Planning a Romantic Picnic for Two

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 by Melissa Meredith

Need a fresh date night idea that is both simple and romantic?  Look no further!  The following is a guide to planning a perfectly romantic picnic for two.

 

The Perfect Location

Choose a special spot that can become your special place, just for the two of you.  To help pick the perfect location, think about your personality as a couple.  Do you prefer quiet solitude or being surrounded by people?  Also, think about what your city has to offer. Does your city have a botanical garden? Any nearby lakes, national parks, or scenic outlooks?  Do any downtown buildings have rooftop gardens?  Know a friend of a friend that owns any country acreage? Nothing nearby? Consider taking a spontaneous day drive to add a touch of adventure. Also, consider the time of day for your picnic.  Does your significant other love the stillness of the morning?  Do you love watching the stars together at night?  Do you love the feeling of the warm spring rays of sun on your face?  Whether you are a morning or evening person, personalize your picnic to you and yours’ tastes.

 

The Perfect Setup

To make a picnic extra special, consider going all out.  You’d be surprised at how simple {and fun} trading in the paper and plastic for a smidgen of fancy.   Regardless of your location and time of day,
bring your home on the road.  The following is a guide to packing the perfect picnic:

• A picnic basket (or any oversized basket will do)
• Two comfy and oversized outdoor pillows
• Soft Blanket (think cotton/linen blends)
• Two Linen Napkins (think greys, blues, or naturals)
• Two China or Dinner Plates (layer with paper plates for toting)
• Two Glasses
• 2 Sets of Silverware
• Bouquet of Flowers (think favorites and keep wrapped in tissue)
• Fragrance-free Tea lights and glass holders (don’t forget the lighter)
• Wet Wipes and Trash Bag for cleanup

 

A Perfect Menu

Step up the romance and order out a “tasting” of food from your favorite restaurant.  Or. order out from that restaurant that you’ve always wanted to try.  Consider cooking something new (but plan to make it one day earlier to make sure it comes out right).  If you like adventure, stop by a local food market and build your picnic menu together.  While you are planning a romantic picnic, it’s always good to keep in mind that it is still a picnic.  If you and yours love messy barbeque, go right ahead and enjoy the very messy {and memorable} time of eating it right off of your china plates.

A Perfect {and Surprising} Touch

To make the time together extra special and memorable, consider bringing your guitar and playing you and yours’ favorite song.   Or better yet, write them a song or poem.  It might sound mushy, but it will be a memory that the two of you will not too soon forget.  Later, you can handwrite the lyrics or lines, frame it, and place in your home.

An {Imperfect} Surprise

Just as life has surprises, you might experience a few of your own.  Don’t get discouraged if you have a flat tire on the way to the countryside, or if a rainstorm drenches your beautiful spread, or if it turns out to be children’s day at the park.  Embrace the surprises and don’t let it ruin your special time.  Surprises give couples a chance to laugh together, make adventures of their own, and have a fabulous story to tuck away until the perfect dinner party with friends.

As biblical women, our marriages are faint images of the true marriage between Christ and His Bride (Eph 5, Col 3:18-19).  Spending quality time as husband and wife is essential to building a strong and loving marriage, and can be a model for younger women in our lives (Titus 2).  Planning a romantic picnic for you and yours is a creative and meaningful way to spend time with your significant other while embracing simplicity and without abandoning charm.  Plan the essentials, throw in a few  surprises of your own, and embrace the interruptions.  You’ll create a romantic space and a memory to share.

Here’s to making your house a home…even on the road.

 

Melissa Meredith is pursuing a Master of Divinity in women’s studies at Southwestern Seminary. She loves decorating, dark chocolate gelato, and is passionate about teaching women God’s sacred design for set-apart femininity. Connect with Melissa on Facebook!

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Getting House-Guest Ready

Thursday, March 7, 2013 by Melissa Meredith

My maternal grandmother has this set of peachy, floral sheets.  These sheets are legendary among her granddaughters.  They smell of honeysuckle and shared memories, and while they’ve become worn and rather faded after years of summer visits, to us girls they are a treasure.  We know whenever we spend the night at Grandma Katie’s home, we’ll climb into bed, snuggle under the covers, and those peachy, rose sheets will be there welcoming us back home.

Creating a special space for guests in your home involves more than just preparing a comfortable place for them to lay their head; it is an opportunity to ensure they feel welcomed and relaxed.  So how do you ensure a memorable visit for your houseguests?  Whether you are expecting house guests soon or not, follow these easy ideas for preparing your place ahead of time, so when you do have guests, they will feel at home and you can enjoy the company without the stress!

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From Drab to Fab: Table Decor on a Budget

Monday, January 28, 2013 by Melissa Meredith

From adding to the ambiance to sparking conversation, there is just something inviting about a wow-worthy table arrangement!  The next time you sit down to prepare your grocery list, consider how your dinner table can bring your family closer together simply by your centerpiece.  Whether you’re keen on rustic elegance, a twist of modern, or tailored chic, you can keep your table looking great without breaking the bank.  Not too girly and not too “granny,” these six charming yet simple ideas are husband-approved, kid-tested, budget-friendly, and take your dinner table from Drab to Fab in no time!

Before the decorating begins, think about inviting your whole family to join in on the fun.  From your handyman husband, to your paint-anything-in-sight toddler, to your creative, budding teenager, gather the family together to create a table that represents your family’s faith and personality.  Not only will you be adding a pop of color and spice to your home during the wintry months by dressing up your table,  but you will also be teaching spiritual lessons along the way about faith, family, and the contagious gift of hospitality (Deut 6:7; Rom 12:13;  Josh 24:15).

 

Classic Charm

Big blossoms like hydrangeas, peonies, garden roses, and allium look gorgeous displayed in an unused serving piece, like a teapot.  A timeless centerpiece, floras add simple elegance to the table without much effort. Don’t have a sterling silver or gold serving piece?  Not to worry.  Simply stop by your local Goodwill and rummage through the home-goods section.  Look for timeless treasures like gold, silver, vintage, and glass pieces, whether vases, soup tureens, or a fabulous gold-plated dish with raised legs. After selecting the perfect container, run to your favorite grocery store, or better yet find a nearby fresh flower market, and select four or five eye-popping blossoms of your choice.  Cut the steps 1-2 inches while underwater, remove any leaves that fall below the waterline, arrange in your charming container—and voila—a classic charm that brings color and warmth to your home.

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Simple Acts of Love to Serve a Hurting Heart

Thursday, September 13, 2012 by Melissa Meredith

They were beautiful.  Adorned with a tattered piece of twine and arranged in an old mason jar, the tiny bouquet of blooming pink peonies and budding green hydrangeas was the sweetest gesture.  Adding to the sweetness, the flowers were accompanied by a little note that read, “I’m here, I care, and sweet thing—you are loved.” Little did the sender of that simple but sweet bouquet know just how much her gesture meant to me that day.  Some years ago now, I received this bouquet a day after my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.  Fearful of the unknown and downright overcome with emotion – mostly that I might not have my precious momma for much longer – God used this gesture of hospitality as a reminder of His enduring faithfulness and love.

Dear ones, biblical hospitality is a sweet, sweet expression of God’s love.  It is the simple yet powerful picture of the absolute beauty of the gospel message.  It’s the outstretching of an open heart and hands.  It’s the fragrance of a woman who has been drenched in God’s overwhelming mercy and can’t help herself from sharing the overflow.

Biblical Hospitality for today’s Biblical Woman is simply saying, “I’m here, I care, and sweet thing-you are loved.”

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The Treasure in Your Clay Jar

Thursday, August 9, 2012 by Melissa Meredith

My sister Kristina and I are extremely close.  For the past seven months, we have been ooh-ing and aww-ing over baby clothes and nursery ideas in anticipation of the arrival of her and her husband’s first child.  So when I received a phone call saying she had been rushed to the hospital and in critical condition after going into pre-term labor, I rushed to her side.  I’ll never forget how fragile she looked as she walked through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) doors.  Having given birth only hours before, she was still hooked to an IV, weary-stricken, and as her older sister, it took everything in me not to completely lose it in front of her.  But more than anything, I’ll never forget the words that came out of her mouth as we embraced.  With her sweet face buried in my shoulder, I could taste her tears as she whispered, “He’s so little.  He’s just so little.  But I know God has a plan, and I’m choosing to trust in the one who holds all things together in His hands.”

How could my sister, after learning her sweet baby Jaxson would be in the NICU for at least two months…how, after learning she and her husband would be commuting two hours a day to see their little boy… how, after learning she wouldn’t get to hold him, nurse him, cuddle him, or even rock him for weeks, be able to say such things?  Because even at the tender age of twenty-three, she was conscious of the treasure within her.

Are you conscious of the treasure within you?  Are you walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now? Be comforted, my sister.  2 Corinthians 4:7-18 holds a treasure chest of promises for you.  May you find joy in the journey through these truths.

We have this treasure in jars of clay

In this passage, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about suffering for the gospel.  While he is focusing on his own ministry as an apostle, we find much truth about how to deal with our own valleys today.  Paul was able to say with confidence, “We have this treasure in jars of clay” (4:7).  Sweet sisters, the moment you and I placed our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, we were given a treasure.  Paul defines this treasure in 2 Corinthians 4:6 as “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.”

Why were we given such a treasure?  To show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. You see, Paul used a metaphor of a clay pot and a precious treasure.  Imagine with me a clay pot.  Such vessels are cheap, expendable, and fragile objects.  They really have no enduring value of their own.  It is their contents that give them worth. Paul encourages that while we are weary and wandering through the valley, in Christ we shall live through the power of God.  Paul was very conscious of the treasure within him; this treasure—the gospel—was the only thing able to give him the power to face the valleys before him.

Sisters, let us not forget that our power to face the valleys comes from the treasure inside and not of ourselves!

We have life within us

Paul continues to encourage the church with these words: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (4:7). Let me just repeat these words so they can sink in.  Feeling trapped, lost, confused, and lonely right now?  Here’s your promise, dear one.  While you might be feeling these things, hope in this:  your valley will not crush you, you will not be driven to a pit of despair that you cannot be delivered from, you will not-will not- be forsaken, nor will you be destroyed.

Writing these truths on your heart will help you to remember that while you do not possess the strength to endure the valley on your own, we have this life—the Holy Spirit-working in us on our behalf!  Sisters, you might see your valley as a hardship, but this passage reminds us that our valleys are a living testament to God’s power, might, mercy, loving-kindness, and complete and utter sovereignty for His people.  We not only have a treasure inside these jars of clay; we also have life in us, as living testimonies of God’s deliverance.  What a privilege that is!

We are being renewed day by day

I would like to take a moment to note that nowhere in this passage does Paul indicate that God removed suffering from his life. Nor does he say that his suffering was caused by his lack of faith. This passage is all about real, raw, lived suffering.  Life is hard, isn’t it?  Pain is real and valleys are rocky.  What Paul does say is this: “I believed, and so I spoke” (4:13).  Paul could speak about God’s goodness and faithfulness through the valleys because he had experienced God’s works and ways before.  While my sister’s family of three’s future was uncertain, she could say with confidence, “My hope is in the Lord,” because she had experienced God’s mercies and chose faith over losing heart.

There is another truth in this passage that we must not miss.  Verse 16 says this: So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” This word, “being renewed” literally means that the Holy Spirit is working in us, renewing us day by day by day; it is an ever-increasing renewal!  But it gets better.  God is the agent.  Our hope is set!  We can join Paul in saying, “We have this treasure in jars of clay” because we have the power of the Holy Spirit going before us, renewing us for whatever comes our way.

Dear ones, the valleys are hard. But know this: We have treasures in these jars of clay.  The Holy Spirit is at work in us, and we can be living testimonies to the lost as well as other believers of God’s goodness when we choose to live by faith and not lose heart.  As I shared, my sister and her little family are facing a future unknown.  But praise the Lord, she has been able to be a living testimony to the other new mommas in the NICU, sharing about His goodness during this time, all the while giving glory to God.  Won’t you use this season of being in the valley as a time to give glory to God by being a living testimony to His goodness?

Melissa Meredith is pursuing a Master of Divinity in women’s studies at Southwestern Seminary. She loves decorating, dark chocolate gelato, and is passionate about teaching women God’s sacred design for set-apart femininity.Connect with Melissa on Facebook!

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You Have a Keeper, His Name is Yahweh

Thursday, June 21, 2012 by Melissa Meredith

The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.”  Jonah 2:5

Overwhelmed.  That’s how I felt.  I remember crying out to the Lord and through sobs—the kind that take your breath away—confess that I was completely and utterly overwhelmed by the present storms in my life.  Like Jonah, the waters of my present circumstances were closing in over me, and despair surrounded me.  I felt like I was walking around with seaweed wrapped about my head, evidence that the storms in my life were about to swallow me whole. 

Do you ever feel like you are walking around with seaweed wrapped about your head?  I might be the only one, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that many God-fearing ladies can relate to feelings of despair that leave them tempted to lose heart.  I might be the only one, but I think that many of us can recount times when the storms have been so intense that we’ve been tempted to give into the Devil’s lie that God has left us to fend for ourselves, or if not that, struggling to find joy amidst the rapids.  I might be the only one, but I think that just maybe the majority of us have, at one point or another, felt defeated, helpless, and absolutely ashamed that we’re even struggling with such feelings.   

Are you reading this now while wading waist deep in your own storm?  You are in good company.  I know from personal experience that sometimes you just need someone to whisper truth into your ear—truth you know to be true in your heart and mind but you feel your foot slipping and your strength weakening.   May I offer you a dry towel, help you wrap that seaweed from round your head, and be the one to remind you, my sweet sister in Christ, that you have a Keeper, and His Name is Yahweh. 

During my own personal struggle with despair, the Lord used Psalm 121 to deliver me and restore my hope and joy.  I remember reading these precious words—The Lord is your Keeper—for the first time and the seaweed slowly began to unravel from my head. Taken straight from Psalm 121:5, this phrase has become my hope’s anthem and it is my prayer that you too will find freedom in these words. 

Psalm 121 is part of a compilation of fifteen psalms (120-134) that are known as the Psalms of Ascent.  It is no coincidence that these psalms were sung by exiles returning to Jerusalem from captivity.  Within these fifteen psalms, believers will find account after account of God delivering His people from the clutches of defeat.  And sweet sisters, after you discover its truth-telling words, I have no doubt that you too will be lifting your weary hands in victory.  So get comfortable and allow me to share with you two precious truths from this psalm that I believe will be like a breath of fresh air after all that salt water you’ve been consuming.

The Lord is for you. 

Somewhere in the deep crevasses of our feminine hearts, I think that while we don’t necessarily think that God is against us, we don’t necessarily feel as if He is for us either.  Oh, we know and can quote verses such as Psalm 121:1-2 that say, “I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”  But when the storms come, let’s be honest.  Our physical actions and emotional reactions to the waves sometimes speak a different story.  I dare say that we often determine whether or not God is for us based upon our present circumstances.  How convinced are you that God is for you?  How convinced are you that you can trust Him at His word with your anxieties, fears, and insecurities?  How convinced are you that He, the Maker of heaven and earth, will fight for you?    The truth is, sweet sister, God is not against us nor does He simply tolerate us.  Sweet sister, the Lord is for you!  Our God is for us, in good times and bad, every time, forever and always.  In Joshua 23:10, God reminds the Israelite leaders that it is the Lord their God who fights for them.  He makes you the same promise.   Romans 8:28-39 is a precious picture of what God will do for you.  Here’s just a glimpse:  

Beloved, I will make sure all things work together for your good!  Beloved, I have called you, I will justify you, and I will glorify you.  Beloved, I will graciously give you all things according to My will for your life.  Beloved, I will let nothing, no not one thing, separate you from me.  Beloved, I will love you and fight for you now and always. 

Dear ones, if it had not been for the Lord, then I would most assuredly still be chained to my own struggle with despair.  But, oh my soul!  He has NOT given us up to swim through the storms alone.  He is not against us.  He does not simply tolerate us.  Our help is in the Name of the Lord!  We can say with confidence that we never once nor never will walk alone.  For the Lord is for us. 

The Lord is your Keeper.

I briefly shared earlier that these words have lavishly brought rest upon my weary soul during an intense season of despair.  Allow me a moment to delve into the richness of this phrase a little more in hopes that you too will find the same comfort.  The word “to keep” literally means to guard, watch over, preserve, tend to, and protect.  Sweet sister, God promises in these eight verses that He will watch over you, tend to you, guard you, protect you, preserve you, and keep you in His care, now and forevermore.  Does anyone need to say a little prayer of thanksgiving right now?  Oh mercy!  If that doesn’t quiet your heart a little bit, I don’t know what would! 

When we keep our gaze fixed upon the One who is enthroned over everything that troubles our hearts, we are able to hear truth.  And as a living testimony of God’s deliverance from deep despair, this has a tremendous impact on how I reacted to the Devil’s lies and the thundering storms in life.

Because we are children of the One enthroned above heaven and earth, we can live with the kind of confidence that when the engulfing storms rage, the deep closes in, and the seaweed threatens, that we can simply lift our eyes to the hills and say with quiet hearts, “I have a Keeper, His Name is Yahweh” (Psalm 121:5).   Because we serve a God that promises that nothing operates outside of His sovereign will, we can say, “Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).  And because we serve a God who has promised that He is for us, darling, we can raise our weary hands in victory and shout, “The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy!” (Psalm 126:3). 

Beloved, you have a Keeper.  Rest in that promise and allow your spirit to be calmed and quieted with His goodness.  From one sister in Christ to another, believe me.  The engulfing waters will subside, overflowing peace will come, and joy and freedom and hope await you as you look to Him.  Know I will be praying for each and every one of you.  Also, I would like to share with you a poem that I wrote after the Lord restored my hope and joy.  It is an adaptation of Psalm 121, and I pray that it blesses you.

I have a Keeper; His Name is YHWH.

I lift up my eyes to the mountaintops while my feet are still planted in the valley.

Where does your help come from, darling?

His Name is Yahweh.

And He is your keeper.

He will keep your foot from slipping.

He will not slumber.

Beloved, He does not take His eyes off you!

He will guard you, keep you, tend to you, protect you, watch over you.

HE WILL PRESERVE YOU!

For He is your keeper, your shelter, your shade.

Neither the sun nor the moonstruck fantasies will strike you;

nay, they will not destroy you.

For the LORD will keep you from all, all, all evil.

HE.  WILL.  KEEP.  YOUR.  LIFE.

He will keep your life-your going out and your coming in-

from this moment in time and always.

 

Melissa Meredith is pursuing a Master of Divinity in women’s studies at Southwestern Seminary. She loves decorating, dark chocolate gelato, and is passionate about teaching women God’s sacred design for set-apart femininity.Connect with Melissa on Facebook!

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Daughters, Be Good to Your Mothers

Thursday, May 10, 2012 by Melissa Meredith

To say that I’m looking forward to this weekend would be an understatement.  I’m ecstatic. This Saturday the Meredith girls will be reunited.  Now that my sister and I have left the nest and live in separate states, reunions like these with mom are rare and cherished, and obviously make a second piece of cheesecake at lunch mandatory.  Does anyone know what I’m talking about?

So this Saturday we will don our most girly ensembles and catch up over chicken salad sandwiches and generous slices of chocolate cheesecake at our favorite restaurant.  My sweet little sister will be there with her new baby bump and have us in tears about all the new wonders of being a mommy-to-be.  I’ll share my most recent embarrassing story and have everyone laughing until we choke on our food.  And my precious momma will sit and listen with a smile on her face, and looking from daughter to daughter, whisper with tears in her eyes one of her most famous lines, “It’s good to have my girls home.”

While we are in different seasons of life, my sister and I are learning what it means to honor our mother as young adults.  Our relationship with our mother looks different than what it did in our growing-up years—as it should.  And if I may be honest, my relationship with my mother has not all been sugar and spice and everything nice.  And if I may confess, it most assuredly rests most often on the stubbornness of my own heart.  But my sister and I have both found that learning to honor our mother as young adults is important.  Why?

Finding a way to love and connect with your mother as an adult begins by honoring her.

But perhaps more importantly than that, honoring your mother brings glory to our great God!  Are you looking to find a way to love and connect with your mother, too?  Then, read on, sister friend.

Yes, we are commanded by Scripture to honor our mothers.  Whether your mother has passed away or is alive and well, or whether you are close to your mother or there is a strain in your relationship with her, Scripture calls us as daughters to honor our mothers.   Just look at some of the Scripture passages that speak on the subject:

• Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
• Exodus 21:17: “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”
• Leviticus 19:3: “Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father…I am the LORD your God.”
• Proverbs 1:8: “…do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
• Proverbs 23:22: “…Do not despise your mother when she is old.”
• Matthew 15:4: “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’”

Scripture is clear that we should honor our mothers. So what exactly does “honor” your mother mean?  Honor is simply an inward esteem or respect that is outwardly expressed in all occasions.  Honoring our mothers begins in our hearts and thoughts and overflows into our actions.

Honoring means that we love, cherish, respect, and show respect to the woman God has chosen to be our mother.  Such an attitude overflows into our actions as we desire to obey God in this commandment.

Why would God want us to honor our mothers?  First, honoring our mothers brings glory to our great God.  As we honor our mothers in obedience to God’s commands in Scripture, He is glorified.  Amen!  But there is a second reason.  Honoring our mothers is a living testimony to God’s work in our lives.  You might be thinking, “Melissa, I see that honoring my mother is commanded by Scripture, but you just don’t know my mom!”  Please hear me and know that what I am about to say is spoken in love and with deep sincerity as your sister in Christ.  Beloved, honoring your mother doesn’t mean you allow abuse or do not confront difficulty.  Honoring your mother simply means giving up trying to change her and start loving her as the woman she was created to be.  For many, this will be a hard and challenging process.  But you have been made a promise, sweet sister, that you are not alone.  God goes before you, strengthening you for the task, burdening your heart with obedience, all the while reminding you of His abiding sovereignty.

I’m sure if we are honest with one another, at some point in our relationship with our mothers we have been hurt.  There have been imperfect connections that have made us struggle to love and cherish and honor her.  There may have been unmet needs, unfulfilled expectations, or unrealized dreams.  Does this mean we can just accept the current state of our relationships with our mothers and give up trying?  No, it does not.  While it may seem like a daunting task, building and keeping a rewarding and God-honoring-relationship with your mother takes a willing and obedient heart and time spent on your knees in prayer before the Lord.  I stand before you, sweet sisters, and say you can, with the Lord’s help, experience a sweet, sweet connection with your mother.  Won’t you try?  It’s worth it.  And may I offer comfort to those whose mothers have passed away or for those of you whose mothers have no desire for connection?

Honoring your mother is more about the attitude of your heart than hers.

So practically speaking how do we honor our mothers?  Let’s turn to Scripture for the answer.

1. Obedience while under her authority (Eph 6:1; Col 3:20)
2. Willing to receive her training with humility (Titus 2:4-5)
3. Dependence upon her wisdom and godly counsel (Prov 6:20-23).
4. Encouragement and thankfulness for her godly example (Prov 31:28-31)
5. Thankfulness for her sacrifice (Prov 31:28-31)
6. Dedication to serving her and meeting her practical needs (I Tim 5:4).
7. Pursuit of a God-honoring lifestyle that brings her honor and joy (Prov 10:1; 15:20; 23:24-25)

Still struggling to apply God’s instruction of honoring our mothers?  May these questions provide a heart check for you and offer conversation starters between you and your mother.

*What do you want and expect from your mother-daughter relationship?

*Have you ever thought to ask God to change your perspective, to help you see your mother through His eyes?

*Are boundaries a problem for you?  If so, prayerfully approach your mother.

*Love and honor go hand in hand.  Prayerfully read over I Corinthians 13:4-8.

Sweet sisters, God has commanded that we honor our mothers. Won’t you begin praying today and ask God how you can apply his instruction to your relationship with your mother? Finding ways to honor and build a sweet, lasting bond with your mother begins with honoring her.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some packing to do; I have a reunion I’m looking forward to!

Melissa Meredith is pursuing a Master of Divinity in women’s studies at Southwestern Seminary. She loves decorating, dark chocolate gelato, and is passionate about teaching women God’s sacred design for set-apart femininity.Connect with Melissa on Facebook!

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