Jesus and Sam Smith....

Well....

The 2015 Grammys are behind us....and once again, I am confused by multiple things, 

I think, I saw. 
Speaking of behinds...

Madonna. Stop. Just stop it. You are embarrassing all of us raised in the 80's.

Sia. What on earth did my eyes see? If the goal was to make me feel 400 and un-artsy- well played sir, ma'am or muppet.

Weeknd. Is that a hat or hair? And while I have your attention, did you know there was an "e" missing from your name..or was that on purpose?

Prince.

Why? Why did you turn your raspberry beret into a shiny dreamsicle.

Our Senior year, Francie, Shannon, Anne and I might have snuck to Austin to see you in concert and not noticed then, but now....now is an entirely different story. You are a weird-caned-scrawny-little dude...possibly even doll.

What a difference 30 years makes.

But then there was "Stay With Me", by Sam Smith...which leads me to the spiritual portion of today....

What are the odds Jesus sang this in The Garden of 

Gethsemane? Low.

To me this morning? High. 

There was a definetly a clear message in my Bible about the concept of Staying with Him.

"Little children, remain in Him." - 1 John 2:28

I am currently doing a study on 1,2 &3 John, by Kelly Minter. 

One of the latest lessons was regarding the word "remain."

It is rooted in the Greek word meno. It means not to depart, to continue, to be present, to endure. 

To stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy. 

How hard can that be?

At times very.

"What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you." -1 John 2:24a

As Sam Smith won multiple Grammy's last night....Stay With Me, was played each time...

As I hummed along I realized it was "remaining" with me.

It would not depart...it was continuing...it was within me.

Even more so should these words get stuck in my head, heart hands and feet

"As the father has loved me, so I have loved you, remain in my love." -John 15:9

God, Thank You for reminders along the way in the most unexpected places.

In His Dust,

DCC

Washing Feet....

I don't know about you but I am personally not interested in washing other people's feet.

unless they are my own, or look like this.

On one of my hospital visits, I got the, ahem...."opportunity" to wash someone's feet. 

I would like to tell you I was so fired up with the opportunity to do what Jesus did.....

I was not.

As a matter of fact, 

If I would have seen this sign, chances are I would have gone to visit another patient.

However, when I did it...it blessed me and changed the way I do hospital visits. 

Foot washing doesn't always involve washing feet. Sometimes it looks like, 

showing up with conversation hearts and cake....

listening without thinking how to reply....

letting go of things that don't feel fair...

sitting in a chemo treatment room with a friend....

doing what needs to be done without looking for credit...

making someone laugh...letting someone cry...

arriving with banana bread and a Chris Madrid's t-shirt...

sending a text...validating a fear or frustration...

taking a hit for the team...

putting your list of things to do aside...being "interruptible"...

When Jesus washed His Disciple's feet...He showed us what God is like.

Our Awesome God didn't just come down to live among us....He came down to get on His Hands and Knees to help us clean up.

He showed us He is not afraid of the "dirt" in our lives.

"I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do."-John 13:13

God, Thank You for coming down here to love us...and for giving us the perfect example on how to love each other well.

In His Dust,

DCC

Go....

"Therefore Go and make disciples"  -Matthew 28:19a

Ok.

That's fine as long as it doesn't involve me leaving my comfort zone.

Which thankfully today, does not.

Nor does it necessarily for you.

Where does one "Go" exactly? 

In my world, it might be....the office, HEB, Tekas, Target, golf course or just over a text.

How about your world? Where will you "go" today?

Sometimes "going" might be a lot more simple than we make it.

sometimes, "going" just means, showing up.

Listening without judgement, having extra patience, 

understanding that most people are doing the best they can.

No matter where we "go" or when we go there,

we can rest in the promise that HE will be with us.

Which makes us fully equipped from the far ends of the earth to the grocery store.

Jesus himself says,

"I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:20

God, Thank You for staying with us, no matter what.

In His Dust,

DCC

Yes Virginia, There Is An Emmanuel....

Yes, it really happened....There was a stable...there was a manger...
and there in the midst of it, was...Emmanuel. 
God with Skin on.

"The shepherds returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!" - Luke 2:20 

But, Mary stayed face to Face with The Very Son of God.

Can you imagine...

All of God's Promises to her rang precisely true....
down to the each and every detail.....

"Mary kept all these things to herself, 
holding them dear, deep within herself"-Luke 2:19

The Birth of her First Born Son...
Was she wondering why Joseph had not hired a night nurse?
Was she concerned about where to send thank you notes to the kings with no addresses?
Was she wondering who left the banana bread or who left the wine?

Imagine the elation...the flood of overwhelming gratitude...
The proximity and intimacy with God Himself!

She held Him.

He holds us.

She fed Him.
He feeds us.

She heard Him cry.

He hears us cry. 

She gave Him a place to rest. 
He gives us a place to rest.

She changed Him...
He changed her...
He changes us....

She found joy in Him...
He finds joy in us.

God, Thank You for stepping down from Your Throne to come here for each and every one of us. Happy Birthday.

In The Dust of The Stable,
DCC

Be Not Afraid....

"Don't be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy,

 news that will affect all people everywhere." ~Luke 2:10

Our God is with us!!!

Yesterday afternoon was full of giggles for some...and others....not so much.

As I watched what seemed to be some kind of ancient interrogation methods 

upon very well dressed shorties.....

 It struck me that this is what so many of us adults feel too, during this time of year... 

 The man in the red suit might not strike terror in us.....

But other things this time of year sure do....

Long lists and short hours....

gift selecting, locating and buying.....

other drivers on the streets....

People's expectations that are impossible to meet....

Overcommitments...

Family members......

Silent nights are nowhere near.....

but don't be leery....

Take heart!!!

Our God is with us!!! 

Right in the middle of the very chaos we are rushing around in...

He is among us! 

We can run TO Him.

We don't have to fear "the fat man in a red suit"....

We have among us, The King of Kings...

The Lion of Judah.

The Maker of all things...

You included.

"Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good God is

Blessed are you who run to Him" Psalm 34:8

God, May we create time to taste Your Presence during this season....

Sprinkle our souls with Your Peace....may we inhale a little more of You in every handful.  

In His Dust,

DCC

Advent....God With Us

Advent is defined as the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. 

This time of year, I find myself in a quandary.
I spend half of my time wanting things to slow down so we can soak this time in...
while the other half I spend wanting things to hurry up!
Aren't we all ready for a break!! Somedays life feels heavy, busy and even scary 
While other days we feel like our cups runneth over with blessings...

Half the time I am honking at cars on the highway to get out of my way....
the other half of the time, I am acting like I am real patient, in the church parking lot. 

Whether you find yourself waiting impatiently, or enjoying the days that lead up to Christmas...I pray you find the love, hope joy and peace that is found in The Baby in the manger. 
I pray you find peace in the present, for He is with us.

"A virgin will conceive and bear a Son and His Name will be Immanuel- 

which means God with us." ~Matthew 1:23

God Thank You for coming a distance we can not fathom, just to be with us.

In His Dust,
DCC

Mary Sue...

I had Thanksgiving lunch with "a pilgrim on hand."

 K and I decided my broken finger looked boring. 

So, she googled this chick... 

and the next thing I knew....a pilgrim named Mary Sue was born.

Much like her ancestors Mary Sue sailed in to the shores of San Antonio, in a black suburban-while watching movies the whole trip.

She landed in the promise land of Hee Hee and Mac Mac and was welcomed with pink lemonade and Hershey kisses-

As we passed thanks around the table she was "thankful for shelter." Not kidding. 

In the meantime other family members were grateful for marshmallows. Before I knew it, Mary Sue's creator was craving and sculpting some butter and creating a bathtub for a fellow tired and dirty pilgrim.

Mac Mac even added a faucet made out of stuffing.

I started thinking about how easy it was for K, much like my dad...to create.

They have a gift for looking at something, or even nothing, and either drawing, designing or creating it in moments.

Much like The Father we ALL share.

"Every detail was crafted through His design, by His Own Hands, and for His purposes." ~Colossians 1:16

This includes you and me. Every detail He created in us is by His Own Hands.

He makes beautiful things....out of dust. 

Out of His Own Image.

Mind. Blowing.

God, thank you for the way you created us by design and for Your Purposes.

In His Dust,

DCC