August 19, 1944

If my maternal grandparents were still alive today they would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary! I've many fond memories of each of them and their home place where my mother and her five siblings grew up. Mom Mom Jean was a person who never met a stranger, she had a heart of compassion and was gregarious. She would brag about her grand kids to anyone who would listen! Pop Pop Henry was more reserved in nature.Whatever he did choose to share was usually deep. He was very intelligent and the most industrious person I have ever known. I still miss them both very much even though it is 27 years since they passed away!

Baby boy had a b-day today!

Our sweet baby boy..."JB" turned six today! I look at him and still am in awe of how God brought him to us. I was due to have him the week of the 2001 terrorist bombings but went into premature labor five weeks early. It was a scary ride to the hospital because my water broke at home and I was hemorrhaging (due to what we would later find out was a partial placental abruption). He was born just a few hours later at the local hospital-certainly not where I had intended on delivering him but Gid had a plan! We thank God for sparing both of our lives!

Jared Benjamin was born screaming and he has "been-jammin" ever since. He is a smiling kid who is trying to learn to pay the mandolin. He seems to always have a song in his heart and that often comes across his lips. He loves to sing his original songs he makes up himself. Some lyrics are so deep and rich that they give me those goose-chill bumps!

We are so blessed to have been given this precious life to raise...we pray that as he grows he continues to follow close in the steps of Jesus Christ.

More Music With A Message...

I am not a big Kenny Chesney fan but this youtube video is about the making of his video for the song, Who You'd Be Today. I think it speaks to the heart of anyone who has lost a loved one and have days where you wander into the land of "what if" - like I do!

It is still a big deal to me that my sister died so young. It is a fact that at some point everyday I cry about it. Thankfully God is very patient with me and loves me even with my issues and bouts of anger. I hold fast to the hope that it will not always feel this raw. Right now I feel like true healing will not come until I get to Heaven myself.

The last full line in the song says at lot
"I'll see you again someday"

and the last spoken line in the video says even more!
"...It happens for a reason...you gotta have faith!"

See if you catch that at the end.





Who You'd Be Today

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
Wear the pain like a heavy coat
I feel you everywhere I go
See your smile, I see your face
I hear you laughing in the rain
Still can't believe your gone

(Chorus:)
It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I've been through
Just knowing, no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder, who you'd be today

Would you see the world
Would you chase your dreams
Settle down with a family
I wonder what would you name your babies
Somedays the sky's so blue
I feel like I can talk to you
And I know it might sound crazy

(Chorus)

Today [3x]
Today [3x]

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
The only thing that gives me hope
Is I know, I'll see you again someday

Someday, someday

An Amazing Place!

Today we had the awesome privilege to tour the new Billy Graham Library (Museum actually) in Charlotte, North Carolina. It looks like a fancy barn with a huge cross-shaped glass windowed entrance. The presentation is a 3-D, awe-inspiring journey through the many years of this man's ministry and family life. Folks - this is one stop NOT to miss in your trip through time on this earth! A definite on the list of "places to see in my lifetime"! You say "Just how interesting could a building/museum of sorts be?"

Well, I will say this..it reflects the message of hope preached to millions the world over. It was well thought out and put together that it pulls all these pieces of information together in one place through multi-media presentations, artifacts and mock-up places of significance. In fact it has so many facets that it is hard to put into words. It so impressed the hearts of the 118 people on the tour with us that they did not want to leave and intend on returning soon.

We need to go back and soak in the scriptures, the music, the pieces of this place in history and God's message of hope and peace. I think all of us were shedding joyful tears at some point there or since. Billy Graham had a burning desire to share his faith in Jesus Christ and carry the "good news" with lost souls world wide!