the small pleasures: rainbow chip icing

Who else likes Rainbow Chip icing? For me, it's a memory from childhood, and I think that's why I like it so much. A few years ago, when I lived Stateside, I remember looking for the Rainbow Chip, aka. funfetti, icing, but found that it no longer existed. I was heartbroken. It's like a bit of my childhood had been taken away.

Moving here, I found my childhood, well a small piece of it: Rainbow Chip Icing. Ok, this is different from the most recent stuff I've seen in the States, which they pose as "rainbow chip" aka, funfetti, but this is the real deal that I've found here. The stuff with the little wax balls of color amongst the vanilla icing, and not just vanilla icing where you add sprinkles, which is what I've been very disappointed to find when I've looked in the States.

Anywho, it's one of life's small pleasures. I bought this can about two weeks ago. I've been watching it sit on my shelf, wondering when would be a worthy time to open it. I decided today. I ate a spoonful, yes, just the icing. I will continue to do so until it is gone!

YUMMMMMIE!

Blessed be the God of (your name here)

I was reading in Daniel this morning. First, what a rich book, in so many ways. Daniel was such a faithful servant and man of the Lord, as were his best friends! Amazing. He stood up for what He knew was right, as to not deny His Lord. His friends followed his example even when Daniel was not around. 

One thing in particular stuck out to me: 

These these three men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, (aka. Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah) refused to bow down and worship something other than their Lord, God and Father in Heaven. Maybe we know this, maybe we've heard this story so many times growing up, but, there is something more here. Do we see it? Do we apply it? 

Reference Daniel 3:28---

"Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God."

Yes, these men choose not to bow down and worship something that was not their God. What really struck me in an new refreshing way was Nebuchadnezzar's reaction: he recognized that these three men were so faithful to our Lord that they would risk burning up their bodies rather than worshiping anything other than God. God is the center of this story, as with all of life, really. He's the center of everything, but how much more glorious it appears when one recognizes the reason that Christian's don't bow down and worship what the world considers worthy of worship.

THE CHALLENGE: obviously, to worship God and God alone, which includes putting anything before him, but not so obvious: 

We should/must live in such a way that others see His glory and recognize his worth through our actions. How often do we put his worth behind that worth of the world. Do people recognize in our actions, words, thoughts, mannerisms, that we serve a better God than this world can offer?

Do we leave people saying: "Blessed be the God of (your name here)" as they recognize His hand and power in our lives?

Free.

People are awesome. 

I am certainly a people person. I am energized by being around people. I don't even have to say anything around these people, but just to exist with them. Or I can say something, like what I am thinking or speak my mind, and people either look at me or laugh cause I said something like "they had to go 'by' the 'yuck' " (had to be there.) or they challenge my thinking, which I totally welcome and thrive on. 

So many special people come in and out of my life (did you know the word "file" is just "life" with the letters twisted around? I probably knew this but just rediscovered it as I typed "file" as I was trying to type "life." So yah, sometimes you just gotta be in my mind.). 

Who has played a memorable role in your life? There are so many in my life. In critical seasons of life, God seems to find just the right people and He causes my path to cross with them, and He does glorious things. 

I am becoming more and more grateful for Kymm. She lives here on the Ranch with me/us. Her family moved into the ministry just a few months before I did. God has used her in so many critical times in my life.

I've learned what it feel like to be discipled by an older woman. She speaks so much wisdom and truth into my life, but not her truth or wisdom, God's wisdom and truth. One night, I'll never forget, it was a revolutionary night for me. She said: "Shelly, what will you really loose?" 

She was right? What did I have to loose? Nothing, if anything, I had everything to be grateful and thankful for, and everything to gain. God used her to speak to me and loosen chains of bondage. 

I was free.

I am free.

I will continue to be free. 

Free.

SEPTEMBER UPDATES!

Parts of Speech posters :)! Yeah for Grammar class!

Posters in the classroom (dr. jekyll and mr. hyde :) )

The boys in ESL.

Nade diving into the Word during Chapel.

Jason teaching Chapel. 

With Dad at the Lake this summer.

Skinquarter crew!

My friend Sara from Skinquarter Baptist

APOLOGIES
I will be very quick to say “I’m sorry” for failing to get this newsletter out earlier. The truth is, it has been written for over a month now, but I have lacked the time to sit down and lay it out so it looks “pretty.” I could have just e-mailed you the text format, now that would have been something new and different, but, being the Graphic Artist and very visual person that God created me to be, I just couldn’t do that. So, a month later, here are the updates.

TIME MOVES ON
As the summer moves on, I look back with fond memories of visiting the States. I met a new church family, Skinquarter Baptist, in Virginia through my extended Roberts family. I visited HOG country and spent some quality time with my cousin. I went to Lake Norfolk with my Medlock family – a true joy in it’s own special way. I was honored to stand by a long-time friend as a bridesmaid in her hometown wedding. I spent time in Little Rock with my mom and dad, my best friends, and my church family. One of the most memorable times for me is when I landed in Baton Rouge (from Honduras) and my little sister came to pick me up. She gave me a huge hug and quickly whipped out the camera to make a quick snap shot memory. I miss her so much. We’ve never been separated for this long of time and I’m beginning to feel the effects of it.

YEAR THREE BEGINS
This next year, my third year of ministry here, holds so much exciting opportunity. My job has slightly changed. With great desire and excitement for the transformed job, I am serving as a part time High School Language Arts teacher (literature, grammar, and English as a Second Language). I look forward to teaching Language Arts because I got some great ideas from my best friend this summer and I am already putting them into use. My other part-time work involves Graphic Design/Media work! I am getting to use my God-given skills in the arts to benefit this ministry and I’m ready and excited to tackle what He puts before me. Pray for me as I move back into the arts that it will all come back to me with ease. We are currently bringing a fresh look to all the print media of the ministry. I will also continue to write articles and take photos for the WGO ministry newsletter (so watch for it that) and I serve as a co-editor.

GOD’S TIMELY PROVISION
God used many of you over this summer to provide for me. He gave me your hospitality as I came to visit you: a place to stay, food to fill my belly and conversations to encourage this mission. He used you to provide finances to send me back for a third year of ministry and I know He will continue to use you through out the year to provide. I know I say this a lot, but I become more and more grateful for you, especially as I see new people join my team, and as I see faithful supporters give regularly. You may never have an idea of what it feels like to get my monthly statement and see that God is forever good and provides enough for me each month! I am literally blown away each month by seeing just how He does it and who He uses! What grace!

Summer is over, school has begun, so let’s put the sweet tea, summer time walks, neighborhood ice cream shops, colorful swim suits, meaningful conversations, jet planes in the scrapbook and conclude Summer 2008. Let’s watch with great expectation to how God will work as we finish strong the second half of 2008!

EPILOGUE
I sit here now, a month after starting to write this newsletter, and I have so much more to say. I guess you will just have to be sure to read the next newsletter so that you can hear all I wish I could fit into this newsletter. I wanted to add a few things here in order to update my update! Ha! So much for being timely. Next time, there’s always next time.

I must celebrate with each of you that continue to give monthly. This summer, I gained several monthly supporters. You will never know the encouragement that I get each time my statement comes in and each of you have remembered to give. For you and your sacrificial hearts and lifestyles, I am able to be here and serve.

I have been given an opportunity to help with our weekly Chapel for the High School group. I am taking the lesson and creating an interesting drama to go with it. Then we get the kids to help us act it out, and so far, it’s been a hit. Continue to pray for those of us that are involved in planning Chapel each week. It is such a critical time of Biblical teaching, but with each week, the planners have to find new energy and ideas. Pray for God’s perfect wisdom to be upon us as we plan.

Also, I am tutoring one of our 8th graders. She is very smart and has a lot of potential. My desire is to help her reach that potential. Pray for her, to receive the knowledge and pray for me as I build important study habits into her.

Please notice that we were given new e-mail addresses. You can now reach me at “smedlock@wgo-hn.org” as well as at “shellymedlock@gmail.com.”

Blessings in Jesus- Shelly


p.s. Remember to pray for this country, it’s leaders and political powers. Also, pray for physical provision and protection as we are in the middle of hurricane season.