Be sure to check out all of the new pictures that have been added!  You’ll find a lot of photos from birthday parties, swimming adventures, firework extravaganzas, July 4th celebrations and much more…  Be sure to visit the PHOTOS page to see all the fun!

It’s so hard to believe that it has been three years… but on Sunday, May 29th Ansleigh and Bryleigh celebrated the big 0-3!!  I told Bridget that we had finally made it past the “terrible two’s”… but was not sure what was coming next! 🙂

It doesn’t seem like anything is easy or simple around our place and this year’s birthday present for the girls was no exception.  Bridget’s dad agreed to pay some money toward a swing set for the girls – it sounded like a great plan… at first!  The first clue that it might not be simple was when I remembered that our back yard was not level enough for a swing set!  So, the first step was to level things out a bit… but after 4 hours of tilling and shoveling, I realized that it was going to take something with a little more “power”.

That’s when Mr. Bobcat came to my rescue!  It was very hard for me to justify paying $200 to rent it for the day but it really was a lot of fun to play with!  I guess that’s just the man (or kid) coming out in me! 🙂  Needless to say, we finally got the back yard leveled out and then four of us spent over 6 hours assembling the swing set and slide!  We finished it just in time for their party on Saturday, and after everyone played on it all day… it was still standing!

The girls love it, no one has gotten hurt yet, and after just a few Tylenol… I’m not sore anymore!  I’d say, a job well done!

Happy Birthday, Twins! We love you!

“Rise Again”, our first radio release from the new project “God Is In Control”, debuts at #50 on the Singing News chart this month!  “Rise Again” is a familiar song to many and is obviously still a favorite.  “Rise Again” was written and originally made popular in 1977 by Dallas Holm and is still receiving a great response on radio in 2011!  Below are just a few of the stations that have added “Rise Again” to their regular music rotation.

WEMM – 107.9 FM – Huntington, WV
WJHO – 88.7 FM – Alexander City, AL
WAIJ – 90.3 FM – Grantsville, MD
WLRC – 850 AM – Walnut, MS
WWGM – 93.1 FM – Jackson, TN
WFSR – 970 AM – Harlan, KY
WTRM – 91.3 FM – Winchester, VA
EnLighten on XM/Sirius

Please call your local station and request “Rise Again” by The Dills!

We’re excited to announce that the accompaniment tracks for the entire “God Is In Control” project are now available.  Just like the rest of our accompaniment tracks, you can purchase the entire album on compact disc for $25 plus s/h, the entire album as an mp3 download for $19.99, or you can purchase individual tracks as mp3 downloads for 5.99 each!  These are now available in the Dills’ Online Store or you can place your order by calling 731-988-5046.

Bridget’s grandmother, Millie Lou Alexander, went to her heavenly home on May 17, 2011 at the age of 92 after a long and courageous battle with congestive heart failure.  She was an amazing woman of faith and was blessed with a large and loving family!  Most people referred to her as “Maw-Maw Millie” and she will be greatly missed by many!  She had 9 children, 25 grand children, 35 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild!  Needless to say, her house was full at every holiday and special occasion!  Thank you for all of the calls, emails and messages through this difficult time… but as Ansleigh and Bryleigh reminded us the other day, “Maw-Maw Millie is singing and dancing in heaven with Jesus!”

Do you believe that God is in control of everything? Is there anything that catches Him by surprise? We are living in a world of chaos, confusion, destruction, disappointment and heartache… but we are fully convinced that GOD IS IN CONTROL! Please take a moment to click on the link below and watch this 3 minute video and then share it with a friend!  We are shooting for 1 million views of this video.  That may seem outrageous and unreasonable, but it is completely possible with your help!

We just received confirmation from the Program Director of Enlighten, Marlin Taylor, that Sirius/XM has reversed their decision to remove the channel from the Sirius/XM broadcast lineup!   
 
Over the past several days, the Management of Sirius/XM has become suddenly aware of the large audience that loves Gospel Music, and listens to it in their vehicles equipped with Sirius/XM Radio receivers.  Many of you have contacted Sirius/XM Radio to voice your disappointment in the scheduled removal of Enlighten from the broadcast lineup, and your voices have been heard!
 
Beginning Wednesday May 4, Enlighten will move to Channel 18.  This channel has been reserved for special programming, and will be the temporary home of Enlighten until a new channel can be created.  It will also be available on Channel 805 for those who listen online, via their computers or “Smart Phones”.   
 
If you are a Sirius/XM subscriber, it would be a good idea for you to call or write to Sirius/XM, to let them know you are happy about their decision to keep Gospel Music on Sirius/XM!   
 
Again… beginning Wednesday May 4, you will be able to hear Gospel Music (Enlighten) on Channel 18 on your Sirius/XM Radio. 

(via Daniel Mount – www.southerngospelblog.com)

This is a huge blow to the airing of Southern Gospel music all around the world!  Sirius/XM management has made the decision to remove enLighten from the satellite service of both XM and Sirius, as well as Dish TV, effective Wednesday, May 4th, in the mistaken belief that’s its listenership is miniscule. (However, enLighten will continue to be offered via the Sirius/XM OnLine Internet service (Channel 805) and via the Sirius/XM SmartPhone App.)

For your information, this action has been taken because – as part of the merger agreement – the Federal Communications Commission is requiring Sirius/XM to make a group of channels available for “community-service” programming produced by minority and special-interest groups, which requires the removal of other channels due to limited bandwidth.

The only opportunity to reverse this decision requires immediate action by everyone who will be impacted by this action. Make a telephone call, send an E-mail, write a letter or do all three!

If you wish to voice your displeasure, here is contact information:

Telephone calls –   If a Sirius subscriber, call Sirius Customer Care at 1-888-539-7474 or 1-866-635-2349
If an XM subscriber, call 1-800-XM-RADIO or 1-877-291-5304
In either case, comment on fact that enLighten is to be removed from the satellite service and, if it’s removed and not restored, you wish to cancel your subscriptions (if you do). (Do not be deceived by a rep telling you “it’s only moving to a new channel.)

You can send E-mails to customercare@siriusxm.com.

By mail — send a letter or postcard (now 29 cents) to one or both of these gentlemen:

Mr. Scott A. Greenstein
President & Chief Content Officer
Sirius/XM Radio
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor
New York, New York 10020

ALSO – you might send a copy of your letter to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Complaints
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

Remember… while you can be firm in your statements, always be Christ-like in what you say and write. And… pray, pray, pray!

Again:  to cause this action to be rescinded, a rapid and massive outcry is necessary!

Even as I’m writing this post, Bridget and I are watching the Weather Channel.  Seems like that has become a common thing around here these days.  Right now, damaging storms and tornadoes are covering Arkansas and will probably be here by midnight!  She doesn’t know that I’m writing this, but Bridget just said “I hate this feeling of helplessness”.  The weather is just one of the many things in life over which we have no control!  Whether it’s the weather, finances, health, politics, or anything else in life… these words can provide us the comfort that we desperately need to hear!  This is the first verse and chorus of the title song of our new recording, God Is In Control.

Does it seem, like the world is chaotically turning?
Sin and shame, unarraigned, and Godly men are adjourning
Well our fathers warned that it would come to this
But just hold your hat and know that the final truth is…

God is in control, though Godless men conspire
His will unfolds, though mortal minds are sometimes left to doubt
His ways are higher than our ways, so even through the fire
Take heart and know, God is in control

We just put Ansleigh, Bryleigh and Macie in our bedroom to sleep tonight.  They are not big fans of thunder!  When we were saying our bedtime prayers, Ansleigh asked God to  “just let it rain… not thunder.”  We’ve told them that the rain is what God uses to help the flowers and trees grow and sometimes it storms and thunders when it rains.  Now that I think of it, Ansleigh’s prayer sounds a lot like most of ours!  But God sometimes has to send storms and thunder with the rain in our life… so that we will grow!  But even in the storm, take heart and know that God is in control!

It’s here!  All pre-orders were mailed yesterday and if you’ve been waiting to order your copy… now’s the time!  Below are some of the comments about the project that we have already received!  After you get a chance to listen, we’d love to hear from you too!  Click here to order your copy of God Is In Control!

The album has grown on me – a lot!!  I am really enjoying all of the songs – and I have found that I enjoy them more at home rather than in the car (where I first listened) so I can concentrate more.   Great, meaningful songs! – Diana – Kennesaw, GA

I think this latest release is one of your best yet – Marcella – Louisville, KY

The new CD is amazing!  Great job! – Jonathan – Brownsville, TN

You can listen to short clips of all of the new songs below!