D- Day

Today is the 67th anniversary of the D-Day landings on Normandy beach in France.

"June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded — but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe..."

Although I don’t personally know anyone who fought on those rugged beaches, I benefit from the heroics of those brave men who fearlessly stormed up those rock cliffs in order to repulse a vicious foe – Hitler.
Today I say thank you to those who fought at Normandy, thank you for doing something that seemed impossible, thank you for putting all thought of comfort or home behind you and squaring your shoulders and taking those beaches like the brave soldiers you were!  Thank you for your service, and for your example.  God bless you and may there be many more men in our day who follow in your heroic footsteps.

Today I say thank you to those who fought at Normandy, thank you for doing something that seemed impossible, thank you for putting all thought of comfort or home behind you and squaring your shoulders and taking those beaches like the brave soldiers you were!  Thank you for your service, and for your example.  God bless you and may there be many more men in our day who follow in your heroic footsteps.

busy, Busy, BUSY...

...that's what we've been for the past three weeks or more.  One day (hopefully) soon we hope to be able to post some photos of what's been keeping us busy.

Johny Kautt, Nov. 4, 1935 - Oct. 15, 2010

Last evening was our Grandpa's memorial service.  There were probably over 200 friends and family who attended the service.  It was very uplifting, and we rejoiced in being able to celebrate our dear Grandfather's life, as well as grieved at our loss of a man who did so much for the Kingdom of God.

Our dear Grandpa.

 

Jacob John "Johny" Kautt

Born November 4, 1935 in Grandview, Missouri to John Jacob and Elsa Irma Kautt.  Passed to his eternal 

 reward on October 15, 2010.

Married December 23, 1956 to Elma Faye Kautt, who presently resides in Farmers Branch, Texas. They 

have three children:  Becky Knowles of Denton, Texas; David of McKinney, Texas; and James of 

Tuebingen, Germany. 

 

He is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his bride of 54 years and his three children; his 

brother, Fred Louis Kautt and his wife, Jeanie of Centerville, Kansas; son-in-law, Dennis Knowles; 

daughters-in-law, Naomi & Julia; grandchildren:  Jason, Rachel, Dennis, and Rowena Knowles;  Joel, 

Abigail, Caleb, Phoebe, Johanna and Jaden Jacob Kautt; and a host of nephews and nieces.

A 1957 graduate of Dallas Christian College, he preached at First Christian Church, Tioga, Tex.; First 

Christian Church, Maud, Tex.; Sunnyslope Christian Church, Texarkana, Tex.; Central Christian Church, 

Bryan, Tex.; First Christian Church, Murfreesboro, Ark.; Oakhaven Christian Church, Memphis, Tenn.; 

DeSoto (Texas) Christian Church; Bella Vista Christian Church, Garland Texas; Denton (Texas) Christian 

Church; Southwood Christian Church, Greenville, Tex.; First Christian Church, Royse City, Tex.; Cedarcrest 

Christian Church, Sulphur Springs, Tex.  During all these years, he maintained radio programs on eight 

stations in three states:  WTAW 1150 AM, Bryan, Texas; KORA, 1240 AM, Bryan, Texas; KBHC, 1260 

AM, Nashville, Ark; KSUD, 730 AM, Memphis, Tenn.; KWJS, 95 FM, Arlington, Texas; KVTT, 91.7 

FM, Dallas, Texas; KVGL 1400 AM, Greenville, Texas.

He held professorships at Memphis Christian College and Dallas Christian College, and also served as 

Academic Dean and Director of Alumni Relations at Dallas Christian College. He and Faye were forwarding 

agents for Jim & Naomi's missionary work in Germany.

Dearly loved and widely influential, his passing leaves a tremendous gap, which can never be filled.

Grandma and Grandpa were huge fans of Dallas Christian College.

Dad ~

The following is from a post from Abby's blog about our Dad. Since I'm not really a writer (and she is!), I'll let her do the writing. I agree so much with what she wrote in this little "article". Enjoy!

June is such a pretty month here in the South. The sky is clear and blue, the sun shines a little brighter than in previous months, summer is almost upon us.

Besides all of that, June is a special month for me because we celebrate two important days in our family. My Dad’s birthday (June 18th) and Father’s Day.

Caleb and Dad

Dad has always been such a stable, consistent voice of truth in my life. I am grateful for his servants heart, his caring attitude towards people he doesn’t even know and his respect and love for my Mother. As a minister of the Gospel of Christ, his role in the church is more visible. His job is stressful, enjoyable, and requires a lot of time and attention.

Every Saturday night he begins the lengthy process that he has spent a majority of his week preparing for. Writing his sermon by hand (20 plus pages). He has done this for as long as I can remember. It may be “old school” but it is clearly unique in this age of fast technology. He writes so hard we joke that it’s braille. :)

He has taught me much about what life is all about and the importance of making a difference in this wretched world. A difference that is the only thing that will eternally matter…. Jesus Christ.
Through the 18 years that he has been preaching at this church, he has grown. Our church may be small in numbers from week to week, but his impact on the community has been large. Besides, numbers don’t really tell a story. Saved souls do.

His commitment to his marriage to Mom has been refreshing in this age of instant gratification. They have been married for almost 29 years. Sure they’ve had their ups and downs, all marriages do. But because of their commitment to God and each other, their love is stronger every day. It is a blessing to be apart of that legacy. Something to live up to, I guess you could say.

Because of their team work, they now have six children. Joel is an adult at almost twenty-three. He is like Dad in so many ways, both in looks and character. He is the leader of we kids, and since he works full time I find it hard to fill his shoes. I am next in line at nineteen Its a hard age because sometimes I feel caught between childhood and adulthood. God is good. Caleb is after me – growing into manhood with such gusto. Being the tallest of all of us, some people mistakenly think he’s the oldest. At almost seventeen he has matured in so many ways over the last four years. Phoebe is playful as ever. She also inherited Dad’s looks and character. She’ll be fourteen in August and its hard to imagine sometimes. Johanna is eleven, bookish and thoughtful. I guess she got that from Mom (the bookish-ness). Her creative mind runs circles around us a lot of times. What a blessing it was on that cold February to welcome her into our circle. Jaden, six, closes out the family. His energy level far surpasses the rest of us. His insightful questions stumps us frequently and cause us to think harder about life in general and whatever his questions was in particular. A boy of boundless curiosity, we are hard put to keep him in check at times.

Dad will always be my hero. The one who loved me as an infant and cuddled me in his strong arms. The one who threw me high into the air and caught me securely as I laughed. The one who applied corporal punishment in a loving but firm way, to let his rebellious daughter know he loved her but there are limits. The one who continues to be a clear voice of reason and guidance in my life as I grow into the woman God wants me to be. He will always be the best dad in the world!

He truly lives up to his name, David (Hebrew – Beloved). He is beloved.

I love you Dad! Happy June.

Jaden turns 6 - part 1

Happy 6th Birthday Jaden Jacob!

Love,

Dad & Mom

Joel, Abby, Caleb, Phoebe & Johanna

We wanted to share some pictures of our dear Jaden with you.


Today is his 6th birthday - here are some photos we have taken of him over the past 6 years. They are in chronological order, starting soon after he was born. Enjoy!
Here he is being held by his proud Kautt grandparents - we love this picture, because it captures perfectly each of the individuals in this picture. Jaden is a couple of days old.





Jaden resting so peacefully on Abby's chest.







Johanna, Jaden and Abby the night of Jaden's birth. Johanna looks perplexed, she was so excited to have a baby brother to love on!













I was SO happy to have another little brother! I was to young to remember much about Caleb's birth, but I will forever remember Jaden's. I spent allot of time holding our "little buddy" as we call him.




This beautiful picture was taken during a family picture take. He is SO adorable!














Jaden with his hand in the "cookie jar" we were messing around with him one night around the meal-table.








Johanna and Jaden in Indiana during our 2 week family vacation in 2003. Such a lovely, cuddly pose.

Jaden-bug! Awww... isn't he so cute?! :)

Jaden blows out the candles on his 3rd birthday cake!









A Jaden pose - family pictures in front of our house.








A bug - Jaden loves the outdoors, all aspects!











Jaden introduces Phoebe's stuffed dog Peggy Bell to our late Great-grandma Nanny and her dog, Coco in Tyler, during our family Christmas at Pine Cove Christian Camp.








Jaden barefoot! This was one of the first times (if not the first time) he ever went barefoot in the summer. He loved to ride his tricycle during this time. Now he has a big bike without training wheels.











Buddy's - Caleb and Jaden enjoy each others company. Here they are both dressed like farmers, overalls and all!




Jaden and Johanna! Such a good photo of them.













Here I am with Jaden. He was being really goofy, but this picture turned out pretty well. :)

That's all for now folks. More coming soon!

Happy Birthday to a Special Friend ~

The night before he moved
A special note:

To our Dear Friend & Former Neighbor, to Mr. Amos, or as we like to call him, Mr. "A": We hope you have a very special & Happy Birthday, and that the Lord will bless you with many more birthdays! We wish we could celebrate it with you. Guess we could celebrate with you "long-distance". :) You have become like family to us, our "adopted uncle".



Mr. Amos by his truck loaded on the last day we had him as a next-door neighbor.

We miss you as a neighbor & being able to see & talk to you every day [although it may have not been enjoyable to you :)]. We miss the fact that we could climb your tree, run in your backyard & play the fun games that you came up with. :) We are glad you were able to get a good job back in Oklahoma, close to your parents & family, and we hope to be able to get together soon!


Mr. "A" reading to Johanna & Jaden

We love you, Mr. "A"! Happy Birthday!

Love,
David, Julia, Joel, Abby, Caleb, Phoebe, Johanna & Jaden

For America's Patriot: Ron Paul - Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Dr. Paul! Thank you for being the champion of Liberty, Peace, Freedom & the Constitution! Our family has learned SO much these past several months since we first became acquainted with you and your campaign. It was amazing to watch you over the course of your months on the road, spreading the good news about Freedom, Prosperity & Peace!

Many happy returns on this your special day and may the Lord bless you with many, many more years of healthy, happy living!

1:1 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." Psalm 1:1-3

God bless you Ron & Carol always! You two are in our thoughts and prayers!

With admiration, with love,

David, Julia, Joel, Abby, Caleb, Phoebe, Johanna & Jaden Kautt - Texas, USA

A Day just for Momma~

Sunday last was Mother's Day. Since I never got around to posting anything for that special day Saturday night (like I'd planned), here is the Mother's Day post!

"A dainty table spread..."

"with food... glorious food"

The Violets were from Joel, Caleb & Jaden for Mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To our Dear Loving Mother on Mother’s Day.
From: Joel, Abby, Caleb, Phoebe, Johanna and Jaden.

Dear Mom,
Thank you for all that you have done for me, and for each of the other children over the many years. Thank you for your passion for knowing and obeying the Truth without wavering, and for your part in helping to fuel my desire to have that passion. I pray that the LORD will soon raise you up to health that will allow you to be more active again in your role as Mother.
Love from,
Joel

Hello Mums,
Wow! Happy Mother’s Day! I’m so glad there’s a special day just for Moms. :)
It has been my blessed privilege to be called your daughter. You are such a wonderful example of what godly mothering ought to be. Praise God for you!
During this time, I have come to understand just how important a mother’s role is. Wow! You sure did a lot of work. It has been a challenge, but one I’ve enjoyed. Your shoes have been big ones to fill.
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you and give you peace, the Lord be gracious to you.
With admiration, with love,
Abigail C. "abs" (18)

Dear Mama,
I praise God for allowing me to be born to you and Dad. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you and Dad for bringing up us children in the "admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)! :) Thank you for being a good example of a Proverbs 31 Woman to Abby, Phoebe, and Johanna. May God bless you with a wonderful Mother’s Day this year.
With respect,
Caleb Nathaniel (almost 16)

Dear Mama,
Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you for all that you have done for me, and for our family, even when you’ve been sick. You have cared for me (and my siblings) since I was born (literally), and you were always there for me when I was sick, when I had gotten a scrape or when I had a bad dream (!). I remember the many nights that you were awakened because of me coming into your room, scared. You are truly a Proverbs 31 woman, and are working at becoming a even better one. I love you, and will always love you, even if you are sick. Thank you for being such a kind, loving, compassionate, caring (I could go on & on) mother. I have a lot of fond memories of doing many things with you. Most of all, thank you for teaching me the Holy Scriptures, and being a good example of godly parenting.
I pray that the Lord will bless you with many more years of life, and that He will heal you completely, however long it may take.
I love you, Mama! :)
Love,
Phoebe Ann "Phoebe-dee" (almost 13)

Dear Mama,
Thank you for being a loving, gentle, careful, Proverbs 31 woman! You are such a good example to us childrenJ I enjoy your notes to meJ I pray the God will richly bless you, especially now when you are sick. I pray that you will have a wonderful Mother’s Day
I love you, Mama!
Your daughter,
Johanna Ruth "Jo Rudy" (10)

Dear Mama,
Thank you for being good to me. God bless your Mother’s Day! I pray that you will get better soon! :)
Your son,
Jaden Jacob "Ja" (5 ½)

2 years~

2 years ago on April 26, 2006 our dear friend and "adopted" Uncle Mallory S. Boyes passed away.

We still miss him... his laughter, his loving care not only for his family but for people in general. We miss him at church (he came almost every Lord's day), and then after services he would usually come and spend the afternoon here in our home, eating, laughing, enjoying serious discussions with his long time friend (from H.S. days) David. We miss him at all of the Kautt-Kautt-Knowles family events, he came to almost all of them.

We are very thankful for all of the wonderful memories we still cherish of him. He has gone on to his reward, and those who knew him and are left behind are left with a large hole in their hearts... one with his name on it.

His biological family ran a tribute in the Dallas Morning News either Saturday or Sunday (yesterday). Hopefully we can get a copy from Grandpa, and then scan it and post it.

The tribute below was written by Mom (a.k.a. Julia) for Grandpa & Grandma's 50th wedding Anniversary album. Mal was like their 3 son.

-MALLORY BOYES-
Like a son, a brother – my friend,
You were to our family.
You departed this darksome world,
Some say, prematurely.
Our Sovereign Lord,
Knowing beginning from end,
Called you to your reward.
Now you receive His measure,
According to His Word.
We remember the hours
We spent with you:
Meals shared, one-liners,
Ballgames watched and played;
Bouncing little ones on your legs,
Kautt clan milestones –
You were there with a placid face.
Music, laughter, old t.v. shows,
Theological talks, concern for friends.
We are so sad, for now all those
Good times have come to an end.

We miss you, Mal.
The void you left cannot be filled.

Julia Kautt 2006