Boulders...

There is an old parable told in Israel....

God tells a rabbi "On your way in to town every morning...to push on this rock."

So the rabbi obeys....and every day....as pushed on the rock...for almost a year.

The evil one pulls the rabbi aside one day and says, "That boulder has not moved an inch since you started pushing on it....if you go another way...you will not have to push on that boulder."

The rabbi listens to the evil one and agrees with him. He begins going home by another way.

After a week or so goes by....God says to the rabbi "Why did you stop going that way?"

Rabbi says, "I pushed on that boulder every day just like you said...and it never moved...I am tired of trying."

God says, "Who said anything about the boulder moving?

I told you to do that, so YOU would become stronger and you have. Have you even noticed what you are able to do that you were not able to before. You are able to help so many others as well as yourself."

God, we all have boulders in our lives and our paths...may we remember that we may not understand their purpose...but maybe we don't always need to. Thank you for all of the boulders you pushed and continue pushing to get to us.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Rosh Hashanah

All joking aside- I have the ultimate respect for Judaism...as any of you that know me are fully aware.

Sundown begins one of the highest holy days in Jewish life. Rosh Hashana, which literally means, "head of the year" or "first of the year."It is the Jewish New Year. There is, however, very little similarity between Rosh Hashana, one of the holiest days of the year, and the secular December 31st midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.


There is one similarity between the Jewish New Year and the secular one: Many people use the New Year as a time to make "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to be made in the new year. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (10 days later), give Jews a time to change the judgment for good. They are given the chance to improve their coming year through forgiveness, prayer and charity.


So- to our Jewish Friends- Happy New Year!


God, Thank you for giving all of us, Jew and Gentile alike Your Son, Jesus.
Thank you that through Him we are able to seek forgiveness at any moment on any day or night.


Grace and Peace,
DCC

Hopscotch...

It is the Weekend! Time to dress up and play some hopscotch...

Play by the rules...

Don't forget to look out for others...

that might not quite "understand" the game...

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
James 1:17

Thank you God, for small "fancy" reminders of Your Goodness. I thank you with all of my heart for my two favorite princesses.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Look Who Else I Found...

Brenda.. also known as the one who hurled a banana peel across the CLC in order to get my attention...DEBBI!!!!!! This is literally still at the foot of her bed- she said

"in case I came by and she needed anything."

precious kids are still smiling and hanging out...making the most of a challenging time.

Showing me her dog- named Chachi - who belongs to Brenda who corrected me and told me it was CHACHI MARIE.

James...

Sweet man...when I get there he was sweeping and cleaning up

the nurses station...they were not as friendly as our nurses

Brenda's sister...

Cutie patootie- showing me some of his new stuff

Martha... She was getting ready to leave today-
all of our kiddos...asking all about you all!

Lots of " love yous and we don't want to go"

"Please tell Caroline, Katie and Anne Marie we love them"

of course my favorite part was walking into the shelter and seeing the Julian Gold bags....King Ranch tshirts...AH baseball tshirts...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then we headed back to Tri Point tonight

We found Lonnie...

Mrs Beechie

Richard-

Who says is he is staying right here in SA!

Fred...

Who was asleep the whole time-

Mrs McCourt...

sweet as ever...

Linda and Reginald laying down some serious scripture!

Then we started taking Bibles to people..whether they wanted them or not-

Sylvia and Cindy and I started praying with people all over the place-

then the Holy Spirit started going nuts- this beautiful couple taught us about the secret of contentment...

what a humbling lesson....they turned the lights out....and after a while- we had to leave.

I am speechless tonight and will let the pictures speak for themselves...I will assure you we have been in the obvious presence of Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Look Who I Found...

Robert... amazing....I can't believe the only picture I got of him he is not smiling-He was happy and waiting to talk to the FEMA people about staying here in SA! He yelled my name when I walked in the big room and zoomed over to give me a hug-

Richard... He discovered if you wrap your fingers with a sugar packet and then put a band aid over it - the blood will be soaked up by the sugar. Apparently he is now a doctor.

He also informed me that he staying in San Antonio! He wants to live here and join our church he says "I want to volunteer there- if they are not grossed out by me"

Then I saw Tall Michael...

I almost didn't recognize him...his hair was in corn rows and under a skull cap...but when he flashed that giant grin- there was no mistaking it was him! He took the bus to the SA river today and walked around-

Annie...

We had a great visit- did you guys know she was a special education teacher? She said " I used to sneak them children down to K-Mart to buy 'em things, they sure did like that."

(Made me wish we had spoiled her more when she was with us!)

She grew up in Abilene and her choir teacher was the man that wrote

"We Shall Overcome"

She most certainly has.

I wasn't able to take pictures of the others I saw....

Reginald, who was smiling wide- and quoting scripture like it was going out of style!

Mrs. Beechie, who was getting her foot cleaned-she needed a few things- so of course, I snuck in the back and swiped some stuff for some of them.

Had a nice visit with Annemarie, still has the big cast on her arm and now she has blown her knee out- and was in a wheelchair. Still smiling-

Lonnie was there...in his black cowboy hat and long white beard. He was yelling at some kid who went to the bathroom in the handicapped stall, it was classic.

Deborah Holloway had just left-

Annie and Tall Mike leave tomorrow at some time for Huntsville-

They were still ranting and raving about your hospitality!!!

They miss you-

thank you for making a difference.

Tomorrow at some point I am heading to Park Hills to check on the rest of our gang-

Details to follow...stay tuned....

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”-2 Corinthians 13:14

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Blood, Sweat and Tears...

As I arrived they were literally starting the buses to drive off- I put a quick stop to that on each bus and ambulance...I had to see them one more time- I got the chance to "reap" as I saw in their eyes their earnest plea to stay here!!!

If I drove up 5 minutes later they would have been gone. I was overwhelmed by God's Grace and perfect timing. (This is where the tears come in)-I cried like a baby as they drove off- they waved and cried... All of their stories came flooding back to me...it was so emotional-it felt like a war had just ended...

Then there were none....

The silence was deafening.
Blondie, aka Linda Marceau, was convinced that we needed to clean it up before the cleaning crew came- seriously- Are you kidding me Blondie???? There are only 3 of us here! But I complied, as I usually do with Linda...when she gets a bee in her bonnet....you just follow along-
(I grumble the whole way- but secretly love every second of it)


This was a war zone- it literally needs a hazmat squad...and make no mistake about it-it will receive a good blasting from one- but Linda, was too busy caring about those people who had to prepare for the cleaning crew- so here we go.... (That was where the sweat came in.) Remember when your mom used to make you clean up, before the maid got there? It was like that - but on a rather larger scale.
In the midst of all the tearing down, folding up, pushing of beds and oxygen tanks...boxing up clothes, shoes, toys and books, medical files, phones and signs...cleaning washing machines out-

I looked down and there was blood running down my hand- I had a paper cut.
(This is where the Blood comes in.)
As I watched the blood roll down- and listened to the nurses giggle, in my face, thank you very little, I was reminded of the One Who's Blood ran down His Hands.
Because of His Blood, Sweat and Tears....
LOVE had the last word here.

Grace and Peace,
DCC

P.S. Yes, we are going to see our new friends -they are still in SA! Keep them in your prayers-

The Marathon...

"Let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint." Galatians 6:9

This has been a very long day at the shelter....If the truth be told, I am not real interested in reaping any harvest right now. Quite frankly, the thought of going out in a field and doing anything more than passing out in it, exhausts me.

What I am intersted in is some sleep and a normal schedule-but more importantly,

I want to know these guests of our's are going to land on their feet and be ok.

I want them to know God loves and provided for them in these darkest days.

There is no end in sight, but there is Hope.
There are no answers, but there is Hope.
There are frustrations, even in typing this sentence, but there is Hope.
Yes, There is Hope and our Hope's Name is Jesus.


Lord, give us all what we need to not lose heart and grow weary, but to keep our eyes on YOU!


Grace and Peace,
DCC

Thursday at The Shelter

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ~Philippians 2:3-4

Well, today the stories of shelter brought many things....

One of which was our first arrest...but I will skip telling you about that one- since I am bound by law not to talk about it and I am not interested in being his cell mate. (Technically it ended up being a "detainment"...whatever...there were handcuffs!)

However, the drama of that soon passed and we moved on to the work at hand...

Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus.

Which included some hoops with our favorite San Antonio Police Officer who also took 12 kids to the movies yesterday afternoon!

(Amazing how well kids behave when you have a big stick and a gun)

Special crafts projects and some encouragement from Cynthia...

Puzzles, jump rope, reading, movies, giggling and lots of love with Katie and Caroline-

Thank You to all volunteers and especially to these children for showing US Jesus!

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Hands and Feet of Jesus Today...

I do not know how to being to thank all of you for coming up to be the Very Hands, Feet, Eyes, Voice and Ears of Jesus today-

Most of you physically saw the difference you made in lives of so many strangers- now friends-
In case you didn't- please know they have been up here telling me all about you up until just a moment ago-
I heard all about how you.... cleaned...listened...served...sang...cried...hugged...touched...laughed...brought water...played basketball...jumped rope...encouraged...guided...teased...bought barbie dolls, new outfits and even pink shoes...harmonized...washed...fed...covered...

Days like today remind me that He is Alive....and walking right among us.

We were blessed enough to "do for the very least of these today"- and in turn spent the day with Jesus.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
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." ~Matthew 25:35-40

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Another Day in Paradise...

We are filled up at the shelter....it is special medical needs-

it is unreal....the stories....the pain...the loneliness....the fear....the unknown...the worry....the wonder ....the frustration....the exhaustion....

Then I met Victoria. I was reminded...Jesus knows her....and everyone else in here...
No one here is forgotten.

No one here has been overlooked.
God is still on the throne.

All thanks be to God!

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Open for Business

The beds that were empty yesterday...are not any more.

Thanks Ike.

So....the conversations I am having have started like this...

I need a brush...

I need some new underwear...

I can't find my brother...don't know if he alive...

My cell phone charger is out...so no one can find me...

Can I wash any of my clothes anywhere?

I am tired...

Do you know where my prosthetic leg is?

I am trying so hard to quit smoking...

I am scared...

No one knows where I am...

I don't know where I am...

Why?

When can we go home?

What will be there?

Can I go home to help?

I miss her...

I miss him...

My answer to all of it- the only thing I know for sure...is what I see up above all of these beds...the cross.

God show yourself to these people through us, and if necessary use words.

Grace and Peace,

DCC