All In a Days Work!

There are just not enough hours in the day. Of course I get up around 6 a.m. or so, head out at 7:15 a.m., go to school, run errands, work and return home at around 6:30 p.m. or later. Last night I thought I was going to just drive myself nuts. I was to the point of pulling my hair out. I had washed ALL (2 overflowing baskets) of the dirty clothes during the weekend and in the midst of my laziness I had not folded any of them. The overflowing baskets in my bedroom were in the way and making our room look like a disaster. I had to get rid of them. When I finally finished folding clothes an hour later and putting them away, I ended up ironing Wesley's khaki pants and dress shirts, refolding all the clothes in the drawers, cleaning up the closet and rearranging the bedroom a little bit. By this time it was 10:00 and I was wooped. I never got around to haning up the other clothes, vacuuming and dusting the bedroom, cleaning our bathroom, or doing the dishes. I really felt unproductive when I sat back and observed what I had accomplished. It seems like there is just so much to do and not enough time to do it in. My friend Amy and I were talking yesterday about how when you get married time is cut practically in half, and I totally agree with her. I want to be a good wife, but if that means getting all of these things done, well I'm falling short. I must admit though, my husband is the best. I can leave him a little "Honey-Do List" in the mornings before I leave, and you can beat when I get home in the evenings everything has been done. I desire to be like the Proverbs 31 woman, but heck at the rate I am going I can't keep up with her.

Running like a Crazy Woman-
Meg

She's My Best Friend

You see that cute little gal over in the picture in orange. That would be Lindsay Tidwell aka "Best Friend". The other gal in black is our very very very great friend Shea-Shea! I have been blessed with the most amazing best friend in the world. It's been rough for us this summer because of the distance between us. She's in Miami, Florida working with the Florida Baptist Convention doing childrens work and vbs's, and I am here in good ole Dothan,Alabama going to school (HI 212 with John Shaffett) and working at the bridal shoppe. We did not have the oppurtunity to say goodbye before she left for Miami because I was already in West Africa, and I think that has made this whole time harder for me. I get to talk to her atleast once a day, if I am lucky two, but that is just not good enough for me. I want her to come home NOW! BEST FRIEND COME HOME RIGHT NOW!AND I MEAN IT Last night at midnight, I just needed to talk to her about what God was doing in my life and the struggles I am facing so I picked up the phone and gave her a ring. Although it was 1 a.m. her time, despite the fact that she was already asleep, we ended up talking for quiet some time. Come to find out God is really working in both of our lives in alot of the same area's, which absolutely blesses me. It helps me to know that I am not going through things alone. Who better to go through things with than your very best friend. My biggest problem right now is my need to be in control over every situation I am faced with. I want to fix everything myself, I want to take care of every detail myself, I want everything done right the first time, I just want it done my way and no other. I posted yesterday about the situations that are currently at hand, as I explained them each to Best Friend last night and her response to each was, "You've got to give up your control and allow the Lord to take care of it." Alright, I get it. As hard as I may try, I am not going to get my way, and I can not do it all on my own. I know I should remembemeber Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things THRU CHRIST who gives me strength." Thats right WITH Christ, not just Megan alone. It amazes me that Best Friend can be so straight forward with me and believe it or not I do not get mad. If any other person were as blunt as Best Friend, my fist and their face would have a serious meeting and the outcome would not be a good one. She and I are different in so many ways, but in the same sense we see in one another the other. I'm just an ordinary gal from Dothan, Alabama and she's just an ordinary gal from Panama City, Florida who in the beginning didn't care for each other and in the end ended up being best friend. Did I mention I married the guy she was at one time crushin on? It's all good though. I am tremendously blessed by my best friend in so many ways. I count it a privelege that she calls me friend also. The realness she brings into my life is amazing, there is nothing within her that she has to hide from anyone. The joy that she has is so contagious (if you catch her on the right day).Her desire to fall more in love with the Lord grows stronger and stronger every day, and that encourages me more than she can ever imagine. All in all...I could not ask for more. I love you Best Friend!

Holla Back-
Meg

What Am I Suppose to Do?

It's been a few days since I last posted, but life has been rather hectic. Everything seems to all go down at one time. It just seems like recently if it is not one thing then it is another.
I'm beginning to be a little frustrated with it all. I can only do so much. How am I suppose to do it all?

1. My grandfather is in the nursing home almost an hour and 1/2 away and is not doing well at all. My parents informed me that he once again has "Red Man's Disease" which is a bacteria that covers your entire body making you look as if you have been burned. If the doctors can not get the infection under control it could spread to his vital organs which causes an awful outcome. This is the second time he has had it, but the doctors seem to be more worried this time. He dosent seem to think that he is going to have to stay at the nursing home once his rehab is over, but needless to say he is to the point that he cannot go home alone. He needs 24 hour care/assisted living. Legally, if we were to take him home in his condition we would be put in jail for neglect. What am I suppose to do to help him to deal with this drastic change in his life?
How do I deal with a grumpy old man who is set in his ways?

2. My dad's baby sister is going through the worst divorce one could ever imagine. Needless to say, my heart is broken for her and for her 10 year old daughter Taylor. They are going thru what I would call pure Haiti''s. I would never wish it on anyone. What am I suppose to do to help a family that is being broken apart with this change in their lives? What am I suppose to say to those that I love?

3. Wesley's dad is facing several health problems. Reflux, his eyes (possible glucomea), and major sinues problems. What do I do to help him in his physical illnesses when I am a hundred or more miles away?

4. Wesley resigned from Hillcrest Baptist Church on Sunday. What do I do to encourage him in his Faith? How do I show him that I support/back his decision? How can I assure him that the Lord will open other doors of ministry?

5.To add just one more thing to my plate, my dad is in the planning stages for Gastric Bypass Surgery. Being a critical heart patient, this is a surgery that will either kill him or help him. We won't know either until the surgery has been done. My main concern and the doctor's is wether is heart is strong enough for the surgery. To make matters worse, my dad has NO idea that I know he is planning to have the surgery. It is suppose to be a secret b/w he and my mother. What am I suppose to do and say? Do I give my imput or do I keep my mouth shut?

Enough said...it's been a rough few days. Please be in prayer with me concerning each of the situations.

Out-
Meg

Children's Minsitry

Man, oh man. My heart continues to break for the little children in Dieabougou, West Africa. During our stay there, I discovered that the love that I have for children is much deeper than I ever imagined. The children are so content with their surroundings and the things that they have, and that truly was a blessing to my heart. Yes, my heart breaks for them because indeed they have far less than the children in America, but in the same sense my heart rejoices because the only things they need are each other and Jesus. 

In the photo here you see Jonathan Coggins with two the sweetest Dagara children (they were brothers). From the first day in the village these children stole my heart. There was something different about them that seemed to bother the others, but I guess that something made me long to love them even more. They were extremely hyper. They had more energy than most children do. I even asked Nathan if Ritalin was available in Africa. He just laughed. On the second day in the village the little one in the middle finally came to me and it happened. We were attatched. I was his new best friend. He stayed close by my side during the lesson on the Good Samaratin, then he ran off with Jonathan and Nathan to play with the children while I along with Jess and Ernie stayed behind to teach the women. 

Lynn instructed us to walk back to the church where the guys were teaching once we had wrapped things up and catch a ride with them back to the house because she had several runs to make to drop women off. In our track they rode right past us and waved, so needless to say we were left behind. Lynn came back and we told her to go ahead and make the other runs, we would start walking towards the other villages that way she would not have to drive so far. In all of this confusion and in our long walk, this little boy followed along. We each took turns holding his hand (he held on tight too), he sang, he rode on Nathan's back (Nathan said "I hope this one is potty trained!), and the best part of it all I gave him COLD water to drink and he loved it. I wish you all could hear him smacking his little lips together as he drank. It is a sound I will never forget. Needless to say he had followed us about 3 miles up the road, so we had to take him back to his home village. I told the ladies later that night, that I believed the Lord sent that little one into my life to be my teacher. My faith had been dry, I was weary of where the Lord was going to use me in ministry and I was to the point of just quitting all together. It was that little one who taught me to love the little children and allowed the Lord to speak through him in calling me to Children's Ministry/Missions. Dosent the saying go "God uses the smallest things to do the largest things in our lives." I'm outta here! Meg

Who's Battle is this Anyways?

Well..once again it feels as though I am fighting a battle that I myself can not win. Yes, I have battles of my own, but the battle I feel that I am fighting the most is one that actually belongs to Wesley. It's a very long drawn out story, but to keep it short its the church we are serving in. What is one suppose to do when the pastor has the need for control over ever staff memeber in the church? Wesley is currently the minster of music. His job description includes planning worship, leading worship and directing the choirs. Well it seems that the pastor finds it necessary to plan the services himself, assign specials and even try to lead along side of Wesley during the worship services. I was so annoyed on Sunday about the whole situation that I actually could not tell you what the pastor preached on. It was something about "I Want that Mountain." What made the whole situation even worse this past Sunday...Hurricane Dennis was making its way toward land, there was mandatory evacuations from all mobile homes (which we live in), roads were being closed and it was raining rather hard and the winds we rather fierce but....WE STILL HAD CHURCH when most everyone else cancelled. All in all, I am outright perturbed with the entire situation. I do realize that this does not in the context involve me at all, but in reality I believe that it does. At one point, I was married to a man whose main desire was to serve the Lord, but now that same man has grown weary and weak in that desire. I told him in the midst of the storm this Sunday that I truly believe that the Lord had me take "Change and Conflict Management" last semester for a reason. Dr. Coggins said over and over again, it is the older generation who do not like to change, and it is those same individuals who will say "thats not the way we used to do it." I just want someone to help me understand why aging people have to be so set in their traditions and their ways. How can we help them to swing out on a new limb? Ok, I am done fussin now. I think you all get my point. I don't like to fuss and complain, but I do desire to see my husband strong in his ministry and also to serve along side of him as he ministers. I know that I can not serve along side him with bitterness in my heart, frustration towards the church and towards the pastor himself. 

When we were in Africa we taught on becoming a Prov. 31 woman. God instantly put a desire within my heart to strive in every area of my life to become more and more like her, but since I have been home I have found it more and more of a struggle. To hear the African women talk about the ways in which they strive on a daily bases to become a woman of excellence broke my heart. The suffering and persecution that one must face in order to serve the Lord is astounding, but yet they seem to find aways to serve the Lord, wholeheartedly despite their daily struggles. They never complain when they have to walk 4-10 miles to church. They never complain when they have to sit outside under a shade tree in the heat during bible study. They never complain when their children cry, need to be fed, or need their clothes changed. They never complain when they have to stop visiting with their peers to prepare a meal (which many go without) for their husbands and families. They never complain when they have to sleep in the dirt. Why can't I do that. I made excuses daily as to why I can't spend time with Lord. I make excuses daily for my attitude. I make excuses daily for my thoughts and my actions. I make excuses daily as to why I can't do this or I can't do that. And now I say without reservation, that all the excuses are not neccessary. Now, in the quietness of my home, I realize that the reason I am failing in my goal of becoming a woman of excellence is my attitude. Not only my attitude towards my relationship with the Lord, but my attitude towards life in general. I believe that if I would quit making excuses and just do it, the possibility of making a complete turn around may be possible. I

'm shutting up now. Since I've gotten all that off of my chest I reckon I can go to bed now. Please continue to pray for Wesley and the situation at the church where he serves and for the direction he should take. Be Blessed!