theory of love.

friends,

you may know that this semester i have been consumed with research for my thesis about love. with curiosity, i approached this subject, eager to learn any and everything i could about love. i did this so that i would be more empowered to love others that are placed on my path on my journey through life. i researched many books and studied many theories. i also interviewed over forty-five individuals, ages ranging young to old, christians, atheists, married couples, students, poets, singers and songwriters. i am forever thankful for them, and some of you, sharing a bit of their hearts with me, and i will cherish those encounters.

these interviews opened up an incredible dialogue on the intangible idea of love, and i hope that i can create a platform for individuals to express these ideas. certain opportunities have now risen for that to become even more possible, and i am excited about the possibility.

below is a link to a short video i made that reflects some of the expressions i have come across. if you were interviewed and did not make it on the video, i may be using your interview for something else that will be quite compelling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKEHTPxvfDU

if you haven't been interviewed, and would like to, please let me know. i really enjoy learning more about others and more about love, too. it would be quite swell to ellaborate even further on some of these ideas i have fashioned.

thank you for your constant support with me. enjoy the video. and i will keep you updated on further developments on this project.

yours,
melanie ann

mere melodies.

Ladies and Gents,

Been a long time coming, but I recently recorded my first song for my album Huckleberry Lullaby. The song is entitle Hidden Heart, and I hope it tickles your eardrums in a most delightful way. You can find it on http://www.myspace.com/melanieannabelle . I have been writing songs for the past couple of years, and well, I'd like to share some with you. I have never felt fully comfortable with promoting myself, or my music... so I am just going to look at this an opportunity to get to know eachother a bit better. Most things that I can't articulate eloquently, I write songs about. I write of love, pain, triumph, joy, and my experience. Perhaps you too, have experienced something similar, and a greater understanding between us will grow. Someone wise once said to 'know' a person is to love a person, and my cheif aim is to love.

With that being said...

http://www.myspace.com/melanieannabelle

If you like what you hear, that's wonderful. If you don't thats wonderful, too. I create music not to get approval, but instead... to grasp the intangibles.

Yours,
melanie ann

Shanah Tovah

I have done an incredibly poor job at posting frequently on this since moving to Denver. Though, the social and academic demands here have rendered me unavailable to update this blog. My apologies. It truly has been a wonderful journey coming back to the Mile-High city.Some things picked up exactly where I have left them, and others have utterly been lost. All is well, the memories will not fade. I have met some beautiful new friends (kaitlyn, stephanie, sammie, alyssa, hannah, sara) and also reestablished community with my previous relationships, as well... at least some of them.

My course load at the university keeps me occupied, but delightfully so. I spend many hours surrounded by inviting books in our library and also in crowded coffee houses. The favorite course I am taking is Integration of Psychology and Theology. My professor gives us much freedom in the class to dive into what is interesting to us as individuals, although she expects hardwork to couple with our creativity. We were prompted to create a thesis for the class which is worth the majority of our grade. After careful consideration, I chose to write my thesis on love. I am so intrigued by this word. Perhaps, I always have been. Its allusive nature creates quite the mystery to me. As Christians, the Lord calls us to love Him, love others. He constantly uses the word love in scripture as an action. If this is the greatest commandment, how does it transpire purely? How can we acheive this? Is it even within reach? My inductive research will include thorough studies of books and theories of love, first hand interviews which will be filmed, and articles, too. I really want to acheive not only a scholarly answer to the discussion of love, but an answer that strives to grasp the intangible idea that is love that is so closely related to our need for love. Not just romantic, either. I heard someone once say that an artist's work is the expression of his natural instict to grasp what isn't tangible. This is my aim. I approach this thesis in the utmost respectable and delicate manner. This thing, that makes the world go round, how can we define, show, and appreciate it? Or can we at all. Anyways, I'm really excited.

Bible studies have begun, community dinners have taken place, and much laughter has warmed my soul. Concerts have been enjoyed, churches have filled, and passion has pushed my stride forward. I have been intellectually stimulated, yet not quite satisfied. My thirst for knowledge of the intangibles like love, joy, freedom, and peace has once again come to the surface. Music is the only comfort to my wrestling heart. Treasure House has welcomed me as a volunteer, where I've started babysitting again. New, beautiful women and children occupy the home, each so uniquely delightful to me. I have no notion as to what they will teach me this year, but I'm ready to assume my rightful position as student, and experience their stories with open ears.

According to the Jewish calendar, today marks the beginning of the New Year. "Shanah Tovah" means Happy New Year in Hebrew. Last night, I hosted a quiet shabbat dinner with Kailey and Kellie. There was singing, praying, and much pondering. What will the new year bring? Which relationships will strengthen or wither. Which adventures will we go on? The clock ticks and only it will tell me the story of what this year brings. Unfortunately, I lost my watch. I will look to the stars, instead.

melanie

Pursuit

God is interested in the condition of our souls, not the fact that we adhere to a certain set of rules.

Voddie Bauchum said, "God is not after a people who will tie themselves up in legalistic knots so that they merely do not carry out on the outside what they truly are in their souls." Dang.

See, its not the fact that we obstain from sex, murder, etc. It's about the pursuit of pure things. The pursuit of peace, joy, love. Its about the observance of patience and justice. It's about having a praise-filled speech, and an encouragement to others. It is about alligning our desires with that of the Lord. What he is about, I want to be about.

I think all of this has probably been said before, but it's what I need to hear right now. My affections toward the Lord need to be realligned. I lay down my idols... there are many. I want to know You more. I am so sorry I have put other things before you.

I am in pursuit. watch out.

Calloused Hands

If you search my family history, you will find a farmer whose crops lasted through the great depression. You will find a woman that treated illnesses that threatened her tribe of the Navajos. If you search, you will find a famous piano player and harpist. You will find an entrepreneur and a baker. If you search my family history what you will not find is a college graduate. Ever since I can remember, my mother and father have told me how important it is to go to college. How they wish they had the opportunities I have been given so that they could get a degree.

I would never say that everyone needs to go to college to be happy, or successful. That completely depends on what your definition of those terms are. I will, however, say that the lord expects us to be good stewards of the talent he has given each one of us. Be it academically, musically, socially, or monetarily. He wants us to reap a plentiful harvest with calloused hands and sun kissed skin saying we did as much as we could with everything we were given.

I am about to enter my second year of college. I am a year behind of where I should be, but hopefully my maturity in other areas of my life, will somehow balance this out. After all, I didn't spend this past year twiddling my thumbs and building sandcastles... only to be washed away with the increasing of the tides. This next year will be incredible. I can feel it. That feeling you get on Christmas morning when you are opening presents. that one present, for some reason, tucked away in the corner, you just know it will rock our face off. That's exactly how I feel about this year. I got my scholarship award letter a couple of days ago. The Lord is entrusting me with a chunk of change, and I really want to be a good steward of that. I want to learn everything I can from my professors and peers. I want to read every page I am given. I want to struggle and wrestle with the text. I don't want to wait til the last minute to start a paper. I want to have intentional community with my roommates and friends. I want to be able to look back and have no regrets. I want to walk with the Lord boldly. I want to love others deeply. not just romantically. What an adventure this next season holds.


Bring it on.

Ladies and Gentlemen

There was once a time when gentlemen opened doors for gentle, delicate and demure ladies dressed in modest attire. The would giggle softly and establish a sense of propriety in both public and private exchanges with one another. Chairs were pulled out at the dinner table and handwritten letters linked lovers with distance between them. Promises about forever were kept.

Now, women dressed suggestively make advances to men in dimly lit venues. They press their bodies against one another while being photographed for the latest promotion displaying "ideal nightlife." They may go home with each other that first night, they may not. It can be sure, though, that when he gets home he will find her on some social networking site, and most of their communication will happen there. If it does grow into something more serious, don't worry, the ball and chain can be removed simply with little to no consequence. After all, you just don't love her like you used to right? Or things have changed beween the both of you? Or you think you may have married the wrong girl?

Today when bachelors meet women with and standards at all, we are regarded too picky. Therefore, many girls are forced to lower their standards, but in the back of their mind they realize they should be treated with more respect.

Well, I do declare, that I am a lady. Your coarse language and vulgar catcalls do not make me swoon. Your respect towards other women, -including your mother-, and me is much appreciated and will not go unnoticed. Your courage to ask for my telephone number and not my screen name is not not overlooked. You are welcomed to ...for once... be a man, step up and treat women like ladies, they are to be treasured and cherished.

And for the ladies, encourage. encourage. encourage. Gentlemen value a lady's encouragement.

"A wife of noble character who can find?She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." Proverbs 31:10

-miss melanie ann

We all Have a Story...