Music

My oh My!! Where did the summer go?  I can honestly say that we didn't really get a summer break.  We did get to enjoy a week in Avila!  That was the best vacation we have ever taken.  It was so nice to not have plans, sleep in, and just enjoy where the day took us!  It was so nice coming home feeling totally refreshed and connected as a family.  

The week after we got home began a horrendous string of dental appointments. I will just sum it up this way:  

• Nathaniel- one cleaning, two cavities, 3 appointments total 
• Janell- one cleaning, one orthodontic consultation, 4 appointments to get palate expander going, one appointment to get 3 teeth pulled,  6 appointments total
• Me- one cleaning, two cavities, referral to dr. in Fresno for gum grafts, surgery on two teeth,  5 appointments total with 3 more still scheduled as follow up.

So, I'm sure you get the picture.  This was the dental summer I suppose.  Which is a big deal because I fear the dentist, I fear teeth, and I get anxious taking the kids in while secretly I am thankful it's not me.  I put on my happy face for them explaining what is going to be happening.  Thankfully, we all made it through like troopers!  We are Crabtree's hear us roar!

While the kids and I were busy in the dentist office, Jason was busy working on his music.  He is blessed with an amazing gift for writing and playing music.  With this gift he also has a very humble spirit about it.  It is not about him but about how God is using him through music.  In the last 15 years Jason has taught himself to play guitar and started to write music.  He started leading worship in the high school group and through hard work and a servant's heart he has become the worship pastor at our church.  Jason used to tell me that if something ever happened to me or the kids he would never play guitar again.  He would stop the music.  

On February 18th, Jason found himself waiting in a small room by himself while I was prepping for a c-section.  He was only supposed to be in there for about 20 minutes.  However that changed when I had to be put under.  Jason spent about an hour and a half by himself while I was delivering Madelynn, all the while knowing that our little girl was not going to be with us.  During that time he prayed and read scripture.  The verse, Romans 8:38-39, came to him and became a life verse for us.  

"I'm absolutely convinced that nothing- living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable- absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.  God is calling His people.   

The Message Bible

He shared with me later that during those times he found himself not shunning music but rather having a strong to desire to play his guitar.  He just wanted to be playing.  Even during this time of the unthinkable, God was pressing upon him the desire to play music.

I was home for eight weeks to recover from the c-section.  It felt like life had come to a screeching halt.  We had lost our baby girl, Madelynn and a lifetime of memories that were to have been made.  Things had changed.  We started having talks about how we needed to prioritize our lives.  Things had gotten so busy and cookie cutter.   During this time Jason and I started to talk more about his music.  This came out of conversations about how we wanted to be in God's will and really wanted to live a life pleasing to Him. How could we be used during this tragic experience, how would God bless others through Madelynn?  

He had been in bands in the early years of our marriage and then on and off again through the years. Some time had passed since he focused on writing.  In these conversations we realized the importance for Jason to focus again on writing his own music.  He has so much to share.  Jason is so blessed to have a job where he gets to do what he is really passionate about, which is leading others into worship of our God.   Now we left like he needed to write more.  I told him I didn't want him to reach the end of his life and wished he would have done more with music.  After our talks we worked on getting things set for him to have a place to write and record his new music.  The office (and somehow the dining room) became a music room for him.  Jason started making connections with people and setting up times to play.  Last night he played at Cappela Coffee House in Exeter.  I have to admit it was so fun to see him up there playing.  He has a natural ability and talent which shows while he plays.  He is at ease playing and singing music.  Here he is playing.

  

I'll wrap this up.  I've been blessed to have a husband who seeks the will of God in our lives.  I'm just an excited wife that's so proud of her husband and how he's using his gifts.  There are so many new songs to share through what God is teaching us.  I look forward to seeing where God leads Jason through music!  If you have some time, check out his song, "Slow Down."

Thanks again to everyone who has come alongside of us during this time in our lives!  

We love and appreciate your kind words and prayers.

Continuing to find the blessings,

Denise