Date Day with the Kids

(This picture is of Elijah and I on Christmas Day...he's a sharp dressed guy!)

Today we had date day! It's good every so often to spend one on one time with our kids, so today, we did just that.
I took Elijah with me to Wal-Mart and he got his fix of a candy bottle.
Hannah and I had a date to Braum's. She got chocolate chip cookie dough and I got butter pecan!
Sarah and Noah went to the Dollar Tree, but ended up at Wal-mart....Noah got a Darth Vader mask.
Grace tonight went with me to Third Friday at Ridgeway....good night of worship and then we ended back up at Wal-Mart. Grace fell asleep at Third Friday and then she fell asleep in the cart when we got to Wal-Mart.
Three Wal-Mart trips in ONE DAY! Yahoo!
The kids and Sarah also today went to tour the Fire station with the Buckmaster's while Elijah and I took a good nap! It was a much needed nap!
These are great times just to spend one on one time with the kids and talk with them. I enjoyed talking with Hannah about everything about church, to our family, to school. As I sat there talking to her, I was just amazed at how much she has grown...how much she is aware of things.
I love my kids!

My Favorites

Here are some of my favorite books, websites, and music:

Favorite Books:
One Year Bible--Our church is going through this in 2006!!!!
A Call to Die by David Nasser
How to Bring Your Child to Christ by Ray Comfort
Revival's Golden Key by Ray Comfort
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala
When I Don't Desire God...How to Fight for Joy by John Piper

Favorite Websites:
www.xanga.com/SarahJeanStinkyMean
www.homeword.com A website for parents
www.frontliners.org A great mission opportunity for youth groups
www.e-sword.net Bibles, commentaries, and more all for FREE
www3.caringbridge.org/ok/djl My Brother's website for his daughter, Anabel, who has cancer
www.desiringgod.org John Piper's website
www.268generation.com Passion website: Louie Giglio
www.stupidvideos.com Fun Stuff
www.bobbylehew.com My brother's website
www.emmausbaptistchurch.com This is the church where my brother, Jim, serves
www.turningpointradio.org David Jeremiah's teaching ministry

Favorite Music:
Chris Tomlin
David Crowder
Jeremy Camp
Tree63
Sanctus Real
Mercy Me

Praying for My Children

Being a dad is one of the most humbling experiences up to this point in my life. My question to other dads is do you struggle like I do in this role? God has placed four wonderful and incredible kids in my responsibility and I am in awe many times that God would give me much to be responsible for.
I pray today that my kids will come to really know Christ and truly live for Him. I pray that this life decision will be of their own and not mom and dad "making" them. I pray that what we do as a family around the dinner table and the small God conversations that I have, and as we go about our day living life, will have a Jesus impact on them.
Sometimes I wonder....sometimes I wonder-do they see Jesus in me or is Jesus just someone that they hear about? Is Jesus becoming more real to them each and every day through me....this thought frankly scares me for I know my heart, so I pray that they see Jesus in the minor and major things in our household.
Ray Comfort in his book, "How to Bring Your Children to Christ," made this statement:
"Are you creating children of God who will know salvation from death, or children of the devil who will know the terrors of hell?"
What a challenge...I would encourage you to read this tremendous book by Comfort if you have not already...it will put a desire in your heart to cultivate Christ in them.