He will restore the years......

Those of you who are new to my blog can read about my son Taylor here and watch a video of a wonderful song he wrote based on Psalm 42 here. You can learn more about Caiti here.  I write about the little girls all the time.....they're home alot more than the teenagers.  So today: a little spotlight on the teens.  Taylor is 18 and Caiti is 16 and they have been such a blessing and joy to me through the years. Taylor graduates this year so every event has become a quasi-emotional breakdown fest. "This is the last time he'll" fill-in-the-blank......at least while he lives at my house.  These two are like the quintessential siblings.  They do almost everything together and truly do love each other and when Caiti gets her feathers ruffled (every morning when Taylor is running late for school) she nags and scolds him like a worn out housewife.  I've always said he'll make the perfect  husband and father (having had 3 sisters) or else he'll convert to Catholicism and join the monastery. One things' for sure, he knows high maintenance women inside and out.  I can hardly believe that these two are grown up.  It seems just yesterday I was taking this picture.
and walking on the beach with this little sweetie......
and buying batman paraphernalia for this one......
Where do the years go?  And through all the teaching and nagging do they know beyond a shadow of doubt how much they are loved?  Do they realize how many times I've cried out to God in desperation.......wishing that there was some way to take any heartache or sadness away?  Alas.  These moments of honest reflection are often swept away by, "Why do you keep leaving wet towels on the floor?" and "If you don't clean your room, I'm gonna take your cell phone away".  But sometimes in the quiet of the morning, when I reminisce about those years gone by.......I thank God for so much joy.   And I thank Him for the heartache too.  Because He has a way of turning sorrow to joy.  He alone will restore the years  the locusts have eaten. 
So when I see my children dressed like this and singing ancient songs in latin........
and when I see them all dressed up and enjoying their life and their friends.....
I can't help but be filled with joy.......that for a season......for a short time..........
they were in my trust.   I pray that where I have woefully fallen short, the Lord will fill in the gaps.  
and they will find their way.......and use their gifts.......to His glory.
Enjoy this short video of the chamber choir singing.  Taylor and Caiti both were selected for this audition choir at their high-school for the last few years.  And you'll easily be able to find Taylor.  He's the one that can't seem to sing without a lot of swaying.  He drives his choir teacher crazy ....but I think it's kind of adorable. 

 

And say this prayer this morning for your own children: taken from the Lutheran prayer book:

With joy and thanksgiving we praise You out of the fullness of our grateful hearts that You have gladdened our home and life with this child.  We know that this child is a gift of your bountiful hand.  Grant us grace and wisdom to bring up this precious soul in the knowledge and understanding of Your word.  Watch over them with your tenderest care and continued grace. 

As surely as You will endow them with faith and strengthen them in spirit, so too we pray too that You will endow them with a healthy body and strengthen and preserve them according to Your good and gracious will.  Grant that they may grow in favor with You and bring sunshine and joy into our hearts and homes.  Keep us all in Your grace, forgiving us daily our sins and filling our souls with peace.  You are our hiding place.  And now to You be praise, glory and thanksgiving, for this precious gift, this day and forever, through Jesus Christ, who is the Friend of children and Savior of all. Amen.