Waiting and Celebrating!!!!

Can't believe we are still sitting here in almost the same spot as a few months ago. Waiting ....waiting....waiting.
Wonderful news though....ROBERT GRADUATES NEXT FRIDAY!!! we have come a long way from where we were 3 years ago to right now. It has cost us everything we ever had financially,physically...mentally...and God has taken care of us even when it does not look like it can come together. Financially we should have gone under completely in the last year. Expenses and income just dont add up and still dont. That is not to say that it has been easy.I am far too tired of telling my children no we cant do this and no i am really sorry but you cant do that. I just had to tell GRace that she could not be in the point program at the Christmas recital because we do not have the money to replace her broken point shoes. That part is the hardest by far but we are counting our blessings and trusting that God is using this time to mold our children along with us. We are not homeless,hungry or thirsty or unclothed so God is providing for our needs. I am so very grateful that I have content children that do not ask for much and that is why it is so hard to have to say no because they are so great about being content.
Caleb was able to come home for Thanksgiving while melissa was in Alabama with Lee and his family. We hope Caleb will be able to come home for Christmas.
We are still looking for a church and I have stopped checking the email every 5 minutes and will just sit back and let God place us where He wants us in His time. Just do pray for our financial situation to stabablize while we are waiting. And pray that we will find a church that will communicate in an open dialouge so that progress can be made. Thanks to all that pray for us it really is changing thing...mainly us.
Becky

sorry for the reduntant song but this is what I have to sing over and over again in my heart these days

Happy Birthday Calvin!

I can't believe that tomorrow will mean 2 teenagers in the house again for the second time in our parenting lives. Melissa and Caleb are now in their 20's now we have a 13yo and 15yo and Josh almost 11.Wow time has flown by! Happy Birthday Calvin!

Happy Veterans Day!

So proud of our son Caleb for studying and training at the Air Force Academy to lead our nation as an officer in the United States Air Force! Thanks to all who have served and are serving in all branches of the military.

Merry Christmas!

I thought this was really good and expresses how I feel about the Christmas season being hijacked by political correctness. A few years ago we returned to a cabin in a public park that we had spent every Chritmas in for years in Georgia. As we finished putting up our small manger on the front porch of the cabin and some lights on the railing the park ranger pulled up and told us we can not any longer put up anything to do with Christmas. We were shocked and he informed us it was about a new piece of legislation that the state of Georgia had just passed.We were so disappointed but we were not going to argue with the man and proceeded to take it all down. We later went to town to pick up some supplies and as we were making our way to the exit gate of the state park much to our surprise we passed the rangers house fully adorned with Christmas lights and a tree...go figure!

Love this story!

NEW YORK — The throng of media members around the makeshift stage seemed impenetrable, but Harlan Chamberlain motored his way through all of the cameras and notepads anyways. Reaching a blue barrier, he stopped his scooter, strained to look over a crowd of world champion Yankee ballplayers and tried to get a glimpse of his son. When that proved useless, he simply resorted to his considerable vocal chords.

"Jaaaaaaahba!" he yelled. "Jaaaaaaaaaahba!"

Harlan said his son's name a few more times, then spied A.J. Burnett(notes) in the crowd.

"Burnett!" he said. "Can you get my son!"

Burnett could and a few moments later, Joba Chamberlain(notes) put down the giant blue Yankee flag he had been waving up on stage. The big Yankees pitcher hopped off the stage, disappeared from the view of the Fox cameras and quickly made a beeline for his father. When they came together, they wrapped each other in a huge rocking bearhug.

It wasn't long before both were crying.

They said the same thing over and over.

"We did it, dad," Joba said.

"We did it," Harlan said.

"We did it," Joba said.

"We did it," Harlan said.

And on and on. They held tight for almost a minute. Their eyes were red when they let go.

You see the Yankees' $200+ million payroll and it's easy to get cynical. Same goes for their $1.5 billion new stadium, the seats that cost more than the average mortgage payment, the steroid controversies involving some of their team members and all the endless hype and hooey about mystique, aura and all the Yankee legends and ghosts.

But then you see this very simple and very real scene of a 24-year-old pitcher sharing the hug of a lifetime with his dad and you remember that those father-son relationships — one of the only things that really matter — are at the very heart of this great game that we love.

The same dynamic was on display everywhere at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. Way up in the upper deck, a dad tossed his little son into the air whenever Hideki Matsui(notes) came through (which was often). A mid-20s hipster sitting next to them made sure to ask one of my co-workers to snap a photo of he and his pops with his grainy cell phone camera. CC Sabathia(notes) did his postgame interviews with his little son on his shoulders the whole time.

And while all of those tiny little snapshots meant the world to those pictured in them, none of them seemed quite as remarkable to outsiders as the one taken by the Chamberlains.

Their story has been told often since Joba became a pitcher with the Yankees. Harlan was stricken with polio as a child and his health problems have confined him to the trademark scooter that gets him recognized by Yankee fans everywhere. Despite his limitations, he raised both Joba and his sister in Nebraska and provided for them while working in a prison. The sad story of Joba's mother is sadly well-known — she's facing 20 years in jail for a drug charge — but he's always had the love and support from an extraordinary father. They call each other their best friends. It's impossible for them to be any closer.

I caught up with Harlan later on Wednesday night and asked him what it was like to see his son pitch a scoreless inning in a World Series clincher. Then I asked him what it was like to have the hug on the field with him afterward. His eyes were still teary as he talked.

"I told my son for years that he would do this, we would talk about getting to the World Series all the time" said Harlan while stopped near home plate of Yankee Stadium. "We just shared that moment while realizing that he did it. I pinched myself a few times. It's pretty awesome.

"We love each very much. This whole adventure in life is about family and in our case, it's about father and son."

In the days ahead, we're sure to see a lot of scenes from the Yankees 27th championship. Some we'll be bound to remember. Some we'll be bound to forget.

It's not hard to tell which category the Chamberlains' special moment will fall under, because it rarely gets much better than that

Amazing talent!

Longing heart

As I reflect on the last 2&1/2 years since we moved here I am so thankful for so many things yet I long for things as well. I can be thankful for my mothers health through most of our time here. For leading her to Dr's here that have drastically improved the quality of her life. We are so thankful for many new friends that God has given us at Clifton Baptist Church. We are so thankful to faithful preaching of men like Dr.Bruce Ware...Tom Shriener...and Shawn wright as well as new preachers like John Kimble and many others. WE are so thankful that God has directed our oldest child Melissa to find that one special person that God had set aside for her to join up with for a life of full time ministry. These are truly many blessing in such a short time but like I said there are things that I long for as well. I long to be in a church that we feel a sense of permanence. I long to work along side Robert to enter full time ministry again. I pray again that God is preparing sheep for us and that a church is praying for a kind Shepherd as well. I long to plant gardens and flowers not wondering whether it is worth the effort because we may not be here when they ripen or flower. I long to not be temporary in so many areas of life. As I find myself longing for these things I am reminded that what i really long for is heaven when there will be no more separation from the ones we love and we can fellowship with all or past friends and love ones along with new friends. I am also reminded of our previous church that God blessed us with namely Christ Fellowship. i am always drawn back to such sweet fellowship by the music we shared. Cant wait to share this music with another congregation and then someday with all congregations of Christians of the world to praise Him forever and everer!




Becky

Thought these were great!

Chuck Swindoll's 10 Lifetime Leadership Lessons

The popular Bible teacher and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary lists what he's learned about leadership.

by Drew Dyck

Chuck Swindoll was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 09, and spoke on "10 Things I Have Learned During Nearly 50 Years in Leadership":

1) It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2) It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed
3) It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4) It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5) It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6) Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7) Attititude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8) Integrity eclipse image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9) God's way is better than my way.
10) Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

Warmth of heart

I had the wonderful priviledge to hear Robert preach tonight at our church. We are blessed to be at our church and get to hear wonderful preaching on a regular basis. I have been contemplating why it was such a heart warming joy to hear him preach. I am sure everyone has a pastor from their past that holds a special part of their heart.Someone that when you plan on seeing them again or hearing them preach again is like a comforting song. as you listen to them preach after a time of being away it takes you back to past periods of spiritual growth or scriptures preached that comforted past pains or scriptures that rebuked personal sin or encouraged you during difficult times. I am absolutely aware that Robert is my husband but for many many years he was also my pastor.When he preached he was my pastor... my earthly shepherd guiding me through this life.Loving me as a sheep and allowing God to speak to me through his preaching. It is a strange experience and I am sure their are many other ministers wives that have this same experience of viewing their husbands as their pastors. So after having not heard from my "old" pastor in a while it was such a joy to hear him again and be challenged by the text(1TIM 1:5)to love one another more and make it the goal of my life and dealings with people. I have been listening to Chris Thomlins new CD and there is a great song on it called "Love" that I listened to tonight.

Happy Birthday Robert!!!!

I thought this was very funny and wish they would actually start doing this here in America

A wonderful sight

It is so hard to find myself missing my oldest son and be unable to do anything about it.I know they grow up and move on and I am ok with that part but the way it is with Caleb in the Airforce academy is so much different. The contact is so limited and I have seen him so little in the last 2 years.It's not like we can go visit when we want or he can come home on weekends or summer break. We can't talk to him much either.So when we all got to see him on t.v. today it was a thrill. I have so much I would like to tell him about that is happening in our lives but must just be thankful for seeing him today on the t.v. screen.

this just speaks for itself!

New family picture

I had not added a family picture in a while.This is rare for us all to be together in the same place. This is all of us plus Lee-Melissa's husband.

Becoming one of my favorite artists- I guess you can tell I have a housefull of teenagers

the next one is oe of Graces Hip Hop songs for her recital





Performing at John Pipers Church Bethlehem Baptist Church.

redundancy

I can't believeIi am still writing about waiting. I have found the principles in this song to be the focus that i need at this time. We are waiting with great anticipation for the church that God has for us.So many decisions are hanging in the balance.All decisions have to wait.So much will change when the time comes yet so much is anticipated with joy yet unfulfilled. We have worked so long and so hard and have exhausted our earthly storehouses and efforts that seem fruitless at the moment.Surly we have not worked in vain if God is in control but yet it still feels like we have hit a brick wall.We are helplessly at His mercy to guide our life paths. I have been determined and am more inspired to increase that determination to do as this song encourages....I will serve you while I am waiting....So hard to do when it seems the harder you work the less you see the fulfillment of your desires. I must not dwell on my present circumstance but dwell on my service where I am at and leave the rest to God. I must do the mundane and repetitious things that he has given me to do now and stop dwelling on the frustration that I can feel if I contemplate our present state too much.i am coming to understand the verse "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have often thought that this verse was needed when attempting to do great or dangerous or heroic things but i am seeing that it is not just for those times. It is for times like these when I need to do the tedious things or the everyday things the preparational things. I need that verse when my dreams don't seem to be coming true or that they are being redirected. So I know I can do "all" things through Christ who strengthens me for the journey that I do not control... for the path He has laid out that i knew and know nothing about, and while I am waiting to see just where God is going to lead us I will serve Him while I am waiting with joy in my heart because He does strengthen me to do "all" things.

Still Waiting

Still waiting hopefully more patiently but things are changing rapidly. The realities of what has to be done and I thought the wedding was stressful WOW. I will fill everyone in when I have more information.I will have more information when God chooses to give it to us. We are praying and would ask you all that pray to keep praying for us to find our place soon.To direct us to a church soon.Pray for the church that needs a pastor that God would direct them to us.Thanks and I will let you know what it happening.

praying for patience...maybe not a good idea

Why do i feel so much anxiety? I have walked down this path before and seen God answer prayers that were not even uttered. I want so badly to be "Home".Where is that "Home" going to be? I so want to be with our new church family and begin to sow seeds in the community and in the church with believers and unbelievers alike. I long for a little more permanence than I have had in the the last few years. I want to plant gardens and flowers and berry bushes.I know it sounds so silly to write and then read it back to myself but it is a joy that God has given to plant and see the fruits of our labors. I want my kids to experience time in a garden planted and cared for by our own hands and learn the many lessons that come from spending time in creation. I have not bothered doing that in the last few years much because of the temporary state we have been in during seminary. I know that the nature of ministry is temporary.We have been blessed with 20 years of ministry and only 2 churches. I hope that the next church is our last and can spend 30+ years serving a particular congregation. How blessed that would be. I thought I had learned the lessons of patience but I am reminded daily how impatient I really am. I check the mail and email with anticipation that someone will contact us about a church position.I am getting so impatient. I want to go and go now not 2 years from now.I have been in this place of limbo for so long I just crave a church to settle down in.We have been blessed with a church to call home when we are here but it is also temporary. I pray that God hears my plea's for help! We are at His mercy to find us the right place to go.I pray for patience knowing that he may teach me patience by not answering for a while. I pray for help knowing He may make me lean on Him more to build my faith. I pray for the next congregation and hope they are praying for their future pastor and family as well.God please work quickly on our behalf and prepare us for the next congregation and please prepare them for us.

I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS!

This is such a difficult message on a very difficult passage to hear but I needed it today.To contemplate a perfect God and my horrid sin.Grace is a wonderful thing indeed.

Please pray for strength of heart

I guess I am feeling unsettled since I never make 3 entries in one day especially at 2am. I saw this song on you tube and it happens to be the dance finale for Graces recital this year and it made me start to grieve for her when we leave this town. She has grown so much spiritually since finding a way to glorify God through dance. It was unbelievably beautiful to watch the 3 hour recital bring Gory to God and I hate that she may have to leave this studio but at the same time I am trusting God and encouraging her to do the same. She may be able to find another Christian dance studio in the next city that God has prepared for us. Please pray with me for Grace to have strength and courage and that her faith will be built up during this time.

This is what I am feeling right now concerning where God is going to send us

I pray that God grows the passion to help hurting needy people

I so want to live this song of not just going through the motions and I want my children to see that there are bigger things to live for. I pray that I will be able to help show them that there are so many hurting people that need the Gospel and need for us to help meet their physical needs. I want the passion to grow in their hearts as well, i cant give them this only the Spirit can but I pray he uses me to help fan the flames.

Well the unthinkable has happened

ok all those from jacksonville don't faint...I always get homesick for Florida when i hear this song.It reminds me of that wonderful farm we had over the years on snellgrove rd. Hosting hayrides and chicken cookouts.40,000 chickens in the barns,my horse Bonnie goat Bambie and my favorite of all my window friend Chickpea the hen.I miss the smell in the summer...the taste of honeysuckle...the frogs croaking at the pond in the warm summer evenings.The gravel road that used to be there 28 years ago when Robert and I first moved to the house with the tin roof (a.k.a. mobile home) situated next to the pond. We had the most beautiful sunrises on that pond.I miss picking wild blackberries with the kids...the great times of fishing in the pond. I miss yard chickens and geese. Baby pigs,baby ducks, baby goats and baby chickens in the spring. I miss the sound of cows mooing for their breakfast and the roosters reminding us it was morning. I miss the sound of that midnight train in the distance.So for all those that did not think I would ever miss Florida...it has happened. I dont miss the high humidity and high temps and I miss and always have missed the people of Florida who are dear to our hearts but part of my heart is still sitting somewhere on 8730 snellgrove rd...probably up in the tree house.

praying hard

Here we go into a very difficult time in life again. Seems like we just got to Louisville for Robert to finish his masters degree and he is done in dec.We got the confirmation today that he will graduate in DEcember. He can finish online if God see's fit to send us to a church before then. He has been sending resumes recently being cautious not to just send them out without caution. We want it to be a good fit for us from the beginning. We are at a point that we would love to go some where and stay till we die lol. I can't see Robert ever retiring from ministry since it is a piece of the fabric of our lives. We are so ready to get back to full time ministry!
Please pray with us that God would give us great wisdom and patience as we travel this new road. We so want to get this right. There is no perfect church because we are imperfect people but we sure would love to go somewhere where the people want a hands on pastor like Robert loves to be. We are open to anywhere and he has submitted resumes from coast to coast. We are praying for our new congregation and hope theya re praying for us as well.

All the wedding photos from wedding

http://Jasoncoobs.zenfolio.com/p176924093

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=100606893051&h=uzIAR&u=QNDWp&ref=mf

Hip Hop Queen

Grace surprised us all with her GREAT hip hop attitude and moves that we never knew about....very good and she enjoyed it alot. I will include the ballet pics and all soon.

I am missing Caleb!

Where will the path lead next?

I find myself praying for our next congregation a lot lately.As Robert finishes seminary this coming year life will bring a lot of changes again.Robert is planning on starting the process of finding a new church to pastor. This will mean resumes will begin to be sent in the next couple of months. I pray that the next church is now praying for the right man to come along to love them and care for them.I pray that they want a family that wants to invest the rest of our lives to serve them and encourage them.... worship God with them...sing songs unto our savior with them ....hold the widows hand and pray over their new born babies...cry with them and rejoice with them...for a faithful and loving pastor that studies Gods word seriously and cares deeply about properly instructing them. I pray that there will be friends for our children and mentors that will walk beside them and encourage them in the faith...I pray they will welcome my parents with open arms as they make another move and another church change. We have only served 2 churches in 20+ years so we look forward to where God will send us next so we can begin a long term relationship with a new congregation. I hope our friends will begin to pray with us about how to proceed. We would love it if God sent a church to contact us and could bypass sending out a bunch of resumes. I pray that it will be a clear path set before us. I am excited about Robert getting back in the pulpit.I so enjoy hearing him preach and learning at his feet for so many years. Life seems so stressful and exciting as our first born gets married in a couple of months and Robert finishes school and we find a new church all in one year... yikes! Life is an adventure! I know I can rest in the deep deep love of Jesus as we take this next step


Becky

More funny Tim Hawkins videos...Read posting below first

Laughter is good medicine

Wow! What an experience Calvin will have after all this is over. He broke his leg jumping off the porch... chasing little woodland creatures...some exciting war story huh? After visiting 2 E.R.'s the consensus was that he needed surgery Tuesday morning to screw the bones back together.He broke the tibia and the fibula but the most damage was done to his growth plate at the end of the tibia.It was broke in 3 different direction. That is why they said it needed surgery. When they came in to tell us exactly what to expect and take him to th O.R. the surgeon said after reviewing the cat scan again she wanted to give it a week and re scan it because she said the bones in the growth plate were broken but not displaced so if we can keep it very very still it may start to heal properly as long as the bones dont move.We go Monday a 7:30 am to get the cat scan and then we see the Dr. right after to see if surgery will be necessary.We are so thankful for your prayers and are grateful that we are at home and have averted surgery so far. We are concerned about the injury may cause future damage since this type of fracture often causes the leg to stop growing since the damage has been done to the growth plate. We are praying and trusting God that he has this all in His plan and control and would appreciate your prayers as well. We are glad to be home! He has to keep his leg up above his heart at all times and no getting up except to go to the bathroom and then back to the couch. We are already getting bored but found great relief today when we found a very funny Christian comedian and watched several of his videos on you tube. I have included some here because laughter really is good medicine.We enjoyed it so much we called Robert to have him go by lifeway and see if he could find the dvd...HE DID...so we will be enjoying it after he gets home from church tonight!!!

If these don't download well for you then go to timhawkins.net and click on videos and it will show a bunch in really great quality!













the above video is made by this comedian Tim Hawkins, a fellow homeschooler, so all you other homeschool families will appreciate this.

Humbled

I have the most wonderful husband and kids! They worked hard to make my birthday special today! As we were praying with the kids tonight Robert was praying especially hard for all out brothers and sisters in Christ around the world that are suffering persecution for their faith. As he was praying I couldn't help but think of all the moms that share my birthday but how different it must look like for them. As I enjoyed good food and presents and fun family times They on the other hand may have been seperated for many years from kids and spouses and parents. How really blessed we are in this country right now. I wonder some times how long our ease will last or if those that I have learned to love at Clifton Baptist Church who are in the process of going over seas will experience persecution for the sake and name of Jesus. Our church is 70% seminary students many of whom are planning to go to far away dangerous places to take the gospel. I teach their precious children each Wednesday and wonder what their little lives will look like and pray that God will keep then safe. I wonder if it will be us that moves on from here to a place of persecution or perhaps my children or grandchildren but I know that God is Sovereign and The Gospel is worth the risk.
Romans 10
14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"

The following is our extended Christian family

proposal

These are pictures of Melissa and Lee when Lee surprised her a couple of weeks ago and proposed.She was there with a friend that was going to take some pictures and it had all been planned with the friend that Lee would show up so that is why there is someone there taking pictures of the event. So sweet. He put flowers and a card in the garden and when she read the card it said to turn around and when she did he was there.

The Big Thaw

more ice storm pics

Ice Storm

As you can see we have had a lot of ice and snow! We lost power Tuesday night and it just came back on this afternoon. We did enjoy spending time playing games, cooking in the fireplace, slumber party in the living room and of course sledding! I was kinda disappointed that the power was back on and we were back to t.v. computer, ipods,etc... I really enjoyed the change of pace but the heat is a VERY GOOD thing! The fireplace is a must I have decided.We are getting a little more snow tonight and tomorrow with a warm up in the 40's by Sunday. Monday starts another set of storms...hopefully just snow but if not we will make the best of it. God is so good to give us such beautiful things to look at during every season!
Becky

Miracle

The first one made me cry the next one made me cry for all those babies that will never make to birth with the help of this man.Ironic isn't it?

EXCITING NEWS!!!

melissa when she was about 3...seems like yesterday



Melissa and Lee



Melissa will be getting married July 3rd 2009! This was not a surprise as we have seen she and Lee grow in their relationship over the past year. What a blessing to see God bring the 2 of them together and give them a desire to Glorify him together with their lives. If anyone is prepared for marriage to a minister it is Melissa at least she cant say she doesn't know what to expect. Lee graduates from Boyce here at southern seminary and will continue to pursue his education and begin studying for his masters degree. Melissa already has an apartment on campus that is cheap and includes utilities so they should be able to handle things financially. They are both frugal and wise so we have no worries.What an amazing time for parents when the first born gets married. Such a mix of emotions.Such a big dose of reality as to your own aging and how time is passing quickly. It has made me want to have another baby. I hope that is normal lol.I guess I am not ready for the starting of life and parenting to be over. What a range of thoughts and emotions...joy...fear...inadequacy...excitement...
sadness...all coming at one time.I find myself praying more so that is a good consequence. I am looking forward to all the fun things that have to be done.I pray that I will keep my head and enjoy this time and help Melissa enjoy this time as well.

Way too long!

Yes, that is sparkling grape juice in case you were all wondering if we moved to Kentucky and became drunks LOL :)










Sorry for the long wait for an update!!! There is a lot to tell! First we had a great Christmas with Caleb! It is beyond words to describe how nice it was. Then to have the pure joy of watching him play on new years eve in the Armed Forces Bowl! We had a great Bowl party here at the house with about 20 friends all eating and watching the game.Robert had the WONDERFUL opportunity of going to the game in Fortworth. We had such a good time that it is hard to know we wont see him again for so long.