Happy Birthday Little Bean!

Today is not about music.  Okay, a tiny bit, but not in the way you might think.  Today is about my "little bean", my Sarah Grace, who turns four today (because according to her it is finally "member" aka November).
I simply cannot believe my littlest bug is four!!  Where does the time go?  This morning she came bounding down the stairs and commanded her brother to tell her Happy Birthday!  He was a good sport...and then sang her the monkey version of the Happy Birthday song.  Sarah promptly told him he was singing it wrong and proceeded to sing it for him, complete with "Happy Birthday dear Sarah".  Not bossy at all is she lol?  (We've taken to calling her the tiny tyrant lately).
So today will be spent with Miss Sarah Sunshine.  Happy Birthday my little bean, mommy loves you!!!

100!!

Just had to take a minute to celebrate....just saw that I now have over 100 listens on my music page (and this occurred within 48 hours of putting the page together).  God is so good!!!!!! 

When We Don't Believe

When We Don't Believe is actually a song I wrote two days ago that just came together very quickly. It kind of came out of a "hello" moment I had after a conversation with my mom.

My car broke down two days ago (the alternator died).  No big deal, except we don't really have the finances for any extras right now.  And of course, having a vehicle to get people where they need to be is pretty necessary.  I want to say right here though that my husband works his tail off to provide for us and he always has.  And I was feeling particularly upset about it not just because the car broke down but because I was actually feeling bad for Tim.  He works so darn hard, and it just seemed to me like every time we get to a place where "ooh, maybe we can finally swim instead of tread water", something happens to one or both of our cars.  No joke.  And I'm sure we are not alone in this, but I was having myself quite the pity party. 

So, I was talking to my mom about all this and she was reminding me that we are not the only people who go through these things, that that is life and I should be more grateful for all the things I did have.  And she's right.  I may not have a lot in terms of those little green pieces of paper that sometimes make me crazy, but I have a whole lot of riches in blessings and love from my heavenly Father.

Taking stock of my current situation, I had a lot more to be grateful for than I did to be upset about.  Yes, my alternator died, and no I have no idea how or when it will be replaced and I will get my car back.  However:
1.  I was able to pull into the parking lot of Mr. Mike's and park there instead of being stuck in the middle of the road or an intersection.
2.  The manager at Mr. Mike's allowed me to leave my car there until Tim got out of work and called AAA.
3.  My brother in law was working that day at Mr. Mike's, and he asked his boss if he could give me and Sarah a ride home.
4.  His boss said yes.
5.  He gave Sarah and I a ride home, and texted later to make sure we were okay (I was a blubbering idiot over the car at first).

Life isn't always what you make it.  Things will happen to upset your plans or rock your world.  But it's what we choose to focus on that makes all the difference.  Perspective can color any situation any color we choose.  And those little molehills that we've gotten right up close to and stared at can become small again if we are willing to back it up and look from a different angle.

"And I wonder what we're learning when we choose to gaze on what we see, and we don't believe."

6.  Mr. Mike's has a Dunkin Donuts, so I was even able to get an ice coffee in the middle of the mess.

Being Brave

So, I have gathered up quite a bit of courage, and decided that the music God gives me is not mine to keep but a gift to share.  I've shared a little in the past with a few people, but I am now opening myself up to the big, big world, for better or worse.  I have created a myspace music page, which may not seem like much to a lot of people, but believe me, this took some serious courage on my part.  This is a total work in progress, so constructive criticism is welcome (okay, I'm begging, be nice while you are being honest lol).  And check back often for new stuff or updates to old stuff.  The address is http://www.myspace.com/555266597 .

 

The first song I have posted is definitely not mine to keep, and that is the main reason why I chose it to be the first thing I share.  It is entitled "As I've Loved You".  It is not the finished track, I still have a bit of work to do, but decided it might be fun to let people in on the work while it's in progress too.

We've had a lot of changes lately, and one of them has been God leading us to a new church, and just in time (as if God is not on time lol) too, because we were fortunate enough to take part in the First Loved to Love Lifestyle series.  Incredible stuff.  I highly recommend it (www.bethanychurch.com, click on the FLTL icon).  It was written by Ps. Mark Fee, and you will totally never be the same.  But I digress.  Ps. Mark preached a message just before the start of FLTL and gave a visual example of what being loved to love looks like.  The whole idea is if you have never been loved (the example was a hug with words of encourgement), then you have no basis from which to love others.  As he was giving the example, I was hearing the words he was saying in song form.  Our heavenly Father loves us far beyond anything our minds can comprehend, and we are welcome to come to Him anytime, just as we are.  In fact, He longs for us to come to Him and let Him love us.  Then we can go and love others, just as He has loved us.

"God is love.  When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us.  This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and matures in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day-our standing in the world is identical with Christ's.
We though, are going to love-love and be loved.  First we were loved, now we love.  He loved us first." 

~I John 4:17 & 19