#iloveCandi

We had a long weekend.  I mean one of those that you actually wake up Sunday morning past 11 am realizing you missed church, breakfast and your body has been laying in the same position so long it's practically stuck.  

Our youngest niece competed in her first UIL Area Marching Contest this past Saturday.  Now, we come from a pretty long line of family band nerds.  My husband and I- Band Nerds! This marching stuff-it's pretty serious and well let's just say at the high school-Band Nerds seriously rock!  So, needless to say when you go to contest and don't make it past the round to take that trip in November- one band alumnus's response via text "Daaaaaang" and my son's "...."

Yep, that could pretty much sum it up right there.

After our hugs to our Candi and expressions of how proud we were of the hard work and dedication, with her water filled eyes she said thank you.  There was no outburst of why. No tantrum that life was not fair-just a simple lift of her lips to the side and slow walk back to her bus.  

My heart wept for her because I felt that out of all her siblings before-she really loves this band thing. She competes, she practices, she loves her clarinet, "Shirley".  (I mean she's the only one that's ever given her instrument a name.)

I prayed about what I would tell her when I picked her up from the school.  As she climbed in with the look of an 18 hour day on her face-the only word I said was, "Well..."  Before me sat this 15 year old girl that did not cry, but simply said- 

"It just wasn't meant to be this year.  We will have to work harder and learn from this and that's it.  There were tears from all these kids because they wanted to play for seniors and because they felt they screwed up, but we're a band.  It was no one person-we did it together.  The only thing I didn't agree with is who they played for..."

That's our Candi! (after 1st round)

Wow!  

You see we had been praying for weeks for the band.   Not necessarily for another trip to State, but for lessons to be learned, for guidance and tension to ease ( I tell you this can be serious stuff).  More importantly we prayed that Candi would play for the glory of God and nothing less.  She did that and she was at peace with how she played and what she put into it.  

I crawled into bed and my heart wept again, but this time for the joy I felt. I thanked God for sugar and spice and everything nice...#iloveCandi 

2014 Cougar Band

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)

Do You Still Live In A Fairy Tale?

Remember the days of fairy tales?  When you dreamed of your "Prince Charming" and one day he would come and save you.  He was some how the only one that didn't have COOTIES!!! Your evil brother although a boy was the evil stepsister-I mean  he whined just like a girl anyway and your mother always seemed to take his side so you fancied her the evil step mother.

Yes, I had a little bit an of an imagination and I was a fairy tale kind of girl.  Our family took a trip to Disney World a couple years ago and weeping I watched the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.  It took me all the way back-I could care less that I could see the line that held Tinkerbell as she carelessly flew across the awestruck crowd-it was ENCHANTING!

Prince Charming-Disney 2008

Then what happens-reality hits.  I'm no longer that six year old child, twirling around with the imaginary birds on my fingers singing to me. I'm driving down the road trying to avoid those black cocky birds that think they own the road.

But, my life is still full of dreams.  I have dreams about my kids, about my future, about my family, about my marriage (I have crazy dreams too, but we'll leave that for another blog).  There are many times that I battle the meaning of those dreams. Do they bring honor to God or are they self fulfilling?

I couldn't help but think about King Nebuchadnezzar and his haunting dreams-here was a king who threatened his enchanters, magicians and astrologers with physical harm if they could not tell him not only the meaning of his dream BUT what he was actually dreaming.  Needless to say-some one's in trouble! God came to the king in his dreams as only He can do-to give the old king a series of messages.

  "He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie on their beds.  He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings.  He makes them turn from wrong doing; He keeps them from pride." Job 33:15-17

Yet, this man wanted enchanters and magicians to tell him what his dreams meant?  The only one who could tell him was Daniel through  the wisdom of God, Himself.

I couldn't help but to take a long look at myself and begin to realize how many times do I take those dreams that I have about my kids, about my future, about my family, about my marriage and try to take control of it myself?  How many times do I try to play the Enchanter?  I think it's time I close the fairly tale book and focus on THE BOOK!