A Graduate's Prayer

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A Graduate's Prayer

Dear Lord,

As I look toward the future

Bright hope conducts this prayer,

For I know the plans You have for me

Were wrought with divine care.

Holy Spirit, lead me.

Let me run at Your command,

Yet be still and know that You are God

When trouble is close at hand.

Your Word will be a lamp for me,

A guide to light my way,

A solid place to set my feet,

A compass when i stray. 

May i live my life to praise You,

Not for fortune, nor for fame,

May everything I say and do

Bring glory to Your name.

May my eyes stay fixed upon You

As I seek the way that's pure,

Tasting Your love and goodness

Sleeping and rising secure.

Planted by Your living streams

I'll delight in all Your ways,

Hidden by Your sheltering wings

With new mercies for each day.

Even in a dangerous land

When storms threaten to destroy,

At the cross I'll stand upon the Rock

My Strength, my Hope, my Joy.

Dear Lord, show me Your favor,

At all times keep me blessed,

May Your face ever shine upon me,

With peace and perfect rest. 

Amen.

--Mary Fairchild

Byrd. Bubz. Bay

Goofing around on our way home from church.

Our prayer for our children is that they be extensions of God's love to the world. 

As parents, we owe it to them to be happy, nurturing, loving and well balanced.

We pray that they thrive in our home and that it leads them to greatness.

Above all we want them to see first hand and experience, 

behind the scene, true joy, liberating peace and

freeing hope that comes only from

living in fear of God!

God is KEY!

Don't be afraid to walk the unknown with God.

When we think of the future, tomorrow, next month or the next milestone in life we tend to get nervous, anxious or worrisome. Being unsure of what the future holds or what it will bring gives us an uneasy feeling. It is the fear of the unknown. Just as no one likes walking around in a dark room, we also don't like not knowing what our next move is. 

We find ourselves at the crossroads of our decision making. When choosing between paths that will impact our lives, it is difficult. It is a choice one has to make in prayer as well as deep thought. We have to weigh our choices, we have to consider all our options, we have to take the time to contemplate. All things considered, one fact remains, the future is still unknown. We keep chasing our own thoughts in circles about the what if's, our minds are running a hundred miles a minute and it remains unclear. 

Our minds must come to a halt! Remind yourself to breathe! Relax...

Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves with our own plans, that we forget to fit God into our plans! We all know the theory of creation versus the theory of evolution. As believers we know God created all things. Nothing can come from nothing, God had a plan from the beginning of existence. He had a plan when He created the Earth. He also has a plan for us now. He had a plan when He sent His only son as a sacrificial lamb and He also has another plan for you. You are where God wants you to be at this very moment! Believe that.

Yes, the anxiety of not knowing what may come can be overwhelming. But you are not facing the unknown alone. God is asking you to trust Him, for He holds the future in the palm of His hands. How can we doubt that He knows what is best for us. If He brought you to it, He will bring you through it. It's a matter of trusting Him and accepting His outstretched hand. 

For example, when two love stricken teenagers fall in love (or lust I should say) they are quick to be smitten with each other. They say all the I love you's in the world and make empty promises about following each other to the ends of the earth without a care in the world. Not only are they empty promises but they take the leap of faith because they are overcome by what they think is love. Sometimes it's blinding love, sometimes it's lasting, sometimes it's short lived and sometimes it purely blissful.

If we can remember our first so called earthly love, all those feelings rushing through us about finding "the one", those butterflies in our stomach just thinking about that person. The warmth in your heart and the way it skipped a beat when you saw them. Stealing as many moments as you can to be together. Just the mention of that person's name made you grin from ear to ear. Your heart smiled. That feeling, is the same feeling we should have with God. We ought to have that with Him.

We must fall truly, madly and deeply in love with God. Forsaking all others relationships, knowing that He is the key. Falling in love with God teaches us how to love ourselves, it teaches us how to love our spouses, how to love our children, how to love others. Falling in love with God teaches us about trust, loyalty, compassion, forgiveness and humility.

Once we love learn to love God with all we have, we worry not about the unknown. Come whatever may come our way but I am holding hands with the Master who owns all of it. See that is the key my friend! Don't wait til you have nothing before you figure out God is there. I had to learn that the hard way, with my back against the wall I had nothing but Jesus to reach out to, but it was then, in that moment that I finally realized, He was all I ever needed. I reached out that night and caught hold of His outstretched hand and I vowed never to turn my back on Him.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand"

Trust God with your plans today. He never changes, He remains the same. He proclaimed His love for you over 2000 years ago and not an ounce of that love has changed one bit. Do not fear and do not be anxious for what tomorrow may bring. Walk the unknown path knowing that God will never forsake you. God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever present. 

Don't tread water, go to the deep end!

Remember the last time we allowed fear to dictate our lives and our choices? When we allowed it to change our perspective instead of speaking faith over it. You see when we allow fear to seep into our hearts and minds, it can overcome our willpower to move forward. Allow God's promises to penetrate through our toughest fears. Allow it to speak to the very essence of our spirit. 

                      Isaiah 43:2 says.......

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." 

We've all faced some tough times in life, that is a given. I look back over my life and realize that when I allowed fear to affect my choices, the results were not as pleasing as when I allowed my faith to affect my choices. 

Looking at this verse tells us that God is with us through the deep waters of life, He is with us through the uncertainties of what may come our way and He is still with us when we walk through the fire. Holding on to that faith will help us face our trials. God is a man of His word, forever faithful to us.

During my divorce I was clueless as to who I was anymore. I was clueless as to what I was going to do at that point with my life. I feared what people would say about me. I feared the shame I brought onto my parents. I feared that I was unlovable. I feared the label my son would now have to bear. I feared my name being dragged through the dirt and being exposed to peoples judgments.

When bad things happen in our lives we automatically think God is punishing us. Or we tend to think, bad things happen as a result of our poor actions. All those thoughts crossed my mind at one point. Then I thought, sometimes it's not! We cannot change people or their actions. We cannot simply ball up and cry a river when things don't happen the way we want them to.

This is where faith comes in, God has a way of using our trials as a momentous faith booster. What some may see as punishment, God sees differently. God may be redirecting you. God may be saving you from further heartache and pain. God may be protecting you from something catastrophic. God may be helping you grow. God may be pushing your faith to the next level! He may be calling us to the deep. 

Our ways are not His ways!

In this moment, I chose not to allow fear to speak for me. I made a vow to God that I would not turn from Him when times got tough, like I'd normally do in my adolescence. No vacations from church to try and keep everything in secrecy. I chose to put my big girl pants on and carry on. The moment I made this vow to Him, was the moment my faith boosted and catapulted to greatness. It was here I had to lean solely on my faith in Him! God doesn't want us to tread water lightly, He wants us to grow where we are, go to the deep waters where our faith alone can save you! 

This verse is a promise that God will see you through anything! Nothing is too big for Him, literally! He is a sovereign God whose mercies are new to us, each day! Trust Him with whatever you are struggling with and see how He turns the situation around for you. Trust Him to fight your battles! Take the weight of what you are carrying and exchange it with His! For His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Allow Him to give you rest my friend! 

                 

Welcome to our DOMAIN

our humble abode.

New to this blogging world but i'm loving it. It's like journal in a sense. Freely express our opinions, our fears, our experiences, our struggles and our prayers. Share what works, what doesn't, what we've been through and where God has brought us from. You can keep up with #teamSialoi through our newly created domain. See how good God has been to us.

cultivate.

There is no life manual. There is no parenting handbook. There is no marriage 101 book. Our prayer is that you be encouraged, that you grow with us, that we be a Godly example through our family domain and that you be blessed. For the sake of privacy our children will go by Byrd, Bay, Bubz and Waka.

superman & mrs.x

Yes, I like those nicknames for the sake of our blog. Here's to our journey! Thank you for joining us on our excursion. We wish you all many blessings! You don't have to like this page. The power of internet is you have the power of control over what you see and read. We gave up social media for a reason and switched over to blogging. I still needed an outlet and God still is using me to encourage. So here we are. 

I remember.

This past weekend i enjoyed spending time with my Aunt Sina Uiese. I haven't seen my Aunt Sina in about 10 years. Since my Grandma Pue's funeral to be exact. My family and i enjoyed and laughed as we recalled the memories with our loved ones.

I remember. 

All the recipes my uncle tried to teach me over the years. At one point i did know how to make pagipopo magically; however, time and distance has taken its toll on my baking skills. 

I remember.

My Dad was good at making masi samoa with the recipe passed down from Uncle Uiese. I remember those days we'd spend making large quantities of those bad boys. Everyone had a role in our baking warehouse. Brad and my dad were the master bakers slaving away at making the dough, my brother Elvin was the baker who was responsible over the oven aspect of it all. I was simply the tester and the cleaner upper. Those were the days.

I remember.

My Grandma would spend endless hours in the kitchen to feed the multitudes who craved her cooking. This was not limited to just family either but friends and neighbors alike. 

I remember.

I had a journal with the recipes I collected from my Uncle and Grandma. I do regret not taking better care of that journal, especially now that they have passed on. 

I remember.

This past weekend my Aunt Sina reminded me that we shouldn't leave this world and take our talents but we ought to share them. Which is the gift my Uncle and Grandma shared often and proudly. Thank you for the talent Aunty Sina, I am proud to say i tried your two recipes after you left. I am proud that i got to try it. I am sorry i messed up my puligi by leaving out an ingredient which my husband reminded me about. 

I'll never forget. I will perfect my baking skills! I am determined.

Prom. blog 3.three.3

Faith with her Fashionista

It's that time of year for high school juniors and seniors. Prom with all its glamour and excitement for the attendee is a rite of passage. It's Faith's senior year and all the festivities surrounding the end of the year has been surreal. 

Her excitement about Prom has been building up. I am proud she worked hard to get here. Had her grades not been above average, there wouldn't even be a "Prom" blog. Faith knows that first hand. LOL

Semi-liked this

I didn't have the prom experience so I'm ecstatic that I get to witness it through my big kid sister/daughter/pradasgucci [insider]. Prom for parents behind the scene is chaotic, stressful, loud, and moody. I dare not sugar-coat it.

And i won't! I dare not.

From the countless pictures we've previewed and gawked over before actually putting our search into action, it's been a whirlwind. 

High school girls are bipolar when it comes to prom dressing. 

One day they envision a certain style, the next day it changes. One instance we are going for the strapless look, then before we know it we change it to halter top, sleeve, spaghetti, sleeve-less and so on and so forth. 

My pick

Four stores, 30 plus dresses, 3 dresses on hold, 3 days later....we are still on the prowl for the perfect dress. 

I'm beginning to question my sanity with Faith. While Bay-Lee is wearing thin on her patience she is arduous in her search for the perfect prom dress.

I hope Faith treats us to Starbucks or a spa day for all our efforts. LOL Even if it's on my own account. Sike! This ought to come out of her own pockets.

Needless to say, i hope this journey ends sooner rather than later and i hope she can finally say "Yes!" to the dress. A dress. Any dress. 

Indigo, deep blue

Our search is taking us to the Garment District in LA. Which is my last ditch effort. I'm not too fond of traveling that far to shop but what can i do? What do you tell an overly excited teenager? Who is looking forward to Prom 2015? 

As stressful as times like these can be, it's also a time for us to reflect and remind ourselves that our children deserve the best. They deserve this rite of passage that has been passed on generation after generation. 

Looking back at the beginning of Faith's senior year, we were unsure if we'd be here and now. 

Not only was it a fight to the death to get her back into Vista, it was also a fight to catch up and make sure we have enough credits. Talk about not believing in someone, I had to literally argue, plead, raise my voice and get teary eyed to budge Faith's counselor for an opportunity for her. Thank God for working behind the scenes for us. 

Doing what i do best, directing

If anyone ever needs help looking and reviewing credits in and out, don't ask me. Seriously.

Sometimes i had to gently remind Faith's counselor (who will remain unnamed) that I checked and re-checked her graduation status. Talk about someone who is in the wrong line of duty. ugh!

Peachy.

Unbeknownst to Faith's counselor, she would beat the odds and work hard and stay up late to ensure this moment, would happen. Treasure this moment.

With God, all things are possible! Hard work, dedication and fervent prayer brought you here Faith. You have a countdown til June 4th and it will be here before we know it. 

Like i always tell you, make good choices because it either makes you or breaks you. Don't let up because that it when the enemy strikes. 

As our search continues....i will keep you posted! *eyes rolling*

Mom blog 2.two.2 #teamSialoi

Mom, defined. 

A woman in relation to a child whom she has given birth to. 

The female parent. A woman who has the responsibility of physical and emotional care of a child. 

A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother.

Mom, self defined.

Mom is the woman who raised me. She may not be the woman who birthed me but she is the woman who loved me. The selfless person who put my needs before her own. The woman who taught me love, unselfishness, trust, to honor God and to serve others. The woman whose arms comforted me and consoled me. Whose arms possess strength, patience, endless love, courage and gentleness. The woman who taught me right from wrong. The God-fearing woman who led me to Christ through her prayers and most of all her actions.

Mom, pictured.

Mom, hardship.

This year marks 10 years since my mom had a devastating stroke in 2005. Since that life-altering experience, we've endured a lot. Our roles may have switched in the sense of caretaker and provider; however, i will forever be indebted to her. All the sacrifices she made for me, all the prayers she offered up every morning with my father. Even though Dad has gone on to greener pastures, my Mom still continues her early morning prayer ritual. 

Mom, celebrated.

I thank God for my Mom. Her incredible strength is evident in her contagious smile. Hearing her every morning, reminds me of God's faithfulness. His healing upon her body, most importantly, her spirit. My mother, as well as my father, taught me life is about the simple things. It's humbling to know that with all my Mom has endured, she is always happy. Even with all that she has lost, her spirit remains unmoved.

All Mom's, treasured.

As we come upon Mother's Day 2015, reflect and treasure your Mom. Time is of the essence and life is just too short. Take the time to love on your Mom, don't take her for granted. Sometimes we are busy with our own lives that we often forget our Mom's are getting older and they won't be here forever. Mom's are the constants in our lives. They are guaranteed support, adviser's, cheerleader's, babysitter's, personal assistant's, cook's and sometimes our maid's. We always tend to think they will always be there, until one day they are gone. Then we find ourselves wishing we could rewind the clock. Stop what you are doing and just hug your mom! They truly make the world go round.

Mom, loved

[insert picture of you and your mom]

Having a blended family has been one the greatest blessings in my life. I look at Faith, Bay-Lee, Elvin & Avi and Praise God! I praise God for the children that God has blessed me with. I praise God for the opportunity to influence, to nurture, to guide, to support, to encourage, to mold and to promote their lives. We thrive on the notion that God is the KEY, in order for anything to succeed. He is the key for our marriage to succeed, He is the key for our household to succeed, He is the key for our children's goals to succeed. God doesn't need to be prioritized, He doesn't belong on a list or compared to other things in our lives, He is the KEY to all things.

To blend, is to combine together. Our blended family starts with the union of man and wife. My husband and I have been happily married for a little over 2 years. Within that time frame, God has doubled our territory and has blessed us with a 17 year old teenager, 2 middle school students aged 11 & 12 and a kindergartner aged 5. Our morning route consists of 4 traffic lights, 5 stops signs, 3 schools, and 4 eager scholars who are definitely not morning people. Some people complain about the hassle, but i find myself in constant praise. I praise God that He is using my husband and I as instructional aids to assist Him in leading our children along in this life. God being the divine teacher. His word being the textbook. The Holy Spirit being the counselor. Life is bliss. #teamSialoi