Archive for the ‘Melinda's Blog’ Category
Posted on August 26, 2010 - by melinda
Winter getaway~February 13-20, 2011
- Join Dave and me for a winter getaway~February 13-20, 2011
Relax your body and spirit with my husband, Dave, and me when we go on our first ever cruise February 13-20. I’ve been asked by cruise host Dan Miller to teach my workshops called “Diving Into Creativity” and “Release Your Dream” on this combination vacation/learning trip. Other motivational workshops will be offered on how to be successful at both your work and play. And we’ll travel to Puerto Rico (where my grandparents are from!), St. Thomas and St. Maarten along the way.
Dave and I are looking forward to enjoying this week together with others who are ready to rest, play and learn! You’ve heard Dan on Midday Connection with his expert advice on discovering meaningful work (and sometimes redirecting our work!) through artful blending of our unique personality traits, passions and desires. Dan is always overwhelmingly received on Midday. His wife, Joanne, has talked with Midday friends about discovering giftedness especially after the nest is empty and there are many miles already walked in life! You’ll have an opportunity to hear their positive and Biblically-based insights on this cruise.
Widely appreciated singer and worship leader Alvin Slaughter will be along with workshops on reinventing your life and your ministry.
What a great blend of fun, fellowship and learning. Click here for more information!
Posted on August 14, 2010 - by melinda
That chair
Christine Wyrtrzen’s daily email blast called “Daughters of Promise”* included a photo of a gorgeous princess chair – overstuffed with beautiful, inviting lines that’d she’d paid for to use in her newsleter – otherwise I’d have printed it here! When I opened the email today, that chair…that chair… drew me to its side, inviting me next to stop and look at it. And here’s what happened next, that chair…it began to talk to me, or rather I began to talk to it! Talk to myself.
- Will I sit in that chair? Do I feel good enough to sit in this chair for a Princess?
- Would I be worthy or even scarier, deserving of sitting in that chair?
- It’s beautiful and inviting…but…is it for me?
- Am I too dirty to sit in it?
- What if someone sees me sitting in it…will I feel stupid for assuming I could sit there?
- What would others close to me think if I sat in this chair?
- Might I break that chair with my presence? Maybe I am too much for it.
- It’s gorgeous and I want it…but maybe it’s one more thing in my life I have to walk by…and sadly never own.
- Don’t feel anything about that chair. You might begin to feel too deeply, and never come out of it.
Since I am the daughter of a king because I follow King Jesus (Acts 17:7), it makes a lot of sense that He’d ask me to sit in a Princess-chair like the one above. In other words, to take on the full rights of being royalty (Romans 8:17a), including where I plant my Princess-self!
Where is God asking me to courageously, regally, without insecure questioning, plant myself? What is keeping me timid about being an heir of His – fully female, fully a Princess, without a spirit of fear that I must please him like a slave with her master would do (Romans 8:15) – instead of a daughter of a King? A daughter who just has to “be” who she really is. Deserving.
I am looking at that chair – and I am wondering…will I sit down in it?
(*find out more about Christine Wyrtzen’s ministry at www.christinewyrtzen.com)
Posted on January 11, 2010 - by melinda
What’s your best movie suggestion?
I just watched “I Am David” and enjoyed this story of a persevering boy who broke out of a prison camp after WWII and learned to trust again (see link below). How about you…any suggestions?
http://www.iamdavidmovie.com/main_flash.html?DETECT=SWF.6000000
Posted on November 11, 2009 - by melinda
I am most fulfilled and focused when…
I am looking out on nature
engaging in a life of the mind
with people who take faith seriously
my spirit is twirling, smiling, celebrating, creating
How about you?
Posted on October 11, 2009 - by melinda
I wanna get creative – thanks Julie & Julia!
I finally saw it this afternoon, the movie Julie & Julia. www.julieandjulia.com I walked out chatting with a woman who was beaming, declaring she’d made some of Julia Child’s recipes in the past. I admitted I hadn’t. If a recipe has certain words in it, like ”French,” I’m usually too scared to try it! She couldn’t believe it, and I felt sheepish. I’ve always prided myself (there’s the first problem) in simple and easy cooking. What’s the need to “fuss,” to search for odd ingredients? Even capers scare me off – besides, I’m practical. Why purchase an ingredient I’ll only use for one recipe and leave the bottle to decay in the fridge for the next couple of years? I’ve left the Junior Women’s League cooking to my freinds Terry, Joan, Sarah, Beth, etc., etc. But – oops – somehow I got a little smug about it too. Where’d that come from? Author and speaker Janet Davis says it’s easier to say, “I’m not creative,” than, “I’m scared.” I have to admit – I’m scared. “It might not turn out. ” That’s the big roadblock to my creativity in ALL areas…so I often just don’t try.
I walked out of the moving smiling and wondering, “What’s the harm in expanding my horizons. What’s wrong with creating a culinary work of the heart that requires hard work, forces me outside my comfort zone and makes me face possible failure?” Enough of constant “30 minute meals.” What’s that saying about my lifestyle and spirit of play?
My daughter Kelly and I did cook Christmas Eve/Day meals out of the Williamsburg Holiday Fare cookbook. We were exhausted and declared next year will be simpler. Is that part of it – Julia Child-style cooking is (like inthe movie) both exhausting and requires A LOT of one’s focus?
I’ll be talking about diving into our creative selves at the DIVE! Conference on Nov. 7 – I know I’ll be adding a pinch of Julie & Julia to my talk! Check out the conference dive.soulcare.com And I hope, that by Nov. 7, I’ll be able to report that I’ve cracked open my White Gull In cookbook, popped in my Pride and Prejudice movie soundtrack cd and created…and smiled.
Posted on September 16, 2009 - by melinda
She dreamed a dream – Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle – I watched her on America’s Got Talent tonight. I am sure you’ve seen her on Youtube, if not somewhere else where her amazing story has been told. Tonight in a little filmed piece before she sang, Susan said, “I used to be on the inside looking out at life – and now I’m a part of that life.” What a thrill for her to realize her dream. Her album releases in November. What is a dream of yours? Or what would move you to say, “And now, I’m a part of life….” I’m thinking about that too…..I sometimes dream of being a Freshman in college again, knowing what I know now, and getting a degree in leadership, creativity or spiritual formation. Just having the world before me all over again sounds exciting. I couldn’t appreciate the moment back then.
Now it’s your turn….what do you dream of?
