Tortillas and Cornbread

On January 29, we had our Spanish Parent-Baby Dedication. It was a really sweet service. As the Pastor had me pray for my daughter and went over the list of my responsibilities as a parent, I really started thinking of what I really want my kids to learn. What is really important? Ranita and I take this verse to heart…..

1 Samuel 1:27-28

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

Here is a list of what I hope to teach them.

1. Have an attitude of Thankfulness to God. When they wake up, I often sing songs like, “Rise and Shine and give God the glory, glory.” Then we start singing, “This is the day”. The song that makes them the most happy is “My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do….” They can be frowning and I can start singing this song and they will get the biggest smiles ever. I want to teach them that Praising God and an attitude of Thankfulness is a 24/7 attitude. I want them to understand that no matter the circumstances, good or bad, our God is worthy to be praised.

2. Pray without ceasing. I want them to understand that nothing is too small to pray about. When I was on missions in Alaska, the Pastor lived a perfect example of this. I was telling him that the big summer event, (bonfire on the beach) was that night and it was looking like it was going to rain. Now my dilemma was in this area it didn’t rain very much and the water that they lived by was rain water, so they were in desperate need for rain. He stopped right then and there and prayed for the rain to come, but to hold off until the bonfire was over. I often try to remember that we can pray at any time about anything. God is our Father and he loves to be an active part of our lives

3. Never Stop Dreaming. God’s vision for our lives is much bigger than we can ever imagine. Find what you are passionate about and reach for that goal. You have everything that you need to succeed in your passion for life. God has given you every gift you need for what He has in store for you.

4. It’s ok to say “no”. It is ok to say “no” to anything that you don’t feel is right. Sometimes to say no, means taking the road less traveled or less popular. Be humble, but stand for what you believe in. But always have respect for others and treat them with dignity.

5. You are beautiful just the way you are. God knew you before He formed you in the womb. He loves you very much and you are his creation. Be happy and confident in who you are. Don’t ever feel ashamed of where you came from. You don’t have to be perfect, just be you. We are proud of you! Don’t ever doubt that.

6. Family is forever. Always remember that you were wanted and you are loved. No matter what mistakes we make, we will always be family. You father and I will always be on your side. There are times that we will make mistakes in the way that we talk to you or understand a situation, but what we do, we do out of love. There are going to be times that we have to discipline you, but it is because we love you. Much like our Heavenly Father. There are times that we may not understand or agree with His plan, but he knows what is best for us. We just need to follow His way. It is much better than our ideas.

7. Don’t hold grudges. The only person this hurts is you.

8. Be happy and content with what you have. You have been blessed. There are so many people that love you and want the best for you. You may not have every material item that you want, but you have plenty. Take what you have and use it to bless others.

9. Always remember to put God first. He will show you the way. He will never fail you.

So the baby dedication was really nice. Several of our friends came. Our friends Shannon and Andres from Sweet Spot Confections made the cake for us and it was very tasty! My sister-in-law Nancy made some really cute cookies for us to give out as the “recuerdos”. We also had some crosses to give out as well. After the service, there was a luncheon with some really good food.

Pastor Harper

Elida, Karen and David

Thanks Nancy for making the cookies for me

Kara and Brandon

Harry and Regina

Stanley and Tana Lee

They were so good during the service. We made it the whole way without too much noise. My bag was armed with toys.

Later that day, we went to my husband’s soccer game. It got a little cool, but not to worry, we had our warm outfits.

After the game, we went back to mom and dad’s house to celebrate the addition of Anna and Charity to our family. They have been with us since they were 6 weeks old and now it official..they are a Reeves. I am so excited for my brother and his family. We all love these girls so much.