The Sweetest Song

Dear Anika,

"Her children show their appreciation and her husband praises her." (Proverbs 31:28)

While we were playing last Saturday evening, you suddenly cried out, "Mama, please take my picture." I thought you just wanted me to take a photo of your make-believe mermaid costume. And then you suddenly belted out the sweetest song. it truly is the best song composed for me and me alone.

I thank you Anika for appreciating me as young as you are. I am so thankful to God that you are growing up to be appreciative of the people who love you. I love you, anak!

Love,

Mama

Spunk, Fearless And Another Kind of Confidence

Dear Anika,


"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. (Psalm 118:8-9)


You like playing flying games with me and your Papa. Your Papa would carry you from your armpit and I would carry your feet, you would then raise your arms forward and say, "Look Mama and Papa, I am flying!" after which the three of us would burst out laughing.

You are not afraid at all when we play these games because you are confident that we will not let you anything happy to you. So when we went to Dahilayan Park in Bukidnon for a zip line adventure, you were not at all afraid to try it. You excitedly wore your helmet and then your harness. I, on the other hand, was so scared for you. I'm so used to these kinds of adventure but having you with me was a different story. I know that if something happens, there is very little that I can do to save you. All I could do then was pray that the odds will be in our favor.

Good thing the odds were in our favor. We had a good landing and the view from up there was fantastic! The only thing that must have bothered you were the raindrops that were landing on your face. You wanted to stop after the first course but despite that you still continued on. Now that to me is spunk.

From the moment you started asserting your independence it was very evident that you are the type of person who when you set your eyes on a goal, you would see to its fulfillment. You didn't back out even when you were afraid. You did not cry even if the rain kept pounding on your face. But more importantly you are still willing to fly all over again.

That is confidence! Your Nanay Neil and Grammy Daisy even said that you are oozing with confidence. People see that in you. People feel it too. I'd like to think that your confidence comes from knowing how much your Papa and I love you. That is good!

But this is what I want you to learn when you're older... The best kind of confidence is the kind of confidence that comes from knowing God and how much He loves you. The kind of confidence that comes from knowing who you are in the eyes of God - that you are His beloved, His chosen and precious one. I hope you will not miss that.

I too showed confidence at a young age. Just like you, I was fearless and I had spunk. But I lost some of it along the way. I lost it when I realized how broken I was. I lost it when everything that holds dear to my heart, were slowly evaporating in my eyes. When I had lost everything, I have gained the Very One thing that I needed the most and that is having God in my life. He brought back the shattered pieces and put it all together and created a new me. I have gained back my confidence but a different one. This is the kind of confidence that does not rely on one's strength but on God's strength. It is the kind of confidence that is eternal.

My dear Anika, I am proud that you are growing up to be a very confident little girl but my hope and prayer is that you will become a confident woman of God in the future.


Love you always and forever,
Mama

I Honor You...

Dear Anika, 


 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) 


Happy birthday Nika! You are now three years old and you continue to amaze me. I'm writing to you today to honor you as this is part of our way of life that we want you to embrace as well in the future. 


First of all I'd like to honor you for being a source of joy to us. You make us so happy and you make us laugh as well. As young as you are, you already possess a very good sense of humor. I wonder where you got it?  I love the sound of your laughter, it is so infectious. Despite your "kakulitan", you never fail to delight us. 

Second, I'd like to honor you for your sweetness. You are very affectionate and you are not afraid to show us your love through your actions. You always surprise me with a kiss on my hand, a peck on my cheek and a big bear hug. When I cry, you always look at me with sympathetic eyes as if you are saying, "Mama it's ok, I am here." I love it when you put your arms around me when we sleep or when you hold my hand when we're watching a movie.  

Third, I'd like to honor your for your teachability. You have a very sharp mind because you are so open to learn new things. You get so excited about new learnings. Last Friday, I was teaching you about constellations and your were jumping up and down whenever I point to you a new formation of stars. Also because of your teachability you are becoming more and more independent. You already know how to put on your clothes and even your shoes. I am so confident that you can survive the world when it's time for you to swim on your own. 

Lastly, I would like to thank you for being my best friend. You are not only my daughter but my best friend as well and I will always be thankful to God for you. You are God's gift to us and you will always be our baby even if you are 40.  


Love you always and forever, 
Mama