Happy Birthday 2013!

Whoo Hoo! It's the birth of a new year! Welcome 2013.....I have so many well wishes and dreams for you already.....

So, if January 1, 2013 is the official day of birth.....that technically makes 2012 (and the years prior) a gestational period. A time to grow and ripen and mature. Mature....I am not particularly fond of that word. I believe there is a reason "manure" and "mature" are close in spelling, they both stink. However, on the other hand, they both can be used as a catalyst for growth.

And while we are unable to recall our human gestational period as a fetus, we are able (to some extent) to remember and recall our childhood, young adult and adult years, thus making us partially responsible in the outcome. There are numerous cliches that we hear almost daily to reflect that premise: Live and Learn, Learn from Your Mistakes, Life Lessons, etc...

So what exactly is our responsibility for the success of a new year?  Is it enough to simply show up with our mental index file of what has or has not worked in the past? What about fate? What about the unknown and things we have zero personal ability to control? Fiscal cliffs, physical ailments, alienation of affection, misunderstandings, the actions of others? There is certainly a long list of unknowns.

Maybe we should stick to the things we do know. And honestly, for me, that is kind of a short list. But the OCD in me loves making lists. So here is my list of things that I already know about 2013:

1. God already knows what each day of 2013 holds for me. He walks before me. He prepares a path.
2. I can follow the path He prepares or try to blaze my own selfish trail, and trail blazing on my own has not served me well in the past :)
3. My relationship with God has to be my first priority. Some call it faith. I call it my foundation. Everything else I hold valuable in my life rests upon Him.
4. With God as my foundation, it is fair for me to say that my husband is the rebar of my life. He is the steel beams, nuts and bolts, safety structure of my life here on Earth. I totally trust him. He loves me unconditionally. We are in this boat of life together, and neither of us will allow the other to jump ship or sink!
5. I love my children and the mates that God has given them to a fault. I do not apologize for this. They are great young adults. They are still learning, they are still leaning on me and Mark, as they grow and learn, and that is perfectly alright :) They are here for us, just like we are here for them.
6. Having an extended group of friends/family that believes like you do, follows the same moral compass you use, and are willing to be vulnerable with you is a priceless gift and is essential in healthy spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. Our Journey Group (small group) from our church is this for us.
7. God  blesses hard work, a humble heart, and a giving nature. (If you do not believe or understand this, I welcome you to go to Belize with me as we serve there.)
8. A day without Worship is a wasted day. Even on the hardest, darkest days, I have to stay connected with our Creator God, I must maintain the relationship that I can only have by staying connected to Him in prayer, bible study and praise.
9. Our dogs will always love us, desire to be with us, and attempt to protect us. 100% of the tail waggin' time!
10. I will need grace.....lots of it. I am opinionated, sometimes loud, passionate, dramatic and sensitive. Not a better recipe for saying or doing something stupid. So thankful that God's grace is new every morning, because I typically need it seven days a week!

There you have it. My plan for conquering another year. A year that this time next year, will be considered gestational. May the lessons learned be gentle......

Happy Birthday, to You!
Happy Birthday, to You!
Happy Birthday Two thousand-thirteen!
Happy Birthday to You!

Here's to 365 days of love and learning.......

Frankly~
Miss Scarlett

Sisters, Sweet Southern Pearls

I always wanted a sister. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers.....but male siblings are just that....male. I have always longed for, and been at my happiest while among, those innately similar to me... willing to walk, shop, primp, giggle and grow together.

Now, let me start by apologizing to anyone, male or female, who may disagree with my humble estrogen charged post. No male bashing....I promise. 'Cause the Good Lord knows, I do love my man...and therefore I am also a great fan of the testosterone gender!

I have always been drawn to Women's Ministry....long before I ever heard it called that. My sweet Grandmomma had her "Circle", and my Momma, being a single parent, definitely had her own little trusted network of female friends that she shared and confided in over coffee weekly. If you will, let me pose this thought for you to ponder....Women's ministry does not always find it's roots in an organized church "group". And while it most certainly can and should work that way within the confines of our worship institutions, and it is a WONDERFUL blessing if it does, (and goodness knows, I adore the ladies of my church, and we have a very sweet deal goin' on!)....It is my charge to all my female friends, that as we network and invest in the lives of other females that we find frequently in our paths, that those female posies are also a VERY good thing and an uniquely rich resource!

Now, let me clarify....I am not talking about a gossip filled hen party. I am talking about folks you can go to, confide in, and TRUST. I will be very honest in admitting that I am beyond blessed to have countless incredible female friends in my life, BUT there are only a few that really know me inside out, and still love me, despite what they have found! Those are my true "Southern Pearls" and the closest thing to sisters I will ever have on this earth! However, even in ancillary friendships, those that I have not delicately and cautiously decided to string onto my necklace yet....they too, have enormous worth and kingdom significance in my life. One thing I know for sure, God can use the pearl or the ugly shell it comes in to teach me important life lessons. I have been cut deeply, thinking I was diggin' for and clutchin' that pearl...just to find out she was not really a pearl at all! And that is all I am gonna say about ugly shells...(But we all sure as shootin' have had those in our lives....so in keepin' it real... I thought it worth mentioning.)

This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of a ladies conference that was planned and implemented by the women's ministry of our church, Cornerstone Church http://www.exit137.org it was such a blessing. We invited Dawn Smith Jordan as our keynote speaker. Now she...is a pearl. No ugly shell showing here....A former Miss SC, second runner up in Miss America, author, recording artist, song writer, musical guest for Billy Graham, and Jesus loving Momma....and that is just a few of her accolades. But unfortunately she is most well known because of a tragic and unfortunate event that took her earthly sister's life. (Check out her ministry http://dawnsmithjordan.com ...better yet, book her for your event!)

But there is so much more to her ministry that blooms outside the confines of the unimaginable, tragic, senseless loss of her sister's life. Dawn has strategically woven many very beautiful and vibrant, spiritually enriching threads of God's grace and forgiveness among the dark strands! She stitches it all together with songs that help tell her story, and that encourages the listener to look deep within....to dare to take an honest look at this life we have been given....(even when we realize and have the courage to admit that it may not be the life we wanted or planned!)...We all have the good and the not so good threads woven in our personal tapestry. Dawn, through her emotionally transparent testimony, challenged us to take an honest inventory of what it is God is doing in our lives....or more importantly...what we are doing for God with our lives.

One truth resonated solidly and loudly. God loves us so. And if we have a relationship with Him and we love Him....then we must FORGIVE like Him. Yep...Ouch, right? We cannot let the hurt of the past cripple our steps into the future He has planned for us! So, I am letting go of a few of those stinkin' stubborn hurts. You know the ones, we all have them....we say we give them to the Lord....but then almost like second nature, we reclaim them daily...cramming them into the painful cracks of our lives, where they wait patiently for us to emotionally snatch them out, to be the guests at our own little personal "pity party".

I don't know about you, but I am not a huge fan of that kind of party... it is not the kind I want to throw....So, bye, bye secret hurt, hasta la vista unresolved pain., adios bitterness....I am gonna consciously pick out every last shard of ugly shell that sits deeply embedded into the palm of my hand...realizing that they are only there because I have held onto my hurt so tightly, for so long, and refused to let them go! God did not put them there, and He does not keep them there...I do.

So...how, you may ask, do I plan to REALLY leave it all in God's hand this time? Here is my plan. I am putting on my "pearls"...that's right.... I am choosing to have my sisters hold me responsible to leave the past behind. I do not want to repeatedly stumble over emotional obstacles day after day...I want to dance into my future....gracefully. (OK....maybe not gracefully....as most of my sisters, especially those in the theatre know... my dancing isn't exactly graceful.) But I can still dance GraceFULL-ly...as in...full of His grace.

So if you see somebody waltzing, tapping or salsa dancing your direction....don't be surprised if it is me! But, if you happen to be unsure of who it is....just take a closer look ...I will be the one wearing the most beautiful strand of pearls a girl could every hope for :)

Diamonds are NOT a girl's best friend, pearls are!
~ Scarlett

Miss Scarlett and Her Beans for Breakfast Belizean Adventure

Hey Y'all!

One of my fondest childhood memories is of my Grandmother (I called her MaMa) hand mixing home made biscuits. I could not have been more than 4 or 5 years old, and I remember her lifting me onto a tall stool so I could watch her as she magically mixed and kneaded the flour, Crisco, and milk combination. She would then roll out the dough onto a well floured counter top and cut out perfectly round biscuits with the open end of a Pet Milk can. Three times a day. Everyday. Breakfast, Dinner (lunch for non southerners), and Supper (dinner for non southerners), there would be hot biscuits for all. As she arranged the dough onto the biscuit pan, she would tell me the story of how she grew up on the farm and that her job was to make the biscuits each meal, in order to feed the family and the farm hands.

And while many of you reading this blog, especially my sweet southern friends, can totally relate to the whole biscuit scenario/story, what would you think about having beans with each meal? Yep, I said beans. Beans for breakfast. It happens. It happened to me last week! I had the amazing opportunity to spend a week in Belize as part of a medical mission trip, and beans for breakfast was only one of many things that God used to teach me during the week.

The trip was a joint missions project between our church, Cornerstone Baptist http://www.exit137.org/ and Coastal Christian Ministries, http://www.kidzkonnect4jesus.org/ and http://www.belizechristian.com/ . Our team was stationed in Dangriga, Belize, also known as the Stann Creek District. Such beautiful terrain! I woke up to a gorgeous coconut tree lined beach each morning. As we traveled just a few miles inland, the view quickly changed, and can best be described as the perfect mix of the Great Smokey Mountains and the citrus farms of sunny Florida! An incredible landscape indeed, one that here in the states would scream "Tropical Resorts" and mega money....but nothing could be further from the truth for the people of this area. And while there are many fine homes, there are many more substandard in construction and form. As you venture into the valley, outside of the city, it is not unusual to find homes with dirt floors, no electricity or running water.....that is the norm, not the exception.

It was honestly, very difficult for me to wrap my mind around the degree of poverty. Most of the folks we had the opportunity to treat, walked to the clinic. There are very few cars, a modest number of bicycles, and an occasional horse to count on as transportation. There is a bus system, and that seemed to be the most common and usable transit means.....if you have money. However, most of the folks have very little, if any. I would venture to say that most of the clients we saw did not even have enough food to eat, much less money in their pockets! Poor living conditions (many clients bathed, washed, and drank out of the same stream of water), poverty, and malnutrition was the most common senario.

Their diets consisted mainly of fruits (oranges, pineapple, mangoes, papaya, coconut, and melons depending on what is in season), rice and beans. Beans are the main protein source...thus their dependence on beans for each meal. There are chickens (they run freely EVERYWHERE), and they are used mainly for eggs, providing a secondary protein source. Because the city of Dangriga is coastal, there is an opportunity for occasional fish in the diet. The folks of the valley must hunt and fish the creeks for additional food sources.

We treated a wide variety of things on this inaugural medical mission trip. In the valley we mainly saw stomach worms, vitamin deficiencies, head lice, gastric reflux, urinary tract infections, skin disorders, and upper respiratory issues. In the city we saw more hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dirty blood (HIV/aids), wounds, backaches, and skin issues....some worms, but less lice. We saw approximately 700 patients in four clinical days! That is a bunch of pumps of the ole' blood pressure cuff bulb y'all! I thought my hand was surely gonna fall off.....but it didn't. It would hurt like heck in the evenings, but once we were on site the next morning....the pain went away! God is good like that! :)

Despite all the less than ideal situations and conditions, the thing that still stands out most to me is the attitude of the people. Without fail....every person we saw was pleasant.....with sweet smiles so warm and inviting that the beauty of the mountains and tropical beaches paled in comparison. Such sweet, thankful people. And while I know the medical care we were able to offer was a tremendous blessing to them, they have no idea how blessed we were that God would allow us to be his hands and feet during our week in Dangriga.

It was truly an incredible experience. God showed up in obvious, amazing ways every single day! I cannot wait to go back! Not for the breathtaking tropical view....but for the beautiful, loving people.

Until then, I will honor them and their customs by occasionally having beans for breakfast...they should go nicely with a batch of my MaMa's biscuits.

Frankly (and humbly),
Miss Scarlett

Cardboard Confessions

Mark and I had so much fun watching our kids open gifts when they were little. We would laugh at how they, quite often, loved playing with the box that their toy came in, as much as the toy itself! Especially if it was a big box that they could crawl into or hide in! Countless hours of the "Where's Joshua and Melody? Do you see them Daddy? I can't find them!" game were played at the Knight house. Of course we knew where the kids were all along....but some how in the playful, make-believe world of our kids, they thought they were really hidden away, and out of our sight. And yes, we would have so much fun reacting to the "surprise" when we found them....lots of giggles, laughs and love! And how they hated it, when the cardboard boxes finally made their way to the trash. They loved those boxes, and to them, they were NOT trash!

Well, today at Church, about 30 folks got to play around with card board boxes, and all for the glory of God! They took part in a Cardboard Testimony event. The testimonies came from young, old, broken, freed, sinful, blessed, and most importantly, "willing to be vulnerable" members of our church family. To say it was truly moving and amazing would be an understatement. Who knew God could do so much with our trash?

Each person (some were couples) had something written on the first side of their cardboard that they either struggled with or were encompassed by in their own personal life.....and on the flip side was how God has blessed them and healed them, changed them, and worked through these challenges. Some testimonies were mild and uplifting (such as moving to a new town and finding a church home) and others were raw, heart wrenching (such as medical issues/addictions). Both kinds of testimonies were used greatly and touched so many lives! (I hope you will all go to http://www.exit137.org/ and look up the video feed from today's service.)

It never ceases to amaze me how God shines the brightest through the dark places in our lives, where we are "cracked" or "broken". In our weakness He is truly strong. He can take the ugliest garbage we have and use it. If we let Him. There is the clincher...IF WE LET HIM.

Most often, we are so worried about what others think about the flaws in us, that we fail to let them see the beauty of who God really is amid the ugliness .....think about that for a minute.

We would much rather hide, like a little child, beneath the boxes...under the trash....believing that no one can see us, than to take that piece of cardboard, rip it into pieces, and write our "junk" on it for all the world to see. Most definitely that is the safe, non offensive, less risky way to handle our "garbage", right?

Here's the real deal...we all have "garbage", we all know that everyone else has "garbage"...its just a lot prettier to pretend.

I am so thankful today for people who trust God enough to be real. He uses them greatly. That was made so evident today. Thanks to each of you who shared. You are my new heroes :)

So, what if you were asked to write your cardboard testimony? Could you do it? Would you do it? What would it say? Who could be blessed by your willingness to be used by Him?

Here is mine:
Side 1: Worship (Noun) Somewhere you were expected to go every Sunday at 11am
Side 2: Worship (Verb) Something I offer to God 24/7 because of His vast love for me

Yep, mine is all about "playing church"....I did it....Did not really know I did it...did not mean to do it...but, none the less, I did it. God hates that. He does not want us one hour out of every week. He wants us 100% of every minute of every day...warts and all. It took me 40 years to recognize that. Maybe through my cardboard confession...somebody else will "get it" a little earlier on :)

Feel free to share your cardboard confession with us here....I promise that we will all rejoice, giggle with holy laughter, and mostly love you, when we discover who you are under that box! Oh yes, and most importantly, we will rejoice in who God is as he blesses us through your willingness to share! Get outta that box!


Having said all of that, I also understand that sometimes we have issues that are just so personal that they still resides in total darkness in our mind, and we cannot bring ourselves to the point to share them.....yet :) And that is OK too. No pressure here. Maybe God simply brought you here to see how God is working in the lives of folks ....just like you...and that you will be encouraged that God CAN and WILL bring you that freedom one day. Maybe not on an Internet forum for the world to see....BUT....maybe over a cup of coffee with someone who is hurting and searching that needs to hear what God has done for you in a more intimate setting. He will let you know when it is time :)

Happy Easter! He Lives! He loves you!
~Scarlett

A Flurry in a Hurry

Hey Y'all!

Well, January has closed her door to what was a very busy, crazy, hectic, wonderful month at the Knight household! Life was definitely a "Flurry in a Hurry" for me! Lets see....New years holiday and finishing up "Christmasing"...."Un-Christmasing"....A Women's Ministry Event to coordinate...Returning to College...Tech week for THE FANTASTICKS....a nine day AMAZING run of THE FANTASTICKS...cast parties..homework?!..FLT Endowment Gala committee duties....and the list goes on :)

But I love it.

Oh...and one of the coolest things about this January, was picking out my Christmas present from my wonderful husband! He sent me flowers with a precious, sweet note attached saying I could pick out whatever car I wanted :) He did say "brand negotiable"...but hey...I am a GREAT negotiator! SO, last week I drove off the lot with a brand new Palladium Silver Mercedes Benz E350. (Told ya I was a good negotiator.)

There are so many amazing things about the car. It was a "launch edition"....which means it has all the bells and whistles. Navigation, integrated phone, heated seats, MASSAGING seats, push button ignition....need I go on? Alas, I must tell you about my most favorite part....It has Sirius radio! I am SERIOUS. I am addicted!! I could just sit in that puppy and listen to music all day and all night. I am lovin' me some 70's and 80's tunes. Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Starship, England Dan and John Ford Coley, Paul McCartney and Wings, Journey, Bread, Peaches and Herb, Prince, Eagles, and The Stones..and so many more! It amazes me how many memories came flooding back...just by hearing those familiar tunes that have been pretty much absent from my listening vocabulary over the last two decades!

Music has always acted as a direct portal to my soul. It speaks to me. All kinds of music.

Now many of you know that Mark and I had the amazing opportunity to sign with a small record label in the early 90's...to tour...to write and perform our own music....and it was an incredible opportunity...stressful, yes...but a beautiful blessing all the same. Because we were in the Contemporary Christian genre, our venues were mainly large churches and small arenas, such a conference centers or retreats...but no secular music "allowed" type gigs. Now I could get on my soap box....(maybe on a different post)...but for whatever reason...with the inception of all of that in my life...I was listening less and less to secular radio.

Don't get me wrong...there has yet to be a secular song that speaks to my heart to the depths that many hymns and contemporary worship pieces have and continue to do! Let me say, "The Revelation Song" brings me to the feet of Jesus like no other song I have ever heard or had the opportunity to share.....so, I am a huge fan. These songs minister to the part of me who longs to be a better, more genuine follower of Christ. And that is a good thing!

But what about those parts of me that God created, also for His glory...like romance (I do dig my husband with selfless abandon...and NOT just because he gives me great Christmas gifts.)....What about other relationships...life circumstances...conflicts....even, purple rain :) I have theme songs I have adopted along my earthly journey for those nooks and crannies of my life as well, and I have been gently reminded of them this week as I have taken the time to sit and listen.

With all the reminiscing, I can't help but be reminded that it was not just January 2010 that seemed to fly by.....but the last 30 years as well!! And while, yes...I admit...that I am quite often that "Flurry in a Hurry"....my hope and prayer is that in a few of the seasons I have passed, that I have, in the very least, left a beautiful blanket of snow that has helped others to stop and revel in His glory...even if just for a limited time.

Until next time....If you get passed on the highway by a beautiful silver "flurry in a hurry"...it just might be me.....and hopefully, there will be no blue lights flashing behind it :)

Wishing you all a BLIZZARD of BLESSINGS!

~Scarlett

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!!!

Today, Thursday January 7th, 2010, brings a rare treat for all of us here in South Carolina....we have a forecast for possible SNOW! Whoo Hoo!!! Every loaf of bread, every gallon of milk...will fly off the grocery store shelves today .....despite the fact that there is very little accumulation expected :)

We all just go bonkers over seeing it snow! (I know, all my friends in Alaska and Canada are rolling their eyes about now....) But is a rare...beautiful thing here!

Also rare.....is when God takes something you are doing.....and puts His own special twist to it!! I just love it when that happens. Today is one of those days that He is blessing me by playing with me a little bit!

You see, today is also the day that our Women's Ministry Team has had planned....for months now....to have an appreciation banquet for the Ladies in Ministry at our church....those that manage and serve or head up a ministry.....as well as the wives of our elders, pastors and male ministry staff. And guess what our theme is??? SNOWFLAKES!! No lie....when we were making these plans....we were wearing shorts and reeking of suntan lotion.....just being faithful to what he was leading us to do in our area of ministry!

What an AMAZING God we serve.....who is totally in control of everything....but still finds a way to thrill us and bless us with little details!

And in honor of the amazing women that serve in Minsitry at The Stone.....I wrote this poem to be the cover of a keepsake booklet that each honoree will be receiving at the banquet:

Priceless, Precious, and Appreciated

What's said of Snowflakes can also be

Said of Ladies in Ministry

Unique and Vibrant

Bold or Subdued

Each radiate such beautiful hues

One difference, though, that I can see

While Snowflakes fall for us to see

Ladies who serve, they rise above

And blanket us with His grace and love

Yet the presence of each

Anxiously anticipated

You are Priceless

Precious

And Appreciated

Thanks to all of you who serve selflessly.....each a beautiful snowflake from God's hand to our heart!

Let it snow, Y'all!

Scarlett

Happy New Year! Welcome 2010!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2010! I love new beginnings!

Another New Year, another decade....another chance to get it right! OK, maybe not right....because if there is one truth that life has taught me....it is that I will likely never get it ALL right. But I have also learned that even small improvements can make a world of difference! So I will earnestly shoot for perfection, but also gird myself with the idea that the result of working hard, searching deeply, and making an honest effort will be enough. Enough...Wow...it has taken me quite a few years to understand that one little thing....Enough. Satisfaction. Comfort. A quiet bliss inside, whispered by God into my ear....."How I have made you...Where you are right this moment...Who you are, the good, the bad and the in between...is Enough"....Whew! What a relief!

Now this is probably the most unusual "New Years Resolution" post you will read this year. Many...if not most folks, are making a list of what they want to do, changes they want/need to make...bad habits they plan to break, new habits they plan to implement, etc....and that is an awesome thing to do! I have typically done the same each and every time the first day of January comes around. There is nothing wrong with that! It is a good thing! BUT....for me, I wanna approach this year from a different perspective.

Instead of beating myself up about the things I need to change....I am gonna thank God for who I am this very moment. Celebrate the cellulite! Pat myself on the back for being active and exercising most every day! Thankfully recognize that all those close to me are in good, general health...and rejoice in the fact that God has put some pretty awesome and amazing people in my life! Sweet friends old and new....enough money in the bank that we can eat, stay warm, afford a few luxuries, and bless others from time to time. I can worship freely and love uninhibitedly! I have a husband who loves me as close to unconditionally as humanly possible, and children who are amazing! Oh, and a God who is bigger than any problem, issue, hang up , or sin I have. Actually, that is MORE than enough :) And so much more that I deserve.

So here's is to 2010! Another chance to get it as close to right as we can :)

May you find love, peace, and good health! And more than anything...may you walk closer to your Creator God. That is my only plan for 2010...step by step...as He daily reminds me, with a gentle whisper in my ear...."I love you so much, I sent my Son in your place....and for any and all things....THAT is enough!"

Happy 2010 Y'all!
~Scarlett

Vegetable Soup for the Soul

It has been a soggy four days in South Carolina. Wet, chilly, windy, and grey. Not my favorite kind of weather. I am a Sunshine kinda girl. I am, however, the eternal optimist about things, so if there is a silver lining to this low lying, soil soaking kinda weather....it has to be Vegetable Soup.

Good 'ole, throw some meat in the pot, boil it up and dump every yummy veggie you can find in it kinda soup. The kind you make in the biggest pot you have, and you cook it all day long. That's the way my Momma did it...as did her Momma before her....and it is how I make it too. The ingredients are never quite the same, but somehow it always tastes yummy. Throw together some sweet corn bread, and you have a meal that will warm you to the core!

I was raised on made from scratch, yellow corn meal, cornbread. Mark was raised on Jiffy Mix. I had never had Jiffy prior to matrimony....but I tried it, and I liked it! Probably because it is more like cake than bread! Oh, but it's sweetness is the perfect culinary balance to the slightly acidic soup! I like to crumble my cornbread into my soup bowl. Mark, my hubby...he is a dipper. So I bake my cornbread in a deeper dish, so that when it bakes I can cut it into perfect thick squares of golden goodness :) Perfect for dipping! Yes, I love my man...and he loves my Jiffy squares.

One of the hardest days for me after my Mom got ill, was a day when I was really sick with a cold and wanted some Vegetable Soup. She always made it for us kids when we were sick....even after we grew up and got married and did not live under her roof anymore. Looking back, I think that was the first day that I really got honest with myself about the finality of her illness. Somehow I knew deep inside that I would never have HER Vegetable Soup again. I would never have HER, not ill, again. I do not really recall what the weather was like outside that day, but in my heart...it was one of the darkest days ever. Those of you who have lost a parent, or have elderly or ill parents know exactly what I am talking about. It is hard to explain...and it is more difficult to fully digest.

I don't really know what came over me that day, but as horrible as I felt, I got up, pulled out my big pot, threw in some meat...then through tears and 101 degree fever, I made my own pot of soup. It was a rite of passage. It was a line drawn in the sand between being the child and becoming the adult. It was the beginning of knowing that I had to let her go, and knowing there was nothing I could do to change it. The sweetest cornbread in the world could not cut the bitterness of that fact.

Oddly enough, after that one particular episode of melancholy meal making....I felt so much better. Not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. I can make Vegetable Soup now, without tears and with fond thoughts of Momma and the way she loved and cared for us. And those sweet memories, definitely warm me to the core.

Um, Um, Good!
~Scarlett

Miss Melanie, Reach For The Smellin' Salts! Miss Scarlett Is Back!

Howdy Everybody!

Did y'all miss me? Dang, I have been busier than the Sunbeam Mixer in Paula Deen's Kitchen! I think my last post was.....GULP.....last January! Where does time go?

I guess because I have been so incredibly busy writing other stuff, that I did not even realize I had neglected my blog posts for so long. So, let me start with a genuine, sweet, southern apology! I am sorry Y'all....and I will try to do better!

I have really missed you all....and thought about posting many, many times....I just do not seem to have enough minutes in the day....or the night....it is about 1:30 am as I write this....so take that little tid bit of information as an indication of how bizarre and erratic my schedule has been!

So...how best to catch up? How about a cut and dry recap:

1) LOTS of script writing, directing, and acting going on :) Played one of the Pigeon Sisters in "The Odd Couple" in January, Directing duties for "Peter Pan" in May, Wrote, directed and acted in "Camp Rock @ The Stone" in August, Crewed "The Producers" in September, and currently directing "The Fantasticks" (to open Jan. 15, 2010)! Whew! And that is just stage stuff!

2) Some songwriting projects going on....nothing in the studio yet...mainly ideas, chords and melody lines....but definitely progress! I opened for my dear Friend, Mary Krulikowski, an amazing, Christian Comedienne, on a Royal Caribbean Cruise in September. (Check out her website: www.floridasfunnylady.com ) The event was called "Crusin' with the Girls"...there are already plans for a "Cruisn' with the Girls II" as well as preliminary plans for a "Flyin' with the Girls, NYC" in the works! Check it out!

3) Mark, my wonderful hubby had back surgery: A discetomy, laminectomy, 4 screws, 2 plates, fusion with BMP, with bilateral nerve releases at L5/S1 in March. A HUGE back surgery...he tried all conservative measures for over a year....and finally opted for surgery as it was starting to interfere with most every aspect of his life!! He is such a trooper...doing better everyday...BUT still walking an 18 month road of recovery (that is average for the procedure)...until he should be pain free!

4) Kids: Melody and Rodney will celebrate their 3rd anniversary in a few weeks! They are both happy and wonderful...getting closer to finishing at the university....No grandkids yet...just one fat, adorable grandpuppy named Noodle :) Melody has great, almost perfect, grades, is working in the writing center, is a member of the university school paper, volunteering at FLT, reconnecting with friends and enjoying her time at FMU. Rodney got a new boat for his birthday and has become the master angler of the family!! Josh...well he is doing great as well....wonderful grades...inducted into the leadership/honor fraternity at FMU, also tutoring in the writing center, writing for the school paper, as well as doing shows at FLT and FMU...Not to mention a new lady in his life...the beautiful Kimi (aka Peter Pan)...we love her to pieces!!!

5)Oh, and as of this morning, I have lost 80 pounds :) Walking 5 miles a day as part of Marks surgery rehab has been an incredible catalyst in getting my weight back on track! I am still not as skinny as I have been, but I am where my doctor feels I am healthy and happy, and (per my hubby) hot :) And while it is nice to fit back into some clothes that I thought I would never fit into again, the most rewarding thing for me is that I know I am healthier!

6) Spiritually, God has been holding me close, and patiently waiting on me as I ramble, rush, and regroup. I feel even more called to serve Him by using the Creative Worship tools He has placed in my hands, than ever before! SO many cool opportunities He is providing....How awesome to have multiple options....but how scary to know that it is my responsibility to choose wisely :/

There is more...but why go on...as you can see, I have not been simply ignoring you while I sat on my front porch eating bon bons and drinking sweet tea! Nope....more like I have been walking my bahunkus off (literally), eating lots of salads and drinking more than my fair share of diet Pepsi! That, plus all the other "stuff"!

So, for you dear faithful ones who have waited on me as I have rambled, rushed, and regrouped....I say thank you from the bottom of my pea pickin' heart! I promise to do better....how does once a week sound?

In the mean time...it is after 2am...and I have a very sexy baritone who is patiently waiting on me to hit the jacuzzi with him....think I will take him up on the offer!

Thanks for stopping by! Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Still Frankly,
Miss Scarlett

Just Saying No to Sugar! Yikes!

Nope, I know what you are thinking...but this is not just another New Year's resolution post. Although it probably should be! Like a gazillion other folks who started the New Year with their britches too tight, I did vow to start eating better and exercising more in 2009. Actually, I was anxious for Monday, January 5th, 2009 to get here. I was ready to start! I have about 40 pounds that I accrued in 2008 that need to become obsolete in 2009! So, anxious I was to start the ball rolling! After all, with my weight history....it would not be the first time....and most likely not the last!

However, on Sunday January 4th, we had week one (of two) of our Solemn Assembly services at our church. I was not familiar with the concept, but found it to be pretty cool....and also a good way to start the New Year! For me, it encouraged me to audit, digest, and prioritize not only my spiritual condition, but also my mental, social, and physical condition. As part of the service, we were asked (if medically able) to fast......maybe a meal a day....maybe a certain food....maybe a certain habit or hobby. By fasting, we would be giving up something that we wanted or desired or had become accustomed to.....in order to substitute prayer or contemplation in it's place at that time. Hopefully the fast would help us search, appreciate, and feel differently about the blessings God bestows, and to refocus on the path He has planned for us. So I decided to fast sugar.

At first, I kind of thought I might be cheating a bit.....because honestly, I was itching to start my new healthier lifestyle the next day anyway! But as I thought about it and prayed about it.....I really felt like it was my best choice. Day one was a piece of cake (or should I say a piece of sugar free cake!)....I had zero added sugar. I was very careful to read labels for any kind of sugar content. Today was not that bad either....EXCEPT...when the check was delivered to our lunch table at Olive Garden (I had soup and salad)...the waitress left us those yummy little chocolate mints...NOT sugar free! I really wanted one of those little buggers.

But, I left them on the table. However, the thought of them lingered in my mind and my heart for the rest of the day. Whodda thunk a itty bitty little ole Andes mint could hold so much power over a gregarious, strong as an ox, self determined follower of Christ!!! But it did!

Hello??? Even if I get nothing else out of the Solemn Assembly services, I learned this little diddy today: Anything that has power over me....hobby, habit, or sin...no matter how good or how purposeful, how big or how small....If it draws constant focus to "IT" instead of Christ and the plans He has in store for me, then my priorities are WRONG.

Now don't you go thinking that I think one little Andes mint will keep someone from passing through the pearly gates,...of course not! God created that little mint. He is the creator of all things. Great food, awesome music, jobs, exercise regimes and even sugar :) It is only when those things find a spot higher on our priority list than loving and pleasing God that they become a problem.

I have 5 more days that I have vowed to "Just Saying NO to Sugar".....and although that is a very good dietary thing for me to do that I will likely continue....I have found it to be an even better spiritual inventory tool for me to gage where I am right now in my walk. Let me be perfectly honest here....if I had prayed just one minute for every cookie, candy or dessert I ate....just over this past holiday....I know my walk would be stronger! Just telling it like it is folks!

For those of you who read this that are also fasting this week....How is it going? What are you fasting? Better yet...what is God teaching you as you fast?

In the mean time, Just say no y'all!
~Scarlett

Confession is Good for the Soul

Tell me I am not alone in my stupidity. That's right....time for 'fessin up y'all....I will start.



Today, I had what I thought was a bright idea....The logic went something like this.....I am running late for church and I don't have time to take my car keys to my office before worship begins, so I say to myself....."Self, why don't you just take the ignition key off the HUMONGOUS key ring you always carry around. That way you will not have a big bunch of noisy keys clanging around during worship." Made sense to me. So I took off the ignition key....headed into worship just as the countdown on the screen said 0:37 seconds left. Took the seat that my friend Cindy had saved for me, put the key in the back pocket of the chair in front of me, sat down my bible, and worshipped my little heart out!! It was a wonderful day of worship!



As the service was coming to a close, I needed to make my way out in front of the crowd to hand out tickets for iChristmas, our Christmas event at Cornerstone this year. So I grabbed my bible, quietly slipped out....handed out a bazillion tickets, and then headed down the hall for a Women's Ministry Team Lunch Meeting. The salad was yummy, the turtle cookies...even yummier! We had a very productive meeting......then it was time to go home....I was ready. I knew I had to be back at 5:50 for a photo shoot, and then praise band rehearsal and choir rehearsal. (And I really wanted to sneak in a quick nap!)



Bible in hand.....but HELLO....NO key. I immediately knew what I had done....and where I had left it. The problem was that every Sunday as soon as the service is done, the men of the church (or at least the energetic ones) take up the majority of the 600+ chairs to clear the worship center for Awana. And sure enough....the row I was on was up and stacked 6 chairs deep. My wonderful friends Lari and Karen and Monica....helped me look for the key....but no luck.



All three offered to take me home.....but I hated to put them out....it was not exactly on the way home for any of them. (Actually Karen, is a neighbor, but she is our Children's Ministry Leader, and needed to stay at CBC to work....but she did offer me her car.) I finally agreed to let Monica take me home......she promised she did not mind....and she was driving a convertible sports car...so that was kinda cool! Thanks again, Monica....and I think you are even cooler than the sports car :)



After Awana tonight, the chairs were put back out, and a small brigade of friends searched row by row, seat pocket by seat pocket until the key was found. Mrs. Naoma found it....thanks again....you rock!



I am so thankful for my church family.....and it is so comforting to know that they love me even when I do idiotic things, and that they are willing to help me out of the crazy and somewhat embarrassing predicaments that I put myself in sometimes! What do folks do without a loving fellowship of believers in their lives. My Church family is my safety net.....whether I trip, fall, jump or I am pushed.....they are there to catch me. I thank God for them daily.



So come on folks....help me know I am not alone in my idiocracy.....What kind of brainless antics are you guilty of and are willing to share with us. Confession is good for the soul....and would also make me feel a little bit better :)



Humble pie isn't so bad, especially if it served up with some sweet tea, and some even sweeter friends!



Pie on my face,

Scarlett

God's Will

Hey Y'all! Today on facebook, a good friend of mine posted the following note. I found it to be "Living Water" to my dry and thirsty soul :)

Thanks for sharing it Renee! I look forward to your comments....it doesn't get much clearer than this! The author is Dr. James McDonald.

As a pastor, I often hear questions about God’s will. “What does God want me to do?” is the most common, but there are others: “Where does God want me to live?” “Who does God want me to marry?” “What job does God want me to take?”

This may come as a surprise to you, but the Bible does’t spend any time on that stuff. God’s focus ins’t so much on the externals; He wants to change the inner you. He says, “If I can change you into the person I want you to be, you’ll know where you’re supposed to go, and you’ll know who you’re supposed to marry, and you’ll know where you’re supposed to work.”

Next time you wonder about what you are seeing or experiencing and struggle to know what God could be up to, just say to yourself, “He’s changing me,” and you’ll be right. Next time disappointments or heartaches come (maybe you’re in the midst of them right now), try to recognize that God Himself is holding the hammer and chisel.

But why? Why is He so stuck on this matter of change? Here’s the hard truth that sets people free: God’s bottom line doesn’t have anything to do with you or me or any human being. This whole universe is not about us; it’s about Him. God does not exist to fulfill our purposes; we exist to fulfill His purposes. The reason why you are here is because God wants to demonstrate His power and splendor through your life, and if you realize that you are not doing it very well, then you truly understand why He wants to change you. He wants to get you to the place where no matter what happens to you or what you go through, you trust Him and follow Him and are committed wholly to His goodness. And so He’s coming after you, and He’s trying to change you. Let Him do His work in you, and watch Him display His awesomeness through you.

Devotion by Dr. James McDonald (Walk In The Word)

Tennis, Anyone??

I love watching tennis! Notice I said watching, not playing. Not that I would really know, as I have never actually played tennis.....Unless you count the Wii...I did play a few games....and was doing pretty well...until...well.... let's just say I kinda got caught up in the game....and I was swinging my Wii racket like a WILD woman...(as if swinging harder would actually help me play better in a video game)....And as a result, I hit my friend smack dab in the top of her head....full force...I'm talking I could almost see the stars and tweedy birds flying around her poor little battered noggin... (I truly am sorry Cindy! The huge knot was not THAT noticeable!)...and I still missed the game point!! I also woke up the next morning with a horrible, acute case of "tennis shoulder"!! I can only imagine what I could hurt if they let me loose on a real tennis court with a real racket and real people! SCARE-REE!!

I got caught up into "spectator tennis" by default. Both of my babies were late summer babies (1987 and 1989)...so in that first month of life, where all they seem to do is nurse....it was too hot to take such a small infant out, so I spent much of my time in front of the the TV, nursing. Mark, my husband, played tennis at the time, and so he started watching the US Open.

"Tennis?? Yuck!!!, Nooooooo", I think was my exact post-partum reply. But I had sat there for what seemed liked days upon days...and had seen most everything I wanted to see, so I let him turn the channel..... I initially only agreed to watch it because I thought Andre Agassi was really hot! But like any good sporting event....if you start to learn the rules and the players, you can easily be "sucked into" the sport....and in no time, I was! I eagerly looked forward to the baby's next feeding! (I think Josh tripled his birth weight before his 3 month check up due to my allowing extended feedings during The Open!)

So by default, (and a little force from my hubby), I ventured down a trail I had no intention of ever trodding....I just knew I would hate it... but, after I quit spitting and complaining,...guess what...I LOVED it!

Many things have changed in the last two decades.....My babies are not nursing anymore....Mark can't seem to find time to play tennis, and Andre Agassi cut his hair!!!! (Completely slashed his "hotness" factor in half for me :).....and I do not particularly like long hair on men...go figure???) But here's the cool thing....I still love to watch tennis and have not missed a US Open or Wimbledon in 21 years!! And to think I would have missed all that enjoyment if it had been left to my own likings and my own design!

Are you feeling forced or trapped into a particular situation in your life right now? Are you taking an unplanned "rabbit trail" that was in no way on your life map and are wondering why? I encourage you to talk to God about it....ask Him what it is you are supposed to be learning...or better yet...ask Him to show you what blessing He has in store for you as you walk along that undesired path. He's right there with you every step of the way.

Gotta scoot...Andy Roddick is down in the third set!!

I sure am thankful God is always in my court.....

Game point, Y'all!
~Scarlett