Grace Baptist Church - Bastrop, LA

Erin & I will be moving to Bastrop where I will begin as pastor on Sunday, January 4th. Last weekend we accepted the call & this morning announced my resignation here at Central Baptist. We're sad to leave a church full of people we love, but we're also excited about the ministry opportunity God has given us. Grace Baptist Church began 7 years ago in a home w/ only a few couples & has now grown to a membership of about 350 in that time. They have had 2 pastors in their history & I will be the 3rd. They recently moved into a new building w/ a completed children's wing & an adult/administration wing yet to be complete.

This opportunity is a true blessing as we feel completely confident this is where God wants us to be. The church is predominantly younger adults with an abundance of children. We love our church here & the people we've grown to love will be hard to say good-bye to, but their love & support in making this transition shows how great of a church we're having to leave. Please pray for us as we finish the year here before moving to LA. Here are a few pics we took last weekend.

Our Little Prince & Princess

It's been a busy week or so for us, but we have managed to take some more pictures of Cade. He wears some outfits once, maybe twice, & then outgrows them so we are trying to take pictures to remember how cute they are. Yesterday was the 1st time he wore his "Little Prince" outfit & the next time may be his last! His sweet personality is developing more & more everyday.

Our little princess Molly thinks she's more like a queen. Her favorite thing to do on a nice, sunny day is go in her pin & immediately go to her "throne" & sunbathe. This is probably the only posed picture we'll get of her as she's not real cooperative w/ the camera. I wish I could submit it to a calendar company b/c it looks like it came straight from a doggy calendar. Erin was so excited she got this pic. She's still adjusting to not being in charge around the house anymore.

2 Month Pictures

It's hard to believe 2 months have already passed. Cade is doing great. At his 2-month check-up last week he got 3 shots in his legs & 1 oral vaccine. He did much better than expected & is tougher than we are. The doctor said he looks perfect. He weighed 11 lbs. 14 oz. & was 23 in. long. That is 50% exactly in both measurements. He has caught up after being so small at birth. We are loving the smiling & some slight giggles here & there. That head is being held up well & his arms & legs are getting stronger. Here are the latest pics. Our little stud in his Polo outfit.
Eeeck! This thing is choking me! (not really)

Nope, I refuse to look at you when you call my name!

Oooh, the ceiling looks cool, I think I'll stare at it for awhile.

This is not very comfortable, please hurry!

Ok, I'm done, no more pictuers for me!

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom & Dad

On November 2nd, my parents celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary. This past Saturday night we had a surprise party to celebrate. My sister did a wonderful job on planning & implementing the whole thing. All we did was take mom & dad out to eat conveniently at the place where everyone was waiting. They were totally surprised & the plan worked. It was one of the most special nights we hope they remember for a long time. It was great seeing all the family & friends who were there. There were friends there from the beginning of their marriage, others they go to church with, & many from several different phases of their life.

We are so blessed to have Christian parents who have set the example on family faith & values. They aren't perfect (none of us are), but they have done the best they could w/ what they have (having to raise me must have been tough). Marriage doesn't seem to be taken as seriously as it should. One of the best Christian witnesses we have is the institution of a Christian marriage & family.

It's sad to think marriage is an institution that fails more than it succeeds in America today!

Thanks mom & dad for all you have done & continue to do. We hope you had a great anniversary & we look forward to celebrating many more with you. Here are a few pics.

So they weren't dressed up for pictures because it was a surprise, so it turned out to be a casual affair, which fits perfectly into our family's way of doing things. My sister did an awesome job: she made & decorated these cakes herself. I guess if her nursing career ever fizzles out she can start making cakes!Gotta love some chocolate covered strawberries!
My sister had a slide show put together as you can see the old photo displayed on the screen as the people chow down on some good BBQ.

Cade was a big hit among family & friends who haven't seen him in person yet. He was zonked out most of the party. I guess since the Razorbacks lost that afternoon he was bummed out & decided to sleep off his disappointment.

Veterans Day

I had the privilege of leading in prayer at a local Veterans Day celebration here in Mineral Springs. I was reminded of the great sacrifice so many have made to earn & preserve our freedom. From people like my grandfather who served in WWII to those younger than me who I'm close friends with, everyone who has served or is serving our country deserves honor. America is a great place to live despite all we complain about & wish was different. May we always thank God for our country & for those who serve in it & for it.

Catching Up

After being out of town several days, working hard on the Fall Festival, & trying to learn how to raise a child, I'm finally getting a chance to post a few pics. He has grown up so much in the last week. It's scary how fast they change!Our little pumpkin. This is the closest thing to a costume since everything was too big.We use bibs a lot even though he doesn't eat solid food. With all the reflux & spit up it somewhat protects his outfits.

Here's a real cowboy getting branded (really a temporary tattoo) at the Fall Festival.

Throwing the football through the hole is harder than it looks!

Our Next President

Today has been one of the most emotional & important days in recent American history. All of us have been focused on who the next president would be. Some are worried while others are celebrating the outcome. I personally have spent time in prayer regarding the election & the current condition of our country. I've come to realize the great privilege we have as Americans to vote. We have the blessing of having a voice in the leadership of our country. Please don't ever forget to thank God for the freedom we have.

As Christians we must continue to pray for our country & do our part to heal America. There is no doubt in my mind God is in control regardless of what we might think & perceive. Our God is bigger than any President, political election, or form of government.

As Christians I believe we have a great responsibility in order to help heal our country:

1. Pray. Pray for America. Pray for our President. Pray for our government officials. The most important thing to pray for is their souls. Ask God to reveal himself to them & bring them to salvation through Jesus Christ. None of these individuals can heal our country, only Jesus Christ can.

2. Live by example. If Christians want to make a difference then we need to live in a way that earns the respect & admiration of those around us. No one will listen to us & become like us if we don't rise above & set a high standard.

3. Pray. I'm reminded daily of the increased need for prayer. Prayer makes a difference.

I know this isn't all that profound, but I'm burdened for us as Christians focused on complaining & looking in all the wrong places for hope & security. May we stand together asking God to bless America.