"Trey Tuesday" - January 28, 2020

Kobe and You

You matter just as much as Kobe Bryant does.  Your spouse.  Your children.  Your family and loved ones matter!

Can we treat each other with the same esteem and respect and admiration as those in the public eye?  Can we pause to remember alllllll those who have an impact on our lives?

And not just when they have died.  Let's celebrate each other while we are living!  :)

Go ahead: Have that big birthday bash! Meet for lunch! Have coffee! Fist bump! Smile!
Whatever your level of comfort is....push a little further....love a little deeper.  Hey - let's even like each other a little better!  :)
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."  Romans 12:10

"Trey Tuesday" - January 21, 2020

Weighted Blankets

My mom gave me a weighted blanket today.  No, not a commercially produced therapy tool, but an old-fashioned, hand-crocheted heirloom afghan.  A heavy yarn coupled with an extra large size provides a blanket of comfort and warmth that will keep me comforted for a longggggg time!  (even if I want to get up - I might not be able to!)  :)

But it's not just the yarn that provides the comfort.  It's the journey.  My mom gave the blanket to me after many years of using it at her house.  My mom's friend originally gave it to her.  Her friend had made it many years before that.  We are woven together, supported, comforted.  Sharing.  Together.

Too many people today are desperate for comfort.

Many look in dangerous places.  Many never find it. 

Team Mitlo One was created to be a source of comfort for Trey and his family.  How/where do you find comfort?  How/where can you share the comfort God has provided to you with others still searching?

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  2 Corinthians 1:3,4

"Trey Tuesday" - January 14, 2020

Says Who?!

Falling temps!
Wind Warnings!
SNOW!!!!

The forecasters have our attention!  The kid in each one of us is giddy with excitement!  Or the grumpy old soul in us is bothered by the thought of the return of winter weather.

Whyyyyyy are we stilllll thinking, talking, and changing plans according to radar that has misled us time and time again!?  Whyyyyy do we put our faith (and hope!) in forecasters who make declarations of a coating to an inch or two....or so?

I laugh every time I read God's reply to our human tendencies. Our feeble attempts at controlling our lives simply reveal our human weakness and our need for God-sized power and unfailing reliability!

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding"  Job 38:4  "Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?'
Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'?"  Isaiah 45:9

Instead of staying glued to your weather app or channel at storm time, or any app or person at personal storm time, listen for God's voice so we may know HIS work!

"God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
He does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
So that everyone He has made may know His work"  Job 37:5-7

"Trey Tuesday" - January 7, 2020

Delivery

The U.S. Postal Service expected to deliver nearly 15 billion pieces of mail and 900 million packages this December....On average, Amazon ships more than 1,600,000 packages a DAY!  Pizza, flowers, groceries....our delivery options are endless these days!  We take delivery for granted!  And how exciting is it to see the delivery arrive!?!

Imagine for a moment, those trapped in bondage....the bondage of oppression, loneliness, depression, injustice, fear, addiction, bitterness, sickness, sadness, etc.

People.  In need of Delivery.  FAR outweigh packages.

"The LORD is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer, my God, my Rock, in Whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold and my Refuge, my Savior;"

2 Samuel 22:1-3

"Trey Tuesday" - December 31, 2019

Lights! Camera! Action!

The Year:  2010
Setting:  Penn Hills, PA

Time:  New Year's Eve

Cast of Characters: Trey, Jay, Rachel, Aunt Cathy, and many, many others!

Plot Elements:

The stomach bug ran rampant through the Mitlo Family

Trey admitted to Children's Hospital to begin cancer treatment

Jay and Rachel staying with Trey

Joe and Bella need a caregiver (with a strong stomach)

Aunt Cathy (from the healthy side of PA) drives 300 miles to help relieve the friends who had been babysitting.  Little did Cathy know that "helping" involved spending New Year's Eve away from her family and alone, undecorating the Mitlo house from Christmas, untillllll Rachel enters stage left to come home to regroup from the hospital.

What was it like to spend New Year's Eve with a grieving mom?  And not just a grieving Mom, but with the strongest Mom you know?!
How can someone EVER put away someone else's decorations.......correctly?

And how is it that Jay was changing our TV channel from the hospital?! (Thank you, friends, who provided that luxury soooooo quickly!)

This was a God sized task! He had all the details taken care of!  He provided all the courage and peace humanly possible in this situation. Do you want to grow your faith in God? Listen for His voice. Just say, "Yes!"  Go where He sends you.

Do you have a new word for 2020?  How about YES?

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13

"Trey Tuesday" - December 24, 2019

For Unto Us

With every gift you give and every gift you receive, remember these 3 Little Words and The Gift of Jesus sent with HUGE love from our Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!

For Unto Us

Christmas Eve was when Jay and Rachel - and their family and friends - received the devastating news that Trey had cancer....

For Unto Us

Long ago the Prophets foretold to a generation of rebels and nomads....

For Unto Us

And to each one today: happy, sad, rich, poor, average, sick, well, lost, found, alone, together...

For Unto Us

"For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end"  Isaiah 9:6, 7

"Trey Tuesday" - December 17, 2019

Camels and Chickens

Look at your Nativity scene.  Each figure represents someone or something doing what God created them to do.  Sheep bleating, a donkey working, and wise men....doing wise things!

Why do we goof this up?  Why aren't we content and confident in being who God created us to be?  Musically gifted or shy or athletic or smart or hard working or funny or creative - or billions of other combinations.  God. Made. One. You.  Trey lived the life God gave him to live.  Yes, it included cancer, but Trey lived his life as best as he knew how.  

Our church is preparing for 18 performances of a Living Nativity this weekend.  I will giggle as I see the camels walk by:  What if the camels thought they were chickens and ran around and tried to lay an egg?!?  And what if Mary got upset because she always wanted to be an angel with the glittery wings?!?

No wrapping paper, no shiny bow.  Accept the gift God has given this world:  One beautiful, unique YOU!

"for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."  Philippians 2:13