The Greatest Gift
Sometimes you just need to point and shoot…
If for no other reason than to capture those moments that fly by so fast you didn’t even know they happened.
I do this all the time.
2 Sundays ago, during a day with no purpose but just being together…
I just hit record.
You can capture moments, smiles, hopes, and dreams that will last you forever.
Most of this footage was in the “trash bin” of iPhoto.
While I was editing this to music Sohaila said that her heart was telling her words.
My little emo girl.
I asked her what her heart was telling her…
She scribbled this…
The greatest gift
Cannot be unwrapped
It cannot be bought
It cannot be sold
Yet
It can be felt
It can be seen
It can be heard
Because the greatest gift
Is each other
After I picked up my jaw off the ground…
I had her and her sister Seanna read it over the movie.
I cut and pasted each of them saying different lines…
The result brought me to tears.
Probably because it’s my family…
Or probably because it’s true.
Cause it’s in that footage that I almost throw away…
That my 8 year old found this treasure.
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
Whoa. Beautiful. Speechless.
Thanks chauffeur..
Wow. 1) So true. 2) Such great art. Great stuff man.
Thanks MAtthew.
Amazing. Simply stunning.
She is…
she knows that is the greatest gift because you and heather have modeled it so well.
beautiful. nothing less than beautiful.
Thanks Tam.
amen.
I agree. Amazing words she has.
Thank you. For being disciplined to excellence.
Thank you. For always wanting to be better.
Thank you. For being willing to create.
Thank you. For continuing to be a voice.
Your consistency becomes something that inspires and leads. And it has done this in your children. And now, your kids are inspiring us.
Thank you.
As they do I.
Thanks friend.
You and your bride model it well to us.
you said it better than i could have. so i’ll just second this comment.
wow!!! seriously man, i really liked that video! she’s a freakin poet & you didn’t even know it. You no need no stinkin’ Ingram…you’ve got your lyricist in house homie!
love & miss you guys.
B & P
My hairy friend.
I miss you too man.
amazing, carlos.
just amazing!
you and heather are your family’s historians. and you’re breathing that into your children’s desire to remember.
amazing, my friend.
I agree…
Loved this!
This is incredible, dude. Absolutely awesome.
LOVE. Thanks brother. So beautiful. You, and the truth. God bless.
Rob Bell is so gonna jack this idea when he sees it.
But seriously man, great stuff. Leave that jaw on the floor.
dang. . .
Seriously huh?
I believe she probably learned that through the way her parents love and care for her.
Just arrived at my desk in the office, seen the mess all around from a week of neglect and manic activity.
Sat down surrounded by urgent stuff.
Watched this.
Now I am centred.
Dude I love it!!! Great job on the editing, the creativity, and I love the poem by your daughters. Just amazing overall, great message! Keep it up!
One of the best things I’ve watched in a long time. And let me tell you, we watched Elmo in Grouchland this week… ok, all joking aside- this is AWESOME. Thank you for sharing. I’m off to find some tissue now. You guys have such a wonderful family. We have family nights now, and it started with your blog. What a gift you gave us.
Carlos, this was so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. I stalk your blog more than I actually comment but clearly you and your wife have modeled for your children what the important things in life are. She has a heart of gold! Thanks for sharing that small part of it with the rest of us.
Los,
That was the best way to start my day.
Your little Angels are so sweet and smart and talented.
Brought me to tears too, I am so glad she listened to the words in her heart
So cool man!sometimes the best stuff is retrieved from the trash bin.
Well, other than eclairs.
That was beautiful.
That’s incredible!
Please tell your family thank you… from my family. We needed to see this. Love you guys.
Wow. Profound lyrics from that little cutie. Set to Album Leaf, pure gold.
I was getting ready to ask if it was the Album Leaf. Sure sounded like it.
A simple, yet powerful reminder that relationships matter. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Your family is so PRECIOUS and beautiful! That was so sweet!
Carlos, I know you don’t need a 31st person saying how great this is, but I really felt compelled. I loved it so. It also reminded me, with a waiting room of underprivileged, undeserved, under parented, under loved children, what a gift a nuclear family really is. Your kids are blessed. I am blessed. Sometimes I confused being happy with being blessed. I love the word picture Sohaila constructed.
One of the things I love the most about the whole story is that you encouraged her to write down what heart felt and that you took the time to really listen. Great job Dad! Beautiful family as always.
No words – only a smile and tears…
That is beautiful…
Los,
I’ve got two daughters and a son. We’ve just moved for the third time in three years. Thank you for this. Wish we had more time when we were both at NP. Blessing friend.
Wow. Honestly, that’s amazing.
beautiful, bro …
Wow. Beautiful.
The smile at the 1:28 mark. Perfect.
Thanks
beautiful, my friend. absolutely beautiful.
beautiful and amazing!! it brought tears to my eyes. so true! life’s greatest gift is each other.
Beatiful.
Awesome.
Good, good stuff….thanks for this, Whittakers.
That was so beautiful! Everything was beautiful–the words, the music, the images. And your family, of course! Your kids are precious.
so sweet man
This was pure beauty.
That sounds like the foundation of a great song.
Los.
Great video. I’m kind of a dork, but I always love looking for really good background music under videos…did you mix that or can you tell me what you used for the music. Thanks man.
The Album Leaf. Get All Their Stuff…
real. beautiful. choked up, because it is true.
humbled.
inspired.
encouraged…
thank you
being a father of 3 as well…that was epic dude!
well done
so powerful….so awesome
You have a little songwriter on your hands there. Ask her to please start blogging so she can take me to church everyday!
WOWZERS – I don’t comment often but I read every post – but my goodness that was a wicked video! Good stuff man!!
This is amazing.
Carlos..this is a gift in itself. I’d be burning these babies for Christmas gifts for the entire fam. Seriously, such a pretty pic of your fam and love you share. Nice teamwork with S!
It is these unmemorable moments that make great memories.
A few weeks ago, I was putting my oldest daughter to bed. After going through our “routine,” I turned over in her bed, squishing my back up against hers. A couple of minutes later, my daughter turned over and asked, “Dad, why do you always play on your iPod when you put me to bed?”
At the time, I only had that iPod for about 2 weeks. But in two short weeks, I managed to undo lots of memories about stories, giggles and hugs.
Playing with my iPod? That’s what she remembers?
This video is a great reminder that life is lived during the quiet-or-not-so-quiet, behind-closed-doors-that-nobody-else-sees, moments with others.
Oh boy. This convicted ME.
Thanks for sharing!
*like*
I think I need to watch this every morning as a reminder to invest in what REALLY matters…people!
This is a beautiful reminder of what is really important. We can become so wrapped up in the mundane things of life that we miss moments like these and before you know…if we are not careful….they will pass us by and we will never see them again.
I know this is a video of your family, but is there anyway I can get a copy of this to use in a message that I am giving this Sunday? It would add so much to the whole experience.
Go ahead and download it free on vimeo
So powerful. God speaks through your daughter–thank you for listening and creating this.
I’ve been following your blog for a while and have yet to comment, but this post…experience.
Just wanted to drop a line and say thank you for sharing God’s goodness. His ability to work through our kids and to WOW us time and again.
(sweet video =)
Great edit, great little girl poet, great family! This was awesome Los!
I love it. I love that Sohaila spoke up about what she felt, and that you took a second look and saw something special. Things like this are why I really want to have kids and be a part of a family.
After the gift of Grace (unmerited favor) from the payment Jesus on the cross
And
Because God did not spare his own Son but gave him us for us, surely he will with him (Jesus) freely give us all things.
Note the word FREELY give us all things!
Next I am thankful for the famly the Lord has given me
lastly I am thankful for talented people and the free gift of his talent to inspire all who come to enjoy his gifted blog, songs and writings. God freely gave him this!
correction gave him up for us all.
That child is anointed to write.
I hate to be a blog hog and comment so much but for clarification it is Jesus who was given up for us all.
He gives us the gift we have. Carlos and this blog is worthy of support because it is obvious the Lord has favored him with this talent.
Glad I found this website and I plan on telling the rest of my senior citizen friends!
Romans 8:32 & 33
in essence God freely gives us all things so that
we can freely give this talent that God freely gave us back to others.
This blog is great because God gave Carlos so much talent and worthy of support to continue.
I am all for supporting good Ministries/Missionaries as the Holy Spirit teaches guides, leads me to.
Love the video bro! What kind of camera do you use?