Thank you to all of my friends who have made Gordon Conwell a wonderful experience :)
 
 

Hello All, well as I finish up my last class and start to make travel plans to Minnesota the reality that my time at Gordon Conwell is coming to end...so in the spirit of sappy good byes and processing my time here I have made a list of what I have learned at Gordon Conwell, actually to be honest I have been keeping a running list of what I have learned at Gordon Conwell since I came here two years ago, you know me...always trying to make the most out of everything. So here it goes:

What I have Learned at Gordon Conwell:

Having Grace for one another is a much bigger task than I ever knew, but a bigger gift than I have ever felt.

It is important to come down from the "hill"

It is the blessing of friendships that gets you through life.

Seminary is a whole new world...It is a little strange and wonderful all at the same

While you are taking chances, growing, and learning more about yourself in a new part of the country it is good to go back to your roots... after all it is what makes up a large part of who you are and it gives you a chance to see how far you have come, and how much you are still the same.

I love Minnesota!

I love Dunkin' Donuts!

I have a New England side behind my Minnesota nice side

Never write anyone off because you never know who will bring you flowers when you need it the most

You must love people for who they are, not for who you want them to be.

"Seminary brings out every weakness you have, even ones you think are strengths"
-Matt Miller (Even though I didn't come up with this one I think that it is one of the most important)

Life is a marathon:
You must work hard
You never know who is going to come along side you to help you finish the race
You must keeping taking steps forward even in the darkest trial
And it hurts!! (but it is worth it)

Getting coffee with a good friend, talking about life, God, and faith is one of my favorite things to do

My FLBC Community is still a huge part of who I am, and even if I don't talk to them for months at a time they still know me, understand me, and love me

My family is amazing, and they are the most important thing to me.

This life is not about you, it is about serving and following Christ

But above all I have learned about the Lord, I have learned about his faithfulnes, his story, his grace, his forgiveness, and his love.

This is Harry
  

Sun and Rain, Sun and Rain....

So the sun did come out and than it rained, the sun came out again and then it rained. I guess May showers will bring the June flowers.

A classic babysitting story:
On Sat. morning it was beautiful out so the kids and I walked to the park (a mile away). It took us a half an hour just to leave the drive way because all four dogs thought that they were coming with us, finally we got rid of the three of the dogs, but Harry the biggest of them all, (he is the size of a small pony, somebody actually said I thought you were walking a donkey) came with us. No matter how hard we tried there was no way Harry was staying home. So we made it to the park about an hour later, but we make it. I tied up Harry (who is a very gentle dog) and push the kids on the tire swing. We are having a good time, until I look over and saw Harry trying to chew through his leash, by the time I got to him he had chewed himself free. He didn't want to be away from the kids at all and he thought that he should be on the playground with us. Thankfully I had put one of my hair scarves in Pippa's (the oldest) hair that morning, so that became our new leash. The kids play, I sit with the dog, as everyone who walks by says, that is the biggest dog I have ever seen....Thank you I am aware of this. We leave the park and of course no one wanted to take the scooter back that we just had to bring with us. So pippa against her will (and she let me know it) rode it back. But not before (picture this) I am on the red scooter, pushing all three kids in the two person stroller and holding on to Harry with a pink hair scarf. Needless to say that plan didn't last very long. We finally got close enough to the house, and Pippa was tired and sitting on the scooter at this point so I told her just put the scooter off to the side and I will come back and pick it up in a half hour when I am done babysitting. They live in a nice/safe neighborhood I thought no one will pick it up....Oh I was wrong, I went back for the scooter a half hour later and it was gone...yep gone. It was just one of those days. But at least all three kids, and Harry made it back safely.

Besides crazy babysitting adventures, I have just been working on my Thesis, and chilling with some friends here and there. Not much is new, but life is good. I am enjoying my time with the family that I live with so much, and it has been very good to have life slow down a little bit and process Gordon Conwell and my past two years here. Things are changing...but as a good friend told me it is good to feel the changes because it makes leaving easier. And that is where I am at, while I love Gordon, it is time to move home and start the next phase of my life, but it is good to feel that happen naturally and not be forced into it.

I pray that everyone is doing well, and enjoying life!

LET THE RAIN FALL DOWN!!!

I have never seen so much rain in my entire life. Day number 7 of rain and it is still coming down hard. Most roads are closed, our campus is closed, and some stores are closed. It is pretty crazy, and it is still suppose to rain for at least 2 more days. I was playing with the kids that I live with yesterday when the eight year old asked me "is God flooding the earth again, because I thought he promised he was never going to do that and that is why he gave us a rainbow." She does have a right to be a little confused, she probably has never seen so much rain herself, but I reassured her that God wasn't flooding the earth again, it was a good bonding/teaching/humorous moments :) But I did get to meet with my Thesis advisor this morning which went very well. My thesis is going to be a lot of work but I am really excited to get going on it and to write it. It is basically going to be using my last two years of education, combined with my experiences at camp interrogated together to show why youth need camping ministry, what makes camping ministry so important to spiritual development of adoslcents, and how can they continue grow in their faith and apply it to their every day lives after camp.



If anyone is looking for a good movie to see, I highly suggest you go see Akeelah and the Bee, My good friend Sarah Jung and I saw it last Saturday night, (along with the rest of the North Shore Area because there is nothing else to do with all of the rain.) and we loved it. Yes it is a little cheesy at times, but what good family movie isn't? I also could have loved it because the last movies I have seen (while I have enjoyed them and enjoyed my company) have been a little intense, United 93, Inside Man, V for Vendetta, and Freedomland. So I was ready for a good light hearted film. But at any rate it is a good "rainy-day" movie to see :)

Well That is all for now, hope everyone is good and dry!! Take Care
Love Love Love to you all.

To all of my camp friends who are preparing for another summer of ministry at FLBC know that I am praying that you would have a summer that is:

Full of Chances
 

 
Full of Dancing
 
Full of Deep Thoughts
 
But above all I pray that during your time at camp you grow in your faith in the Lord through each other, your campers, and your beautiful surroundings, especially those mission mountians!!


Enjoy every moment this summer, it will go fast! You are all in my thoughts and prayers! Every Blessing! - Mel G. 

A Shout out to Laura!!! I AM SO EXCITED that you are moving to Minneapolis, It will be liking living in Rudyard year round...well kind of!! Blessings on your finals and your summer at camp!! I Miss you and can't wait to live in the same city as you!

  

 
 
SISTER TIME!!
For the past two days my oldest sister Debbie (can you tell were sisters :) ) came to visit me. We had a wonderful time together. Even though it was rainy and cold we still went into Boston..and we went to the beach (were from Minnesota remember its not every day you see the ocean there) But my sister quickly learned that the waves come up faster than you think we here shoes got soaked by waves coming in. We also painted our own pottery, it was a really fun. Thanks for such a great visit Deb, it was so good to spend time with you :) ..... It is back to studying for me, I am meeting with my thesis advisor on monday morning so I have a lot to prepare this weekend, but I am excited to get started on it, and I am more excited that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with school work!!! I hope everyone is well, and having better weather than we are having in Boston :) Peace and Love 

New address...hey everyone, I am going to still be using my same address even though I have moved (130 Essex St. Box 175 B S. Hamilton MA 01982) I have had a couple of people ask me if my address had changed so I thought I would post it just to save some confusion :) I really like living in my new place, it is nice to have your own little apartment inside a great big house :) The family that I am living with have been great, we had a wonderful meal together last night, and the kids "helped" me move in. That is all I have for now. I hope that everyone is well! God Bless!

Back To Normal.....
These past couple of weeks have been so crazy...There has been no stability to my schedule I just go go go, trying to get everything done, and spend time with everyone that is leaving. But I think things can start to get back to normal now that graduation is over. I am not complaining though these past weeks (even though i havn't gotten much sleep) have been so much fun, with many late night study sessions with dunkin' d's coffee breaks, an amazing Shane and Shane concert, girls nights', Britton and Sarah's wedding last night which was so beauitful, Senior Banquette follow by dancing at Rockafella's and a red soxs game with great seats on a perfect Boston night with a very good friend. So really life is good, but it will be nice to get back to normal, and eight hours of sleep. I am just so overwelmed with all of the blessings that God has brought into my life over the past 2 years at Gordon Conwell. I am very greatful that I desided to stay in Boston for another 7 weeks so I can begin to process what this whole experience has meant to me and my faith, and so I can prepare my heart and mind for full time ministry in the fall. (not to mention finish my last class and thesis :)
I am moved in with the Whites today, the kids are really excited that I am living with them, they have been asking all week when i move in, it will be so nice to live with a family for a little bit, and even nicer to go home to my family.
The pics below for from some of the last couple of weeks adventures :) I hope that every one is doing well, thank you for all of your support and patience during this crazy time. Love love love to you all.