20 yrs younger than me...and BIG B-days for us both!!!!

Heather...Happy birthday today!!!!! I pray you have had a blessed day today!!!!

When in the world did we both get to the age we are now???? Time flies...when you're having fun I guess....so at our ages we should be having and absolute blast!

Seriously, I'm so thankful for another year of life together...not only with you but all of us...we are learning more and more just how precious our time together is!

I can't believe the twins freshman year is almost over...they will be driving in less than a year...

BUT...I hope you and Cassie both understand that while, at times, the teen years have their challenges...it is also a sweet time and leading into adult hood and you get to actually be friends with your kiddos...you can be friends now too but you still have to boss them...but as adults it's just best if you don't boss them!!!!

So what will 2024 hold for you and your family...the sky's the limit...more maze memories...more intentional time with family...a family member in the armed forces...slowing down parents...and all of it a good thing!

Make this year a year to focus on you and Donnie...always remember to date each other...love each other well...appreciate each other...

I believe this will also be your year to be able to get plugged back in somewhere...God has plans for you and has gifted you...(from what I hear...you have the gift Maw Maw and Nanny had) and He will not waste that gift...He will give you a place and a time to use it again!!!

I love you so much! Have a great rest of the evening...and week!!!

Love~mom 

Happy birthday a few days late

Wow...another year has gone by and I know more than ever...that you truly understand what this mom means when she says the time flies to very fast!!!

As my first born...you've had the honor of experiencing most of the firsts! As a child, the first to experience my inexperience of motherhood...the first grandchild on the Griffith side and first granddaughter on mine...the first to go to Kindergarten...and dad and I blinked and the first to graduate...to marry...to have the first grandchild...so many sweet memories...

And now...this year...you get the honor of experiencing some of the hardest and yet at the same time sweetest firsts ever as a mom...that first graduation...going into adulthood...and coming out on the other side friends...this time can be difficult but it can be super sweet as well...as you stand back and watch all the hard work, tears, sweat and love you've poured into those kiddos as they begin to fly...

Sweet Cassie...you and Jesse have done such a great job of making sweet memories as a family with those kids...I'm so grateful that I see that in all 4 of you kids...Dad and I wish we had done that better...wish we had made better memories and more memories...

As you navigate this new normal...look at one of your best friends...and know that some day some old stinky girl will come into his life...you said the other day...how he gives you hugs all the time...the way a man loves his mom is how he will most likely love his bride...can I just say...you have had just a hand in making some girl out there super duper lucky!!!!

I don't say this to be sad...I say this from the other side...the side that survived one by one the birds flying...actually I'd say you all are soaring...and you will too...and you will laugh...and then you and Jesse will dance together...

I hope you have had a great birthday..felt loved and appreciated...and I pray you know how proud I am of you...and honored to call you one of my girls...but also...one of my friends...I love you!

Mom

as your students call you...Miss

I'm so very sorry I'm late with this! Sometimes I struggle with the words to write and it takes me a few days. But I wanted to wish you the very best birthday week! Thank you for being one of my rocks this past year. For asking in just a very subtle way on "those" days if I was ok. All you kids have been so great this past year even as you navigate your own grief. 

I know I say it all the time but if truly feels like it's been forever since all 4 of you guys were still here...at home with dad and I...and yet I can close my eyes and still see us as if it was yesterday! Does that even make sense?

I can still see the other 3 kids loving on you at the hospital, Michael singing K K K Katie, beautiful Katie...Cassie and Heather being so proud to show off their baby sister to their teachers and friends at school...Watching the old ladies at the bank about drop their teeth because I'd let Michael pick you up and carry you around...(and I let him just to see their reactions...it was HILARIOUS!!) The way nanny, mammy and Aunt Brenda made fools of themselves over you...and yet here we are...all these just sweet memories as I watch you make memories with your own sweet kiddos. 

I see so much of you in both of the kiddos...Journie's tender heart is from you and Barrett's quick wit is you! Their child like faith in the Lord is what we saw in you from such a young age...and yet I know they can't "inherit" that from you...it's taught...it's lived out before them...so thankful you...and your siblings have a passion to do just that with all 12 grands. 

I'm continuing to learn just how truly blessed we are as a family! I know dad and I both take that for granted way more than we should...we should understand that it is a gift...a gift of grace in all our lives...and I don't say that because of any past anything...I say that because we are a sinful people who live in a sinful world...and yet God...in His greatness and love have called us...and we continue to pray for those littles who haven't made that decision yet that God's saving grace will be upon them.

I think back to the essay Heather wrote about you during college..."My 6th grade hero" she worded you perfectly and I'm thankful to be able to say you are also one...9 heros in my life too! 

I love you so much...

Momma

Let go...

 I love worshipping to music! I love to raise my hand...but as we were worshipping yesterday in church...I was reminded of a mental picture God gave to me...I have a very difficult time of just letting it all go...raising BOTH hands and giving ALL to the Lord...

I found myself wondering what am I hanging onto...I can tell you that in many areas of my life I struggle with just letting go...releasing...open palming it...it's like if I let go...I'll be out of control...which is something the Lord reminded me...yes I need to let it all go...be out of control and let Him be in control...

What if...I could live like this...

 “I have one desire now – to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.”  ~Elisabeth Elliot

I was studying this thought today and came across this...I'm always looking inward, examining my heart...trying my best to critique it...but what if...just maybe...the only place I truly need to be looking is up...to HIM seeking HIM and allowing HIM to do the changing...molding...critiquing me...by His Spirit and nothing of myself...

this is another definition of reckless abandonment...

Oswald Chambers defines it as “totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything.”

To come after Christ...in Luke 9 the word tells me I must deny myself...and embrace the cross...

16 “Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. 17 You have declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you.

Reckless abandoned...WHOLEHEARTEDLY...God is speaking...so I believe my only response can be that of Samuels in 1 Samuel 3:10...SPEAK LORD YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING...

I would say I wish I will begin to pry my fingers open and surrender to the Lord...but I find myself praying that I will stop the struggle...relax and just let go...close my eyes...raise BOTH hands and worship Him in every area of my life in reckless abandonment!

One last quote from Oswald Chambers...

You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him.

My guy

 Happy birthday Scott! I love you so much! I pray your day is as special as you are! Thanks for being a rock like never before this past year in my life. 

I can't seem to find words today but I pray this year is full of amazing adventures...I pray India happens this year...that I make my goal so we can go on a cruise...that you receive so many blessings this year!

I love you...thanks for picking me...

Love ya...Beth

Happy birthday!

 Michael happy birthday today!!! Boy if we had only known the loss the last year would hold for us...but I want to say thanks...for being patient with me through it all...

I was thinking the other day...when I saw your pictures on facebook of your get away trip with Bekah...no one can make you smile like she can...I'm so thankful for the life you and her are building together...I remember the days of littles everywhere...and I promise those days can be forever long but the years will pass like a blink!!! I say all that to say...when they are grown...and it's just you and Bekah...well...that part of life is good too!!!

I pray this year brings you so much joy and happiness...I pray you grow even stronger in the Lord...I pray you find your forever land...I pray you know just how loved you are! I pray you continue to be the hero to your 4 littles...and that you love Beks well...

I'm thankful to call you my son. I so proud of you and all your accomplishments! Have a blessed day today!

Love, 

Mom

Don't let this one be the last one!!!

 Heather...don't claim this bday the last one...there are so many more memories that come with the coming years as well...accept them as the gift that each one will be!!!

This year has been a difficult year for you and your family and I've watched God stretch you in so many ways...I've watched you continue on in your walk with Him even though it looks very different that you thought it would look...It is new...fresh...sometimes scary...but you still follow...I'm so thankful you didn't choose to just quit...He has new mercies every single day...thank goodness for His goodness, grace and mercy!!!

I've watched you pour difficult truths into the kids this year...help them walk through hard times and hard changes but pushing them to hang on tight...never giving up on the Lord...teaching them we living in a flawed world but serve a perfect Savior...such an amazing lesson to witness you teach them...

I've watched you fall more and more in love with your new position...seeing the potential in all your kiddos that God brings into you serve time...caring enough to push for their very best...

I think so often of the movie, Facing the Giants...when the coach has the kid do the death crawl...the kid promises to give all he has...his very best until he can't give anymore...with another kid on his back...the coach blindfolds him so that he doesn't see how far he has come and gives up to quick...the kid takes off...strong...it gets harder and harder...til he is beginning to wonder if he can keep it up...the coach gets down on his hands and knees...screaming at the kid...YOUR VERY BEST...GIVE ME YOUR VERY BEST...I KNOW IT'S HARD BUT DON'T QUIT...finally the kid says I can't do it anymore...I have to be 1/2 across the field...the coach takes his blindfold off and tells him...you are in the end zone...he had crawled the entire way...with another kid on his back the entire length of the field...that is what you, as a mom does...or as a teacher does...or as a leader does...and when it was hard this year...you didn't quit...and look up and see where He has you now...it's a different season...but it is good!

Never give up...I'm so thankful for you and to you...I love you...I can't wait to get away in a couple of weeks...so looking forward to it!!! I pray your day is so very special!!!!

Love you~

Mom