Conclusion

I was sifting through my document files today and ran across this article I penned for the final issue of the TEAM Newsletter at SIBI. I really enjoyed being the editor of this newsletter as well as attending the Women's program at SIBI under the very capable direction of Terri Fanning, Dean of Women. I hope this encourages you today in your walk with Christ. ~Melissa~

Where has the time gone? Has your head been spinning lately as you look back since the beginning of this term, 9 months ago and wonder where the time went? I have. When we pulled into the parking lot at Sunset for the very first time in July 2002, I had no idea what changes would take place in my life. What have we learned in the last 2 years?
Cline told Jay and I when we came here, that we were brought here for something special, " for such a time as this". I believe that we all have.
I have more friends now than I did before I came to Lubbock. I have a lot more head knowledge and I can dig out any of my SIBI notebooks and tell you what I learned in each class. My kids have a larger world view thanks to the great mission emphasis here at Sunset Church of Christ. Ladies, we have learned how to exegete, share the Gospel, study for tests and write a paper on a variety of biblical topics. Miss Terri has taught us to speak to the multitudes in a way that makes the message both clear and relevant. But . . . what have I really learned here at this place? Beyond the books, tests, papers and stress filled nights of studying, something special seeped through the pages of the Bible straight into my heart. Let me share with you the most important reason that I value what I have learned here at Sunset. I met Jesus . . . again. Do you remember when you got past all the facts and figures of the Bible and really found out who Jesus was, what was important to Him and how much He loves us? At SIBI, I discovered that I know a lot about Jesus but how well I know Him depends on how much time I spend with Him each day. Do you agree that this time with Him is hard to schedule in?Here we are at the end of the school year and I want to leave you with this: Study the Bible, learn all you can, but be determined to let yourself come to know and love the One who died just for you. Pick up the word and fall in love with Jesus. Know His heart, His mind, and His love for you. He wants to know you think He is important enough to share your relationship with Him with others who are lost, hurting and dying.
Miss Terri taught us in Public Speaking to always have our conclusion written out so we will have a stopping place at the end of our topic. So, here is mine. . .
Love one another and know that Jesus has no greater joy than to see His children are walking in truth.
I love you, sisters. I will miss you and pray for you often.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. Jer. 29:11-13 ESV

Transform

Jay & I were on our way home from Wichita Falls today after picking the kids up from school. He was in the middle of telling me something about this house he had been building and I found myself drifting off into one of those daydream thoughts. You know the type. You're standing in a room and things are happening around you and you are imagining what you'll do or say and how the situation will turn out. I don't have many of these, so this one really bothered me. When I came back to my conversation with Jay, he had no idea I had drifted out of the van and off into another place. I had to ask him to repeat what he had said and I felt bad about the fact that I had tuned him out.

The thoughts I was having weren't very nice. I was imagining a family situation that has been in the forefront of my mind lately. I was rehearsing what I would say to people if things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to turn out. I realized I have been spending a great deal of time worrying about something that may not ever take place, but I had been fantasizing about my reaction to the situation if it should become reality in the future. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Like I don't have enough to be concerned with in this present time that I need to create possible scenarios to fill my mind.

Why do I do this?

As I try to let God transform me into the likeness of His Son Jesus, I should be taking every thought captive and bringing those thoughts into submission to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

This is my goal this week, to listen the Spirit as He speaks truth to me and to think on those things that are good for me to dwell on.

Philippians4:8 "Finally,brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Join me if you like. We can be rebels together......"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2 NLT

Balance

I realize that I'm too busy when I haven't taken my dog for a walk, listened to Joshua explain his new Lego construction or unloaded the dishwasher. I realize it yet again when my laundry hamper is full and there is no Sunny D in the fridge, but I don't realize I'm too busy when I haven't blogged in 3 years. Why? I try to order my priorities by the smiles on my husband Jay's face and the faces of our children and sadly, my "up to date" blog isn't one of the things that makes them smile. In fact it might be the very thing that makes them wonder why they have no clean socks.

Not that blogging is bad, mind you, it's just that I have a hard time finding my balance. I love to be online and see what my friends are up to on Facebook, checking my email from my mom, playing the word of the day on 929nin so I can win a thousand dollars, working on my virtual farm, feeding my virtual fish, playing a game or 3 of Bejeweled, the list could go on...... But those things usually keep me from doing what I really love and that is spending time with God and my family. It's been hard to find balance with all these new technological activities, but as you can see, I'm trying.

A friend of mine called me this morning and just wanted to visit with me and ask me to pray for her. I had forgotten how nice it was to hear her voice. I also needed to be reminded that other people are struggling through this life just like me and they need some encouragement and they also need prayer. I am so thankful that God blessed me with friends and that sometimes He uses them to remind me why I've been placed here at this moment in time.

What I have decided to do is find a few minutes a day to put up a few words of encouragement and to keep this online journal of my life updated so our friends and family can keep up with the Poling family. I want to be able to look back one day and re-read these posts and see, yet again, how God has guided me and pruned me to be more like Him. Blessings!