For Carol...

thank you Carol for showing us all what persistance and fight mean,
"Well done good and faithful servant."

Grace and Peace to you all,

DCC

For Carrie....

Nothing- NOTHING can snatch us from His Hand.
Because of His great Love....we will NEVER perish.

"I will give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
No one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28

God is aware of all things...at all times...and although it is hard to see this sometime...

He has told us, we are not called to necessarily see it--- we are called to believe it.

"When you can't trace His Hand...trust His Heart"

Grace and Peace to my friend,

DCC

Prayer for a friend...

I have been spending a lot of time with a very sick friend. She has lost her hair, due to Chemotherapy...and yet somehow still looks as beautiful as ever. Because, you see what she has not lost, is her very soul and her strong spirit.
Everytime I see her head, I am reminded of Matthew 10:30, where Jesus says,"Even the very hairs on your head are numbered." This makes me realize in a graphic way-that God is fully aware of the situation and is still in charge. No matter what our human eyes may see.
Today, I humbly ask for you to pray for my friend Carol-and her precious family.

Paul wrote to the Romans in 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Acolytes...or Ministers?

So here they were...Easter morning...hair cuts...shiny shoes...ready to work.

As an acolyte on Easter morning..this is pretty serious business....there are a lot of specific instructions were given out- where to walk, turn, stand and return to your pew, etc, etc...

Preston, on the right, had the honor of bringing in the cross- not just any cross, THE EASTER cross....all decked out with gorgeous white flowers....

So, "Onward Christian Soldiers" he marched down the center aisle-stopped in the middle of the altar with all eyes on him and the cross.

Now, here is where it gets a little tricky....he was supposed to stop turn around to the congregation and sit down...however, he got caught up in the song...and the moment of it- and stood there....and stood some more....and then a little longer....mom's were trying to wave him off...clergy was sweating, audience was smiling....and then finally his wing man, Blake, ran up there to tell him, "the moms said you have to come sit down."

Now, what some might have seen as not following the instructions...I happen to see as wonderful! I also happened to see Jesus smiling from ear to ear as His Child, Preston made a very serious point by staying.

The longer he stood...the more we were all reminded, it is not about the pretty music or the flowers or the outfits....

The celebration of the empty tomb started at the cross...and without it,

Our failures were permanent.

Our faith was nothing more than a wish.

Christmas was just another ordinairy day.

Thank you God for using kids, as always, to remind us all. Grace and Peace,

DCC

No Fear...

365 times in The Bible this statment is made-
365, as in, Yes, God knew we needed to hear this once a day-
For some, you need to hear it right now.
For others, you need it later this morning.
For some, maybe you just need to share it with others today-
the bottom line, it doesn't matter when you need it...it is there and it is from HIM-

As a "worrier" myself, it is nice to know, He understands me. Since Is able-
to hang the stars, like we put a hanger back up in the closet-
to plant the mountains, like we pick up a Hershey's Kiss
to tell the rolling waves, exactly where to stop and start on the shore-

I am going to take His Word on this.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Easter P.S.

Some serious Easter discussions over heard at La Fonda with one of my Goddaughters this weekend, Katherine and her sisters Caroline and Lizzie.

With all of the excitement of Christmas morning...Katherine yelled (and yes, I do mean yelled, she is my Goddaughter for heaven's sake)

"Can you believe how super awesome it is that Jesus rose from the dead!?!?!"

I said- "I know, I can believe it...it is sooooo super awesome!"

Caroline-"I wish my hamster was like Jesus, he died this morning"

Me-"Only Jesus brings Himself back from the dead"

Caroline- "Duh. I know that."

Katherine-"Even if people are mean you should always love them."

Me-"Good reminder...thanks Kitty Cat"

Katherine- "We have to because, He gave us all our sins"

Me- I think it the other way around- we gave HIM all of ours"

Katherine- "are you sure about that?"

Me- "Yep, pretty sure."

Katherine-"So He got OUR spanking?"

Lizzie (5 yrs. old) - "I like the chocolate eggs...but it is really about God's Son"

Me-"You are right Lizzie, it IS ALL about and ONLY about JESUS."

What I wanted to tell them, but they had already high-tailed it out of there down to Pet Works for a new hamster, was this-

It is super awesome that he rose from the dead...for so many reasons...the older you get the more you will learn and be aware of how many "spankings" you deserved, but HE took on the cross.

I pray that you will always keep in mind....that in all the details of faith, the what, the when, the how, the why....

all that really matters is Jesus. Its just that simple.

Amen.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Folded....

"The napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, 
having been folded up, in one place." ~John 2-:7

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that a napkin was set apart and folded. 

 Things that make you go hmmmm.... 

Did Jesus have good manners? 

He was a nice tomb-guest? 

His mother raised him well?

I am guessing yes to all of the above.

However, in Israel, I learned a few things of the Eastern culture...
not nearly enough..but a few things that have really enlightened The Scriptures for me
-one of them was about table manners back in the day.

The Hebrew tradition of that day about napkins, went like this:

When the master had finished eating, he would get up from the table,
wipe off and would then wad up his napkin and throw it onto the table. 
The servant knew it was time to start cleaning- 
because a wadded up napkin clearly stated, 
"I am done. I am not coming back."

However, if the master got up from the table and folded his napkin and laid it next to his plate.....well, then we have a whole different story!

Because the folded napkin meant,
"I'm not finished yet...I will be back."

"Since I am going and preparing a place for you, 

I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also." ~John 14:3

Jesus folded His napkin for a very specific reason-
He is not finished.
He will be back!

Thank You God, for the empty tomb and all that You are still saying to us through it.

In His Dust,

DCC