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!

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

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.

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged.  Life has really been busy here at our house.   November was filled with getting ready for a little surgical procedure, having a run in with the hospital and insurance regarding benefits, canceling “little” procedure and then a week later rescheduling for the first of December before benefits run out.

I spent a nice week over in Redding after my surgery.  My mom came up to take care of me and it was a nice time of connecting.  My dad came up and then Walter and the kids came over for the weekend.   It was great for my parents to get to know my kids a little better.

December was a whirl wind of recovering from surgery, getting back to work, getting ready for Christmas, having snow on the ground for 1 1/2 weeks, the van having issues and having to be taken into Reno, Ben’s Christmas party and in all the hussle and bustle try to remember what Christmas is all about.

As I look upon the past year it’s been a year of change.  This year didn’t have the heartache and personal struggles that the previous years have had.   Actually I’ve noticed that the ache from the brokenness of those years is dissipating.  Praise the Lord for He is so good and doesn’t leave us in those dark places for long.  

I’m so blessed.  I have a husband who totally and completely loves me and the kids.   He desires to serve the Lord and wants our family to serve along with him.   I have a son who is imaginative and smart.  He has a tender heart and is always looking for ways to make things better for others.   And then there is our daughter.   Oh Miss Rebecca how I love you!   You make me laugh and even sometimes cry.   You bring great joy to our lives.   You are always thinking and always keeping me on my toes.  

As I look forward to this new year I wonder what God has in store for us.   Will this be the year where we take the huge leap and go into full time ministry?   God knows the plans he has for us – and without a doubt they are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future! (Jer 29:11 – paraphrase mine).

The day after the election  we were getting ready to leave for school:

Ben:  Obama won the election.

Me:  Yes he did.

Ben (starting to cry):  What are we going to do? he’s going to make us do bad things.

Me:  He can’t make you do bad things, he’s just a president.   We don’t have to agree with him, but he’s only one man and the majority of people voted for him and because he is the president he deserves our respect.

Ben:   We got to take care of him, before he does bad things.   I know…..let’s call 911 and have him taken away before he can do anything bad. 

Me:  That’s not how our country works.   Sometimes the person we want to win, wins, and sometimes he doesn’t.   But it’s all ok.

The whole trip to school was explaining that some people are really happy but mommy and daddy are not, but we will respect the person who won.   I told him that God is bigger than any man and that if we trust in Jesus then it doesn’t matter who is our leader is.  Our trust can’t be in man, but only in Christ Jesus.   It’s a lesson we aren’t only going to be teaching to Ben and Rebecca, but to ourselves over the next few months and years.

Once I got to work I had to e-mail Ben’s teacher, just in case she thought we were conservative nut jobs and said “The views expressed by my child are not always those of his parents.”