My princess, My daughter

My apologies to my beautiful daughter----April Michelle Tinsley..........

I have been so busy, that my birthday blog is a few days late. But here is a few thoughts about my princess!!!!!

When our little girl was born, she was supposed to be a Whitney. But all it took was one look and I knew that she was not a Whitney. So, for the next few hours - we had the task to find a new name for our new baby girl. Looking in the book of names, the name April popped up. Since, we got married in April, and now our first child was being born in April. Also, that was the month of Scott and I first date.

The meaning of "April" in the English means "friendship". In the Latin meaning aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. Often the word is connected to the season of Spring......

So, as we looked down and saw the strawberry-blonde, curl on the top, and we knew it was right.......April Michelle Tinsley came into our lives and we were forever changed.......

It takes many special qualities

To make a daughter like you,

A lot of care and kindness

And understanding, too...

It takes a special kind of love

That seems to know no end

And the thoughtfulness and patience

Of a true and trusted friend...

It takes many special qualities

To make a daughter like you.....

So, for you April on your birthday....you are getting something I don't share with a lot of people. You are getting something I wrote just for you.......

The sunshine of your precious smile could melt the coldest heart.

Do you know how much you mean to me?

As you grow into what you will be.

You came from within, from just beneath my heart

it's there you'll always be though your own life will now start.

You're growing so fast it sends me awhirl,

With misty eyes I ask, Where's my little girl?

I know sometimes to you I seem harsh and so unfair,

But one day you will see, I taught you well because I care.

The next few years will so quickly fly,

With laughter and joy, mixed with a few tears to cry.

As you begin your growth to womanhood, this fact you must know,

You'll always be my source of pride, no matter where you go.

You must stand up tall and proud, within you feel no fear,

For all you dreams and goals, sit before you very near.

With God's love in your heart and the world by its tail,

You'll always be my winner, and victory will prevail.

For you this poem was written, with help from above,

To tell you in a rhythm of your Mother's heartfelt Love!

I love you more than you know, You are beautiful to me,

Just look into my eyes, see how I see you,

A beautiful princess, with beautiful eyes that shine with my love and my light,

I love you, and I will say it again, I love you,

My princess, my beloved,

My precious daughter..........April

Living Expectantly!!!

Look around you: so many of the people you know live without hope. They smile but their eyes are dead; they talk but the music has left their voice. They're like mannequins, all dressed up and going nowhere---they feel hopeless!!

Our hope isn't luck, it's expectancy; it's confidence that God will do what He's promised!

Hebrews 10:23 (New King James Version)

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

What keeps us going? "God's promises!"

Nobody knew this better than David; he'd every reason to lose hope.

After God anointed him to be King, he waited 7 more years while a paranoid leader occupied the throne. He had to flee for his life and hide in caves surrounded by enemies. He saw Israel devastated by war, his friends killed and his family taken captive.

Psalm 42:10 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁰As with a sword [crushing] in my bones, my enemies taunt and reproach me, while they say continually to me, Where is your God?

Faced with circumstances that would wipe most of us out, David still said,

Psalm 71:5 (New King James Version)

⁵ For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
You are my trust from my youth

David became Israel's greatest king because he never lost his confidence in God: it kept him focused; it kept him on top of the circumstances; it kept him going!

Hebrews 10:23 (New King James Version)

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Because God will keep every promise He's made to you!!!

Hope motivates us to keep going and not give up. Without hope we don’t want to do anything.
Peanut’s cartoon: Lucy and Linus were sitting in front of the television set when Lucy said to Linus, "Go get me a glass of water." Linus looked surprised, "Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me."

"Lucy promised, "I’’ll bake you a cake." Linus got up, headed to the kitchen and said, "Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to."

Do you have a steadfast unshakable hope in God? Hope not only opens the door to receive a touch from God, hope also moves you through the door.

Like Linus, when you have hope you’re willing to get up and do something.

Wait.....

Exodus 2:1-3 (New Living Translation)

¹ About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married.

² The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months.

³ But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.

This story begins with the story of Moses. But I think it is the story for every Christian mom. We raise our kids as best we can and try to protect them as much as possible from the temptations and the world. We raise them to know God’s ways. But eventually, there comes a time when we have to let them go out into the world – perhaps it is to day care, perhaps to a sleep over, perhaps to high school or college. All we can do is make sure we protect them as much as possible, surround them with love and God’s grace and cover them with prayer, just as Moses’ mom made sure that basket was covered in pitch. Then, it is up to God, who never sleeps and has a plan for them, to watch over their journey.

I think it may also be true for our talents. When they are newly produced through the Holy Spirit, we need to nurture them. Perhaps we hear God whispering, “Wait-not quite yet. I’ll tell you when it is time to share this.” God knew when the Pharaoh’s daughter would be at the riverbank to see Moses floating in the basket. He instilled in her heart the desire to receive Moses. If Moses’ mom had released him too soon, those opportunities might not have happened, and who knows where Moses would have ended up.

God gives us our talents, our lessons and our life experiences. Let Him also give you the time to share them with others and touch hearts for Him. Give them time to grow and mature, then He will prepare the right method of delivery and the right circumstances for it to be received, used and blessed.