Those nutty horn players asked if I was Tweeting onstage so....

You know I HAD to do it......

We're out celebrrating Wes' birthday.... At Macaroni Grill!!

Early morning rehearsal at @crosspoint_tv

My beautiful friend, Lori Hall singing at Ellendales...

My beautiful kids!!

Having an impromtu jam session at the neighbors house.. Good times!

Sometimes, the things we are the most hesitant to do.....

I was recently asked to lead some worship songs at a women’s retreat that an amazing lady named Diana Pemelton was putting together. She teaches a great class named “And God Made Woman” which I’ve gotten to sit in on a couple of times and I was thoroughly entertained and at the same time emotionally moved when I did. She has a gift for speaking right to the heart of women.

Anyway…. When I first got the invitation, I wasn’t at all sure that it was something I was comfortable doing. I had never led worship at a women’s retreat before. Plus, I’m not a big camper and just the word “retreat” sounds like something involving woods, tents, and bugs. Ick!! Not ANYWHERE near my comfort zone. However, I had been praying for God to send opportunities for me to share my music and it’s hard to look up at God when he gives you exactly what you had been praying for and say, “Uh, gee God, maybe I should have been more specific in my prayer. Yes, I prayed for an opportunity to share my music, but I had a nice air-conditioned theatre where people pay me big bucks in mind.” Picky, picky…… SO, I emailed Diana and said, ‘Do you still want me to help with the music at the AGMW retreat?’ She immediately responded with a big YES!!!!, so I looked up to heaven and said, “Okay God… I hear ya. Just guide me through this, ok?”

Boy, am I SOOOOO glad I accepted the invitation to be a part of this awesome weekend with some AMAZING women!! First of all, I’m happy to report that there were CABINS with Air-Conditioning!! No tents were involved..Hallelujah!! I had a wonderful time getting to know all these women and hear their stories. Relaxing on the swings and taking in the beauty of God’s art in nature. Laughing, eating, crying, eating, sharing, eating……you get the picture! We even got treated to a belly dancing lesson!! Now THAT by itself was worth the drive. Now I’m seriously thinking of taking belly dancing lessons!! My husband will LOVE that!! J

Anyway, the whole experience was a “lesson learned” for me. I was reminded of this truth: Sometimes, the things that we are the most hesitant to do, end up being the most rewarding. SO…..

Thanks to Diana Pemelton ---for inviting me to be a part of this eye-opening weekend. http://conversationswiththewomeninmyhead.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Melissa Irwin… for sharing her beautiful, beautiful story and letting us experience the deep devotion of Christ through her journey! http://untilthejasperwalls.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Leslie Shew… for sharing some invaluable health information to us all, so we can be more aware of what our bodies are saying to us! http://www.integratedlifewellness.com/

Thanks to Jonnelle Rein…for helping organize the whole thing and especially for the belly dancing lessons!! LOVED IT!!

Thanks to Lorrie Harden….Diana expressed over and over how much you helped her get it together. What a treasure you are!!

And most of all.. thanks to every single woman who showed up at Hillmost Christian Camp this weekend to share your stories, listen to our stories, and make this such a special weekend!!

Oh… and BIG thanks to God… for giving me the strength to stretch outside my comfort zone. And for just showing up. He does that “showing up” thing really, really well.

Everybody have a GREAT WEEK!!!…. Hugs… M

Am I THAT domestically challenged???

So recently I quit my road gig, then my publishing deal ended. I found myself for the first time in awhile with no steady job. It’s been a little unsettling and I’ve been doing a lot of praying and reading, trying to figure out what I need to be doing with my life now. Some days I find myself a bit depressed and can’t seem to get the energy to do anything. But a friend recommended Max Lucado’s “Cure for the Common Life” and it’s been helping a lot. Pastor Pete had a wonderful sermon this morning and it inspired me to turn that part of my life completely over to God, and in the meantime just find things to do to keep me occupied. Some of those things will be big, meaningful things that will matter, and some of those things will just be little everyday chores, but either way God calls us to work and stay busy, so …..

….I realized that in my recent funk I had not been keeping the house as tidy as I should. When I lost my publishing deal, I decided that I needed to let Michael, my housecleaner go for awhile and clean the house myself. In times like these, I needed to cut some corners financially so that was the first thing I gave up. As I looked around for something to occupy my day today it was clear that the house was screaming for some attention. “Okay,” I thought to myself, “If this is the work God has placed in front of me today then that’s what I’ll do. Nothing earthshattering, but nonetheless it needs to be done.”

So I fill up the kitchen sink with water, add a little Mr. Clean, then start searching the house for the mop that I know I own, but can’t quite remember where Michael stores it. “Found it!” That in itself made me feel accomplished. Just as I am picking up the mop and putting it in the water-filled sink my 13 yr. old son, Sam walks in.

Sam: “MOM!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!” (He had the same tone in his voice as if he had just found me holding a loaded gun.)
Me: I’m going to mop the floors.
Sam: But I thought that Michael did that.
Me: Well, since I lost my deal, I let Michael go for awhile… so I’m going to clean the house myself. Now DON’T TELL ME that you’ve never seen me mop the floors before!!

Right then I’m thinking to myself, “Geez! Am I THAT spoiled? What kind of signal have I been sending to my child? Maybe I need to sit down with him and have a talk about how blessed we are and how we all need good work ethic… etc” But then he stops me and says, “No, Mom, no.. you don’t understand. I just thought…. I mean….. I just thought….” And I said, “What IS IT, Sam???”… then he said….

“I just thought you were trying to clean the sink with that mop.”

Am I THAT domestically challenged??????? God is sure teaching me humility lately….. LOL

26 yrs. ago today....

… I was laying in a bed at White County Memorial Hospital in Searcy, AR waiting to meet my baby. Back then, they didn’t do ultrasounds on pregnant women, so I really had no clue if my baby was a boy or a girl, or if it had 10 fingers and 10 toes. I remember praying so hard that it was healthy and although my mother-in-law was CONVINCED it was going to be a girl (and I had pink poncho’s waiting in a closet at home because of that) I secretly hoped for a boy.

I got my wish. I got a beautiful, healthy baby boy which we named Michael Derek Wells. “Michael” because it was his father’s first name. “Derek” because that was the drummer’s name in the Little River Band. At one point during my pregnancy, when we were trying to think of what we would name our baby, Derek’s Dad handed me an album cover from his favorite band, LRB… and said pick a name from someone in this band. Of course I said, “But what if it’s a girl?” and he promptly said, “Well, then her adoptive parents can name her.” He was kidding…. I think.

But he seriously wanted a boy. And we got a perfect one!! A boy that has made me SO proud to be his Mom. A boy that has grown into a wonderful, loving man. A son that has brought SO much love and joy into my life. Being a parent isn’t easy, but it is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I thank God everyday for giving me all three of my kids.. they are precious, beautiful and perfect! I am blessed…

Happy Birthday DW…. Mama loves you!

Me and Kaci

My friend Tammie sent me this pic, that her friend Darrell snapped of me and Kaci before our gig in Alpharetta, GA this weekend. We had SO much fun... great friends, great songs, great time!! If anyone is in that area, you should REALLY check out the songwriter's nights at The Chukkar Farms and Polo Club. It's the first Sat. of each month. Our friend, James Casto is a wonderful singer/songwriter and he always has some great talent at the show, so go check it out!!!