It's Your Move...

From a manger in Bethlehem, 

God leaned over the whole world and said...

"It's your move." 

-Bob Goff

So what's your move?

Love Him...

Love others...

Walk humbly....

Laugh more...

Be kind....

Be gentle....

God.

Came.

Here.

To be with you.

To be with me.

To show us, exactly who He is.

So, what's your move? Make no mistake He is listening.

"Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable Gift." ~2 Corinthians 9:15

God, Thank You for coming to us...just because you love us that much.

In His Dust,

DCC

His Light In Your Darkness....

DO NOT BE AFRAID

'Tis the season of...

Do. 

Not.

 Be.

 Afraid.

His Light is shining in your darkness...

I have seen it.

You have seen it too.

In new born puppies....(Congratulations to Sadie.)

Around kitchen counters, where sugar covered kids decorate cookies....

In teary-eyed grown men...

In children dressed as shepherds and cows...

On the shoulders of saddle-carrying friends,at unexpected funerals...

Call it strength...call it hope....call it advent....

whatever you call it...make no mistake about it...

what you are seeing and feeling is 

The Light of The World Himself---JESUS.

"The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;

    the darkness couldn’t put it out."~ John 1:5 

 

Those of you who find yourself struggling this holiday-you are not alone....

The Light of the world has come. 

He is with us.

His Light has come to interrupt our darkness.

His Light will not go out. 

He will not leave you.

"For even if the mountains walk away

    and the hills fall to pieces,

My love won’t walk away from you,

    my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.”

    The God who has compassion on you says so." Isaiah 54:10

God, Thank You for your constant reminders that You are STILL God WITH us.

In His Dust,

DCC

Who Are We Celebrating?

I was in church yesterday when someone walked up to me and announced..."I know your name, I hear it all over the place, but I have no idea who you are."

Hmmmmm.....there's a loaded statement. 

One I didn't take lightly.

In order to know who I am....

You'd have to watch me....

how I interact with others and treat them. 

You might ask others that know me well....

you might even watch them, as they can be a reflection of me....

"A mirror reflects a person's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses" ~Proverbs 27:19

I started thinking about Christmas....many of us, me included, know what we are celebrating....after all the name Christmas, is fairly recognizable. Whether you believe the story or not.

  

The question is, am I showing others WHO we are celebrating?

At times yes. I am blaring my Christmas Mixes on Spotify....I am buying presents, I am decorating, I am discussing plans....

But, am I showing Him 

in the way I move about and treat others in the middle of all of this busyness?

The possibilities are endless during the next few weeks....

Can I let someone cut in front of me in line at Target? Or worse....Tekas?

Can I slow down enough, to notice the things or people I am missing?

Maybe others can see Him more clearly if we slow down and show them.
Maybe then they will know WHO we are celebrating.

God, Thank You for the opportunities You are putting right in front of us.

In His Dust,
DCC

With Us....

The Shepherd isn't always out in front leading His sheep....
in the lengthening twilight, when the sheep must pass through the darkest shadows in the deepest wadis (valleys), The Shepherd drops back and walks with them." ~Ray VanderLaan

We spent one morning in Israel watching a real shepherd girl lead her sheep on a rocky hillside. It was just as you would imagine....she walked in front of a bunch sheep and they followed her....it was fairly uneventful. (Although fascinating to watch the 23rd Psalm come to life.)

However, as the sun set and night came, the shepherd headed to the back of the flock...among the sheep.

In the dark valley where it was "hard to see" where there were "unknowns"...the shepherd walked AMONG them. 

And in our valleys....and our dark nights....OUR Shepherd walks among US.
I...love...this.

"Because You are with me in those dark moments,

with Your protection and guidance, I am comforted." ~Psalm 23:4b 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." ~Isaiah 43:2 

"Be strong. Take courage. Your God, is right there with you.

He won't let you down; He won't leave you." ~Deuteronomy 31:6

Whether you find yourself or someone you love, in a valley today...

no matter how dark it is...

make no mistake, 

He is With You and He is with them.

God, Thank You for walking WITH us.

In His Dust,

DCC

30....

2015 didn't feel one minute past 1985.

We spent the weekend in "Throwback Thirty" mode.

High school reunions are a trip.....with differing opinions....some love it...some hate it.

I love looking backwards....days and nights filled with funny friends and funny memories....they shaped us in to who we are today.

This particular weekend was loaded with a wide range of emotions. 

Someone lost a parent...and we rallied around her, 

remembering times that we also spent with him. 

We hugged each other a little tighter....and remembered together.

Someone got engaged...woke up with an engagement ring...

I woke up with no keys, no voice and a headache.

Good times.

I did wake up with gratitude to God for longstanding friendships & history.

It's fascinating to me to see how much we have changed and how much we haven't.

The stories we reminded each other of...

"you haven't aged a bit.....I would know you anywhere....."

"where IS so and so....."

"How on earth did we get away with...."

"Friends come and friends go,

    but a true friend sticks by you like family." ~Proverbs 18:24 

God, Thank You for putting the right people in our paths at the right times...

Thank You for friendship. 

In His Dust,

DCC

He Knows....

We hiked the Judean Wilderness...it might have been 400 degrees.....

not an ounce of shade in sight.

It was hot, dry and dusty....the scenery was mountains, caves and rocks.

 (This is where David hid from Saul, and wrote several Psalms.)

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, My God.- Psalm 42:1 

After a long, long, long hike...imagine our surprise to find actual proof of the promise of God.... 

"He transforms a dry, lonely desert into pools of living water. Parched ground in to lively springs." ~Psalm 107:35

The water comes from rain that has been slipping into cracks in the rock, until it finally blasts out like this...into breathtaking waterfalls. 

Some days, weeks, months and even years...life seems to be filled with desert and rocks.

 The heat and the dryness of this world and all of the troubles that come with it...grief...

shocking news...bad phones calls...no phone calls...commitments...requirements...disappointments...demands...overbooked calendars. 

Here is what I know....God loves you and cares deeply about each and every "desert" you find yourself in. This includes today, yesterday and tomorrow. 

He knows it is hot...He knows you are thirsty...He knows you feel alone and afraid...

He knows you are overwhelmed....He knows you don't see hope, shade or water. 

He also knows exactly where the water and protection are that you and I need.

 He knows will be provided just for you....at the exact right time and the exact right place.

"Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, 'Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! The Scriptures declare, Rivers of living water will flow from their heart." ~John 7:37

God. Thank You for being exactly Who and what we need.

In His Dust,

DCC

Questions and Answers....

Questions I've heard since..... 

Friday morning..."What on earth are helicopters doing flying in circles around Alamo Heights?" 

"Do you think you can update my iPhone?

Friday night...."If I make you a drink, can you fix my iPhone?" (which is a lovely trade.)

Saturday morning..."Where do dinosaurs fit in Genesis? Also, can you help me update my iPhone?"

Sunday afternoon...."Have you updated your iPhone & iPad? Do you think you could do mine? I'll make dinner? (excellent trade)

Sunday night...my 7 & 9 year old neighbors as we watched the moon wanted to know-

"What makes it red and why is it turning dark? How do we keep warm at night with no sun?"

(Before you try to enlighten me on blood moon or any science facts- save yourself the effort. Like I told teachers in the past- I don't care. Then. Or now.) 

Monday morning walk....sun not even up....in the pitch black I heard, "Chesney- that you? 

Why are there 50 kids on the AH football field this am. They aren't in band or dance team." 

The one question from this weekend, that caused me to stop and really think was from a Senior Rabbi and a Cantor after a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday.... 
"Debbi, why do you believe.....Why does your church practice...."

I stood at attention as if I had just heard Weezie yell, "DEBORAH CHRISTINE CHESNEY get back here right this minute!"

I wanted to be honest, confident and gentle in my answers.
I immediately thought of Peter and his wise advice when put in this position.... 
"Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy." -1 Peter 3:15

From what I can gather, God seems to be drawing my attention to questions people are asking me- at all hours of day and night- at all places from football fields to synagogues. 

He has also pointed out to me that He has never asked to explain science or creation or who's on the AH field at what hours- or why a helicopter is flying over head in the hood -(clearly He has given me the lesser known spiritual gift of iPhone-ology)  

I am ok with not knowing all things....because I know The One Who does.

Here's what I do know about the moon.....

it was bright and pretty and lit my path this morning...

And The Very God who hung it up there knows my name. And Your's.

God, Thank You for being The Answer. You are all we need.

In His Dust,
DCC

Promise of Fall....

It's Monday......and I think Al Roker might be a liar.

According to him...and many other sources....SUPPOSEDLY.....Fall starts this week.

Hmmmmmm.

Not according to the source of my eyes or skin. 

On my pre-sunrise walk this September morning...

My eyes and skin felt like a Bikram Yoga stroll....

Which led me to think about other things that look & feel one way 

but, God Promises they are or will be...another.

He assures us that our "eyes" and "skin" might not always believe what they see and feel....and that they can't always be trusted. 

However...

God can.

He is worthy of our trust.

He says, "I don't think the way you think. 

The way you work isn't the way I work." -Isaiah 55:8

He understands things and time in a way we can't possibly fathom.

"He changes times and seasons." -Daniel 2:21a

So, if He can make a cool & crispy Fall come out of a long & sweaty Summer....

(and make no mistake, He will.)

certainly...I can trust him with the days of my life.

God alone, can take our "sweatiest days"....and cool them right down.

He promises to take our most broken days...

and turn them into something beautiful, through

The Promise of Fall.

God, Thank You for keeping Your Promises.... 

In His Dust,

DCC

Happy 50th Mom and Dad!!!!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Happy Anniversary...
It was September 4, 1965 at 8:00 pm when you stood at Christ Episcopal Church. 

As you stood there, you made a promise to God and to each other....
and September 4, 2015....50 years later.....you both continue to keep that promise. 

I am so blessed and grateful to have watched your marriage for 48 years. 
You have shown me what real love, real commitment, a real life Godly marriage looks like.

Love is patient.....

Love is Kind....

It does not envy....(but it laughs...alot)

It does not boast,

It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others....(although it apparently had a stache at one point)

 It is not self seeking....

It is not easily angered....

It keeps no record of wrongs....

Love does not delight in evil, (although does delight in travel)

Love rejoices in truth....

Love always Hopes....

Love always perseveres.....

Love never fails.....

And today September 4, 2015.....Love is 50......

and it looks just like you Mom and Dad. 

Happy, Happy 50th Anniversary! I love you so very much!

God, Thank YOU....for connecting these two in Your Name. Thank You for two people who know how to keep a promise....to you and to each other. For richer, poorer, sickness, health hard times and good......Thank You especially for choosing them to be mine.

In His Dust,
DCC