Posted in Family on 14. Sep, 2011
My second-born child is 28 years old today. I seriously can’t believe it. Where did the years go? Seriously. I mean, seriously. This can’t be.
My 98 year-old grandmother (Momo) has always called her “Dessie May”. So to honor Momo, I’m calling her Dessie May today. Dessie May is an incredible daughter, mother, wife and sister. She is a giver and a lover. When she knows God is saying something and giving vision, she goes after it with 150% of her being. She keeps my world balanced, and I love her so much.
This is one of my favorite pictures of her. Her face can say a thousand words. She makes me laugh!
And here is her sweet family at a Fourth of July picnic this summer hosted by the American Embassy in Brussels.
I just can’t end this post without showing you this pic, though. Dessie May and her sister, Courtney, are only 23 months apart. I just want to kiss those cheeks!
Happy Birthday, sweetie! Your mother is so proud of you!
- Happy Birthday to the nation of Israel!
Israel has been a nation now for 63 years. We are definitely living in the Last Days. No other generation has been able to say this since the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. Prophecies are being fulfilled before our eyes. Today please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that His people will call on His name saying, “Baruch habah b’shem Adonai!” Only then will He come the second time bringing justice to the earth. His ways are perfect. Come, Yeshua!
Oh how He loves this city, this land and these people!
Posted in Family on 24. Oct, 2010
Courtney Praise Benjamin Watkins…..
Today is her 29th birthday!
She is my oldest daughter. The oldest of my five children. Her heart of compassion and for the deeper things of God continually inspire me.
To celebrate this wonderful day in the life of our family, I want to share a few things that everyone might not know about her.
But for those of you who don’t know her, I’ll start out with the basics:
1. Her worth is FAR above pearls and rubies. (Prov. 31:10)
2. She broke both of her wrists at the age of 11 while rollerblading. One cast was pink. The other cast was purple.
3. When she opens her mouth, she speaks wisely with loving instruction. (Prov. 31:26)
4. Acting is one of her passions. In high school she played the leading role in Pollyanna, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Sound of Music, and Kindertransport.
5. Most of the time she has to buy her shoes in the children’s shoe section, because her feet are so small.
6. She took ballet lessons for eight years and is an amazing dancer.
7. Her children make her happy. (v.28)
8. Her husband praises her. (v.28)
9. They all say, “Many women have done great things, but you surpass them all!” (v.29)
10. She was a VERY colicky, fussy baby. (bringing it back down to earth here…)
11. When riding in her car seat as a baby she would cry loudly if the sun got in her eyes.
12. She loves animals but doesn’t want to have another thing to take care of. Why?
13. Because she has FOUR children! (Ashlyn-7, Madysen-6, Kadyn-4, and Judah-2)
14. She absolutely LOVES sports…especially football and is very athletic.
15. Adventures and new experiences jazz her.
16. Her children seriously adore her.
17. When she is pregnant, her laugh becomes a snort.
18. The heart of her husband, Nathan, safely trusts her. (v.11)
19. She knows WAY more than I do about the book of Revelation.
20. She could have been an olympic diver. (That might be stretching it, but she’s a great diver!) (more…)
Posted in Family on 16. Sep, 2010
I guess no matter how old they get, I’ll still be amazed at the age of my children. I remember when Destiny turned eight years old, and then six weeks later Courtney turned ten. I was truly amazed that my kids were getting so old. They look REALLY old here, huh?! All three of us look so sophisticated and beautiful.
Well, two days ago Destiny turned twenty-seven. My second-born baby is 27 years old?! It can’t be! Just yesterday she was hopping backward down the hallway with the end of the roll of toilet paper in her hand. Just yesterday she was sitting at the dinner table for two hours with a mouthful of vegetables that she refused to eat. Just yesterday she was telling everyone on the stage what to do during her ballet recital. Just yesterday she was telling me that she had committed her entire life and future to a God who loved her with a Love that she would never fully comprehend.
Yes. Des is twenty-seven years old and pouring her life out for this generation here in Brussels, Belgium. I love her more than I could begin to express. She’s the exclamation point in my life.
Also in case you haven’t heard, she is carrying our 8th grandchild! I went with her and Jon to her first doctor appointment which happened to be on her birthday. I had never had the privilege of seeing a sonogram of a twelve-week baby before, and I have to tell you, I was fascinated. I’ve seen quite a few sonograms in my life, but this one was pretty special. At twelve weeks the baby is only 2-3 inches long, so its image fits entirely on the screen. The baby was kicking and moving his/her little arms around. At one point he put his hand to his mouth then all of the sudden flipped over! It was the coolest thing to see! I immediately bonded with that little bundle of preciousness and can’t wait till she is here! (You notice I used “he” AND “she”, cause I don’t have a clue.)
Just think. This baby is at the prime age for abortions. In Europe 50% of all pregnancies end in abortion. This hit me hard while I was watching this baby in that examining room. (more…)
Posted in Family on 10. Jul, 2010
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!
(more…)
