And the year begins
Here in the Kirklin house we tend to live our lives around the school year calendar. I don’t know if that’s because of being married to a teacher or having served in our church for so long and that seems to be when the “ministry” year starts.
We are gearing up for the year to begin. I think we can say that it officially begins tomorrow. I need to be up bright and early because the boys that I’m babysitting this year (for Ben’s teacher last year) are set to arrive at 7:30! This is something that is a little new for all of us. The boys are 3 and 1. They are wonderfully behaved boys, but the issue I’m having is my daughter doesn’t seem to like having one so close to her age around. She doesn’t like sharing her momma!
On Tuesday we are going to do a bit of schooling. We’ve had about a four week break this last month and it’s time to get back to it. We officially start school on the 24th. Benjamin is getting use to the idea that mom is going to be his teacher. Becca is totally on board and is excited to learn anything she can.
This week Walter will hopefully be putting the finishing touch on his resume and cover letter and be sending it off to a few churches. There are a few churches that have caught our eye, now we just have to see if Walter catches their eye.
Ministry-wise we are gearing up to continue to host our small group on Thursday nights. We love our small group, it’s an eclectic group of people. An older couple and then two single guys and then Walter and I. But we all have one thing in common and that’s to learn more about the Lord. We are hoping to expand the group a bit. We also might start leading the college group at church.
With homeschooling, doing daycare, soccer for both kids, AWANA and possibly a homeschool co-op group, scouts and piano lessongs for Ben we have a full plate. But I know that God is in control and in charge. And with that I can fully say….. Let the year begin, because HE who is in charge knows how it will end!
1 comment 08 16, 09
I think he is getting it.
More than anything I want my kids to know and love Jesus. I don’t want them to believe because mommy and daddy believe, but because they want to believe.
In parenting I find that there are sometimes when they “get it” and many times that they don’t. Last week we had a “get it” moment with Ben.
While we were at Spirit West Coast we camped next to a great youth group that we made friends with. Benjamin was hanging out with Frankie (our Youth Pastor’s son) and these kids from the other group eating lunch. Ben was entertaining the kids with stories. I was in our camp so I couldn’t really hear what was going on, but I could see he was safe and that he seemed to be having a good time.
Michelle (our Youth Pastor’s wife) was over there and got on Ben for what he was saying. I called Ben over to ask him just what was going on. He was making fun of another person and that person happened to be his daddy. I told him that making fun of people isn’t good, even if it’s getting a laugh out of people. Ben said he was sorry and I just left it at that. He went into the tent for a bit and came out and asked to sit with me.
As I sat down and cuddled him he told me that his heart hurt. As I asked him a few more questions he said that he felt bad for what he had said and was wondering how he could feel better about himself. I told him all he had to do is pray and that Jesus would help him.
In his seven-year-old-ness he prayed the simple prayer “Jesus forgive me of my sin.” Never once did I call what he did a sin, basically Walter and I always tell the kids that they’ve made a wrong choice, but never really “sin”.
But in that moment he knew that he had sinned and what he felt was shame, and he knew this without us having to tell him. He also learned that the Grace of Jesus covers that sin and takes away the shame.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
Add a comment 08 09, 09
There is excitment in the air
In three sleeps (the way we count down around here) we will be leaving for Spirit West Coast. This is our third year going and the kids are excited to go and so are Walter and I.
Today has been a big day of preparing the food. Walter and I do the cooking for the event and this year we are cooking for about 30 people. We cooked 10 lbs of ground beef for spaghetti sauce which we will eat on Wednesday night. We’ve also cooked about 30 lbs of ground beef that needed to be cooked and frozen to use at a later date or it would go bad and just need to be thrown away. Tomorrow morning we will be cooking about more ground beef for taco salads which we will eat on Friday afternoon.
Tonight I was getting ready to do some griping. But I had to take a step back and realize who we are doing this for. There’s a little bit of doing it for ourselves, a little bit of pride that we have to keep pushing down because we’ve got cooking for a group down to a pretty good science. We are doing it for the kids, because on they are a great group of kids and I enjoy getting to know them. We are doing it be able to go see David Crowder Band, Brandon Heath , Mercy Me and of course everyone in the family is excited to see Toby Mac. But really the real reason we are doing this is to serve the Lord.
We will be a little sad to leave Echo for a few days, but we know she will be taken good care of by Jackie.
Each year gets a little bit easier to go. The kids are older so they are less work. We know what to expect, unlike that very first year. That first night as we were trying to go to sleep I told Walter that we were getting a hotel room the rest of the weekend because I just couldn’t handle it. Now we know what to expect and pack accordingly.
Just a few more things to get done. We need to get ID bracelets for the kids in case anything happens and finish packing clothes for everyone.
Monterey here we come!
Add a comment 07 26, 09
To my beautiful girl
Tomorrow you turn four. I know I say this every year but I don’t know how it’s going by so fast. It seems like just yesterday you were placed in my arms. A beautiful newborn. I remember asking Grandma to go and get me a pink night gown for you since you looked so much like your brother. But I think right away I knew that you were going to be different, you were going to change my heart and my life in wonderful ways.
My dearest Becca, it took me a little bit longer to fall in love with you than I thought. I think part of that was because of the miscarriage we had between you and your brother. I was scared. In fact I was so scared that I was going to loose you I didn’t take the time to enjoy every moment of my pregnancy with you. I was scared when I found out that you were a girl. Not being a “girly-girl” myself I didn’t know what to do with you. I was actually a little disappointed that you weren’t a boy during that first ultrasound.
Please, my little Princess, don’t think that this confession means that I don’t love you or that I love your brother more. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Your daddy taught me that I was worth loving, your brother taught me the extreem love of a mother and a child, but my dear one, you helped me learn how to love myself, the person that God created. I would say that the lesson you taught me is most important.
Rebecca, sweetheart, you are a wonder. You bring laughter to our family with your sense of humor. I love when you tell your favorite joke. Your little voice asking “Why don’t bears where pants?” and you wait for us to ask “Why?” And then you shout with joy “Because they have bare butts….get it” and then you just laugh and laugh and laugh. You also bring a softness, a gentleness to out family that we didn’t have before. Just by being a girl your brother and daddy are a little less rough and a little more tender hearted than before.
Becca you are a princess. You tell us often enough. When trying to get you to wear pants you will tell me “Princesses only where dresses”. And when asked who the king is you will tell us that “Jesus is the King and I’m his princess” your Gigi book has made an impact on you, but you also know it’s truth.
As I sit here, thinking that exactly 4 years ago I had no clue how my life was going to change the next morning, but oh so grateful that my life did change. You fill my heart with so many emotions. You make me joyous when I see you learn and watch your zest for life. You can also frustrate me, with your will that at times unbendable. But I know that will serve you well in the future. You are definately not a follower in life. You are a leader. You grab the car of life by the steering wheel and just go for it.
My child, I love you. I’m so glad that you are my daughter. Remember that as you grow older. No matter what, be secure in the fact that I love you so much it hurts.
Add a comment 07 21, 09
Today Walter took the kids camping overnight. I decided to stay home because I just wanted some time to myself.
The kids were so excited to go. Both kids were in the van before it had been completely loaded. Becca called for me to come out and buckle her as Walter got a few last things together.
When I married Walter I knew that he would be a good dad, I just never realized how good of dad he would be. He’s a fun dad who has more patience than I’ve ever seen a man have. He looks at times like this camping trip as memory building moments that will last a life time. Ben and Becca are so lucky that their daddy has time for them and enjoys being with them.
The campground where they are at is about 2 miles from the beach at the lake. Ben didn’t want to ride his bike that far so Walter hooked the trail-a-bike on to his bike and then the bike trailer to the trail-a-bike. Walter said he got a few “oh how cute” comments from his long train as he took the kids on bike rides.
As I drift off to sleep tonight I’m so glad that I’ve had this time at home by myself, but I’m excited for my family to return and to hear all about their adventures in person.
1 comment 06 26, 09
