October 31st...

If these people happen to appear at your door...

and ask for candy...

Hand it over.

Not a skimpy handful.

I do not want to hear any reports about apples, or pennies or toothbrushes being handed out.

These shorties and others are working the program, hard core..for your entertainment.

They are even changing outfits and carrying accessories...

so, no matter what they are asking for...

RESPECT THE SHORTIES.
Hand it over-the big stuff- full bars...got it?

if not...this is just the beginning of what is coming your way...

God, thank you so much for children. May we all learn something from their wonder and excitement tonight.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Patience...

OK....so computer number 2 has crashed...yes, you read correctly....number 2. Number 2 means many things regarding that computer.

Therefore all info I had is now....you guessed it -gone.

So, let's review, shall we...
Robbed two weeks ago- original computer gone. (very bitter)
Buy a new computer. After 5 days of working to get it back to order...crash. (livid)
Return to store for another brand new new.After 5 days of working to get it back to order...crash. (frozen calm)

Let me recap-
3 computers...10 days...all patience...gone.
On my way back to Best Buy...Dell Studio is a "number 2" computer-

I will let my light shine, won't let Satan blow it out.
However, have removed all Christian apparel, just in case.

Grace and Peace,
DCC

Signed...

This is Julia Ruth Stevens.

She threw the last ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium.

Why her?

Because of who her father was.

Babe Ruth ring a bell?

The ball she threw, is worth a fortune, because of who has signed it. Do not think, for one second, that YOU are not worth even more- having been signed by Jesus.

As a child of God, this makes me wonder-

what am I "throwing" out into the world with His Name on it?

God, thank you that we are loved, stamped, sealed and accepted-

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Easy Days...

This is what I used to start my day with...no kidding.

This was entertainment...

This was a snack on a hot day...

This was a constructive project- always seen to completion, on schedule as well as under budget. (Dad is an architect)

This was how I made contact with people....whether it was calling Grandparents or Snoopy...as you see, it was portable...and convenient with the wheels.

Life is a little different today....but maybe it doesn't have to be??

God, thank you for teaching me to slow down-to deal with today...and today only.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

With Hope...

"This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope 'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end,
And we can grieve with hope 'Cause we believe with hope (There's a place by God's grace)There's a place where we'll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...We have this hope as an anchor '
Cause we believe that everything God promised us is true,

so ...So we can cry with hope
And say goodbye with hope
We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope"
~Stephen Curtis Chapman

God, Please show Yourself to the kids in our community right now-thank You for sending Your Son, so the grave does not have to be the last stop-

Grace and Peace,
DCC

Closer Than You Think...

Closer than You Think

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Matthew 14:27

When the disciples saw Jesus in the middle of their stormy night, they called him a ghost. A phantom.... To them, the glow was anything but God.
When we see gentle lights on the horizon, we often have the same reaction. We dismiss occasional kindness as apparitions, accidents, or anomalies. Anything but God....
And because we look for the bonfire, we miss the candle. Because we listen for the shout, we miss the whisper.
But it is in burnished candles that God comes, and through whispered promises he speaks: "When you doubt, look around; I am closer than you think." ~Max Lucado's "Eye of the Storm"

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Eggshells...

Things feel a little like this in our community right now-
There have been three separate deaths, all young boys- lives cut too short- people are confused, scared, mad, sad, numb and questioning-

However, let there be NO confusion of this-

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE!
He is in the very midst of all of it- closer than the very breath you just took.
Please pray for the families of Andrew, August and JP.

God, we thank you that the grave does NOT have the last word. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, Who sealed the deal on this eternal truth.

Grace and Peace,
DCC

The Smoothie...

This is Abby and her smoothie (pronounced Smooovie). As she got to the bottom-I heard the sound of a straw sucking air- but her cup was still full. I looked down and noticed she was "plugged" into the empty side of the cup. This is what I do all the time- plug into an empty source-

There is Jesus right in front of my face- and yet, I choose to be "fed" somewhere else. All I find is bubbles and emptiness.

However, thanks to God's patience and The Way He "guides our straws"

to the right side of the cup-

We are able to lick our lips and enjoy the sweetness!

Grace and Peace,

DCC

The Last Breakfast...

THE LAST BREAKFAST

God, your patience astounds me. Thank you for sending your Son, Who is The Real Prize...for all of us.

Grace and Peace,
DCC

Magic 8 Ball...

Sometimes I find myself wishing God was more like my old Magic 8 Ball....

I want quick answers...who will win the Presidential election...should I buy more stocks...or should I sell the ones I have left...

God is in charge-of all of it-

ALL OF IT- always has been....always will be....

Therefore...what are we all getting so worked up over???

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9

Thanks be to God!

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Thank You...

"We confide in our strength without boasting of it;

we respect that of others, without fearing it." -Thomas Jefferson

"We will not waver; We will not falter; and we will not fail.

Peace and Freedom will prevail"

-George W Bush

All gave some, some gave all

Thank you God for the freedom we sometimes take for granted-

Grace and Peace

DCC

Michael and Gracie...

This is Gracie

She is a constant reminder to all that know of her- that God answers prayer-

and although she is not able to get the words out- I am almost sure she is thinking -

"Check me out! I am the physical proof of answered prayer!!!"

They said she would never crawl....but as I wrote this...she crawled at the speed of light almost all the way up to the stage where her Daddy was preaching-(taking a small detour to smile at her great Granny). Her Daddy was preaching on prayer and healing- and to hear her giggling and cruising around-was just about the best show and tell anyone could possibly have had.

This child is a blessing to our church...our community and all that know her name. As his her daddy-who opens up and allows us to hear the raw thoughts in his heart regarding this precious baby girl of his. He has taught all of us- how powerful and good God is- no matter what he is dealt- He sees God answering and standing beside him.

He will read this and no doubt, have some sarcastic response-which is fine with me.

On behalf of everyone touched by Gracie-

We stand in the gap for you and your family and we will not cease.

We realize how hard it is to stand up there and open your heart in front of God and everyone (literally). We do not take your honesty or willingness to share for granted.

In the Name of Jesus, we ask for health and total healing for your entire family-

Christ shines, speaks, teaches and loves us, through you Crocker-

Thank you for sharing your Grace and God's Grace.... with all of us-

We are better and stronger by your example.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Dumped...

You Have Our Attention, Lord

Our friends lost their house. The co-worker lost her job. The couple next door lost their retirement. It seems that everyone is losing their footing.
This scares us. This bailout with billions. These rumblings of depression. These headlines: ominous, thunderous-“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What Next?”
What is next?
We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.
You told us this would happen.You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money. Greed will break your heart, you warned. Money will love you and leave you. Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.
You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.
We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have,Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor,Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it.

And now, tell us Father, are you taking it?
We’re listening. And we’re praying.

Could you make something good out of this mess?
Of course you can. You always have.

You led slaves out of slavery, Built temples out of ruins,

Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.
This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ, Amen

~Max Lucado October 2008

· • • • ·
God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them. Luke 18:7

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Seeds...

I just went on a long walk- and watched my feet- they traversed over streets, wet grass, dry grass, small rocks, big rocks, a football field, playground, parking lots and driveways.

I was thinking about one of Jesus best known parables of the sower and the soils.

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."Luke 8:5-8

Below is a picture taken in Israel-and is what Jesus would have used as an example- can you imagine just walking along with Him...He would stop and make a faith lesson for the ages out of the ordinary-

With all of the mud slinging going on in our country right now, I started thinking, what kind of seeds am I throwing?? I am going to try and focus on the seeds I am scattering instead of the ground for today-

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Peek a Bush...

So, on the way to work yesterday, I stopped up the street.

George W and Laura were in town for some fundraisers-

I waited patiently....made my way past a few barricades...and the next thing I knew...sirens....motorcycles...limos, suburbans...helicopters...etc....

in the suburban on the far right....I find myself looking around when I notice a familiar smiling face in the back of a suburban in directly in front of my face...guess who????

Just the leader of the free world...no big deal....The amazing part was that HE was trying to get MY attention- he knew I was staring at him and not realizing it was him.

He pointed at me, then pointed back to himself and began waving and laughing as if we were playing peek a boo and he had gotten me! There I stood, with only two other people on the entire street- no big crowds....no fanfare- just us, George, Laura and 50 armored trucks.

What does this have to do with God? Alot! It was a specific reminder to me that God is not going to let us "miss" Him! He will get our attention no matter what it takes! We must keep our eyes open...and we will see Him....He is everywhere.

Thank you God, for making yourself known to us. For your patience as we stare right at you, and do not recognize you.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

Soccer 101...

I just recently headed it up 35 to see THE world renowned....Green Hippos...in person.
Not to be confused with The Hungry Hungry Hippos.

These people might be short- but let me assure you,

they were not kidding around about their soccer.

Also, quite intense was the "Duck, Duck, Goose" game at halftime-which soon became

"Duck, Duck, Hippo."

as well as the partaking of snacks throughout the game.

Lots of spiritual lessons out there on the field....

Run the race set before you....Listen to your father

Encourage each other...

and every now and then, take a breather.

Grace and Peace,

DCC

proud aunt of superstar #8...and her sidekick.

Manna...

That one wasn't manna.

All kidding aside....God has always provided-

Whether it is sun and clouds by day or moon or fire by night-

He takes care of us-.

always has...always will...

Thank you God, for your constant presence and care...for your patience as we sometimes question the manna. We love you.

Grace and Peace,

DCC