Katherine Elizabeth

Katie,

Wow, the difference a year can make...you've been an amazing momma this past year which doesn't surprise me at all!!!! You are within days of moving into your house...so very excited for you...and with in weeks of having a sweet baby boy!!!

You amaze me...I ran across that report Heather did her freshman year of college called my 6th grade hero. It brought back such sweet memories of a little one who, it seems, has always just trust the Lord...the Love, Grace, Forgiveness...the child like faith simple grounded you in Him.

Dad and I pray that you and Thomas will pass that same child like faith on to Journie and Barrett...and any future little McKibbens that would join us. 

Your students love you...I can hear it just for the simple fact that they call you MISS...I can see it in the way your passion is for their hearts as much as it is for their minds...in the way you believe in them and see potential even when they don't or other don't...just like "6th grade hero" God continues to use you in the halls of McDonald County!

We love you so much...I hope and think you know that...so for dad's punk-punk-a-roo...have a blessed, full of love, and fun day!!!!

Love you,

momma

thank ya, thank ya very much!

Begin to Breathe

The other day one of my sweet friends was sharing with me what God was beginning to do afresh in her life. She shared with me her testimony and the miracle of her salvation...you know every salvation is a miracle...as I listen to her...and could see the Spirit of God fresh on her face...and her heart...as she shared about the moment of her salvation all I could think of were the words of this song...

Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me

This is what happened the 3rd day in the grave to our Savior! But upon our salvation...our dead lifeless eternal spirit begins to breathe!!!

When God works in our lives and we share that joy and that passion with other...it is contagious!!! We could spend hours upon hours attempting to teach people this passion but passion cannot be taught!!! It is caught...

Lord I love you...and thank you for friends who share their passion with me!!!!

Scott

I can't wait to see you in a few more hours...it has been a long week without you here! Another birthday...another year of learning what marriage looks like...(wonder if we will ever arrive and can stop learning...probably not!!!)...Wanted to do something extra special for you this year...because you deserve it!...and these are the reasons why...

You teach me what love looks like daily

you have a joy for the Lord like I've never known

You love our kids so well

You encourage others all the time

you are an amazing poppy

you are an amazing son

your are an awesome uncle

you work so very hard

you love to play too!

you are my best friend

you are a man of honor

you are man of intergity

...and you are a man who is loved!!!

Happy birthday baby...I love you so much!!!~Beth

Happy birthday Michael!

This has been an amazing year...you've been a dad for an entire year now...I remember watching you as a little boy/young man...and I knew then what a great husband and father you'd be! You've proven me right about the husband thing! I see the way Beks looks at you and I know you love her well...

Now, Charli Grace is here and oh my word the daddy you've  become...I know you love her fiercely...you will protect her with your very life...you will teach her about Jesus...and I've seen you eat a few words...(like we all do when we become parents)...but I've also watched you work very hard to earn the love of another little lady...

Miss Rory came to you hurt, scared and needing some healthy loving...she was so afraid of you at first...and the pain I saw in your eyes hurt my heart...but I've watched you work slow and steady...with consistency you won the heart over of another little lady...she adores you as much as Charli does and you have proven me right once again...you are an amazing dad! I happen to think you had a pretty awesome example to follow!

I also want to say an extra thanks for  being there for me this week...for the hard work...but even the small things like pulling the hose to the garden so I wouldn't have to!

I hope you day is blessed full of giggles and laughs with your ladies! I love you more than you will ever know!

Mom

Happy birthday Sis!!!

oh my goodness a story about you came to mind this morning...back in the day when you could legally stand up beside me in the pickup while I was driving...it was just you and me for some reason and we pulled into the driveway and the stupid dog had drug clothes off the clothesline AGAIN...and I (pre Jesus days) said a choice word...and you...who NEVER talked repeated it...I said sorry mama should say that word...don't say that...to which you said...me just wanted to say ****...don't say that word...but me just wanted to say ****...ugh don't say that word again...but me just wanted to say ****...lesson learned to a mama!!!!

I'm so thankful for you in my life and in our family...each one of us bring something very important and a different dynamic to make us...us...know you are loved and appreciated so much...I pray your day is good, blessed...amazing!!!!

love,

mom

...Rory...

The day is fast approaching that we have dreaded for months...Rory leaves us on Friday evening...it will be a sad day for the family...and even sadder for Michael and Beks and our little Charli Grace...

Michael and Bekah started fostering shortly after they were married...but Rory has been...different...not sure why...maybe because she was the littlest they've had...or the way she came...not sure what but such a little sweet baby girl has rocked this families lives...

I know Michael, Bekah and another couple we know...foster with the purpose of showing the love of Jesus in the lives of these children...so I think it is safe to say as believing foster parents, one of your strongest prayers would be that you would make a difference for the Kingdom in the life of these children that will be in and out of your home...That you could impart the love of Jesus to them for the short...or in some cases...long stays you have the kiddos...that they would feel loved while in your care...be accepted by your family, friends, church body...that people would understand, while these kids are with you, they need to feel they are accepted...loved and viewed as a vital part of the family...

So the case with Rory...a little one that came scared to death!!! Scared of Michael (men in general)...eyes wide with the fear that we could see...but with in a few weeks we began to see trust in those sweet eyes...Michael worked slow and steady to win her trust...to help her understand he was there to love her and never to hurt her...I know Michael and Bekah's hearts were to show Rory love...to help her know safety while with them...and trust...

Here's the thing...as bad as they and as the family wanted her to be changed by her stay with them/us...we are the ones changed...she has taught us all so much...she has taught us just how resilient children are...she has taught us what it looks like to learn trust...and the importance of us realizing that we need to earn trust and not expect it to just be freely given...she had taught us the greater need for foster families...and fill in foster care...

I know we are not all called or made for fostering...if you are though, I'd encourage you to check into the classes...there is a desperate need for foster parents...if you don't feel called to do that maybe you would consider respite care...that is taking of foster kids for the foster parents if there is an emergency in their lives...or they go on vacation or have something going on that the foster kids can't go to...

You never know when you will have a Rory come into you lives...and when you do...you will be forever changed!!!!

Rory,

you are loved...that is my prayer for you baby girl...that you always know you are loved....  

Happy birthday Cassie!

I've thought for 2 weeks just how to but into words what I wanted to say to you this year...I'm still not sure how to find the words...it seems from the outside looking in  the past year has been a good year for you...,like life is good...not that it doesn't have it's challenges and hard times but like it is just right...just good...sweet.

I've watched as you are constantly taking advantage of opportunities to serve Him this past year...to care deeply for your students in your classroom and the children we minister to at EBC.

You and Jesse celebrated 15 years! I can't believe you've been gone that long from home...I love seeing the woman you are becoming...the mom that you are...and the person that you are! Maybe that's the words I'm trying to find...you seem...comfortable with where you are, who you are and who's you are!

I know that you are ever so mindful of the time and investment you pour in to your children. I'm always amazed by all you  kids in that area and I'm so thankful for it...when you are where dad and I are now they will be precious memories for you!!!!

I know 2018 makes you nervous with some challenges and changes but HE is on your side...He will equip you!

I love you sweet girl of mine and pray your day is blessed beyond your wildest dreams!!!

~love mom

Fixing our eyes...

I've had words in my heart for sometime now but they haven't come to the surface enough for me to share them. I've been treading water for such a long time...tired and weary...sometimes faking it until I can make it again...in my walk with the Lord....the problem is that I've never been good at being a fake Christian...

Sunday our pastor preached out of Hebrews 12...so many things God spoke to me about Sunday morning...it's a race...not a dash...it's grueling at times...painful at times...and at times you want to sit and stop...you know...like I've done the past...however long it's been...but I can't...it's a marathon...today's world says if it's hard or hurts then don't do it...but that doesn't really work...life is hard at times...and at times it brings the greatest joy a heart can feel...but other times it's so painful you want to just give up. But the race...it takes me throwing off everything that slows me down...and most of that would be my own self centeredness...

But then next thing...the simple thing..the thing I KNOW...but forget...Hebrews 12:2 "Fixing our (my) eyes on Jesus...that means I have to choose to do that...to lift my head up...turn to Him...and on those days that are so heavy and weary...don't just hang my head in self pity and sorrow...when I have no strength left...cry out to Him and HE will left my head so that I can turn my eyes and fix them on Him.

We took my granddaughter to get her ears pierced the other day. This has been a LONG time coming. Unfortunately that day there was only one person so we did the first ear and she did GREAT...but then time for ear #2...and she freaked out!!!!! I can't she said, no no no no no no it hurts to bad...but finally her momma held her tight on her lap...Laney squeezed my hands and we got it done. Reminds me of, well me when my christian walk gets hard...at first I'm brave and I can do it all...but then pain happens and I get scared and I can't do more...no, no, no, no...or I'm weary...or I think someone else should do this...but just like Laney...when I rest in Him embrace...all things thru Christ...

I have 2 little grand-babies and I can even see this simple truth in lessons they are teaching me...they are 7 and 8 months old now...one is saying momma and the other dada...their little faces light up when they say the words...oh, to fix my eyes on my heavenly abba!!!! The younger one is still using her walker most of the times now and she sees her momma at the end of the day and she runs those little legs as fast as she can into her moms arms...and the older one is belly growling now and she does they same on her belly when her daddy comes in....no matter what their days are like...they are ready when those mommy's and daddy's come in...

That race...and fixing my eyes on Jesus...running into His arms...makes a heart happy...gives a heart hope...no matter my day...

This is my husband favorite song these days...I think it fits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94KbIGWdKa4

Twelve

I cannot believe that it has been twelve years today that you made me a grammy!!! You are the only grand that I was outside the room and got to hear the doctor say "it's a boy"!!!

You bring such joy to us all! You have changed so much, especially this past year. You've grown so much the last year...almost caught your mom in height.

Poppy and I pray that God uses you in amazing ways in the world! We love you buddy...thanks for never getting to old to give grammy a hug!