Tag Archives: birthday blessing for a son

To Rocky on the Occasion of His 30th Birthday

October 29, 20142 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Eventsbirthday blessing, birthday blessing for a grown child, birthday blessing for a son, rocky rhoades, son birthdayJeanie

He photobombs…that’s about right

Hey, Bo-bear. A belated Happy Birthday to my all-grown-up boy-child!

“It’s a boy,” they said, “you have a boy!”

There were already 3 adorable daughters. I figured baby #4 would be another little girl (and signal our final family addition). But no – a boy! I was in shock – happy, delirious shock. I thought they were just joking with me.

Rock and his cousins (Zach and Seth) at Zach’s wedding

I laughed and I cried, completely unaware of how many times in life you could, you would make me both laugh and cry, again and again. And almost always, on both counts – it has been with joy. Almost.

With youngest daughter, Bailey

I love you deeply, my son. I love you fully, handsome Rock-bo. I love you loudly, silly Bo-Bear. I love you a million times and ways. But since you’ve just turned 30, I’ll tell you 30 ways and whys about my love for you. And I’ll tuck in some prayers and blessings along the way. See here:

I love you. Because God trusted me to have a son, a boy! You get credit for this, even though it was God’s {total, complete, uttermost} blessing to me, on me. I love your drop-dead-gorgeous sisters, I do. And the girls would have been enough for a happy life and lovely familia. But I am so glad I got to observe the mystery of a man-in-the-making. It has been awe-inspiring!
You got your handsome dad’s coloring. You got those dimples, that brown skin, that head full of dark hair straight from your wholly-gorgeous dad. I have spent much of my life flanked by two unusually good-looking men!
You got my bold and fiery zeal and stubbornness And even though that has worried me at times, I think it looks really good on you. And watching you struggle to temper passion with life and love so gracefully has made me go easier on myself. I get your heart, Rocky Rhoades. I know how deeply authentic it is.
Which makes me realize how much I learn from you. You keep digging, you keep trying, you keep learning. You are relentless in pursuit of more knowledge and more understanding. No matter how skinned up your knees get, you jump straight back in to the fire of figuring things out. Keep at it, boy-of-my-heart. Get wisdom at all costs. It is the most important thing!
You get my heart. That is valuable to me. Sometimes you have called or popped in and just spoken a word in season to me, just been an encouragement. You have covered me in grace when my safe places have been plundered. You’ve been a friend when I have felt so unfriended and most unfriendly.
You smell so good. You were born smelling wonderful at 9:28 pm September 29, 1984 {{yes – I am a month late getting this posted}} and the combination of Baby Magic baby lotion and Millionaire cologne made you a magnet, even at a few weeks old. Now though, it’s that pleasing aroma, the one that makes God happy – as you share the knowledge of Him in the world. “Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field
that the Lord has blessed.” Genesis 27.27
You are so ornery. In pretty much the cutest way. Just remember this rule and we’ll get along fine: No tickling the mom, not ever! Got it?
As a little brother, you have achieved perfection. That is, if, in fact little brothers were created to torment, cajole, irritate and infuriate their big sisters. If that is the case, then you get the award. But oh my goodness, how those big sisters (Tara, Stephanie and Tredessa) love their little brother.
I made you a big brother, too. You’re welcome! And you took that teeny-tiny Stormie and led her on mad and dangerous roller-blading paths, into the workforce at far too young an age and up onto the worship stage. So you have been a really great big brother, too. She still looks up to you, and not just because you are taller.
I love how you always have something up your sleeve. You’re an idea-man, Chuck. And the thing is, no matter how far-fetched they might seem, you have the finagling-skills to bring a lot of them about. God just seems to meet you halfway on that stuff!
Like last year. You and I met at that little coffee shop to discuss and strategize how we could get you all new recording equipment and musical instruments. You laid it out for me that you needed new things, that you took good care of the items you had, but to get to the next level, new things were needed. Then, just a week or so later, the flood came in and washed away all your studio equipment. Then God put you in a place with state of the art recording equipment, a new office, new instruments, fresh opportunities. He likes your ideas, too.
You chose a good wife. I couldn’t ask for a more lovely daughter-in-law! Delight in her, Rock. Call her blessed, receive her love humbly, fully. She is a gift to you from God. That is the truth!
You have fathered 3 darling daughters. You are a blessed field (Genesis 27.27-20). Your quiver isn’t quite full yet (Psalm 127.3-5), but it is getting there. You are the handsome hero of their sweet little dreams, these three lively girls. You have fathered beauty, you have fathered power. {photo by Ashley Clark Haymore, thanks, Ashley!}
Your singing. You know I love your voice, I love to hear you sing. You’re one of my al-time favorites.
Your song. That is different. I am talking about the residual song of the Lord that echoes through the halls of your heart and draws people around you into the Presence. That’s your life. You were born for that. Let your song be heard, Rock-man. Let it bless the heart of God in His heaven and cause people here on earth to want to run to the Throne of Grace!
So let me bless you with my words, which are one of the most important things I can give to you: Be blessed, Rocky, in all you put your hand to this year, because this year is a building block to your bright, holy future. Be present in the now, in all the changes, new things, the learning curve, the challenges. For all that is to come will build on today. You will not be able to wholly, fully love and enjoy the “then and there” if you haven’t completely inhabited and embraced the “here and now.” Who said that? ME! This is true in all of life’s arenas: parenting, career, marriage, friendships, education…
Be blessed with courage, Bo-Bear. You are fully, completely able and were created to do things God thought up before time began. Your heart is beating – it is saying: Rocky has purpose! Don’t you doubt what God has decreed! You have been chosen by God, “….created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance” for you to do. (Ephesians 1:11-14; 2:8-10).
I bless you with God-given, more-than-we-could-think-or-ask opportunity! See it, seize it!
And may the LORD fill your new home with peace, joy and love, and make it a house of prayer that shines like a Kingdom-beacon in a dark, hopeless world. May all who enter the doors step smack-dab into the holy, joyous Presence of God and be awash in lightness and joy!
Your mommy loves you. I believe in you. I am here for you. “You are my son, chosen and marked by my love, the pride of my life” (Mark 1:11 MSG).
I am fully, head-first, completely willing to support you in the pursuit of your dreams and desires. I will clap and cheer, lend an ear, give advice, strategize (or as one motivational speaker referred to it: “hallucinate”) with you. Ha!
I pray that you will be firmly rooted and established in the love of the Lord – that you will really get how much He loves you, how high and how wide His love. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
And be filled, in Jesus Name, to the measure of ALL the fullness of God. All His fullness – in you! Can you even imagine? (same reference as above)
Be like Jesus, Rock-man. No one can find fault in Him. Grow in wisdom and stature, in favor with both God and man. (Luke 2:52)
May the Presence of the Lord go with you, work through you all of your days (Psalm 139:5-10)
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Number 6:24-26)
Be patient in all things, but eager, too. Wait on the Lord, but be ready when He calls.
Grace. Grace to you, Rocky! Grace as in “the empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit to be all God created you to be and to do all He created you to do!
And may you always find mercy in your time of need. I can tell you mercy is one of the most amazing things. Give it lots. Because over the course of our lives, we need so much of it!
And finally, my sweet boy, my honorable and honoring son who has my heart and soul for all times and seasons, I celebrate you on the occasion of the days and weeks and months that make up this 30th year of your existence. I agree with God for blessing and long life for you, for it to go well with you and for you to ENJOY the abundant life on the earth that Jesus came to give (Ephesians 6:2-3).

Happy Birthday, my Rocky~beloved son whom I love deeply.

Happy Birthday, Jovan’s Rocky~husband and protector, head of his home.

Happy Birthday, Averi, Amelie, and Bailey’s daddy~the fathering heart that will surround them all their days.

You’re 30 now. I watched God usher you in to manhood at the age of 18, ready and pure-hearted. Now, you are entering wisdom and a place spiritual fathering. God has given you a place in His courts (Psalm 84.10, Zechariah 3). It is fun to watch.

www.eldeenannette.com

Lots of words. Because. A month to think. Ha!

Happy {one-month late} Birthday, Rocky Rhoades. xoxo From the {mom}. :)

My Birthday Wishes for the Treasured & Deeply Beloved S-I-L, Dave

June 28, 20141 Christ is All, 2 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Events, 5 Songs I am Singing, 6 Looking Back // Memories!, Stuff I Actually Thinkbirthday blessing, birthday blessing for a son, birthday blessing for a son-in-law, dave and tara powers, dave powers, worship and the word movementJeanie

To celebrate the anniversary of your birth, I have words…

Of course, I do. Many words. Still, some 12 years since we met, I am so grateful you married our daughter and became a son to us. She wasn’t the only deliriously happy person about that, you know. You were an answer to prayers and a fulfillment of hope and Tara’s dream come true. :)

If for no other reason than that you chose my firstborn and love her so deeply (and have blessed us with two spectacular grandsons), I’d think you were extraordinarily smart and wonderful.

But there are many reasons I love and admire you and my heart is tender towards you.

There have been incredible times since you became one of us, since the early days when we could suddenly be in the room with you: you, so well-liked, so sought after and admired and we could know, beaming with pride, he’s one of ours. You married the beautiful Tara and got the bunch of us, foibles and frailties and all. As mother-in-laws go, too many times, I haven’t been the one I had planned I’d be and for that, I apologize. I hope for all the times I have failed to encourage and bless you and for all the times I may still let you down in this winding path called life, you can find it possible to forgive me.

But I hope you do realize that I love and admire you and my heart is tender towards you.

Thinking about you turning 33 has had me reminiscing {of course}.

Three sweet memories on your 33rd birthday

1// I remember years ago, when your hair was longer, some person(s) started referring to you as a surfer-dude, which was a totally erroneous label just because you have the ability to adapt immediately to culturally distinct people groups, one after the other, rather effortlessly. But was a silly summation.

Because, like Paul the Apostle, you can be Greek to the Greeks and a Roman to the Romans, skater to the skaters, or mighty man of prayer among the intercessors. You are fluent in joy-speak and compassion-mixed-with-mercy is a native tongue for you. Because you’re able to adapt and flow as easily among Christian-magazine-produced minister’s meetings as you are with well-known rockers-saved-by-grace backstage at festivals, an old-timer mistakes you for merely a surfer-dude, with no offense to surfer-dudes.

It may have never bothered you a bit, but it irked me that you might be boxed in.

Because the point was and is – the apostolic anointing, the call. You fit. You have what it takes to be part of many groups and streams and situations. I so very much admire your courage and ability in this.

2// I was also remembering a late summer night in 2006 in a barn east of Brighton. It was a night of ordination, really, doors open wide and the warmth of God’s smile permeating the atmosphere. The sun dropped slowly giving way to twinkling stars signifying God’s good pleasure as rich worship rose heavenward. I watched as you and Tara, in almost a second wedding ceremony of sorts, the sacredness so palpable, became wholly united (one voice, one heart, one mission), stepping out from the safe into the holy wild. Worship and the Word Movement revealed.

And those of us in that barn that night, the small group of us privileged to stand on that holy straw-strewn ground, were witnesses to divine oil poured out from heaven. We were the yes and amen as we watched this man and this woman courageously say YES with everything they had and we stood in agreement and echoed from our hearts, yes, so be it, Lord.

You had already gathered the familia around your table a month earlier and we’d spoken blessing and prayed over you, then, for this movement-to-be. But the barn night, it was a night of nights, as we all watched you emerge, your voices blended, such power pulled from deep places of humility. You could practically hear a thunderous “This is my beloved Dave and Tara, in whom I am well-pleased.”

It was one of the most amazing and powerful nights I’ll live, I guess. I was so honored to get to be there, watching, pondering, treasuring the beauty of God’s call on you both, as one. So grateful I got to witness the birth of something of this magnitude, so full of favor.

Philippians 1:3-6 – “I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers…I always pray with joy…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

3// Then there was this festival we did together.

Man, those years meant so very much to me. In case I ever forgot to tell you or if time and circumstance has obscured the telling, thank-you for letting me be a part. I mean – God gave me something to share there, but how many men would be brave enough to let their mother-in-law be that close, anyway?

I love how God prepared me ahead of time {I still love the memory of the surprise of it} and you had the discernment to recognize and receive that and welcome me there. I will ever be grateful for that. It was the time of my life.

A blessing for you as we celebrate your life and look ahead this year…

And now, let me bless you and pray over you a little and impart some things I want you to remember. Is that ok? Let me assure you: I have asked God to edit me and I promise to do my best on letting Him! ;)

“Dave, may the Lord bless and KEEP you. May He make His face SHINE upon you and BE GRACIOUS to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you PEACE.” (Numbers 6:24-26).

I bless your life, David Michael Powers. I bless the days He has planned for you and I thank God we get to be included in your fascinating so-many-cool-things-to-come story. How very wonderful for us! I bless the days we have known you so far {of course I do!} and all the ones we have left! You were uniquely crafted and specifically designed for God’s great purposes in these particular days on the earth. And to be in our familia. Now that is the coolest part!

I know God rejoiced when He was fashioning you in the secret place, and could not wait to celebrate and boast when you were born. Your parents both beam with delight when they are around you. I know they are soaking in the love of God in you, on you and through you! So I bless you to know {really know} the height, depth and breadth of His intense love for you – not for what you do or have done {as fantastic as it all is and will be}, but for who you are, as a man in his image and after His heart.

I bless your marriage to my lovely Tara-girl. She is the best thing I could ever give you. And we did so gladly present her to you at the front of that church as the setting sunbeams blazed through stained-glass windows but couldn’t hope to match the bright light of love passing between the two of you! There was not hesitation on our part in seeing her be joined to you, become one with you.

We raised Tara to be your wife, to love you, to walk in covenant with you. And we stood as witnesses that day to your marriage union and so we continue now to bless and pray protection over your marriage. We recognize what God has joined together and we pray that you are ever increased in love and oneness and laughter and mystery and discovery and romance and passion and friendship and rest. I pray that the wife of your youth will bring you joy and delight all the days of your life.

I bless you as a dad to the two magnificent grandsons you brought into my life {and God bless Hunter and Malakai!}. I pray that if there is any special grace or anointing or gift or heavenly blessing on my family of origin or me, that it be poured out on you and Tara and that through you it would be generationally passed on to Hunter-Magoo and Kai-Kai. Just the good stuff, though! :)

May each of your beautiful boys provide the opportunity for you to impart and teach and discipline and love and advise and find understanding about God’s heart towards you. And I pray you’ll have the wisdom to know how to bring them up, individually, to become the men God created them to be and that your ministry in your household will remain foremost in your heart.

And is it ok to say I am praying for increase and another blessed bundle of sweetness for you, too? Well, I am. Please do not refuse the gift of God in this area, and in fact: work for it! ;)

Worship. I bless your song, your music, your worship. I bless the psalmist in you that brings pleasure to the Father and Peace into the room. Your song opens many doors to many rooms and the song of the Lord, well, it is enemy-defeating, battle-winning treasure.

Word. I bless your leadership and pray you’ll be bold and humble and settled. I pray you’ll complete the things God started in you and through you. You have influence through your words of understanding. I remember seeing a glimpse in February 2003 and saying, “One day I’ll say ‘I knew him when..'” These are those days and I bless the work of your hands, the words of your mouth, and I pray that all the things you do and say in His name will bring God all the glory.

Movement. I bless you as a man of God, a man’s man, strong enough to be gentle. You have everything you need for the next step, the next rooms, everything. Hebrews 13:20-21 – “May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Finally ~ May you live securely and have full supply (full!). And may you be filled with the measure of all the fullness of God (can you even fathom what that will look like?). I pray your joy is full as you walk the steps God has ordered for you, that you are satisfied and content. But also challenged and surprised!

I pray these things with abandon, I bless you with all I have which is so limited, but also by all He is and all His promises, which are so limitless.

2 Timothy 2:1 – “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

And the birthday guy sings…

He’s one of my all-time favorites. Ever!

I started cautiously liking you from the time we met (May 2002, Could he be for real, I wondered?). Then, very quickly, my admiration grew and I loved you deeply. I still do and my heart is very tender towards you. Always will be. On the occasion of the celebration of your birth {Happy Birthday!}, just wanted to say so. {mom}

Bo-Bear Turned 29 on the 29th

October 7, 20132 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Events, 5 Songs I am Singing, 6 Looking Back // Memories!, Stuff I Actually Thinkbirthday blessing, birthday blessing for a son, family birthday, family birthday blessing, giving, reaping and sowing, rocky and jovan rhoades, rocky rhoadesJeanie

Happy Birthday to Rocky Rhoades, who turned 29 on September the 29th

My son – I am so pleased with you.

I have told you the story of your birth so many times, haven’t I? You arrived early and the doctor had told me not to leave town in case that happened, but I left town and I was so stressed out because I don’t like to get caught breaking the rules. And Tara just reminded me the other night how stressed she was, too, as a 5-year old, because we started on our trip, got halfway there, went home, and then decided to go anyway…and barely walked into the grandparent’s house before it was time for me to zoom right on over to the hospital. Well, I mean, I had planned to make it home so the doctor wouldn’t be any-the-wiser, but you were like, NOW! ~which is so still you. :)

And I have told you that you surprised me beyond anything I could have imagined. I could not believe I got the boy, THE boy I secretly hoped for even though in reality I was totally FINE with having a girl. I already had 3 girls, one more made such sense for balance and symmetry. Omygoodness – the words, “You have a boy” sent me into delirious happiness.

You looked directly at me, your eyes blinked in slow-motion and it knocked the breath from my body. I was dizzy in love, unable to even think about sleep that night, all night, as an oxytocin and dopamine cocktail surged through my veins as if it were coming directly through the IV drip. I had a boy…my very own baby boy!

And you may not realize it, but every time I ever see you, even now, I am thinking the same thing: THAT is MY boy!

I am so proud of you, Rock, not only for the man you are, but for the man you are becoming more and more everyday. This whole flood thing has been a devastation in some ways and an aggravation, for certain, in the life of your family, your ministry. There was loss that probably feels overwhelming and unbearable (as $40-50,000 plus time and effort and re-building will be). I know you look forward to getting your wife and baby girls back home, safe and sound. And then you’ll look and see the possibly long-haul ahead for replacing all the instruments and computers and sound equipment and the studio you’d spent time assembling ~ lots of time and money and hard work ahead.

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For …this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God.. . 2 Corinthians 6.10-12

But it will come back to you. The things you have sown will take root and grow. And I have watched you and Jovan these past few years grow in grace and grow in giving and giving selflessly and giving big and making the conscious decision to live a life of giving and whenever it has been in your power to do so, you have given away anything and everything you could.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows…whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6.7-8

And God isn’t unaware. He’ll see to it that the seeds of kindness and giving that you have already sown will grow and flourish and you’ll reap all that you have sown. Even when you didn’t know you’d need it – you were planting, you were dropping the seeds of compassion and kindness and generosity into the ground – and what you couldn’t see was that God wasn’t surprised by this thing that happened to your house, your home and belongings and He was smiling, I just know it, because He knew you were already doing what needed done – before it needed done. God knew you were planting for a harvest of big-time reaping, financially!

“The Lord then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.'” Genesis 7.1

For Noah, for all mankind, the flood was a line in the sand. It was a before and after. It was : things used to be like that, then there was the flood, and now they are like this. The flood was an ending AND a beginning. Things were lost in the flood, but the promises of God are found there, too. Not just for an ark builder for thousands of years ago, but for a worshiper/songwriter right now, in Frederick, CO – man who leads his family and wants to write songs that literally bring healing.

Of course certain things had to die and float away for a dream, a calling, a vision like that. But it is all just so you’ll never forget that the LORD is the promise-keeper and you didn’t do it by yourself, because you couldn’t have. How many times have you told me, since you were 18 or 19, “God won’t share His glory.” You have pointed out highly celebrated, gifted musicians and singers and recognized the call of God on their lives, but watched as they held it for themselves. That is not the standard you are living by and this flood is just a yes and amen to deep-down determinations you have already made to give God all, everything that is His and His alone – you have already said it. The flood is a checkpoint – do you mean it, Rock-man? And I know you do and I know the healing songs are going to pour out from here, like flood waters for the glory of the LORD.

But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord just as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2.14

Do you know what I think?

I believe, and I actually know this to be true because I have known you every second of these 29 years+ and you have made me cry and worry and laugh like nobody’s business and also so very proud because you are forthright and honest and talented and thoughtful and honoring and you love your mommy. So this is what I think:

No one is more beautiful or handsome than my boy, my Rocky ~ from the inside out.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

This is the post-flood promise of God! On the occasion of your 29th birthday. It is coming back to you, all of it and more! I love you!

NOTE: Rocky and Jovan got flooded out during the Colorado rains in September. I have written a little about it here and here. You can learn more about helping them re-build {HERE}!

Jeanie Rhoades // Thought Collage

Wholehearted-living somewhere in the middle of all the years.