Linus and Mikey...

Yesterday morning, before the sun came up, in strolled a bleary-eyed, bed-headed Mikey D.
He held out his empty little hands and handed over the blankie.
Mikey: "I'm done."
Mom: "With what?"
Mikey: "With my thumb and with blankie. Take it."
Mom: "Way to go Mike! Why today? Did something happen?"
Mikey: "No, because I said I'm done. So I am."

Pretty impressive for a 7 year old.
I enjoy a man with integrity!

Flash to 8:30 that night...." The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. He again found them sleeping,
because their eyes were heavy." ~Matthew 26:41b, 43

God, Thank You for comfort.

In His Dust,
DCC

Not In Vain...

I had the privilege of talking to a group of 8th grade girls at
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery yesterday.
It was a somber, inspirational, humbling blessing....as going there always is.“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” ~Psalm 23:4.

We talked, we walked and we asked questions, as we wandered though graves.

Finally, our group stopped here.
Upon closer look....this is what we saw...A hometown hero. One of their own.
Their faces dropped as they realized he had walked their school hallways...
played on their football and baseball fields....eaten at their restaurants...
Overseas battles that used to seem so far away, were suddenly before their very eyes.

After hearing their questions and seeing their eyes, I have full confidence that these girls are going to make sure that Ben and all of our fallen heroes,

will not have died in vain.

They sat and wrote letters to troops....They listened and contemplated, with tears in their eyes…They watched with compassion and appreciation, as grieving family members sat, kneeled,
decorated and cried their eyes out at tombstones.

We talked at the end about how important it is to thank our service men and women, no matter where they are. Stop what you are doing....approach them and thank them for serving our country.
Period.
No excuses.

As 4 year old Kate just told me: "I saw a tamo person" (camo to those of you who might pronounce your "c"s) "I told them thank you so much- you saved country."
You're right Kate.

They did save us.
They do save us.
They will save us.

Now, the question remains, what can we do for them?

God, Thank You for the great plans you have for all of our lives, the fallen included.

In His Dust,
DCC

So do you...

Hmmmmm..... should Kardashian have divorced so quickly? Is Bieber really a daddy? Did Cain do it? Why didn't Paterno tell? Is Sandusky guilty? How long will Conrad Murray be in jail? Why isn't Lindsay Lohan ever really punished?

My first reaction? “Point my finger"
Jesus' reaction? “Go get water.”

I feel, like it's my duty to decide whether they are wrong or not.

Jesus feels, it's my duty to, “love them.”
My attitude: If they are in the wrong, they deserve to pay a penalty.

Jesus' attitude: You’re right, but so do you..."

God, Thank You for forgiving us, in spite of ourselves.

In His Dust,

DCC

Amen...

"Blessed be The Lord, The God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Let the people say Amen." ~Psalm 106:48

One of the most widely known words on earth is amen.
However, is it's meaning that widely known?

Contrary to the thoughts of my youth...
it does not mean the prayer just ended or it's time to go to Luby's...(although ironically, both used to occur as soon as the word was uttered.)

Amen is a Hebrew word, that means, “surely, indeed, truly.”
It comes from a root form, aman, which signifies “to be firm, steady, trustworthy, faithful.”

So, in English, what you and I are saying, when we say "Amen" is...

or....

"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress,

may The Name of The God of Jacob protect you. "~Psalm 20:1

Amen.

God, Thank You for the depth of Your Words.

In His Dust,
DCC