Songs for the Kiddos

When Seth was little, I wrote him a little song and would sing it to him to make him happy when he was fussy or getting his diaper changed or whatever. Haley asked me to write her a song about the same time and I just never got around to it.

Well since Julia was born I have also written her a song. None of these are anything big really, but just something catchy and easy to remember.

So I've felt kinda bad because I haven't written little songs for the big kids. Honestly, when are you with your 12 year old trying to entertain her and keep her from crying? Never. So the songs for them have not really been necessary.

This week, Seth, who had no idea I had not made up songs for the big kids, asked me to sing Haley, Daniel, and Katelynn's songs. So I obliged and made up songs for them on the fly. Just for the sake of documenting, here are the lyrics for the kids songs.

Haley

H is for the way you help me

A is for the awesome women you'll be

L for oh so lovely

E for extra extra funny

Y, yes you're the girl for me.

Daniel

Daniel, Daniel he's our man. If he can't do it no one can. 

He's so strong, he's so smart, he really is a work of art.

Daniel, Daniel he's our man. If he can't do it no one can.

Katelynn

K A T, that spells kat

L Y (why) because she loves me

N N she's my friend. Katelynn is my friend.

Seth

S is for super boy

E is for extraordinary

T is for talks to me

H is for happy happy

Seth, Seth S E T H Seth.

I love my boy and he loves me. S E T H Seth

Julia

Julia Julia she's my girl

Julia Julia loves to twirl

Julia Julia she's so fun

Julia you're the one.

Dismissed

This past week we had Haley's ARD/IEP meeting at school. If you aren't in the special education world, this is the annual meeting where accommodations are evaluated for their effectiveness and an education plan in put in place for the next 12 months.

I normally dread these meetings and have been known to leave feeling either frustrated or hopeless and in tears. I know it's just a part of getting Haley the help she needs, if any, but it is so hard being a parent and trying to make the best decision for your kids without knowing the result of each different tactic until it is tried. But this meeting was different.

Haley has been dismissed from Special Education because she doesn't need the help any more. Praise God! Now it is all on her shoulders. We (the teachers and I) are confident she can do well if that's what she decides to do. The vice principal has high hopes for her! I just hope her being more in the general education population will give her better opportunities and different choices for friends. I'm looking forward to the future!

Strength

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Saturday, I was sitting at work and I was mad. About situations. About things that are happening to me without my consent ( I guess we would just call it life in general.)

And the Holy Spirit spoke to me. It was more like a knife to the gut.

When you choose to be mad and angry instead of living in my joy, you are choosing to be weak instead of strong.

Who consciously chooses to be weak when strength is close by? I guess I do, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

If only we would partake in all God intends for us, our lives would be very different.

Just a thought.

Gracious and Compassionate

For the LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 145:8

As we travel this Christian journey, I feel like we hold onto a certain part of God's character more than others. There was a time in my life when I focused on the faithfulness of God. Right now, I keep coming back to this verse in Psams. Every time I start to pray my mind comes back to this verse and I find myself thanking God for being compassionate and gracious.

Maybe it's because it is hard for me to be compassionate. It isn't in my nature, especially if I feel like the person is being irresponsible or making bad choices that are putting them in the place that requires my compassion. I expect people to have common sense and try everything they can to help themselves before sharing their story and asking for help from others. I don't like people who are always the victim. All that to say I am probably the opposite of compassionate. And yet God is compassionate towards me when I mess things up.

I have a temper. I blow up when I shouldn't and have to ask for forgiveness often. I put expectations on others that they can't meet and then I'm mad when they don't measure up. I get mad when I don't measure up. And then I feel bad for not being more patient like I want others to be with me. But God is slow to anger.

My love is tough love a lot. I'm not really a touchy feely huggy kind. But I love hugs and need a gentle touch from time to time. I'm just not usually the one to initiate. And I make people feel unloved because I tend to show my love by telling it like it is. But God is abounding in love toward me even when I feel unloveable.

When I compare myself to him, I know that I have a long way to go. I'm so glad he doesn't give up on my and all my failings.

Out of the Whirlwind

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said...

Ever been in a storm? I think the loudest place you can be during a hail storm is in a car. I remember one time when Bj and I were dating and we got caught in his car when the heavens opened up and the rain started pouring down. And then the hail started hitting the car. Although we were sitting next to each other in his GrandAm, we could hardly hear what the other was saying. It was loud!

I know I hear a lot about being still before God and letting him speak, but today this verse reminded me that God can speak to us from the middle of the whirlwind when nothing in our lives is still or quiet.

And that's where I am right now. Everything is loud and busy and unsettled.

And I believe He'll yell over the storm if he has to in order to let us know He's with us and hasn't left us. Scripture tells us he kinda likes to show up in storms. To tell us not to fear. To push us to trust him and get out of the boat. To catch us when our faith wavers and we find ourselves sinking.

I looked back a few verses to see if I could find out anymore about Job's storm and didn't see any indication of a physical storm. I wonder if this whirlwind was an emotional turmoil Job was going through. He'd done nothing wrong and yet his friends accused him of sins he didnt commit. His reputation was being drug through the dirt and as much as he tried, Job had a hard time understanding the reason for the struggles he was facing. And God was silent as Job just had to trust God without hearing any confirmation he was still there.

And then God spoke.

There are 2 chapters full of God reminding Job of His almighty power. Verse after verse describing how big God is and how little Job is/we are in comparison. Job had no reason to worry if God was big enough to meet his needs. Wondering if God would really be the God Job knew so well, even in the storm.

Yes, even in the storm, God is big enough. Big enough to restore Job and his possessions double. And big enough to handle whatever whirlwind I find myself in, too!

Condemned in His Presence

The devil sure is brave. He is not scared to come right into the midst of where God is moving to distract and discourage.  I suppose he has great success or he wouldn't waste his time there. I think that at church, we often let our guard down and become vulnerable before God and the devil wants to take advantage of that moment.

Sunday morning as I was sitting at the piano, God's presence was so strong. I was near a young man that God was speaking to and I could literally feel the presence of God radiating from him.

And just like that the devil started whispering lies to me. "Your kids will never be like that. Too bad." At first, I started to let myself feel defeated, but as quick as he spoke I recognized his tactics and moved my focus back on to how great God is and the devil and those feelings left. I actually started singing, "you're all I need. Jesus, your all I need" and I was right back in the thick of God's presence and purpose for that moment.

How many times have we let the devil get in our head even as God is speaking and moving? We let him distract. We let him discourage. Any time spent dwelling on the lies he speaks to us is too much.

I wonder how many times the devil puts thoughts in our minds at church and we mistake the sly ways of the devil for God speaking. We confuse condemnation with conviction. We don't have to put up with His lies. We don't have to accept them. We don't have to hear them.

We have got to have a plan for when he tries to throw a wrench in God's plan. My plan is to 1-not give his lies a moment in my thoughts and 2-always go back to what God has said, because God's words are truth and never change.

Music Memory UIL

Over the weekend, Katelynn competed in music memory UIL. I had never heard of such a thing. She came home and wanted to participate, so since she is doing well in school, I gave her permission.

Saturday morning, we got up and took the long 3 minute drive to Timberview. Her event was at 8:30 so we left the house at 8 to give us time to figure out where we needed to be.

She didn't place, but I think she enjoyed it and will be better prepared for next year or in case she gets asked to participate again.

After their group went back to the competition rooms (we weren't able to watch), I got the chance to meet and talk to one of her friend's moms. This happens to be the little girl who has been in class with Katelynn since kindergarten and lives in our neighborhood, 2 blocks over.

I hear about Macayla all the time! Apparently, Misty hears about Katelynn all the time as well.

I'm ashamed to say that this is the first parent I've met. I have every intention of meeting more parents so I feel safe letting them go to other kids houses, but it just doesn't happen. (Do I need to remind you that I have 5 kids?) I never really had friends from school that I did things with outside of school. My free time was usually spent with the church kids. But my kids don't even have kids at church to pick from really, so its nice for Katelynn to have a friend in our neighborhood!