Sunday, June 26, 2011

Making Jesus Famous

February 7th, 1990.

The day Jesus became famous to me!

A day I will NEVER forget. Let's go back in time.

I grew up in a non church going family. We didn't go to church on Sunday mornings. Ever. But I do remember going to Vacation Bible School when I was very little. I don't remember much of it but I did make some crafts that my parents kept.

I started going to church in 1977, at the tender age of 7, with my grandmother, Memaw. She had become a Christian and began attending a church in Lincoln Park. Because I spent almost every weekend at her house, I went with her.

I got to hear about Jesus.

Now, just because you hear the name Jesus, doesn't mean your a Christian. I thought I was back then because I went to church every Sunday. We were there every time the doors were open. I remember asking Jesus into my heart, but that's where it stopped. I was never really asked about it and I was never baptized. I just went to church.

Fast forward to age 13. Teenager. 7am wake-ups on a Sunday morning. Going to church from 8am-1pm. Not for me!!

But my Memaw NEVER gave up hope. She always prayed for me and talked about Jesus to me. She wanted me to live my life for Him. But, I was a teenager, and I wasn't interested.

Now, I'm an adult. I'm working and living my life. I've got a good job, live at home with my Dad, got a car. Life is good.....but I'm still lost.

It's now January 11th, 1990. My Memaw is gone. In heaven with her Jesus. I am still wandering in the desert. Trying to figure out my place in this world. I believe it's in the United States Army!!

I join the U.S. Army's delayed entry program. My job is going to be a Food Service Specialist! LOL!! I am set to leave in April 1990, to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I am excited. I am scared. What did I get myself into??!!??

On Feb. 7th, 1990, Jesus becomes famous to me!!!

I go to visit my "adopted" grandma. She knows Jesus. She always tries to talk to me about Him. I always tried to avoid this with excuses. But not this day!! I listen to her. With both my ears and also my heart!! To this day, I don't remember what she said to me, but I do remember what JESUS said!! He said "Come to me, and I will give you rest".

I went to her bedroom, got down on my knees besides her bed and I poured my heart out to HIM. I asked Him to forgive me and make me a new creation. I cried out to Him and confessed everything that He brought to my mind. EVERYTHING!! And He washed all my sins away with His blood!!! I was changed that day, forever! And Jesus became famous to me!!!

After that awesome day, I became a new person. I had a skip in my step, and a smile on my face. The first Sunday after I became a Christian, I went to church. I was baptized. I met many Christians who also knew Jesus. I became part of a new family. They accepted me and loved me. And I needed them more than ever. I was getting ready to leave for S.C. April came fast and it was time for me to go. Part of me was ready, and part of me was not. I didn't want to leave my new family, but I was signed up and had to go. Or so I thought!!

When I went down to the MEPS, I had to get another height/weight check and swear in for a second time. I remember stepping on the scale and hearing the person taking my weight say that I was 1 1/2 pds over the weight limit. I asked what that meant. Because I was over the limit, my contract with the Army was null and void. I wasn't going anywhere!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing!! Really, 1 1/2 pds!!! I can lose that on the plane ride down to S.C. My recruiter was ticked at me!! He didn't talk to me the whole way back to my house. When we got to my house, he took my luggage out of the car and left!! I was devastated!!

To this day.... I believe it was all in God's plan!! It took me a few Sunday's to go back to church. I was embarrassed. My church family gave me a going away party, gave me gifts, and I was still here! But, the day I went back to church, they surrounded me and they were so happy I was still here. They really didn't want me to go. Deep down in my heart, I didn't want to go either!!

Again....Jesus was famous to me!! He knew the plans he had for me. Plans to stay out of the Army. Plans to stay at the church I was at. Plans to develop a closer relationship to a man named Marvin Metcalf!!! Thank you Jesus!!

Is He famous to you? Do you want Him to become famous to you? If you want to know more about this famous Jesus, I will share about Him with you. Contact me at shewith4@aol.com and I will introduce Him to you:)

Friday, June 10, 2011

My Childhood

I was born in 1970, so I grew up in the 70-80's. I had a great childhood. I often reflect on my childhood because I have so many happy memories. It was a stress free life for me. No job, No bills, No responsibilities. A good life.

I grew up in Taylor, MI. It was the four of us, Dad, Mom, Brother, and Me. This is the home I grew up in. This picture was taken in 2010. This house has changed a lot but it was my first home and it was special.



Growing up in that house was a lot of fun. There were kids everywhere!! Each house in the neighborhood, had at least 1-2 kids living there. We lived right next door to the school, so we had a park to play in everyday. There was an area called the "Black Top", which was asphalt that had basketball nets, and we would ride our bikes and roller skate on it for hours!

Back in the day, we didn't have video games or cable, so in the summertime we were always outside. From sun up to sun down, we played hard! We checked in at home every once in a while, but for the most part, we just played. We had to come in when the streetlights came on, or when my dad stood at the back door and whistled. He had the loudest whistle in the neighborhood and we knew it was him and we knew to get home!!

One of my favorite things as a kid, was my bike. It was yellow, and had a white banana seat :) I put a lot of miles on that bike. We lived near the woods, and we made trails through the woods that we would ride on. We had a blast!!

When the 4th of July rolled around, we were the talk of the neighborhood. Everyone knew that my dad would get tons of fireworks and he would set them off next door at the school lot. Kids would come from all over the neighborhood to see them. It was awesome!!

I have many, many, memories growing up. Those were the good days. Sometimes I wish it was still like that....but you got to grow up!!

What are some of your great childhood memories?

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Happy Birthday, Amber Nicole!

Twenty-four years ago today, my niece, Amber Nicole, was born. She was the first born daughter of my brother, Gary, and the first grandchild to my parents. From the moment she came into our lives, she was a blessing! She was loved, and she was cherished, and she was wanted!

And she was BEAUTIFUL!!!! This is her:



She was so tiny. I called her peanut. I used to rub her lips with my finger, and she would pucker up her lips. She always smelled so good. I loved to hold her and always enjoyed being with her. Amber would sometimes spend the night at my parents house, so they had a bassinet she would sleep in. The bassinet is important later in my story.


I was only 17 when she was born. Nice glasses, huh?

I don't think a day went by, that I didn't see Amber. A baby always brings people together. It's so exciting to bring a baby into the world, and having Amber was exciting.

Life is precious. We never know how long our lives will be. We found that out with our precious Amber.

On July 5th, 1987, we lost our Amber Nicole. Amber died of SIDS, otherwise known as crib death when she was 4 weeks old. It was devastating. We were all left shattered and heartbroken.

Because it is still hard to go back to that time, I will just say that after her death, I appreciated life more than ever. After coming home from the hospital the night of her passing, I walked through the door of my parents home, and the first thing I saw was her bassinet. I broke down in a heap of overwhelming sadness. Sadness for my brother, my parents, Amber's mother, and those who were touched by this precious baby girl.

I looked into that empty bassinet and I saw her crib sheet. I took it off the bassinet and I held it to my face and I breathed in her scent. It was there. I hugged that sheet and I cried in that sheet and I just drank in her smell.

For days and weeks, and months and years, I slept with that sheet. I would fall asleep holding onto the sheet and trying to keep her smell in my memory.

I still have that sheet today. I no longer sleep with it. I haven't for along time. It's tucked away in my hope chest. But every birthday, and every July, I take it out and I hold it, and I smell it, and I remember.


The sheet that was on her bassinet.

Amber was a precious gift. I miss her terribly. We all miss her.

I know where Amber is. She is in heaven. She is in the arms of Jesus. She is with my grandparents. She is well taken care of. I will see her again.

So, Amber Nicole...Happy 24th Birthday to you, in heaven. I love you, and I still miss you today, and everyday. I'll see you again, peanut.

Always in my heart,

Aunt Shelly

Saturday, June 04, 2011

My Memaw

Ninety years ago today(6/4), one of the greatest women in the world was born...my Memaw!

She was a Memaw like no other! She was a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and she was one-of-a-kind!! The greatest memories of my childhood were made with my memaw and papaw. My brother, Gary, and I, were their only grandchildren and they spoiled us rotten!! I spent almost every weekend of my life at their house. We would go for walks, ride bikes, go to the DQ for a dilly bar, and sit on the porch and just talk.


When I was real small, my grandparents moved to Tennessee. That was really hard for me. While they were gone, they would send my brother and I letters all the time. The letters always came with a stick of gum and a cert in them. I still have those letters today!! They are something that I cherish.



She became a Christian in 1977, and began to attend church regularly. When I would spend the weekends with her, I would go too. She is the first person to introduce me to Jesus. She would pray for me and tell me all about Jesus and His love for me. I got "saved" many times in my childhood. It made her happy, but I knew I wasn't really a Christian. I stopped going to church with her when I became a teenager and I know that really hurt her, but she still loved me and I knew she was still praying for me.


In August of 1988, my grandmother made a decision that almost cost her life. She decided to cut her grass on one of the hottest days of the summer. When she came in the house, she suffered a massive stroke. I was at work, when my mom called me and asked me to come home right after I got off. I did not even think that something would be wrong. After coming home, my mom and dad gave me the news that she suffered a stroke and was in the hospital. I was devastated!! My world had just collapsed.

When I saw her in the hospital, it shook me to my core. She was completely paralyzed on the left side, couldn't speak clearly, and had some brain damage. A woman that was completely independent was now like a baby :( It was a heartbreaking scene. As the weeks went by, she was able to talk a little better. Sometimes she would say a word that wasn't what she wanted to say but that's how it came out. She knew she wanted to say dog, but it would come out cat. That made her very frustrated! One day, I came to visit her and she was really sad. Her favorite song was amazing grace. I asked her to sing it for me and I was blown away! She sang every word so clear it was like she never had a stroke at all! I cried all the way to work!!

Her stroke was only the beginning of her troubles. A few months after her stroke, we discovered a lump in her breast. Our hearts were broken again. She had cancer now, too! On the day that her second great grandchild was born, she was in another hospital having surgery to remove her breast. It was a bittersweet day. A beautiful birth and a devastating loss(of her breast) on the same day. Although she came through the surgery okay, it still was a hard thing to see.

She recovered from the surgery but her life was still dramatically different. She was released from the hospital and was in a wheelchair. My family took care of her for as long as we could. My dad had to make the difficult decision to put her in a nursing home. She hated it!! We hated it!!! But we were left with no choice. She eventually got used to it, but not for long!!

On August 2nd, 1989, almost a year to the day of her stroke, my Memaw went to be with her Lord!! A woman who I thought would be with me forever, was gone. I was a mess!! I begged God, to give her back to me. But He didn't, and I was mad!!


I missed my Memaw dearly!!



She was everything to me, and she was gone. I tried to get back to my normal life and move on, but I was in denial and anger. I didn't want to believe that she was gone, and was never coming back and I was angry that a God she loved and always talked about would take her from me. I struggled for months. For six months to be exact!

Another woman that was special in my life was my "adopted" grandmother, Margariete. She was my childhood friends grandmother and I loved her like she was my grandmother. One day, out of the blue, I stopped over her house. She was a Christian, and always tried to share the Gospel with me, but I was never interested. Until this day. February 11th, 1990, I gave my life to Jesus, and I have NEVER been the same. I knew without a doubt that Jesus loved me and he loved my Memaw too!! I would see her again!! I was just sad that she didn't live to see me take that step. But you know what....she already knew!!! She planted and watered that seed and I love her for that. If she were alive today, I know that she would be proud of me!


This is my Memaw, Ollie Hegedus, holding her first great-grandchild, Amber Nicole Hegedus.


I miss you so much, Memaw!! I'd give anything to have another day with you and to hear your voice! Happy 90th Birthday to you in Heaven.....eat cake!!!

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Setting the record straight!

This is for all of you that chirp behind my back, maybe,in a loving way, or not. :)

1) Yes, I have gained a lot of my weight back...that is obvious!

2) I DID NOT HAVE SURGERY TO GET SKINNY!!!! I had surgery to get rid of excess skin, that I would NEVER lose, no matter how much weight I lost!! You try having 3 babies in one year (+11 days) and see what it does to you!!!

3) Yes, I can lose the weight I gained!!!

4) My husband loves me no matter what I look like....He looks at my heart!!

5) I need encouragement, not condemnation!!

6) Losing weight is the easy part....keeping it off, is the work!! People that have struggled with weight issues know this very well. If you have been "skinny" all your life....YOU HAVE NO IDEA how it feels to be overweight.

7) I have nothing to prove to anybody. I will battle my weight forever. But I plan on winning!!!

ENCOURAGE! ENCOURAGE! ENCOURAGE! Everyone needs encouragement and support for whatever battle they face.

The old saying is true...."If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

That is all :)