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