Boy was I wrong about a small Christmas... it was a HUGE Christmas!!!

I could not have been more wrong about my predicting a small Christmas this year. Christmas Eve as we just finished our dinner and were relaxing in the living room and starting to watch a Tim Hawkins video with my parents. Josh said someone is banging on the door...well I had not heard anything since we had the T.V. as loud as it would go so my dad could hear the video...I just ignored Josh and then he said more insistently " Mom some one is BANGING on the door" so I got up to check and sure enough someone was at the door!!!IT WAS CALEB! I can not tell you how surprised and overwhelmed I was!That memory will be burned into my mind for the rest of my life!!! The kids were so excited that he came. Joshua had a dream back before Thanksgiving about this same event happening on Thanksgiving day...I had mentioned a few times since then that maybe his dream will happen at Christmas but I really didnt think it would be possible. I was in my heart hopeful until Friday and then when it just seemed that all hope of it happening was gone I told Robert well I guess it is definitely not going to happen so we ate Christmas Eve dinner I had a real sense of sadness that I was trying to hide from everyone as we all sat there at dinner.I thought that Tim Hawkins would change my mood so we sat down to watch and then REAL joy as God granted us such a wonderful Christmas present overwhelmed my heart. To top it off he brought along his girlfriend Rachel and it was SO WONDERFUL to meet her and get to know her. She was easy to talk to and very comfortable to have in our home and the kids all think she is GREAT! This was just the first surprise of the weekend. About an hour after he arrived we had to go deliver a few goody bags to some friends in Taylorsville so we asked them to come but they declined. I felt horrible just leaving them sitting there on the couch when they had just arrived. Well we were only gone about 30 minutes and when we returned we were greeted with another HUGE surprise. Caleb bought the family a 55 inch flat screen T.V. and it was all set up in the living room. OH my goodness! Now we all won't have to sit a foot from the T.V. to try and see our #49.We can see nose hairs now if we want. That was an awesome gift that will make our situation of not being able to go to any of his games a lot easier to accept. Well then we had another treat Sunday night when he took Robert and I out to dinner at a fancy restaurant! I had LOBSTER!!! The appetizers were incredible and the food was so delicious as well as dessert. What an incredible treat that was! As most of you know our finances have been so difficult for the last few years due to Seminary and low paying jobs. We have not been able to go out to a real restaurant except for fast food unless we happened to have a gift card. This was so incredible to go out somewhere so exceptionally nice and delicious. We enjoyed many conversations and playing games together. The only sad part was saying goodbye. I cry easier and easier the older I get.I guess that is due to the realization that our lives slip by quickly and time between visits can feel so long when we dont see the ones we love.The knowing that I probably wont see him again for a year was on my mind when he left that and the fact that my heart was bursting with love and joy for the whole experience of him coming home.I wish at those moments I would be able to express myself in better ways than tears but I attribute that to a mothers love that just spills out. I hope through the years I can verbalize to Caleb just how much this weekend meant to all of us if not maybe he will know this kind of joy when his son someday surprises his family in such a way. I hope you all had wonderful Christmas stories as well. God has been so good to us this Christmas!

Funny thing is Grace had said not just a few times this year that she wished that this would happen. This is similar but our surprise was much more dramatic :)

small christmas this year

Well...we will be having a very quiet small Christmas this year. Melissa and Lee will be in Alabama the week of Christmas and we have no idea what Calebs plans are so we are assuming we will not see him at Christmas :( I have seen him a total of 1 hour and 30 in a whole year and now to think that we are not going to see him again is almost too much for my mothers heart to carry. He has not been home for a year and now who knows how long it will be until he comes home again. Please dear God change these circumstances.We will try and still have a good Christmas and I know things change and cant stay the same and I am not asking for that. I am looking forward to the many changes that adulthood brings all my children like grandkids and daughter-in-laws and son-in laws so I pray someday we can all be together again to catch up with each others lives and share a meal in peace and love and family full of joy and happiness for one another and praise to the Lord for all the blessings He has given us.

IT'S A BOY!!!!

Titus William Munger is on his way and we will all get to meet him sometime in mid April! The boys were happy to know they will be uncle's to a boy and Grace was happy that she is still the baby girl of the family LOL!

Joy with sadness

Melissa gave me this picture framed and I hung it above the mantle tonight it is called HOME FOR THANKSGIVING by Currier and Ives...I love it and it makes me sad at the same time.


Having such a wonderful time with everyone tonight as we cook and the family plays board games at the table ...Fire in the fireplace...Cider in my cup...Christmas music playing and listening to my family laughing hard! All this warms my heart and I am so filled with joy and thanksgiving to God for His many blessings...just wishing Caleb was home or that we at least knew of his plans for the day...seems so strange not knowing but wherever he is I hope he feels our love and prayers and that his day will be filled with similar things.He is very missed and loved... Joshua said Monday that he dreamed Caleb came home and surprised us...hmmm could happen.... I hope you all have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

What a way to think outside the box to put Christ back into Christmas!

Happy Birthday Calvin

I am so thankful to celebrate my son Calvins birthday today. I am thankful for his courage and strength both on the football field and off. I am thankful that although he excels in football his character shines brightly in the eyes of his coaches and mentors often describing him as a fierce competitor but a gentle mild man off the field. For this I am very thankful to the Lord for the work He is doing in his heart. It is a wonderful thing to see Calvin mature and grow and become a man. This has been a great homeschool year and I am enjoying him more than ever and I know that will be coming to an end soon but I also look forward to enjoying all my kids as they become adults. I pray that he continues growing closer to Christ and will continue to grow spiritually. I am so blessed! We had such a wonderful Birthday celebration with him today! Thankful for a loving Brother-in-law that has been so good to him and wonderful older sister(Melissa)that knows just what gift to get him because she has taken so much time getting to know him and his likes and dislikes. It is at times like this that I wish for more money to do more than we have been able to especially in these last few lean years. I so would love to be able to do BIG birthdays with LOTS of presents like we were able to do for Melissa and Caleb but at the same time these last few painfully lean years have also made the joy of going out for 5 guys burgers tonight such a treat! We have not been able to do that in so long so it was amazing and I am so thankful to God for it. When we got home Robert told Calvin that he will still get a present and Calvin said What? really? ...You dont have to dad...what a tenderhearted son who understands how difficult things have been for us. He felt so overwhelmed today as his grandfather took him to breakfast and lunch and shopping at the mall in between. That may not sound like a lot but we have been dressing from the free clothing attic at the seminary for the last 3 years and have been able to get so much wonderful clothing for all of us. All the kids have never complained about having to wear second hand clothes without much of a selection as they have always known it is all we can do and they all have fun going there and picking out 4 things each. But, today was even more exciting for Calvin as he was able to go to the mall with his grandfather and pick out 3 shirts BRAND NEW and anything he wanted within a reasonable price! That combined with the new shoes Lee and Melissa bought him he was THRILLED. So his kind words to his father tonight that he did not need to get him anything else was something I will never forget and makes all the hard lean years worth the pain.May I never forget the lessons and the lessons to come! I remember a line from Little House on the Prairie where Charles said to Caroline if not for the painful times and the tears then we would not know the joy of the happy times. So true and a lesson hard learned. God Bless you Calvin and Happy Happy Birthday!

Well we have received a "CALL BACK" from the church in Virgina lol. We are scheduled for a second interview Tuesday the 16th. We are praying that if this is where the Lord wants is then He will make that evidently clear tomorrow night. There are 2 songs running in my head as I consider the possibility. This is something we have prayed for many months and I have recently gotten settled into the idea of us being here a while and thought about how wonderful it would be to be able to spend a lot of time with our first grandchild. So I must repeat to myself that we are all going to walk thru this stage of our lives in faith even thru sadness at separation and I am SURE it will be a sad day to have to say goodbye to her and lee and our grandchild. Whether that means the faith to stay put or the faith to be sent out. We know that even if WE stay put that God will be directing Lee and Melissa to a church in a few short years. The other thoughts are that we will have another huge undertaking with moving my parents and finding a house with 2 living areas and wheelchair accessibility again new Dr's. Plus selling this house but this too will take faith and He will not direct us without taking care of all these needs.I am so blessed to have Robert to lead me and love me. It reminds me of a new song that I have come to love called dancing in the minefields and I am so glad that no matter what the next step will bring that I have Robert to walk/dance with thru the mine fields of life and ministry. That is AWESOME beyond words and knowing that God Hinself is stepping in front of us.Still appreciating your prayers for us and the elders of New Life Community Church in Staffor,Va
Becky

CITY CHAPIONSHIP GAME!!!!

http://trinityrocks.com/athletics/khsaa/football

Tonight Calvins football team will be playing in the final city championship football game! They will be leaving Jeffersontown skyview athletic park and traveling by chartered bus followed by all the parents in a police escorted caravan to Trinity Highschool. Trinity is the school Calvin would like to go play for. It is an amazing place with the following athletic training center on campus and they win the state championship each year. It is a catholic highschool all boys and VERY competitive to get onthe team and in the school. There will be coaches from every school in the area since we live in a county that allows us to select whatever school we want to send him to public or private and we are not restricted by county or areas of town. Please pray that God would be directing him and us to the right place. We have to approach the coaches they can not approach us but the students from the various schools can approach Calvin and us and already have in some cases.



Built through the generosity and support of those who believe in the Trinity mission.

A 26,000 square foot, year round training, conditioning and learning center for all Trinity student-athletes and coaches.

Featuring the highest quality craftsmanship, equipment and technology for the support and development of Trinity student-athletes.
Some of the features...

* Trinity Sports Medicine Department, staffed year-round by a full time Certified Athletic Trainer.
* Sports Medicine training area that includes three whirlpool baths.
* 48 head shower room
* Conference and film rooms
* Dressing room for game officials
* Headquarters for the Trinity football program that includes:
o Locker room for teams
o Coaches' office areas
o Conference room and game preparation work stations
o Coaches' locker room, restroom and shower area
o Equipment storage area
o Equipment maintenance area
o Laundry Room

Be INSPIRED!

I can not remember outside of Elizabeth Elliot when I have been so inspired and challenged....Oh how I long to be used to meet the basic needs of desperate people and in the process be an instrument in the hands of the Almighty to share his gospel and love and be His hands and feet... How amazing such a young and beautiful woman gives up all for the cause of Christ

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

below is a link to what is truly one of the most convicting and challenging sermon series on this same topic PLEASE PLEASE listen

http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/radical

Guess I am missing a little boy tonight...

WOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CALEB JUST SACKED THE QUATERBACK!!!!!!! WHY ARE WE NOT THERE?!?!?!?!?!?!? SP PROUD OF HIM!!!!!!!!

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Click to join FreecycleLouisville

Sweet 16

I can't believe my baby girl is turning 16 WEDNESDAY! She is getting her permit Thursday due to the drivers license office is closed in our county on Wednesday. She is quite disappointed since she wanted to get it on her birthday so she could drive to church. She is such a sweet girl and I can't wait to celebrate on August 7th at her big birthday party bash with a live band and cook out.What a wonderful birthday for a wonderful girl!






She wants to solo dance to this song for recital next year...I can't wait to see what her award winning choreographer has in store for the big strong part towards the end! I am so thrilled that she at 16 is so sensitive and longing to praise the Lord with dancing!

Calvin headed for surgery tomorrow am

Please pray for Calvin as he is headed to surgery tomorrow morning.Pins and plates in his left leg. Please pray that the pain will be controlled and that he will do well with anesthesia since he has a cold. He has been through so much with that leg. he is determined to go to football practice Thursday night if the dr says he can go. He wont be able to run but is hoping that he will be able to do all the other conditioning work they are doing right now. please pray that he will not over do it and that he will have patience to trust in God and His timing.

More Good Stuff from my first exposure to this teacher/pastor

Excellent message

Happy Fathers day!

fun to watch everyone celebrate Roberts special day! Lee and Melissa came for dinner and gifts and now we are having small group ice cream sundays. He is a very special father that deserves a lifetime of having his children honor him with their words, their actions, their kindness expressed in gifts and cards as well as their Love for him for God and for each other.

Memories

my children love this song because it reminds them of our family home in Jacksonville ...not how it looks but how it feels. I have a hard time listening without crying.27 years was a very long time with many memories and lots of buried pets and a house full of memories...the hand prints in the cement a tree house that holds great memories etc...etc...etc... I do love the adventure we are on now but still hold Jacksonville very dear to my heart.

Memorial day

Taking time to be thankful for all our service men but especially proud of my son Andrew "Caleb" Konemann...United States Air Force

Well by now most of you know that we are not going to Tyler Texas. When the search committee first let us know of their decision this is how I felt:



Then after recovering somewhat we are now accepting that God must have other plans for us and I must now delve into many opportunities for ministry and embrace the following song as the statement of my life right now:





Hopefully we will continue to sing this song through all of life!

This is a super HERO

God is glorified through this mans disability...some think that God should heal everyone but this is proof that God is a loving Sovereign God that uses his creations the way he pleases!

Happy mothers Day

Looking forward to spending a beautiful day tomorrow with Robert the kids and Lee&Melissa at a family picnic and a trip to Huber farms. This song made me cry as I remember saying these words in prayer next to their cribs and as we knelt next to their beds. I am so thankful to my kids for giving me far more blessings than heartaches and I promise to always pray this prayer for you and always pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for giving you to me even if just for a short time. I cherish the moments that we have been able to spend together. While we were on vacation a couple weeks ago we went on some hiking trips and picnics and had such a great time but it was a reminder that 2 special people were absent. I sure do miss the times we were all together with melissa and caleb. But at the same time I enjoyed the time we had with grace calvin and Josh and had peace in my heart that Caleb and Melissa were doing well and happy...thats all a Mother can ask for. I am truly blessed by God more than I deserve.






The following song is for my mother that I cherish everyday!





Thank you Melissa for your amazing imagination and for making me a mother there is no greater joy...Thank you Caleb for making life exciting and full of adventure....Thank you Grace for your sweetness and truly living up to your name...Thank you Calvin for being strong and protective...Thank you Joshua for being my caring friend.

I needed a laugh today!

STILL MY SOUL

This passage of scripture is on my memory board this week. Sunday marked 3 years since we had our last church service as Christ Fellowship on the last Sunday in April.God has done so much since then in getting us here to finish school... Melissa got married ...Caleb is settled at the Air force academy... and now we wait to hear about where God will send us next. We have not been filling out any other resumes until we hear from Sylvania church in Tyler, Texas. My heart has felt weak as we hope so much to go there but we have not heard anything for 2 weeks and silence is never a good sign. I would much prefer to keep communicating but they have a VERY big job to do as a pastor search committee. We have known for a few weeks that Robert is 1 of 4 left in the pool. There is nothing we can do other than wait. They have contacted our references and it is not our place to now make contact except to find out how we can pray. I have been praying for the search committee as a whole and elders but also for several of them by name. I feel in a weird way like I know these people already and so hope that we get to work with them and serve them and love them.We have such a strong desire to go there and speaking for myself will be so disappointed if we don't get to know them better this side of heaven.
At the same time I am reading and searching scripture and holding on to the Lord for his strength. I have and am praying for a courageous heart to take the answer from Sylvania as Gods working and know that He is Sovereign over all things and very trustworthy and loving. This song just spoke to me so much tonight. I am still praying that God would be directing us to Sylvania and that we will be able to give ourselves and our family to these people to serve them to the glory of God. I believe the committee will be meeting tomorrow night...Please pray that we will hear something soon. We are putting on hold searching anywhere else until we hear from them. We have never felt led to stop applying at other places while waiting to hear from a particular church until now.We just feel such an affinity and don't want to look elsewhere.Please pray for strength of heart and peace and that fear will not take over our souls. Thursday is April 29th the actual date of our last Christ fellowship church service...we will be thinking of our dear brothers and sisters that shared that day with us on the beaches of Florida.It is a bitter sweet day as it also marks the day our youngest son,Joshua was baptized in those warm waters of the Atlantic. Thank you all for your prayers!

I am so thankful for the music that God uses to bring us strength and encourage us. The Gettys have written songs that sustain me.

Family Picture

we were never good about getting family pictures when the kids were growing up so this one is especially treasured in that is is th only one of all of us all 5 kids together at the same time.We are so thankful to have it!

WAITING! I know ...thats all I ever say!

I needed to hear this song today! I am so ready to hear whether we are going to Texas.I do understand that the committee is doing its job and they really aren't taking all that long at all. It is just so hard to go from being willing to go somewhere to having a real passion to go to a particular church and not be able to just GO! i am finding myself wanting to meet these people and start a lifelong/eternity long relationship with them which I guess is a result of praying for them so much it makes you feel like you know these complete strangers so well...yet we must wait! I pray that these desires are from God indeed. I know that neither one of us have had a strong particular desire to go to a particular church until now. I am finding myself thinking about it all the time and praying earnestly that God would have us go to Sylvania church in Tyler Texas. Please pray that we hear good news soon and if it is not good news in our eyes then pray He would give us courageous hearts.

I pray that God gives me another opportunity to do this again!

I thought this was a great article!

http://news.sbts.edu/2010/04/16/seven-sure-fire-ways-to-blow-up-a-church/

Happy EASTER!!!!

Thank you Jesus for rising from the dead and shedding your blood and grace all over me so that someday I will rise to sing praises to you forever!!!!





Grace is SO AMAZING!!! I am overwhelmed tonight with the reminder and meditation on the resurrection this early Easter hour.



WORTHY IS YOUR NAME!!!

Good Friday

When I hear these songs it makes me see just how wretched my sin is and the cross reminds me that they have been paid for and I have been made a new creature and been given the Holy Spirit to give me strength to resist sin. So now when I sin I do so with disregard for the sacrifice and a denial of the power that resides within me.Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace given to me even now when I so don't deserve it and help me to see my sin and repent as I go through the rest of my life on this earth.

Shock and Concern

“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right-Charles Spurgeon


I am having a very hard time with this...please someone tell me this is an April fools day joke! I am stunned and do not see the necessity of this at all. I am feeling like I dont even know this man that is speaking in the video...he is unrecognizable to me...I would never have seen this coming...I am glad he is taking a sabbatical and we should all pray for him fervently.

Wonderful truth... By Bryan Chapell - President of Covenant Theological Seminary

More waiting and hoping!

Well Robert had the Skype interview last night with the church in Texas.For those that don't follow my facebook sequence of things. This a church in Tyler Texas called Sylvania church found at http://www.sylvaniachurch.com I was able to listen to the interview from the couch. The search committee members and elders were VERY prepared and had the best questions imaginable! They were very thoughtful question just like the ones on the questionnaire they first sent us. We both have felt a sense of excitement and peace during the last month as we have prayed MUCH about Gods will regarding this particular church. We will now start the waiting process again as the committee interviews the other men and we pray that God gives them wisdom and clarity in this process. We know there is no such thing as a perfect church nor a perfect pastor but we are truly hoping that God is leading us to this particular church but will continue to make it a matter of fervent prayer and would ask that you all would as well. I have already posted some personal thoughts about the church and such a couple of posts down.By the way in the interview they did mention horseback riding and my heart "trotted" a little LOL
Becky

So glad the kids got to go hear him at the "No Idols" youth conference at Southern Seminary this weekend!

Waiting and my impatience!

I pray that God would direct our path as we seek a church to minister too so that we will have a permanent place to serve Him and His church. AS I have said before we are ...I am ...so anxious and have realized once again this week just how weak I am and I have thought i learned patience but I have so much more to learn. We had heard from a church in Texas about an interview yet it seems like I am waiting on pins and needles again. Is this the place? Will we have a church family to minister to again soon? Will they want us after they meet us? Will we want to go there after we meet them? How will the kids transition if this is the place for us.Will they love my children and mentor them? Will I love their children like I should? We have prayed so much and feel that this is a good match. I do have a peace about this church but it is not a specific peace which I think is a good thing. I have a general peace about going anywhere God wants us and since there are no red flags at all yet then I will continue having a peace about it and even a desire for it until the Lord shows us different or changes our desires.The purpose and doctrines and focus of the church seem to be a perfect match. Looks like a beautiful place to move.Never been to Texas but it sounds and looks like a great place. Friends of Melissa and Lee went to this church and worked at one of the many camps in the area and they really loved the church said it was awesome. The camps look like such a wonderful place for the kids to go to.My mom was a camp nurse in the summer when I was growing up and there isn't many things that are more fun than living at camp for 6-8 weeks and making friendships with the rest of the staff kids. And for some other silly reasons it appeals to me. We have always loved country living.After my horse Bonnie died many years ago I kinda gave up the dream of having a horse again. It is a far fetched dream to someday have the opportunity to own a horse again but if Texas is where we are going then maybe a horse will be in the future?. But if that is not what God has for us and we end up in an inner-city church somewhere unfamiliar then I know that heaven is not far away and maybe I can have a horse there lol.
I long to hear Robert bring Gods word alive for me and the congregation. I long to see him have a people to love and care for.To help their families and hold their hands before surgery and hold the hand of the dying elderly woman that needs a pastor. To see him able to help them fix their roof on the weekends just to have the opportunity to talk about Christ while working side by side. I long to see him have a group of like minded people to minister along side of and really care about. Those of you who know him know that he loves you and loves the people of God and at the moment is a Shepherd with no sheep. Of course ministry is not about a man but about glorifying God but God does gift His people and expects them to use those gifts...so we wait to have a place to do that. We are thankful that God has given us an opportunity to work in our present church until he makes his way clear. Please remember to pray for us and for the Church in Texas. Please do not pray for me to learn any more patience!LOL I really stink at waiting :(... I will post the song that needs to be in my heart and soul right now...Robert always reminds me that God knows where we are and he will get us when he is ready and plant us in the church that He wants us to give to and love because he loves us so deeply and our response can only be loving Him and His people in return!

Becky

Who will care for the dying and unlovely

I have contemplated for a long time adopting terminally ill children. I worked in an indigent hospital for children many years ago. I was able to care for some very abused kids and babies. Many either brain damaged from their parents or abandoned due to a terminal condition that the parents could not handle. Even the children that were said to have only brains stem activity would be comforted when we took the time to hold them and rock them...to show love. They responded to our little acts of love and that often perplexed the dr's since they were blind deaf and even were said to have no ability to have any functioning senses including touch. I pray they felt our love and that God in a supernatural way allowed these little treasures to feel our love even if it was at a spiritual level.
I would love to someday have the opportunity of adopting one of these precious children to care for until they die.What a privilege it would be to rescue then from medical foster homes that are so under staffed that they dont have time to love. I pray God will work out these desires that I believe He has given me in His timing.

A little politics

I have heard that this is a very big hit this week by people going to listen to someone that actually something about the subject.I pray people would just take 10 minutes to listen so they understand that socialized medicine is not being pushed on us because people are benevolent.The message is so clear here in this short audio.
I know Reagan was not perfect but boy to I remember the days in which he was in charge and led this nation like no one other in my lifetime. I sure hope more and more people listen to this and pray for this nation!






FINALLY MAYBE PEOPLE WILL WAKE UP TO THE THREAT OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS TAKEN TO THE EXTREME AND THE DANGERS OF SUCH ATTITUDES!!! PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES!


http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/02/24/ft-hood-attack-publicly-called-terrorism/




Update: Five Muslim Soldiers Questioned at Fort Jackson in South Carolina