Big Equal Health News!

Today is a HUGE day in the history of my company, Equal Health & Life http://www.equalhealth.com/ as for the first time in our 7 year history we introduced a non-healthcare related product called a LovePlan.

Below are some basic facts about this new product:

What is a “LovePlan”?
A LovePlan is a unique insurance plan that combines term life insurance with critical illness health insurance. This is the policy that your family needs to help make continuing mortgage payments, pay off the mortgage, or simply provide a large source of funds for other monthly bills if you should die or become critically ill. The Critical Illness portion of this plan provides coverage if you have a Heart Attack, Stroke, Cancer, Major Organ Transplant, Renal (Kidney) Failure or Alzheimer’s. You can use this money to pay for your medical expenses or cover the loss of income or living expenses while you are in the hospital. You could even use the money to take a recuperative vacation.

Why do I need this?
Every year thousands of families lose their homes because of the death of a parent or extreme medical bills resulting from a critical illness such as cancer, stroke or heart attack. A LovePlan will help your family pay the mortgage or other monthly bills as a parent or spouse recovers or as they deal with the passing of a parent or spouse.

Please pray this new product line can be a huge part of our future here at Equal Health!

Brady Speers, CEO

Girls Transition to Big-Girl Beds

I cannot believe nearly 3 years has gone by since my baby girls were infants! How is that possible? It seems like a blink ago that Julie and I were putting together their gribs. Today we spent the day transitioning them into "toddler beds". The girls took their first naps in them today.

My dad keeps telling me one day I will be saying, "It seems like yesterday they were being born and here they are getting married!".

I can only pray somehow time stands still a little longer.

Balloon Fest 2008 - nearly in our backyard!

Instead of having to trek over to Plano this fall, our annual balloon festival attendence was right around the corner from home this weekend in Midlothian.

We had a great time watching 20-25 balloons air up with some of them taking off despite the winds. We were joined by nearly everyone in the family too; my sister and her family, my parents, grandma Kat, Craig and Janet, and Alvin and Sudie.

Balloon festivals are a neat way to get some good family time.

I'm a Talk Radio Junkie

I hate to admit it, but I am. I love AM radio. Grew up on it (thanks dad).

From postgame discussions to political rants by main stream talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, I just can't get enough.

But, I decided I had to back off last week. So I updated my Ipod playlists and cranked up some good old rock and roll on the way to work today.

Sorry Ticket (www.theticket.com), you will have to take a break. You will still be heard nearly every day, but my mind needs a rest from the discussions of Cowboys football in June and how McCain can beat Obama in November.

My ears are ringing, thanks to the soothing vibrations of some loud music!

True Warriors of the Faith

Some friends of ours in our Sunday School class decided 3 years ago that God was calling them to join Pioneer Bible Translators as missionaries. Mind you, most of my life I have heard about and been forced to listen to different missionaries talk about their experiences, lives and missions. Honestly, it is usually boring and hard to connect with.

Not anymore.

(In order to help protect this couple they will be known here as Mr and Mrs. H.)

This amazing couple, along with their 3 small children, dropped their lives here in the comfort of America and headed to the Ukraine to study Russian and then prepare to live their lives near Siberia, with a people that live as nomads following buffalo. Yea, at times they are basically gonna be living in tents.

Let me put it this way: Each year, a small group of us send them a box of goodies as a "Care Package" from the U.S. We try to get it there by Christmas. We have to mail it in September!

This is not a two week missions trip to Disney World either.

Their goal is to help translate the Bible for a people that have never had one in their own language. It is dangerous, tiring and complicated. Everyday, they know they are being watched by the Russian government. They are on the front line like no other Christians I have ever known. We are blessed to be able to help support them financially each month. Without financial help from us and many others it might not happen.

Last Friday, they came back to Mansfield for a quick 10 day visit. They get a 3 month furlow back to the U.S. every 3 years. They brought all 5 of their kids with them ....Yea 5. On top of all they are doing, God led them to adopt brothers they met in an orphanage over there.

It was so great to see them, hug them and hear all of their stories. Their Russian is great and their kids are all doing incredible as a blended family. When they go back, their real work will begin and who knows how often they will be able to return to civilization and send us all an email update from around the world and one of the most desolate places on the map.

These people are real warriors of the faith.

Now I have a much better perspective on what all missionaries really do for God and it makes me realize how little the rest of us really contribute.

To support them, simply email Mr. H at honigmatthew@hotmail.com. They need all the money they can get.

http://mattandshelby.spaces.live.com/photos/

Building Families Quinn Fund

Dear Friends and Family,

As you know, Julie and I recently adopted a baby boy from South Korea name Quinn Seong Wook. His is an amazing boy and fits right in with our family. We are truly amazed at God’s goodness and how He puts children and families together via adoption.

We have been working with Dillon International since our return and together have set up a “Fund” called the Building Families Quinn Fund in honor of our son to assist other families who feel led to adopt and help a child have a forever family. This fund will provide finances to other families who desire to adopt but may be held back for financial reasons. We personally plan to contribute monthly and wanted you all to know how you can help if you feel led. There are many families right now in the process that need grants from a fund like this and we can all help make sure a child is not left without a family simply because of money. Quinn’s Fund will be set aside specifically for children in South Korea and will also target kids with special needs.

This is a great way to give and all donations are tax deductible thanks to Dillon.

To help, click the link below, click on the “Donate Now” button and then choose “Quinn Fund” under the program selection options.
http://www.dillonadopt.com/

Thanks for each of you and God Bless!

For more on Quinn see his blog: www.luvfromasia.blogspot.com

Never Forget to Remember, Like Most Have with Korea

The Korean War has a sad alias; the forgotten war.

Here on Memorial Day, it is important that we all remember every single veteran that has served and the battles they were commissioned in. From fighting for our own independence, protecting others and to setting nations free, America rises above them all.

No nation gives more. No nation helps more. No nation stands against tyranny more.

We can never forget them. They all count.

(these photos were taken at the Korean War Memorial during our trip to Seoul, South Korea in April).

Water Park in Our Back Yard

Hawaiian Falls is a new family waterpark complete with sides, wave pool, lazy river and much more that open last Friday in Mansfield.

It's basically in our backyard as it merely a walk through our neighborhood away. We went Friday and the kiddos loved it. Have to admit, it was pretty cool.

Pray for Chapman's Loss

If you have not heard, long time Christian musician, and adoption patriot, Stephen Curtis Champman, lost one of his adopted daughters to a terrible car accident yesterday. I cannot imagine what they must be going through but they certainly need our prayers, big time.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,357046,00.html

One Happy Family

As we celebrate Mother's Day 2008, both Julie and I are grateful for the events of the last 3 years. We believe our family is complete. Chloe, Sidney, Quinn. The best three kids anyone could hope for.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

The Promise of God

Louie Giglio has been the single most impacting Christian leader in my life. I have been listening to him since I was 18. This is truly one of his best moments.

Five Years Ago Today...

Julie and I were getting ready for our night wedding. It was a Saturday much like today. Everyone was in town, the fellas were staying tuned to the NFL draft updates, and Julie and I were ready to tie the knott and head to Disney World for our Honeymoon!

Here is a photo we took at Epcot during our trip as we meet another "newlywed couple". I still remember them too. They were long time highschool sweethearts who were reunited after both of their current spouses had passed away. I wonder how they are today?

Julie and I have had a great marriage! What an amazing 5 years. The trick?

Keep the Lord first in all of life

Choose your battles. Most things are not worth it.

Stay busy and enjoy life.
Have lots of dogs and lots of kids!

Be a Cowboys fan!

Love is blind if you simply follow the rules.

Here's wishing for many more!

Baseball Season is Already Done

Once again, the baseball season is over for me and it just started 21 days ago, making my long football off-season even longer this summer.

As usual, the Rangers are out of it in April with a record of 7-13. The Astros are not much better this year either.

At least my Astros have been a consistent playoff team and a World Series team in the past.

The Rangers? Can a team be worse?

Tour Korea! What a Wondefful Place!

via videosift.com

First Day Back - Nailed with Hail

Figures.

First day back from being across the world, and our sons first day in Texas.

Hail storm FROM BEYOND!!!

Check out these photos taken as we were rocked! Never seen anything like it. Thought our windows were going to smash in.

Video posted on our website here:

http://www.thefamilypost.com/Speersfamily/videos.php

Oh, So Funny

One of the funniest things about having twins is what I call the "copycat syndrome". This is the process by which they literally do and say everything that Julie and I do. From saying "Oh My Gosh!" and other accidental things like when Chloe repeated me saying "Crap" one day in the car.

Let me give an even better example of how this works with multiples, unlike those of you with singletons:

When our girls are in their full-fledge "terrible two" mode (which is nearly all day these days) they spend much of their time awake either in time-out, being told to stop doing something, or crying because of one reason or another.

So, the other day, I hear the girls playing and notice they are acting like one is either me or Julie and the other is still the toddler. It went something like this:

"Chloe! Go time out right now!" Sidney said to Chloe while pointing and looking very stern and serious.

Chloe sits down by the front door with a sad look on her face. Sidney kneels down and grabs Chloe's cheeks with both hands, "You hear me?" she demands. "No!" Chloe revolts and turns away. Sidney walks away with that "ok, we will wait until she just decides to chill" look.

Finally, things calm down and Chloe looks at her a few minutes later with those sad puppy eyes.

Then Sidney asks, "You done?"

Chloe gets up laughing and then Sidney says, "Sidney turn" and they reverse roles and do it all over again.

This can go on for hours! A "night-night" routine is also acted out throughout the day these days in which one will tell the other to "Lay down right now!" and the other will lay down and then start acting up (just like they do in real life). The scene cycles over and over with one acting up and the other saying "lay down right now!".

Just know this, whatever you say and do, will be repeated between them!

Now We Know Why Oprah Supports Obama

They believe in and are teaching the same junk. Check this out.

www.conservativelight.blogspot.com

Last Family-of-4 Outing?

We took off for GlenRose today in what was more than likely our last major family outing with just us and the girls. (It appears next week we will get our call to go to Korea for our son!). Originally we had hoped to make it to Sea World with the girls, but it does not open until May.

But I am glad we did what we did. If you have not been to Fossil Rim then you have missed out. http://www.fossilrim.com/ What a fun thing! We got to feed Zebras, Ostrich, all kinds of other animals, and Giraffes stuck their heads in our van to be fed which was hilarious. The girls loved it, but Julie and I were cracking up. At one point we were surrounded by animals, most of which were trying to find a way into the van! This is a neat conversvation that helps save animals, does research and more. The Cheetah exhibit was neat too.

Texas Stadium is Amazing

Don't get me wrong, as a season ticket and former suite owner at Texas Stadium, I am not down with new pricing structure of the new stadium at all, but "WOW!" as all anyone can say when seeing it go up right in front of their eyes like we are. We are the generation watching this thing be built and it is truly amazing.

I have been taking photos every 6 months or so, and here is a recent update. Look at the men working on this thing!!

Why We Believe

Christianity is truly set apart from all of the other religious systems the world offers.

1. No other religion promises eternal life based on the works of God alone. All the others are based on the works of man.
2. In other religions one must die to get to God. In Christianity, God died to get to man.
3. Unlike other religious leaders, Jesus could relate to everything we go through - stress, pain, betrayal, injustice, temptation.
4. Only in Christianity did the Savior die for its followers. In all of the others, one must die for its selfish savior.
5. Only Jesus rose again. All of the other supposed "saviors" are all still dead in their graves.

It's really that simple.

That's why we believe.

For more proof: check out this investigative report about Jesus by Lee Strobel, former Legal Editor of the Chicago Tribune. http://www.leestrobel.com/