Learning to dance in the rain

A few years ago, one of my friends posted a quote by Vivian Greene on Facebook. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass but it's about learning to dance in the rain." I loved it and almost instantly I knew that was a lesson I wanted to teach my children. I knew that applying the quote to life's circumstances would be beneficial for them but how much more impacting (and fun) would it be to apply it literally? (Kids remember illustration much more than lectures, right?;)


Since then I've pictured myself getting them matching raincoats and rainboots and having them go at it in the rain. Um yeah I never really got around to that.:) It had been raining almost everyday here and I really didn't think about it when we planned almost a last minute playdate with Skye and her awesome mom  and good friend of mine, Donna. The kids were playing for about an hour or so when the downpour started. Donna and I with our babies, Autumn and Sienna were sitting under the gazebo while we witnessed the kids run away from the rain. Practically tiptoed back into it and then finally racing into it.

With it in mind that one day my children will grow up and read this. Moriah, David, Autumn (Skye and Sienna too:) This is for you!

As you grow up you will find that people will let you down. Some of them will be mean, inconsiderate and judge you wrongly. Your dreams will sometimes take a detour and not come out exactly how you have planned. Some things will happen that will make absolutely no sense and you will probably not be able to figure out why it had turn out that way. The enemy will show up with many different faces. He will show up through fear, doubt, addiction, insecurities, peer pressure and other masks. You will make mistakes. It's normal . God knows that you are not perfect and you were created from dust. (Gen 3:19) There will be tough seasons in your life with many storms.

With all these things, God has already equipped you with great tools to whether the storms. His word has encouragement applicable to every situation and His promises has power. His word are just not "words on a page that were written by mere men" as some will try to convince you. These words were inspired by God himself to speak to you specifically. He desires for you to grow to know Him and He allows these storms to happen so that your faith will built. He has designed you with special gifts, talents, skills and passions that will be your "brighter side."

With Him there is always hope. And where there is hope, there is certainty that the storm won't last. With that being said, you don't have to wait until the storm is over to have joy. Though the enemy's goal is for you to be afraid of the storm, you don't have to be. I've heard a pastor once say that we can be storm chasers! Why not have that much confidence when these storms are going to make us better? We will grow to be more patient, considerate, humble and able to comfort those who are going through what we have gone through. All traits possessed by our Christ! Have confidence because God doesn't waste any experience in your life. He can and will use your failures, shortcomings, mistakes, insecurities and all the things that you would label as "unattractive"  into something beautiful and purposeful.

So don't be afraid of the rain! Celebrate it! Dance in it!


More than that we can rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the holy spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when ever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything. ~James 1:2-4

The Legacy of the Guitar in Our Family

A couple years ago, David decided that he wanted to take guitar lessons from a church brother of ours who is in his eighties. The kids and I went over there with him a few times and it was nice to listen to his wife reminisce while her husband was teaching David correct finger placement, chord progression and capo placement. I watched as he would study the notes and even remembered exactly when he said that he wanted to master the guitar by the end of the year. For Christmas, the couple gave him a card with $100 to go towards a guitar, and Jan 2010 David bought his first one.

Since then, he has never put it down. When he comes home from work he plays it. When I'm playing music in the house as I do the chores, he plays along. One of my favorite memories so far of him and his guitar is when I was pregnant with Autumn and I had the hardest time falling asleep because I was so uncomfortable, he would pick up his guitar and sing to me until I fell asleep. And my absolute favorite memory is while I was giving birth, I asked him to bring it to the hospital. He played it softly and it was my effective therapy. The nurses were impressed at how I was able to sleep through my contractions without any medication (but of course that all changed once I hit 8cm and was pressuring everyone to give me an epidural:)).

We gave Moriah her guitar when she was 2 and little David's was given to him when he was 2 as well. They play theirs nearly as much Daddy. I'm looking forward to getting Autumn her's though she seems quite content with her Daddy's. As he plays, she gets excited and jumps up and down on her knees.

 I'm so proud of David that he decided to learn it, stuck with it and he's determined to grow with it. We are so blessed with the legacy that brother Joseph passed to David and now to our children!

Check out this great song about a very lovely lady:) sung and produced by David. You hear some of the strings but for more check out his reverbNation page!

The meaning of Autumn

While preparing for the birth of each of our children, choosing a name was very important. We wanted something that we both loved,  had a strong meaning, preferably biblical,  preferably not super common and just clicked. 

Well I believe the beginning of deciding on choosing a name for our third child began back in 2005 while David and I were engaged. I was praying while I was making my bed, and I believe I heard God say, "Through your children you're going to reap your harvest." I stopped to write it down in my journal and I never forgot it. 

While I was pregnant with my third child, David and I struggled with choosing a name. We couldn't find one that we both loved and just felt like it was...well...her.  Every time he had mentioned a name, I shook my head and knew that wasn't it and when I mentioned a name, he would do the same. We had gone through many names on websites, and many people all around were giving suggestions. We asked Moriah who was 3 at the time, what the baby's name should be and she said "Tuna." :) Even my co-worker suggested that we have a baby pool. If I were to chose a name that an employee guessed, then the employee would win a prize:)

One night after we had come back from a date, I was determined to decide on a name. We researched, talked and couldn't decide! Later on,  in the middle of the night, I prayed and asked God for a name with a meaning of my choice. But ultimately, I desired a name that represented the characteristics and personality that she was going to have. Knowing that only God could've known who she was going to become. While I was praying I heard very clearly, "The name will come to you." I responded, "Lord I don't know if that was you, but if it was, I'm going to demonstrate to you that I trust you by going to sleep and waiting for the name."

The next morning, I told David what I thought I heard from the Lord.  He said, "You know, I think that did come from Him because I feel like her name is on the tip of my tongue." So we decided to wait and not to "look" for a name. 

Weeks passed, still many people were asking what the name was going to be. Though I felt like a broken record when responding, I had a peace about the wait. There was a room that I had to set up at my job and that was where I prepped my mind for the day by praying and thanking God. I said "Lord what should her name be?" I heard "Autumn." It was like a light bulb turned on. I googled the official start of Autumn and saw that it was just a few days after her due date. The more I thought about it, the more I fell in love, but then I stopped myself and I said, "Lord, if this is the name, please show me by David loving it also."

As I was clocking out, I was burning with excitement to suggest the name to him. My childhood friend who was also pregnant, texted me to tell me she was having a boy and asked me if I had a name picked out for my girl. As I was getting in the car, I texted her back to congratulate her. I was in the middle of responding to her that, "We hadn't chosen a name yet but I felt  like we were close," when David asked, "What about Autumn?" I said "What did you just say?!! "I was shocked. I dropped my phone. I was screaming. It came to be that the name had come to us at the same time during that day. God is good. We knew without a doubt that was her name. We both loved it and loved even more how it was given to us.

I was on a high, smiling from ear to ear for weeks! Now when people asked me what her name was, not only did I finally have one but I had a testimony that I was so eager to tell.  Then it wasn't until some time after this did I remember the promise God spoke to my heart. Through our children, we were going to reap our harvest.

Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. ~Joel 2

Teaching our children scripture

Recently, I had an a simple but insightful revelation regarding the mission and purpose of being a mother. My role is not to shelter our children from opposition, but it's to equip them. Equip them with the tools they need so when they're face with adversity they will remain grounded.

I'm sure many people may think that we shelter our children by keeping them away from certain things. But the truth is, we keep these things from them not because we are under this illusion that if we do, then they will never be exposed to it. Instead, we keep certain things from them because not only are these things distasteful to us as parents, but we are focusing on building a strong foundation for them.

Right now the foundation is God's word. Why? Because the grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of God endures forever.  (Isaiah 40:8) Everything that they might face, they can know how to deal with it from the Bible.  We have already dealt with life threatening incidents like a car accident that totaled my car with the kids in it,  near drownings with both of them, and death of a dear neighbor. To less dramatic incidents like hurt feelings on the playground and scary dreams. In all these experiences we used scriptures to guide and ground our emotions, to get wisdom from the experience, to share comfort with others and to learn to trust God more.

Their understanding of God's word is amazing! No wonder Jesus said that we must have faith like a child. They not only memorize the scriptures but they apply it and talk about it with one another when they unaware that we're listening. I have chosen scriptures for them to memorize that introduce them to God's love or according to what they're going through. Hey the issues of a 4 and 5 year old may not seem big to us but remember how little they  are. So their issues are big to them and as their parents we are called to address them with compassion just like God does for us. Sometimes David struggles with sleeping through the night so he memorized, "I lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone O Lord make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8). Moriah sometimes struggles with being shy or timid. So she memorized, "and the peace of God which transcends all understanding shall guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus." (Philip 4:7). After they memorized about 4 scriptures, school started and I was so grateful that Moriah's class is also teaching them a scripture a week. So we just teach David those as well:)

We are hoping and trusting that our choices of  movies, songs, family time activities, affirmation, security and love all reiterate God's word and build a firm foundation. So that when they get older and they stumble or wander that they will enough truth in them to see the that the lies of this world might be enjoyable for short time but the joy of Christ is much more profitable and it surpasses them all.:)

~Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Dueteronomy 11:19

~All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

~Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast in the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. Philippians 2:14-16

David's scriptures on his wall. As soon as I get time to get crafty I will make this look a little more presentable:) but this serves it's purpose for now.

Moriah's and David's bibles that was given to them by their Grandma:)

Autumn's bible that she got on the day she was dedicated. It was given to her from my dear friend Sarah.

 

Scriptures from Moriah's class that we have posted on the fridge.

The meaning of David

 

My son is one of the most peculiar people that I know. He is a four year old whose had an abundant amount of energy since he was in the womb and doubled the amount of testosterone.

For the the first few years, raising him was so challenging. With the combination of him not being a big sleeper and his frustrations of not being able to verbally express his emotions effectively, produced temper tantrums that were comparable to taming a wild animal.

Our discipline consists of verbal warnings, time out and pops (spankings) only on the tushy (where there is plenty of cushion:)) We discuss with him the emotions that were involved to trigger the action. We explain with scripture as our reference why it is inappropriate and what the correct heart posture should be. Then we always end with hugs.  Even with that type of discipline, it used to and still hurts us to discipline him.  Oh, but believe me, we did it often. Especially when he was going through the ''terrible two stage."

But his acts never made me love him less. The disciplining process was more work than what we were used to compared to our daughter, but when it's all said and done, Daddy and I still have to get our kisses, I love you's and cuddling time as if he had never done anything wrong. Why? Not just because he's the best cuddling partner ever, but because we love him. We are very grateful to God for opening our eyes to see His unconditional love for us through the mannerisms of our son.

I am sure, that like my four year old while he was going through his terrible two stage, we adults throw our own kind of tantrums when God doesn't give us our way. Or we try to exercise our will over God's will just like David used to grabs his shoes from me and say "My shelf (which means myself) Mommy!" Then he would put them on the wrong foot.:) We do the same... yes we do the same, but no matter what or how many flaws, insecurities, or levels of immaturity we own, God's love doesn't lessen.

The meaning of David's name is Beloved. Which is all him. Just like King David in the bible,  with all the mistakes that he made, God still loved him with a very, very special kind of regardless-of-what-you-do-wrong-love. We are all  beloved to God.:)

I love you David more than you will ever know and God loves you even more.

~For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angles nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39