Hold on Tight!

"Hold loosely to the things of this life, so that if God requires them of you, it will be easy to let them go." ___Corrie Ten Boom

So...you may be wondering, "What's up with Candice naming her blog Hold on Tight?" Well....I think it's very fitting. Let me explain.

See, we're not really into the Backyardigans, but Reagan got the CUTEST little guitar for her birthday that plays all kinds of fun songs. (Thanks Katee and Chris!) The song she's named her favorite is called "Hold on Tight." She loves it. Much to my annoyance at times.

Bless her heart, she's a loner. Since she doesn't have any siblings to play with, she finds great joy in singing various songs such as Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle, Great is Thy Faithfulness, ABC's and the number one hit in her repertoire is Hold on Tight.

Really, you should stop by our sweet little country home sometime. You could probably hear her from down the street, singing this song at the top of her lungs, into a microphone otherwise known as a stick from the yard....and she's got the best audience ever, we like to call him Kitty. I'm sure Kitty loves this because it's the only moment in the day where little RayRay is distracted just enough that she doesn't have him nestled nicely in her arm pit...by the neck. When she sings this number one hit of hers she's got to focus. So she holds Kitty by the paws....in the air. Poor thing.

So, on to my point. As I think about our life. I am reminded every day that time flies by so quickly! Our 6 pound beautiful baby is now a 26 pound 2 year old.

(really, now that we look back at her pictures...she looked like a wrinkled, jaundiced, cone headed, little rat...but she was...in the moment...the most beautiful baby in the world to us)

I'm reminded everyday that I need to soak her up. She just might be the only baby we ever have to share these kinds of moments with. She is the greatest thing God has ever given to Shaun and I. We often talk about how sweet she is, and how we couldn't have asked for a better little baby. She's been a dream!

Time is fleeting, so I want to "Hold on Tight" to her but the truth is, she's going to grow up.

I need to "Hold on Tight" to the biblical instruction on how to be a parent. I should be praying that as we raise her, God give us wisdom. That He would get a hold on her little heart and she would come to know Him at an early age. I should pray she will become a woman that pleases Him.

Shaun is amazing! If you know him, you know why I love him so much. He is my dream! I used to have the biggest crush on him. He was always too old for me...hehe. He was just not an option because he was such a great guy. I never thought I would be able to share in the ride of life with him. He is everything to me. His joy is my joy. His pain is mine. I cannot imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have him. He's such an encouragement in my walk with the Lord. He's an example of self sacrifice and unselfish love. He's brilliant, and not to mention the best looking dude you'll ever see :) I am always waiting for someone to slap my cheek and wake me up. I have this great fear that one day I will wake up and I'll be standing in that dugout at the Girl's Club in West Memphis drooling over Gina's older, tan, blonde, brother standing behind the bleachers. He is my hero. I love him so very much.

I want to "Hold on Tight" to Shaun. I know that I can and I know that's why God gave him to me, but I should long for Christ more than Shaun.

I need to "Hold on Tight" to Christ. I want to give my affections to Christ first, then Shaun. I will be a more Godly wife because of it.


We are soooo grateful for family. God has given us wonderful parents that love Jesus and we are so glad they are here to be grandparents for Reagan. Shaun and I didn't have all of our grandparents growing up...and we know that is a special thing. We are soaking up every minute we can with Shaun's sweet sister, Joanna and her husband Eric because we so admire the way they parent and they are precious friends. We love evening walks down the street to BooBoo and Noah's and we look forward to every Sunday when we get sweet fellowship with Bebe and Papa and the Hair clan.

I want to "Hold on Tight" to these people and I find so much joy and satisfaction in fellowship with them.

The truth is He longs for fellowship with me more than anyone in my family. Fellowship with Christ is sweeter than anything else, so I need to "Hold on Tight" to time with Him.


As we long for more children and seek God's direction about having more children and about adoption, I pray God will reveal so clearly His will for our family. I want Him to be ever present in our lives and I want to be ever seeking, ever listening to hear his voice. I

I want to "Hold on Tight" to the next thing. I'm always anticipating the next thing. I wait for it and at times, I live for it. I don't want to spend my days wishing the time away, because it is fleeting. I need to love the little blessing of Reagan running around right in front of me.

I need to "Hold on Tight" to Christ's sovereignty over my life and the lives of our children.


I am prayerful and ever seeking that God would transform me into the wife and mom he would have me to be. That our little family may bring glory to His name. That He would be lifted up in all of our endeavors as a family. His blessings, His promises, His comfort, His glory are so much more wonderful than anything I can do on my own.

So while I sometimes want to "Hold on Tight to things of this world.....

I pray that God will continue the work he began in me and teach me I need to "Hold on Tight" to Him first, for His glory.

And any blessing I may receive on this earth, I will be grateful for, but I will not hold on to it so tightly.