Midweek Meditation - A Father's Love Letter

Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can ever imagine. This is a love letter from Him to you! Be blessed!

Kicking My Drums!

Conversation in the car on the way home today...

Nikki: Could you turn the music up?

Maya: Could you turn the music down?

Nikki: Don't turn it down! It's not even loud!

Maya: Yes, it is! It's kicking my drums! (eardrums)



Solution? Because the girls were kicking MY "drums," I turned the music off until both girls stopped arguing. When all was peaceful again, the music came back on and we continued on our merry way.

Midweek Meditation - Andie's Project

For Open House a few years back, Andie chose to make a video presentation about the week of Creation. I may be a bit biased, but I think she did alright!

What Does a Family Look Like?

When people think of a family, this is probably what initially comes to mind...



Or this...


Or this...


A family might also look like this...


Or this...


But what if sisters look like this...?


Or brothers like this...?


What if siblings looked like this...?


The truth is, a family can look like any and all of the above. A family can be built by birth or adoption, or both. Either way a family unit is God's gift to us that we may experience a little of what His love is.

"God sets the lonely in families." Psalms 68:6

Out of the blue...

Alyssa: "I can't wait to grow up!"
Mommy: "Why?"
Alyssa: "Because I want to get married."
Mommy: "Well, there's a lot to learn before you get married."
Alyssa: "Yeah, I know--like how to not eat like a pig."

Ummmm ... that's a start!

Midweek Meditation -- Fountainview Academy

If you have never heard of Fountainview Academy, you're missing out! This boarding school in British Columbia, Canada, is really dedicated to serving God and helping young people develop their talents to serve Him. Along with their excellent academic program, they run an organic carrot farm (yummy), and, of course, their incredible music program.

One-and-a-half years ago, my husband and I took in two foreign exchange students from South Korea. We helped them learn to speak English and now, they are attending Fountainview. We are blessed to see them whenever their tour bus comes our way.

This is one of the musical videos produced by Fountainview Academy. What a blessing these kids are!




Visit the Fountainview website at fountainviewacademy.ca

My Hubby's Music

I never wanted to have music playing on my blog. I sometimes find it distracting on other sites or I'm not crazy about the music they have chosen. Whatever. But I have finally added a player to my site. The reason? It's my hubby's music.

Shawn is a musician. It is his heart. It is his love. And he's pretty darn good at it too--at least that's one wife's opinion.

And now, he is finally working on recording his music and selling it. Woohoo! He's joined up with...

www.reverbnation.com


Go there, click on the "search" tab, and type in "Shawn Seely - solo piano". He has some sample songs available now, and one actual song to sell. (More will be coming soon!) Songs are $1 each and all proceeds go to support a worthwhile cause -- our growing family!!! (By the way, his song Last Goodbye was the one he wrote for me and performed at our wedding. So romantic, I know!)

As you can see, I'm pretty excited about this. I'll let you know when the songs are available for sale. Stay tuned! (No pun intended.)

Missing Daddy

Daddy left for two weeks. In a little over eight years of marriage, it's been his first trip away from home. I can't say I like it much.

Coming home from the airport, even the noise of the children didn't cover the deafening silence of his absence. The house felt strangely empty. Alone.

There's a cold spot in bed next to me. There's too much quiet in the evening after the kids go to sleep. There's no one to toss the little ones up in the air. And I'm really hoping I don't kill his fish that he so trustingly left in my care.

I began motherhood as a single mom, adopting two children before marrying him (see My Birthday Letter to Andie). It's just been a while since I've been alone for this much time. And phone calls do not replace having him here! Physically, I can manage everything I usually do at home. But, my heart feels like it's pumping at half the power.

It'll be good to have him back again.

Passing Notes

I had not had a good day with one of my daughters. When I said, "Don't," she did it. When I said, "Do it," she refused. When I smiled, she frowned. When I frowned, she smiled. By day's end, I was pretty frustrated and let her know it.

While cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, I noticed her slip quietly into my bedroom. "What are you doing?" I asked. Without looking at me, she muttered, "I left something for you."

Next to my computer lay a note. "I don't want to live here anymore," she had scrawled angrily. Still a little steamed by the way the day had progressed, I hastily wrote, "Some days I don't want to live here either." I carried it back to her room and dropped it just inside her doorway, then continued getting the other kids ready for bed.

A little while later I again found a note next to my computer. I responded. So did she. Back and forth the letters went from her room to mine and back again. And then we passed each other in the hall. She simply handed the note to me. I wrote out a response and handed it back.

Finally, she was quietly standing at my doorway. "Would you like to talk?" I asked. "Okay," she shrugged. We sat down on my bed and shared our hearts. Tears flowed. The wall between us was torn down and a bridge built up again in its place.

Passing notes isn't my usual method of solving differences, but it worked for her. Thank You, Lord, for yet another victory today!

The Least of These...

"On the street I saw a small girl, cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God, 'Why did you permit this? Why don't you do something about it?' For a while God said nothing.

"That night God replied... 'I certainly did something about it...I made YOU.'" -- Adapted from Latin America's Casa Alianza, which cares for homeless children



"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40.