Prayer Request

From Dee:

Hey all,
I want to request that you pray for a student that goes to my school. His name is DeAndre, and I occasionally give him a ride the second half of his commute to school, whenever I see him walking up the road while I'm driving. Our time is brief, but I typically listen to a sermon or the ESV audio in the mornings, but I always get my MP3 player ready to switch fast to some Cross Movement just in case I see DeAndre. Well, he definitely likes the beats, and asks me questions all of the time about why I listen to Christian rap versus, "violent rap" (his term). We get around 5 mins during our quick trip up the road maybe twice a week. The conversation is not very fluid because he is in speech therapy and can be pretty hard to understand at times, and I have to ask him to repeat himself often. The other day he asked when did I started listening to Christian hip-hop, and why did I start listening to it. I proceeded to tell him that 10 years ago I prayed to receive Christ, that I told God that I believe His Son died for me, and that I wanted to stop resisting Him. I then told him that it was shortly after that God began changing my desires, and that included what I listened to. As DeAndre was getting out of the car, without flinching, and with the clearest speech he replied, "I like violent rap. I like shooting and sex. That's what I like." Door closes, and he's off to class. Can you pray for him, and that I would faithfully continue to pursue him? Thanks.

No TV Day

OK, so I know this sounds so petty and probably reveals a lot about me, but today I didn't turn on the television once. That usually doesn't happen when I am at home all day with no visitors. I don't think I am a TV junkie nor do I spend endless hours in front of it. But admittedly, I usually do have it on either in the morning or afternoon...(sometimes both). It usually starts with watching the news or GMA or Regis & Kelly while I eat breakfast or something while I eat lunch. I am one of those who doesn't like silence. I enjoy music, but when I am just sitting, I don't want to look at nothing. (I know! I know! I could look at a book! And I actually love to read.) And I don't have little ones running around yet...Karis still takes 3-4 naps a day. So it can start with sitting down for a meal and then sometimes it just stays on. Certain days I am around the house doing other things sometimes tuning in and sometimes ignoring it. Other times I find myself at the end of a program seeing what will come on next.
But today was great! Now don't get me wrong I don't think TV is bad or watching it is terrible. I just think I have spent too much time there. So today it didn't come on at all. I really enjoyed the day filled with exercise, playtime with Karis, reading, great conversations with dear friends, catching up on others' lives through blogs and a little cleaning. I do these things on other days as well, but not as much. I spent more time thinking through what I was reading and really seeking the Lord over some issues in my heart. I can see where they say TV has a loose link to ADD. Multitasking can be the death of mental sharpness.
I am not vowing to never watch TV again, (we are pretty big fans of American Idol around here), but I was encouraged today at what can be accomplished mentally, relationally, and spiritually without it!

YESTERDAY

Yesterday was a fun day with the camera. So here are some pics of our afternoon & evening...

Reading in the Bumbo seat...yes, the book's upside down. We're working on that! :)













You talking to me?













Some cute faces






















Dee playing with his favorite boys...























Karis' usual spot at dinner

K.B.B.K.

Kare-Bear-Bad-Kold. She actually has a respiratory virus and an ear infection. Please pray for our little sweetie, and her mom as well. Thanks.

--Dee

THINGS KARIS DOESN’T CARE ABOUT…

1. If I don’t get out of my pajamas until 2:00
2. That the kitchen floor needs to be mopped, the furniture is dusty, I need to clean the bathrooms, and the laundry is piling up
3. When I’m having a bad hair day
4. When we are late to appointments
5. That we’re almost out of toilet paper
6. That the dogs bark…a lot!
7. If I don’t know what we’re having for dinner
8. My to do list
9. That we have NO money!
10. The future

She really cares about right now…if her tummy is full (of milk, not gas!), her bottom is clean and dry, her sleep is adequate, and if Mommy and Daddy are paying attention to her, giving her love and hugs and kisses, knowing that they will take care of the future.

Why can’t I be more like her? My only concern being that my present needs are more than taken care of and I have my Daddy’s full attention and He will take care of the future…the next moment, the next day, the next bank statement, and the next year.

At 3 months, that little girl can teach me a lot!

Who Does She Look Like?

One of the first questions we all get when we have a baby is "Who does she look like?" With our precious little Karis, we have gotten a mixed response. There have been a few "just like Daddy" or "just like Mommy" comments, but mostly it's been "I really can't tell" or "She's a really good mix of you both". Well, as I was browsing some pictures the other day, I thought I would share some baby pictures of all of us and let you decide? What do you think?