We’ll be putting the song on our favorite site: NoiseTrade.com, which will also feed into Facebook, Twitter, and whatever other social media sites you use (Xanga, anyone?)

STAYED TUNED.

Grace & Peace,
Dc

Right now, we’re looking at 8 songs.  These songs mean a lot to me, and in many ways, they represent a season and place in my life.

I can’t wait to share them with you soon!

Grace & Peace,
Dc

Grace & Peace,
Dc

Here’s one of those songs for me.  It’s an acoustic version of Jonsi’s “Tornado”.  I love the original album version, but this interpretation solidified how much this song meant to me.  I don’t know if it’s the simplistic chord progression, the introspective lyrics (I love the last line: “I wonder if I’m allowed just ever to be”), or the sustained sound of the piano.

You can’t always pinpoint it, but you know it when you have it. Enjoy.

Grace & Peace,
Dc

Grace & Peace,
Dc

(Look for the shot of my parents)

Grace&Peace,
Dc

Here’s another original tune filmed by Patrick Gines.

Grace & Peace,
Dc

Thanks to my dear friend Patrick Gines for his brilliant video skills.  More videos from his project coming soon.

Patrick’s site: http://patrickgines.com/

Grace & Peace,
Dc

That quote is remarkably true, especially when it comes to raising kids.  That’s a saying my mom told me around the time our daughter, Kylie, was born.  I’ve never forgotten it.  It’s strange to see it playing out in our life now.  There are those days that seem to never end (especially when the kids are really young – sleepless nights, etc).  Those days when you wonder if you’re going to make it as a parent.  Those days when your kids are about you to send into an insane asylum…

But yet the years fly by.  It’s funny how life works that way.

Linds and I watched our daughter turn 5 last wk.  (Five, really?  Kindergarten, already!  How did this happen?) In those five short years, God has used this little girl to teach me so much about Him, and myself.  Oh, how God uses these little people to teach us such HUGE lessons!   I always tell people that God uses my incredible wife, and my two kids to help sanctify me (make me more like Christ) more than anyone else.  How grateful I am for God bringing them into my life.  How underserving I am.

Our daughter Kylie is such a joy to us, such a gift.  She has amazing honesty, creativity, and beauty.  She already demonstrates compassion towards others, and is very affectionate (occasionally too affectionate to some of her male counterparts!)  She’s curious, wants to know how things work.  She can also be quite stubborn, and likes to push boundaries (like both of her parents).

Last wk, I took some time to reflect on the last five years.  There’s been many tears of joy, laughter, and fond memories.  I’ve also made plenty of mistakes along the way. Through it all, there’s a couple lessons that God brought to mind, that I thought I’d share w. you:

1. Kids are incredible gifts from God, but NOT God.
+  It’s so easy for parents (especially in American culture) to make kids the center of your life, and make life all about them.  They rule your schedule, they consume your thoughts, time, energy, and money.  You want them to “have the best”, and soon you live vicariously through them.  All of these things may sound noble – but it’s extremely dangerous to make them your god.  Our first love should be Christ. He deserves our best, our most, our all.  The awesome thing I’ve learned over the years is that the more time I spend with HIM, the better Daddy I am to my little girl.  I’m more patient, loving, kind, caring, compassionate.  When I’ve made Kylie my “god” it’s disastrous for her because she could never live up to that pressure.

2.  Kids need to see their parents loving and serving the Lord.
+  It’s scary how much kids mimic their parents!  The good, the bad, and the ugly – kids pick up on it. Quickly.  That’s why it’s so important for parents to demonstrate a love for the Gospel, and a demonstration of serving others in the name of Christ.  Our son, Reed (3), wakes up pretty early – around 6 am, most mornings. It used to drive me crazy because that was during my Bible study/quiet time.  I would seriously get upset w. him when he would come down from his room that early – “this is Daddy’s time w. God.”  Linds and I do Bible time w. the kids at night; morning time is my time.  One morning, God got my attention when Reed got up early, sat down next to me and asked me if he could “read the Bible with me…”  Wow.  God was showing me what an idiot I can be.  I have just a couple years where my son wants to sit on Daddy’s lap and read the Bible and pray – and I was missing it!  Needless to say, Reed joins me more than half the time now, and I love it.  (Most mornings…)

3. Kids need to see Mommy & Daddy loving each other.
+  I can’t stress this one enough because I think this one is so easily neglected or even forgotten.  When you have kids – there are moments when you forget you’re married.  I know that sounds terrible, but for those that are parents – you know what I mean.  Your spouse can quickly become a glorified roommate, and your mission is to not completely screw up this human being that God has given to you.  About a year after Kylie was born, Lindsey and I realized that our communication sucked, we were never going out on dates, and we had this little girl around all the time.  Here’s the bottom line: Marriage takes work, and kids don’t make it any easier. We learned that hard truth, and started doing the hard work.  Now, years later, while our marriage certainly isn’t perfect – we love each other more now than ever, have great communication, and are dating regularly.   MEN – TAKE YOUR WIFE OUT ON DATES!   They will never turn you down.  Book the date, pick her favorite place, line up a baby sitter, and make it happen.  Having a date night twice a month has served us tremendously.  If you can make it happen every wk – go fot it, but every other wk is what’s worked for us.  Don’t feel guilty about leaving the kids for a night – it’s good for them.  Also – when you go out on dates, don’t talk about the kids the entire time.  Talk about what God is doing in your life, your dreams for the future; talk about music, art, friends, church, anything other than Baby Einstein, changing diapers, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Jack Johnson songs that your kid thought was cool. Kids need to see Mommy and Daddy kissing each other, showing affection, holding hands in public, and going out on dates WITHOUT THEM.

4.  Girls need to hear “I’ll protect you”, boys need to hear “I’m proud of you”, and both need to hear “I love you”.
+ The last few years I’ve learned how absolutely different boys and girls are.  Part of the difference is how they need to be loved and shown love.  Kylie has shown me that she needs a Daddy to protect her, and keep her safe.  By God’s grace and through His help I will always strive to do that and be that for her. It’s not that she’s afraid or scared – but there’s something within her, deep down, wanting her father to keep her safe.  Girls need that sense of security, and God chose fathers to be that earthly figure for them as the grow. What a gift God has given us to show them that.  Boys, on the other hand, need to know that their daddy is proud of them.  I’ve learned that there’s nothing more that we want to hear from our fathers than the words “I’m proud of you, Son”. There’s something inside of us that is screaming for our fathers to say those words and have them ring true. I’m grateful that my dad modeled that, and passed that onto me.  I hope to do that for Reed as well.  And still – both need to hear the words “I love you.”  Parents: let there never be a day we don’t tell our children we love them!  What a joy we get to share w. them, as God shares w. us His love.

I’m still learning.  Almost daily it seems.  Nothing new here, nothing brilliant, just life lessons that God has taught me by His grace and through these incredible little humans.

Grace & Peace,
Dc