Below you will find some pics of my new nephew, Parker. Well, they are mostly pics of the family, as Parker was charging for pics of himself. He should be cleaned up really nice today and I will try to post some more.

Lindsey did really well and looked really good for someone who had just delivered a
7lb 15 oz boy. She was a little tired and a little woozey (sp?) from all the medicine. But, as we knew she would, she did great overall.

PK and Lin will be posting pics on their not too often used blog . Check it out.

I was just searching through another tab and it looks like I am being hit by spam. So I am going to have to join the forces of Grant and Virginia and encrypt my sign in.

So, Parker, welcome to this world. I hope we, as the body, can guide you and help you become all that God has created you to be.

Father,
"May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us--
yes, establish the work of our hands" Psalm 90:16-17

Parker's first pair of Carhart's from the two Gpa's

"Nana's" first kiss

Patrick, Parker, and Lindsey

Excited?

Vicki and Marsha find out they are serving Blue Bell Ice Cream to each grandmother after the baby is born......just kidding. That was after they were eaves dropping and heard Parker's first breath/cry.

Waiting to see Parker

The Homeless and Katrina

The events of hurricane Katrina have helped open our nations eyes to the needs of the homeless people left in the wake of Katrina's disaster. But one question remains...what about the homeless who were in our own back yard's before Katrina. They have each had some disaster in their life that has lead them to where they are today. Some by their own choice, some not. But the fact still remains that they are there and what are we (you and I) doing about it?

I am hoping my community group will start to do something about it this fall. We are talking about taking a day each month and feeding them. I was told by a friend that when they asked a homeless person what is one thing they appreciate most, "a hot meal that is not pizza or sandwiches" was the answer. How easy is that?

I think that we can use the plight of the victims of Katrina to raise awareness of the homeless in our own towns.

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Nano

September 13, 2006 will be a birthday I remember for a really long time. Not because I got one of the newest, coolest gifts Apple has come out with (see the black Nano above), but because I got to spend part of the day cooking a BBQ feast for several hurricane victims and a host of friends from the Grove.

My community group and the Miller/Kelley CG put together a BBQ at Mt. Sequoyah for some of the Katrina Victims living there. It was a beautiful afternoon, we had lots of great food (Cindy's famous award winning blueberry pie), and a great group of people to hang out with. Tiring as it was, it was an awesome evening. It was not planned to spend my birthday this way, it just happened and I wouldn't have had it any other way. One of the children there had a birthday yesterday as well, so we got to sing her happy birthday, in Spanish as well as English, and let her have a big BD dinner. It is more blessed to give than receive (is this an actual passage in the Bible? I couldn't find it).

So, my Nano is awesome. They surprised me with it as I was getting ready for bed. PK and Lin came over and Cindy told me she had another gift for me. Roger wrapped it in this HUGE box with a fitting You Might Be a Redneck Card. So thanks Cindy, Roger, PK and Lin, mom and dad, Brookster and everyone else. Now I can listen to Grant's sermons while I jog.

Deal of the Week

I got this in the mail from my credit card company:

"Spend $3,200 or more each month (from Sept. 1-Oct. 31) and you'll earn a 20 dollar Restaurant Gift Card"

Is something wrong with that? I showed it to my roommate and he asked me if it was a joke. That is such a bad offer I can't imagine what the idiots in the marketing department were thinking. Anyway, before I threw it away I thought I would share it with you.

I went to Siloam Springs last night to help with some of the hurricane victims (I have been informed that Oprah says it is no longer correct to call them "refugees". Why?) It is interesting that several of them told me they don't plan on moving back because the people here are "so nice". I wonder if some of these people ever really made it out of New Orleans to experience a different part of the world than what they grew up in. Most have no property to go back to, no piece of land to rebuild on. So why go back or what is there to go back to? I wonder if they will even rebuild "the projects".

It will be interestin to see what the future of NO holds. I am sure that many displaced people will be calling there temporary settings home before long.

Our community group is going back Sunday morning to help in whatever way we can and we are going to Mt. Sequoyah on Tuesday to cook dinner for the victims up there (along with the Miller/Kelley group). I really enjoyed my time yesterday and am looking forward to these next two events.

Gotta get ready for work. Go HOGS.