Sunday, February 9, 2014

Running Mascara and a Heart Filled with Praise

Today's blog is going to bring you a feeling of sadness and then an overflowing feeling of praise and thankfulness and all at the hands of my precious daughter.

She is in her third year of voice lessons and typically I can hear her muted words as she practices closed up tight in her room all so that I can hear the finished fruits of her labor at the recital that she performs at each year.  So, to my surprise today she walks into the kitchen with a sheet of paper that has lyrics printed on it and says she wants me to hear the new song she is working on in voice.  Of course I am thrilled because I love any opportunity to hear her voice in song.  It is important to know that her voice teacher is the most amazing person.  She not only has an extreme talent in music but is phenomenal in teaching.  She was actually my daughter's kindergarten teacher and since has become her voice teacher in the years that have followed that initial year that has thrived into the most beautiful friendship between a teacher and a child that is growing into a young woman of God.  Lexi's voice teacher is kind-hearted, caring, loves unconditionally, is respectful and mostly a woman of God herself.  Her faith shines through her and she loves to incorporate that faith into her students music.  This song that Lexi brought to my attention today is a faith-filled song titled "Walk on Water" by Britt Nicole.

Before I purchased this song in my iTunes so that I can play it for her to sing for me, she explains to me that she watched a video of Britt Nicole telling her personal testimony of writing and performing this song.  Lexi informed me that this artists mother was struggling with the idea of becoming a foster parent and that this song reflects her mothers feelings and actions through that questioning and on into making the choice to foster.

Now, that story alone is heartwarming ... but insert my daughters mentality behind that in her saying, "Mama, I know that one day my choice to have children is not going to include having children of my own.  And that is okay.  I am going to foster and adopt children that need a Mommy and I am going to love doing that.  This song is going to be me one day.  Like how my Nana was adopted.  Like how Stacey adopts and fosters children.  I wonder what that baby will be like."  Okay, now you can insert tears and total heartwarming Godly love that is pouring out of my ten year old child.

My daughter, in her infinite wisdom of the world and her own health, has found a desire that is bigger than this Earthly place that we call home.  I seriously learn daily from her.  Daily.  She makes me a better person.  She shows me what love truly is.  She brings light into the darkest days.  She is love.  She is a walking testament to faith itself.  If you do not know God, all you have to do is meet my daughter and you will meet him face to face through her.

Lexi's voice teacher, Anne Marie, is always thinking of Lexi and her life experiences and is understanding of how through discovering her Celiac Disease and burying her birth father and struggling with her health through the discovery of her having Von Willebrand's Disease and having to quit her basketball team and learning the limitations of her little body at such a  young age, that music soothes her soul.  Singing brings her life.  Anne Marie sent me a quote not long ago that says, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."  This is what music does for my Lexi girl.  It cleanses the gritty nastiness from her and replaces hope and love and understanding.  Just as "Walk on Water" has done for her.

Enjoy the song.  Go ahead and cry.  Feel every emotion that is not understood to the most raw.  If you have never listened to lyrics please begin with this song ... (copy and paste this link for a video of the song and the lyrics in print).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeTu8twnGvU

"Another wave of doubt ... will it pull you under?  What if are overtaken?"

"What if no one is there, will you hear my prayer?"

"Know that He won't let you go."

"What are you waiting for, what do you have to lose?"

"You know you are made for more, so don't be afraid to move."

"Your faith is all it takes and you can walk on the water, too."

"Everything you were made for, I know you are not sure, so you play it safe, and try to run away."

"If you take that first step, into the unknown, He won't let you go ..."

"Step out even when it is storming, even when you are broken, even when your heart is telling you to give up.  When your hope is stolen, you can't see where you are going ... you don't have to be afraid.  So what are you waiting for?"


SOAK that up people.  Life lesson from a ten year old miracle.