A Dream and a Prayer

14 years ago Joshua and Autumn started violin lessons. It was a a tremendous help for our energetic 4 year old little who struggled with standing still and paying attention. He thrived at the discipline of learning to pay attention, follow instructions, and be rewarded with music coming from his bow!

Joshua is the big cheeks in the center.

At the age of 3, Autumn took to her violin right away and learned very quickly all the twinkles and a few of the first couple songs in her brother's Suzuki book. Both children had great teachers who made learning fun.

After moving from Wisconsin to Ohio, the children only had 2 years of violin under their belt.
Meanwhile, our family of four expanded to five and my husband took on the Pastorate at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Ohio.

My heart was for all the children to learn to play some sort of instrument. I found another teacher for Joshua and Autumn for a year. Then they had the opportunity to be in a Suzuki program about an hour drive from our home at Dennison University for 2 years.

I was able to enroll Timothy in that same program on the Cello . He was four at the time and loved it. By the end of the year, he was halfway through the first book.

Meanwhile, we also had a young lady in our church teaching piano to Carissa and Melody for a year when they 6 and 7 years old.

That year, I felt my dream for my children was being fulfilled...that each would have some musical opportunity.

Then came sickness...

That was the same year Autumn had her surgery. Life somewhat fell apart with the music lessons and focused more on surgery and a year of healing.

Before surgery

After Surgery

Our piano teacher moved, we had to leave the Suzuki program at Dennison because of finances and gas, and our family now had 7 children under 11 with one on the way. This  made it difficult to travel long distances AND I began to homeschool 5  students Kindergarden to 6th grade.

One year before I started homeschooling.

The Lord paid for lessons for Autumn and Joshua for a year at Muskingum University  in 2010, but for the last 3 years none of my children have been able to take lessons.

Now, I'm not complaining, I'm not whining... Because I know that God knows my heart and God knows what is best for my children.

But sometimes I look at Joshua and Autumn and feel like they are on a treadmill going no where musically. In other words, only playing at the level they know and nothing else. Many of the friends that we knew who were with my two oldest in violin are FAR more advanced and play so much more beautifully.

I remind myself to trust God  for He indeed has His plan for my children that far exceeds my own.

For example:  This summer, Melody expressed a desire to play the piano again and take lessons. I have wanted this for years, but it just was not financially in the budget. Melody and I sat down and prayed for God specifically to allow her to have piano lessons. And would you believe it? Not two weeks later we received a phone call from a dear couple who wanted to pay for Melody to have lessons for a year.

Neither of us had expressed that desire to anyone expect God....

I am convinced that God does care and is working.

My children may not have all that I dream for them, but God has HIS plan for them which is so much better.

Joshua and Autumn still play their violin in church for the glory of God,  Melody gets to have piano lessons for a year, and through this experience, Serenity and Timothy are getting piano lessons for at least one semester.

Autumn is going to start teaching Stephen and Mercy what she knows on the violin.

What about Carissa? She enjoys science, loves to write, and has a beautiful voice. Her dream? Voice lessons.

God is so good to us. I am excited to see what God's plan is for our children this year.

What about you?

Has God given you a dream for your children? Continue on! I know through experience that He truly is in control and has a wonderful plan.

Cassandra