bed and was burning up. I dosed her with some acetaminophen and kept her close. This morning she was saying her neck hurt again. So I didn't hesitate to call her doctor. I got her in this morning. While we were in the waiting room, she started moaning and before I could do anything, she was puking all over me. I always pack a changed of clothes for the girls and put it in the diaper bag. Note to mothers with sick children......pack some for yourself, too. That was the most uncomfortable feeling. It turned cold rather quickly and stayed wet until I was able to get home and change. Lauren is doing fine. She still has a fever, but she seems to be feeling better. At least we ruled out meningitis. That's what had me concerned.
I'm a worrier when my children are ill. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, mothers. Last year, Lauren had a febrile seizure. It was the single most frightening experience of my life. I know there are parents out there who would probably say, "Oh, that's no big deal." However, for us, we had no idea what was happening to her. One minute she is taking a sip of juice, the next she is arched over the seat of the shopping cart. She's not breathing. Her lips are purple and her eyes are rolled in the back of her head. We cannot get her to respond. Did I mention we are in the middle of a rather empty Publix parking lot and our cell phone isn't getting good service? I did what any crazed mother would do, I started screaming at the top of my lungs for help. Eric was holding her, talking to her. Her eyes were totally vacant. I had never heard of young children doing this when a fever spikes too quickly. I thought I had just lost my child. She started breathing again, but there was nothing there. She was gone and so was I..... I don't know if you are ever fully prepared to lose your children, but that occurrence gave me a taste of what other parents have unfortunately experienced. The ambulance got there, not very quickly, however. I climbed into the back with her and I heard the most beautiful sound. Crying. It's a sign of life. She was terrified, but she was alert. Her temperature, at that moment, was 104.7. I have recognized this as just another reason to believe in God. To think that our bodies are designed to flip a switch when our temperature goes too high, too fast. How can some not see our Beautiful, Awesome, Wonderful Creator in things like this. The doctors never did find out what was wrong with Lauren, but I have never fallen to my knees faster to plead with my Heavenly Father to spare her. Why can't I do this in the simple, everyday, mundane things? He's interested in that stuff just as much as a crisis. He wants to be intimately involved in our lives every moment of everyday.
Well, this blog took a turn I didn't expect. I pray this story will, somehow, speak to someones heart. Jesus will continue to knock on your heart until you breathe your last breath. Won't you let Him come in?

Beach Blast 2007

Ergun Caner was nothing like I imagined. I pictured a guy in a suit. Very professor-ish. Not.....at....all! Try jeans, black shirt with a wrestler on it, and racing stripes in his goatee!!! It was awesome! I have such a respect for his teaching and his attitude toward reaching the lost. As Christians, we tend to surround ourselves with other believers. Why? Didn't Jesus command us to "GO" (Matthew 28:19)? It's sad that we think we are growing in our walk with Him just by going to church 3 times a week. I'm not saying we should abandon meeting together. No, we need that. However, why aren't we telling our waitress, our cashier, the person at the next gas pump (you get the point?) about how to have an eternal, restored fellowship with our Savior? We have the cure to moral cancer, but we don't say anything. Dr. Caner shared where he spends a lot of his time. "Hostile environments" is the way he put it, I think. The Christian Coffeehouse is not where you will win the most souls. Try Hot Topic or the Hemp Factory. Paul said, "To the Jew I became a Jew" (1 Corinthians 9:20). Doesn't that mean we need to spend time where they spend time? We draw nearer, everyday, to the return of Christ. Do you really want to see those you love or even don't love spend eternity in Hell? I don't. Romans 12:1 says that we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is our reasonable service. Reasonable? Yes! It's the least we can do for someone who died in our place! He took the punishment we deserve. Can't we at least spread the GOOD NEWS! I don't think it's too much to ask. I encourage you to listen to Ergun Caner on YouTube. His testimony is in 3 parts, but it's worth the watch, I promise you. I pray I won't give up on those I love and don't love. Eternity is a long time.............forever, actually.....................Melissa

Awesome Trip!!!

Wow, what a great time we had at Beach Blast. Big Daddy Weave and Ergun Caner were incredible vessels!!! God was glorified! I have such an admiration for "REAL" Christian people. Do you know what I mean. There are the church going folks, who are equally in need of Jesus's redemption, and there are those who love Jesus and they smell like it!!! At camp, we called it the "Jesus Axe". How do you smell?

We are living in a lost and dying world. You would be astonished by the number of people who would not even give us the time of day. That's just a small sampling of the staggering amount of unsaved people that live in this world. Are you having an impact? I pray you are and if you're not, what are you waiting for?

Off To Beach Blast!

And we're off! I am leaving today for the weekend. I'm taking our youth group to a student evangelism conference. Big Daddy Weave is going to be leading worship and Ergun Caner is the keynote speaker! I'm so excited. I will post all about it when I return on Sunday. God is good!!!

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"Six Degrees of Martina McBride"

I'm so excited. On Monday, July 30 at 9:p.m. est, a friend of ours from ND is going to be on a 2-hour special! It's called "Six Degrees of Martina McBride". His name is Mark Jaspers and he is so awesome!!! I can't wait to watch. Mark, if you're reading this, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

No Van, No Problem

It's okay. We're fine. We have just decided to wait and find the right van. We were being too hasty in our decision to buy. We want to do God's will and I know He will honor our decision. We know the right vehicle is out there.
So, I am my usual "second-guessing" self. I feel bad for our car salesman. He had no idea what he was in for when he asked, "Can I help you?" Sorry Gil. We did not mean to lead you on. When it's all said and done, our family is top priority.
If you read this, we would appreciate your prayers. I know, to some, it may seem like an insignificant thing to pray for, but God is interested in all the details of our lives. I love that about Him. He know the number of hairs I have on my head! Of course He's concerned with what kind of car we drive and pay for. Philippians 4:6

No Montana, Yes Freestar......we think

Just to give an update, we will not be purchasing the Pontiac. After further review, we've decided to purchase the Ford Freestar. We wanted a Ford to begin with. That is what we have been looking at all along and we had a momentary lapse of reason. You know how that can be. I'm just glad it's not too late. We looked at the safety record of the Montana and it was POOR!!! It wasn't even just fair, it was poor. I don't care what kind of DVD, MP3, yadayadayada, it has. I would rather my kids bicker and scream and get run off the road by me, than to be watching Nemo in the van and never make it home. Does that make sense? I was trying to be clever, but I'm not sure it worked.

I'm ready to be done looking at vans. Please pray for discernment. We need it. We have asked God to show us His will and we know if we are looking for it, we will find it. Thanks, in advance......Melissa

Honk, Honk, Beep, Beep!

Well, it appears as though we may have found a vehicle. We will let you know when we get it. It's a white Pontiac Montana 2004, minivan. When we test drove it, the sticker said it had 41,000 miles on it. Then we took it for a test drive........and Eric noticed the odometer reading 25,477 miles! They noted the mileage in kilometers instead of miles!!! So, we are getting a great deal on our van. We have been praying for God to provide something reliable that we can afford. We've been looking for well over a year and finally, we found something that's everything we need and want. Thank you for your prayers.

We're All In This Together........

I don't know what to post, but I feel like I have to. I am going through blogger's burnout, I think.
Emily has been sick. She has been throwing up and running a fever since yesterday. We had planned to go out and look at minivans today, but that window of opportunity quickly shut. I don't want to be out with a sick child.

I'm so ready to drive a bigger vehicle. My kids need to be able to stretch. I need to be a happier driver. There are few things more stressful than screaming, fighting children in the car. I have felt like running off the road many a time. Can I get a witness? I owe so many apologies to my mother for arguments in the car with my siblings. Mom, can you forgive and forget? I know she is smiling while she is reading this.

We are going to head out on Monday, hopefully, to try to sell our Grand Marquis. We are praying for God's wisdom and guidance. We want to pay off our truck so we can have only one car payment. We'll see. I will keep you all posted.

We had another great service today. God is so good, all the time.

We are planning a High School Musical 2 premiere party at our house on August 17, Friday. I'm so excited about it. We are inviting all students in elementary and middle school. We are going to serve Nachos (spilled on Sharpie Evans in the first movie), Apple Pan dowdy (see the movie and you'll know why), and maybe even Creme Brulee (see the movie). It's going to be so much fun.

Well, I need to get my kids to bed. Talk later.