My First-born Son is Twenty-five!!!

Austin's first birthday

Am I that old?! Yep. I am.  My third-born child and first-born son, Austin Wayne Benjamin, is twenty-five years old today.  From his first breath he was a joy to us, because we had been told, according to a sonogram, that he was more than likely a “she”. He never would cooperate with the sonogram technician and was always turned the wrong way, but they gave us their best guess.  We already had two girls, Courtney and Destiny, and were more than thrilled to add another girl to the mix. Well, when Dr. Fong said, “It’s a boy!”, it just didn’t register at first.  Then we started crying and saying, “A boy?!!! A boy?!!!”  Then the tears REALLY started flowing!

These twenty-five years have really been a joy.  Austin loves to have fun. He always keeps us laughing. He values family. He loves God with all his heart and is committed to seeing His purposes lived out on earth before Jesus’ return. He loves people. He is fiercely loyal. He prefers interacting with small groups of people as opposed to large crowds. His sensitivity to the needs of others around him astounds me. He enjoys LOVES all types of sports. Just ask him about any sport, and he will tell you the stats of the best players. He has seen just about any movie that you can think of. To say he’s a movie lover is an understatement. He is a worshiper of God and loves to lead others into His presence. He is seriously a joy to all around him. He is precious to me.

When Austin turned 9, he wanted a Ranger birthday!

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Real Fathers

On this cold and rainy Father’s Day in Belgium I have been thinking a lot about fathers.  I am reminded that a man isn’t a true father just because he has a child.  True fathers are not very common.  A true father puts his wife and children first in all that they do. He takes the responsibility of training his children very seriously.  He knows that his actions and words today will be reaped for generations to come.  He loves and seeks God with all his heart and wants his children to far exceed him in their love and pursuit.  He lives unselfishly and will be there at the drop of a hat when his children need him.  A true father is a gift from heaven.

I have the privilege of having many true fathers in my life. I’m grateful for my father. He loves Yeshua with all his heart and has taught me the importance of prayer and an inner communion with the ultimate Father. My dad imparted to me a love for Israel and the Jewish people.  He loves the Land almost as much as I do.  (He probably thinks he loves it more, but that’s not possible!)  He is such a hard worker and tirelessly gives of himself for others.  He loves the outdoors and is always ready for adventure. I love you, Dad!

He looks like he knows a secret that he isn't telling.

This is his favorite activity....preaching!

The picture below was taken last summer when they visited Gary, Preston, and I in Israel.  This is Dad, Mom, and Tracey Kingham at the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea in Israel

I have other real fathers in my life as well.  My precious husband is at the top of the list.  His love for his children is something that continually blesses me.  His love for Yeshua inspires me every day of my life.  His love for ME brings security and comfort. Our family is truly blessed and privileged to have him in our lives. I love you, sweetie!

He loves his daughters!

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A Mother’s Love for Her Sons

This has been an unusually hard day for me emotionally.  I woke up this morning thinking about my family back in the States.  My oldest son is getting married in November. My middle son and daughter-in-love have a one-year-old bundle of preciousness that I haven’t seen in five months.  The last time I hugged any of them was five months ago.  You would think that I would be used to it by now, because we moved away from Texas a little over a year ago, but I’m not.  I wish I could say it doesn’t bother me anymore, but the truth is I feel like I’m missing out on their lives in a major way.  I’m missing the daily milestones of a granddaughter’s toddler-hood.  I’m missing the ups and downs of my boys’ lives…the successes and the failures.  I want to be there for both. We have always been a super close family, and being away from them is the hardest thing I’ve had to do.  God has a purpose for our separation, but that doesn’t make it any easier.  I won’t see the boys and families until October when we go back for Austin and Hannah’s wedding and Shady Grove’s Missions Conference.

Sons are special to a mom’s heart.  There are no words to describe how special, and I don’t really want to go into it now, because I’ll burst into tears again!  I will say that my sons, in their adulthood, have brought a comfort and security to me that is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.  They light up the room when they walk in.  They are funny and keep us all laughing. Their hunger for God creates hunger in me.  The family just isn’t the same without them and we miss them. Oops. The tears are flowing again. Oh well….

Here are two pictures that Rachel Baker sent me of my boys leading worship last night for an event in the city: (more…)