Random Stuff 12-24-08

Two answers to a few "pressing" questions :

YES
I am at this place I call work
I know it is Christmas Eve
I am hoping to leave early
I am excited about Christmas
All of our gifts have been purchased
Santa will visit our house tonight

NO
I do not really want to be here
I am not really doing alot of work
I do not have any money left :(
I have not spilled the beans about the man in red, yet

Today we will :
Get out of bed (done)
Shower (done)
Get dressed (done)
Go to work (done)
Leave work (waiting)
Finish wrapping presents (waiting)
Get ice (waiting)
Go to MawMaw's to eat (waiting)
Eat (waiting)
Watch the kiddos open their present (waiting)
Eat again (waiting)
Go home (waiting)
Wait for Santa (waiting)
Wait for Santa (waiting)
Wait for Santa (waiting)
Wait for Santa (waiting)
Wait for Santa (waiting)
Go to bed (waiting)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY !!!

DWC

New Post

This is a new blog entry ... I have not blogged since Oct 2008 ... today is Dec 18, 2008 ... it has been over 2 months since my last entry ... I'll try to catch you up on what has been happening ...

Here it is ... not very much ...

There you have it ... over and out !




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DWC

Tagged 10-10-08

Thanks to Todd for hitting on me … I have to do this survey and I am happy to oblige!

1. HOW HAS BLOGGING CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
Blogging makes it a little easier to find out what folks are up to … people put stuff in their blogs that they probably wouldn’t say otherwise …

2. WHAT DO YOU DO BEFORE BEDTIME?
Help the kids with homework … cook ( sometimes ) … iron clothes ( sometimes ) … shower … eat

3. IF YOU COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, WOULD YOU GET MARRIED AGAIN?
Not even a question in my mind …

4. WHAT'S THE CITY OF YOUR DREAMS? WHY?
I guess Hawaii ? Not sure, actually …

5. ARE YOU AN INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT?
Both … I think I am a thinker … but I talk a lot too

6. DO YOU TRUST EASILY?
Not easily

7. ANYTHING THAT'S MADE YOU UNHAPPY THESE DAYS?
Finances … of course
People that can’t see the forest for the trees …

8. IS BEING 'TAGGED' FUN?
Hmmmmmmm … I guess

9. WHAT'S THE LAST SONG THAT GOT STUCK IN YOUR HEAD?
Na na na na na na Batman …

10. WHAT'S YOUR BEST QUALITY?
I have beautiful teeth … ha ha ha

11. IF YOU HAD A MILLION DOLLARS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Pay off bills, buy a house, and feed lots of people

12. WHAT'S BETTER? TO GIVE OR RECEIVE?
Give … but let’s be honest, it is good to receive too …

13. WHAT WERE YOUR PARENTS GOING TO NAME YOU IF YOU HAD BEEN THE OPPOSITE GENDER?
I have no idea …

14. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU?
Todd is glowing individual with an abundance of raw / natural talent … a truly fine specimen of a manly man … a true IRONMAN

15. FAVORITE HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE?
Oven … bakes the cookies

16. WHAT WEBSITE DO YOU VISIT DAILY?
Google, YouTube, CNNSI

17. WHAT'S FOR DINNER TOMORROW NIGHT?
Who knows … we just need to take it one day at a time

18. NAME A CHARACTER FROM A BOOK THAT YOU'VE CRUSHED ON:
Pass …

19. WHAT DO YOU LIKE FOR BREAKFAST?
Eggs

20. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TAG?
Stephanie, Scott, Jonah


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Future Site Harmony Christian School 9-13-08

Not a pretty site ...


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DWC



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August 24, 2008

Went to FUMC at 10:30 today ... great worship ... we wanted to see THE TODD before he bailed ... I know that FUMC will miss Todd and Kristin ... no doubt !




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DWC


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Thursday August 12, 2008

Soccer Practice

As of 2:00 pm
Soccer Practice - YES

If it rains again ... check back


DWC

Fireproof ( 50 days )

Need to "fireproof" your marriage ?

Please watch this trailer ...
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/


For info on how to get complimentary tickets ( yep I said it --- FREE tickets ) ... reply to this post ... or call me ...

Don't have anyone to keep your kids while you go to the movie with your spouse ? I have that covered too ... contact me ...


DWC

I am ... 8-6-08

I am here ... just listening

I there ... just watching

I am everywhere ... just wondering


I was informed last night that at least 1 person has noticed that I have not twittered nor blogged in several days/weeks ... as disappointing as it may be it was NOT my wife that noticed ... to this 1 caring person I say, " Just not feeling it ... "

I often sit at my desk and long to write something again ... I start and never finish because many times I get interrupted by a couple of folks ... After hearing what they have to say I realize how meaningless my thoughts are ... so I just delete my ramblings and quit ...

" I'LL BE BACK " ( one day )


DWC

Just one of those days ...

Sometimes it is just one of those days that you don't want anyone to mess with you ... so you do the only thing you know to do ... scream




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DWC



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New Venture 7-15-08

New venture ... maybe it will work ... maybe it won't ... but it is worth a try ? Right ?



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DWC



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True Confession 7-10-08

True confession ...

I am not a content person at this time. Actually, I have not been content for some time now. I love my wife and my kids with all of my heart. I would die for them. They are what keep me going. I think that is wrong, though. There is something inside of me that says, "I should be the one to keep you going." That something is the Holy Spirit. Knowing and doing are two totally seperate things.
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(Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.)

Not fake ... my heart WANTS to be content ... and God knows that ... but He also knows that I am not really there yet. So what to do ? Fake it 'til you can make it comes to mind ... I have always disliked that phrase ...

So I try to narrow down the root of the problem ... I said the root ... not the symptoms ... the root ... finances, screaming kids, yard not mowed, family issues, health, etc and so on are all symptoms ... yep ... symptoms

Fear is a BIG issue for me ... I am a worrier ... I have posted about this before ... but even that is a symptom ...

The root is relationship ... God want all of me ... all of me ... this is what He says ... "You ride that motorcycle and you have a great time. You never look at how much fuel you have. There is not even a fuel guage on the thing. Why ? Because you know you have a certain amount of fuel that is set aside for reserve. And when you run out you just flip a switch and VIOLA more fuel is readily available. And you know that there is enough to get you to the next station. DW, you live like that. You give me FULL ACCESS to the main tank. But you know some in reserve. And you feel like you are the one that cna flip the switch to get to that reserve. But I want it all. I want the main tank AND the reserve. I want that extra $50 you have stuck back. I want to control it all. Live like you are running on the main tank. Don't hold back. I HAVE THE RESERVE. "

Don't misunderstand me ... savings accounts ... emergency funds are GREAT ... but when you put more faith and confidence in what's in reserve that the ONE who gave it to you to put into reserve ... SIN

That is difficult for me ... I want to give Him all ... but I don't want to ...

Questions :

Could I leave my comfort zone ( Lufkin, HHBC, CCI, etc ) ? If no to any of these, I still have my hand on the RESERVE switch ...

Can I give my last dollar to the man on the street or in the grocery store ?

When others are "promoted" can I sit by and be happy for them ?

When people are rude and arrogant toward me can I turn the other cheek ?

Can I sacrifice MY time and MY energy to spend time working on a relationship with God ?

I am sure there are more ... but you get the idea here ...

Dreams are meant to be lived out ... and I am not doing it ... why not ? I am still in control on my own "reserve" tank ... I think I am hold out on God ... and so really He's is holding out on me too ...

I feel like I am waiting on Him ... but in reality HE IS WAITING ON ME ...

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DWC


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WOW ... My Utmost For His Highest ... 7-8-08

Will To Be Faithful

. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15

A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.

". . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . ." Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not "confer with flesh and blood" about it ( Galatians 1:16 ). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Openly declare to Him, "I will be faithful." But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, "You are witnesses against yourselves . . ." ( Joshua 24:22 ). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, "I will serve You." Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.

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DWC

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Fireproof

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DWC

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Quote of the Day 7-8-08

I should have posted this yesterday ... but too busy ( forgot ) ...





"Sometimes the limitations you are willing to accept establish the boundaries of your existence."

. Erwin McManus





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DWC

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Quote of the Day 7-3-08

It arrrived yesterday ... Wide Awake ... Erwin McManus

Erwin writes about that little bit of sadness that greets us in the mornings. Maybe it is there because we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. We are not living the life we are supposed to be living. We are not dreaming wide awake. It is our sould searching for its hero. It's in there and trying to get out.

" For most of us we don't choose the worst life; we just don't choose the best life."



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DWC

Quote of the Day 7-2-08

John C. Maxwell ...

To gain credibility, you must consistently demonstrate things :
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1. Initiative : You have to GET UP to go up.
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2. Sacrifice : You have to GIVE UP to go up.
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3. Maturity : You have to GROW UP to go up.


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DWC

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Quote of the Day 7-1-08

Vow to love people before you lead them.

John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

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DWC

Quote of the Day 6-30-08

The unknown with God is ALWAYS better that the known without Him.


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Erwin McManus, Wide Awake




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DWC

Heal the Wound ( Point of Grace / Jamie Jamgochian )

This is a beautiful song ... my sister was the first to let me hear it ... I am not sure how this relates to where you are ... I posted a few days ago asking WHERE ARE YOU ? Hopefully someone will read this ( listen to this ) and it will help them ...

Our perscpective changes everything ... you remember the song about the violin ? The one where they are auctioning a violin and NO ONE bids ... then a man picks it up and plays a beautiful song ... Touch of the Master's Hand ( or something like that ) ... then the bidding goes really high ... it was the touch of the master's hand ...

Scars are like that ... to a beauty queen or a model a scar is ugly and usually well hidden ... society says that scars are nasty ...

But to a man that has fought for his country in war a scar is a badge of honor ... a sign / symbol that he made it through ... we fought and lived to tell about it ...

As believers, I guess we see ourselves are models and beauty contestants because we do our best to hide scars ... we don't want anyone to know where we have been or what we have had to go through ... right ? But really we are war heroes ... LOOK WHAT GOD HAS BROUGHT ME THROUGH ...

Scars are conversation starters ... everybody wants to know how you got that scar ... be proud of that scar ... NOT WHY / HOW YOU GOT IT, OF COURSE ... but be proud that you lived to tell about it ... like the song says ... HEAL THE WOUND BUT KEEP THE SCAR ... as a reminder of how good God is ...


This is obviously not my video ... but at least you can hear the song as sung by PoG ...



Heal the Wound
I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew me back then

I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I've been
But it's the memory of
The place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees
And even though I'm free

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don't take pride in what I bring
But I'll build an altar with
The rubble that You've found me in
And every stone will sing
Of what You can redeem

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

Don't let me forget
Everything You've done for me
Don't let me forget
The beauty in the suffering

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar


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Star Wars 6-19-08

This is pretty good ... Star Wars like you have never seen it before ... Darth is at 3:10 ... pretty good stuff ... funny ... funny

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DWC

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Where are you right now ?

Where are you right now ?
Work - wishing I was somewhere else ...
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Who are you expecting to become ?
Me ... whoever that is ..
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What are you expecting to accomplish ?
???
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Have you brought your ideas and hopes down to eye level ? Meaning to something you think you can manage ?
Um ... maybe
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Have you hit a wall ?
Oh yeah ...
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Check back later ... more later ... there is something that needs to be said ... just not sure what it is right now ...



DWC



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Quote of the Day 6-17-08

This one speaks for itself ...



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DWC


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New Toy

New Toy ... 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 800





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DWC

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Quote of the Day 6-6-08

Lew York ...


" We are to be the thermostat NOT the thermometer. "
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DWC


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Quote of the Day 6-5-08

McManus has a new book out on July 1, 2008 ... I am excited ...I found a chapter on his website. It looks like he will have another one that I really like . I read this ... this is good ...

"Of all the things that may change you when you connect to God, here is one that should fill you with confidence - if you have lived your life running away, this is not who you are any longer. Where once you ran from problems, failures, hardship, danger, and challenges, we are now among those who thrive in the midst of them ... you recognize that the greatness within you can only emerge if you are willing to face your greatest challenges."



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DWC


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Last couple of days 6-5-08

I have not been in the blogging mood the past couple of days ... I have, however, had something ready ... I have even typed it in ... but chose not to post ... just didnt seem relevant ...

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Yesterday ( 6-4-08 ) was crazy ... just crazy ...

I was reminded yesterday that ... Sometimes things are not what they appear to be ... with that in mind, I want to post a Quote of the Day ... albeit a day late ...


Perception is reality


If you perceive that something is a certain way ... even if you are wrong and it is not that way ... you truly believe it is "that" way because you convince yourself that it is ... but most of all you CHOOSE to believe that it is that way ... sometimes you just gotta be real ... just be real ... see things for what they are ... not what you WANT them to be ...


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DWC


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Quote of the Day 6-2-08

TD Jakes from his sermon series "Positioning Yourself to Prosper"




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"God is just as pleased / concerned in your process as He is in your destination."

"Good partners complete ... not compete."



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DWC


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Quote of the Day 5-30-08

Lately I have been on this thing about the "church" ... while we are all "proud" of our church, I see that we are pretty much underachievers ... My next few statements may seem harsh and insensitive, but I promise that I am not intending them to be harsh or insensitaive ... I hope you understand what I am trying to say ...

There is a lady in our church that has a tumor on her spine that causes great pain ... I read today that they are giving God praises because the pain has subsided a little because the tumor has shrunk ( not sure if that is the correct word ) and so therefore the pressure is not as great on the spine as it was ... now she can rest ... THAT IS GREAT ... answered prayer for sure

As far as how this relates to church ... when we have "pressure" that causes discomfort don't we pray that God would relieve it ? WHY ? We want to rest ... Isn't that pressure and pain a good thing as far as churches go ? After all, it is the intense pressure that forms diamonds, right ? Why do we run from it ? We rebuke it in Jesus name when we should be EMBRACING it in Jesus name ...

Now for the quote of the day ...

"When the church becomes an institution, people are nothing more than volunteers to be recruited. When the church is a movement, our stewartship becomes the unleashing of our Godgiven gift, talents, and passions."

.... Erwin McManus



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DWC



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Mason

This is kinda funny ... also my first pass at simple editing ...







DWC




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Quote of the Day 5-29-08

"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'." ....... unknown



"Unity will change the world" ... TD Jakes



DWC




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Well ... I kept on reading ... Deut 30

Well I guess I jumped the gun ... I should have kept reading before I posted ...

The Choice of Life or Death


11 “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. 12 It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ 13 It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ 14 No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.

15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This[b] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”


WOW ... this speaks for itself ... I know that God has made promises that He wants to keep ... but if I am reading correctly ... it is up to me ... and you ( that is if anyone is reading ) ... I CHOOSE LIFE ... or at least I am trying to choose life ... with everything that is in me I CHOOSE LIFE ...


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DWC



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Deut 30

Deuteronomy 30
A Call to Return to the Lord


“In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions. 2 If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. 4 Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. 5 The Lord your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors!

6 “The Lord your God will change your heart[a] and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! 7 The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you. 8 Then you will again obey the Lord and keep all his commands that I am giving you today.

9 “The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do. He will give you many children and numerous livestock, and he will cause your fields to produce abundant harvests, for the Lord will again delight in being good to you as he was to your ancestors. 10 The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

Oh my word ... this is where the Lord sent me today ( after lunch ) ... not sure how I got here except that He directed me here ... couple of points that stand out to me :

V5 The Lord will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors ... I think this means that there are situations and circumstances that I had no control over that have put me where I am today ... generational "sins" so to speak ... I long for the day that those are gone ...

V6 Sold out ... He wants me to be sold out ... I heard a guy say one time that when he was going thorough his divorce that he walking in and just signed EVERYTHING he had away ... he gave it all away to his (soon to be) ex wife ... God wants us to give up every part of ourself ... not just the parts that we think we can do without ... eveything ... even the MOST IMPOORTANT part

V9 Successful in everything I do ... WOW ... wouldn't that be grand ? I read in Monroe's good the other day this quote ...

Success is not measured by comparing ourself to what others have done ... Success is measured by comparing ourself to what we were designed to do

This is a mouthful ... what was I designed to do ? That is the struggle ...

Summary : OBEDIENCE is everything to God


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DWC



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Quote of the Day 5-28-08

John Fisher ...


"David wasn't thinking of being king when he was tending sheep; he was just doing what God sat before him."




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DWC



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Quote of the Day 5-27-08

Reggie McNeal from The Present Future

"The current church culture in North America is on life support. It is living off the work, money, and energy of previous generations from a previous world order."




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DWC




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Quote of the Day 5-23-08

Michael Gott ...


“Every preacher must remember his role—He is not the cause of people’s coming to Christ, but he should be the catalyst, and he can be if he is under the anointing of God.”


“God never writes down your past and a way of writing off your future. The mistakes of yesterday do not forfeit the miracle of tomorrow.”


“Insecure people always produce isolation, and isolation always produces loneliness.”


“If you do no good for God talking to your neighbor across the fence, you will do no good for God talking to the stranger across the seas. Start at home or stay at home!”


DWC



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This dude is pretty good ...

I know you may have already seen this guy before ( he is all over GodTube ) but this is a pretty good tune ... watch it all the way through ... he does a little rap thing in the middle ...








DWC

Quote of the Day 5-22-08

Another favorite .... T.D. Jakes

"When you walk with God, you will stumble into supernatural blessings."

The bigger the boat ... the bigger the storm.

Exceptional people have exceptional problems ... exceptional people should STOP worrying about simple problems.

Wait - where is it ?

Here is the deal ... I always ask God to speak to me in a way that I can understand ... and He is faithful to do it ... sometimes it is uncomfortable for me but I always KNOW what He is saying ... with that said ...

I wake up this morning ... get a shower ... get ready for work ... ( let me pause for a second to tell you how I can't stand to be without my wedding ring --- when I don't have it I am "lost" ) I put my on my cheap watch and my ring ... but as with most mornings it is just too tight so I do what I always do ... I put it on my pinky finger ( yes it is REALLY loose ) until I can get going and eventually ( around 8:15 or so ) the ring will go on my ring finger ... ok

Head to work ... get to work ... check mail .. talk to a buddy on the phone ... etc and so on ... around 8:45 I head out to an awards assembly at HCS ... arrive on time ... well actually they are behind schedule so I am waaaaaaay early ... sit and talk to a buddy for a minute ... find Steph and sit with her ... get up to get some water because I have a little while until Madi and Kenzi will be up ... AND I am trying to quit DP and Diet DP ( pray for me --- I am hooked ) ... get my water and reach for my ring and IT AIN'T THERE ...

I cannot tell you how that feels ... GONE ... no where to be found ... fear ... panic ... disbelief ... and much much more

I know you are like ... "It's just a ring ... buy another one ... it was probably cheap anyway because you were poor when you got married and spent all the money on Steph's ring ... !! "

But that is just not how I feel about it ... I worried for the rest of the time at the awards deal ... I am just sick ...

Madi and Kenzi get their awards ... I leave ... driving toward work ... the entire time wondering where my ring has fallen off my pinky finger ... I remember having it when I arrived at work ... is it in the parking lot ? In the breakroom ? It could be anywhere !!!

I was in front of Gipson's Funeral home when I said it ... " God, why is this happening ? You know I love that ring ... why did I even put in on my pinky finger anyway ? I know that is not where it belongs ... it doesn't fit ... "

And right there in front of Okay Food Store at the intersection of Denman and Chestnut ( remember I am driving ) ... it came ... like a knife it cut right through me ... all the way to my core ...

"Don Wayne ... 2 things ... I am depending on you to be there when I reach down for you ... just like you reach for that ring ... I reach for you ... I need you to be where you are supposed to be ... where you belong ... as a matter of fact look at your ring finger .. you can see the indention and the pale ring around that finger ... that is where your ring ( YOU - DW ) is SUPPOSED to be ... that indention is MADE for your ring no other ring will fit that indention .. only yours ... and secondly ... the reason you lost your ring is that it was NOT where it belonged ... you put it in a place that it was never meant to be ... you willingly and knowingly put your ring in danger of being lost ... there are people that live their entire life "on the wrong finger" ... I know it would have been tight and uncomfortable on the "right" finger ... but that is where it belongs ... IT WOULD BE SAFE THERE ... "

I am like oh my gosh ... losing my ring was worth what God said ... I am still sad and upset ... but God spoke to me in a way that I TOTALLY understand ...

DWC

( by the way --- my ring was on desk when I got back to work --- AIN'T GOD GOOD ? )

Quote of the Day 5-21-08

OK ... I am going to try to start a quote of the day ... I can't promise that I will find something everyday ... but I am going to try ... and you guessed it ... one of my favorite people ... Erwin McManus gets the first one ...

" The civilized build shelters and invite God to stay with them; barbarians move with God wherever He chooses to go.

The civilized Christian has a routine; the barbarian disciple has a mission.

The civilized believer knows the letter of the law; the barbarian disciple lives the spirit of the law.

The civilized love tradition; the barbarian spirit loves challenges.

The civilized are satisfied with ritual; barbarians live and thrive in the mystical.

For the civilized disciple, religion provides stability and certainty; for the barbarian, a life in God is one of risk and mystery."

Ok ... several all rolled up into one ...




DWC

Post - Graduation

Well ... K5 graduation is over ... the CHARGE went OK ... as always there were things that I thought I SHOULD have said but didn't ... and conversely things that I said that could have been left out ... all in all a success

I was a little disappointed that out of 23 or so kiddos that only about 5 came to pick up their $1 bill ... but that is better than none ...

DWC

Confession

Well I am compelled to confess ... I have nothing ... I have been trying to conjure up something to write about ... but there is just not anything there ... so to all my loyal readers ( both of you ) ... I am sorry ... I am just blank

So let me just tell you a little about what is going on and a little about what I have been reading ... ( you can hit the BACK arrow now if you want to !!!! )

I have to give a charge to the parents of HCS tonight for K-5 graduation ... what do you say to kindergarteners ? And to the parents ? I know that it has something to do with $1 bills ... but I am just not sure what, yet ... to some of you that may seem as if I have not prepared ... but trust me, there has been much preparation ... just not clear direction ... it is much like hunting ... you scout ... you have all your supplies ( gun, stand, ammo, etc ) ... but you don't really know what you will see until you are in the woods ... that is where I am at on this ... I am in the woods .. I am prepared ... God has already put into me what I need to say ... I just have to wait ... and use what I have ... clear as mud ...

I do know that I will use 1 Sam 1:1-11 ... I will paraphrase, of course ...

Back to the $1 bill ... one might think that $1 is insignificant ... it is a small amount ... even smaller than when I was a kid ... after all when I was a kid gas was just a little over $1 ... the $1 is like their kindergartener ... small and "insignificant" ... at least that is what it seems ... but how precious is a $1 bill to the man that is thirsty and sees a sign that reads "Water $0.89" ... or the woman that is hungry and sees a taco on the menu for $0.59 ? I say pretty precious ... maybe even life changing or life sustaining ... so is the kindergartener ... a precious little one that God has given ... how precious is one little bratty K5 boy or girl to the woman or man that cannot conceive ... ? Just a thought ...

So back to Hannah ... she wanted a son more than anything ... she promised God that if He would give her a son that she would give him back to God ... what ? Why would any person in their right mind give up their son ... their ONLY son ... the son that she had been praying for ? She understood that the son was not hers in the first place ... and so she dedicated him ( Samuel ) back to God ... did she deserve a son ? Probably not ... do you deserve what you have ? I know I don't ...

So I plan to give each parent a $1 bill ... something insignificant ( as far as the world is concerned ) but also something they DID NOT EARN and probably DON'T DESERVE ... they have 2 choices ...

1. Keep it ... use it ... spend it ... and forget about it
2. Give it back ... to God ... not back to me

By choosing #2 we are saying that we understand what God has done ... we are saying that we are giving our child back to God ... to have His way with them ... it is nothing more than a sign or a symbol ... a gesture ... give it as an OFFERING back to God ...

Hannah did ... we should too ...


DWC

Recent Reading

Just a few quotes from one of the books I am trying to read ...

- What God wants is established, but how He gets it may vary
- Purpose transforms mistakes into miracles and dissappointments into testimonies
- God's purpose is not hindered by your past
- You are the WAY you are because of WHY you are

Any thoughts or comments ? I don't really have very many "followers" of this blog so if something said here strikes you please pass it on ... I would like to actually have some folks tell me what they think ... agree or disagree

DWC

Emotional Wreck

I have heard a buddy talk about being an emotional wreck. I will be honest. When I first heard him speak these words I pictured a woman. I woman out of control, hair messed up, no make up, wrinkled up clothes, bloodshot eyes ... you get the picture.
I assumed a woman weak, wimpy, and depressed.

Never a man, right? After all, men are strong, conquerors, manly men. But alas, I have come to realize that men are emotional wrecks too. At least on the inside we are. Never on the outside. ( This is where an old song pops into my head THE WARRIOR IS A CHILD )

Men are pretty good at hiding how we feel ... but eventually it will come out in one way or another ...

Our emotions will fail us much of the time ... when we make decisions based on emotions we domesticate them ... we were designed to go beyond that ... a Christ follower ( in my opinion ) should not be domesticated to the extent that if it doesn't make sense we run from it ...

For example ... push out into the deep water and let down your nets ... an emotional man / domesticated man would not have done this ... after all ... they had been trying that and it didn't work

An emotional man says I don't know the man ... 3 times ... to save his owen skin ... then says but what about him ( speaking of other disciple ) ... a domesticated man wants everyone to get the same thing ... but God did not design it that way

Enough ... we should choose to be an innovator not an adopter


DWC

Confused and / or Frustrated

God: Will you ?

Me : Hmmm ? But look at this ... look at that ... won't work ... can't do this and can't do that ...

God: I can ... I will ...

Me : ( with scepticism ) OK ... I will ... I don't see how this will ever work ...

God: ( smiling, I am sure ) Just wondering if you would ...

Me: But ... but ... oh whatever ( with a little dissatifaction )

Why does He work this way ?

Someone tell me ... why does He work this way ?



DWC

Casting Crowns, Leeland, John Waller

Casting Crowns concert at the Johnson Coliseum on the SFA campus in Nacogdoches, Texas

Well ... the kids really wanted to go ... they were pumped ...

Let the record show that tickets were on sale at Christian Words & Works ... let the record also show that I pass CWW 4 times each day ( to work 7:45 am - home for lunch 12 noon - back to work 1 pm - home at 5 pm )

With all of that said ... as of Wed night at 7:30 pm I still did not have tickets ... I had 3 mad girls on my hands ... so I was frantically scrambling around looking for tickets ... finally found some at about 8:30 pm ... OFF THE HOOK ... well sorta ... they were still mad ... even though I had assured them I had EVERYTHING under control and all was going according to plan ... somehow they didn't buy into that line of thinking ...

We went ... we saw ... we heard

Good concert ... sound was ok ... could have been a little better mixed ( at least where I was sitting ) ... videos were cool ... painting dude was really really good ... John Waller was great ... Leeland was great

Couple of things that I would like to note :

1. NEVER take a 2 year old to a concert that you want hear ( much less see )
2. Get there early ( at least an hour )
3. NEVER take a 2 year old with you
4. Bring plenty of $$$ ... shirts and stuff are expensive
5. NEVER take a 2 year old with you
6. Sit with folks that don't mind if you stand up
7. Consider how many trips you will take to the restroom if you decide to take a 2 year old
8. Take snacks with you ( if allowed )
9. Really ... think twice ( maybe 5 times ) about taking a 2 year old
10. NEVER EVER EVEN CONSIDER TAKING A 2 YEAR OLD

Sometimes I listen to songs at the wrong time or while I am in the wrong mood and I throw them aside ... they are really cool songs but I just have not connected with them, yet ... I think after last night I connected with some more of the CC and Leeland songs ...

Overall ... great time

Well except the 2 year old ... he should have stayed home !!!

Just think how much I would have enjoyed it IF I had actually been able to see the whole thing ... did I say NEVER take a 2 year old ?

Worship with Eloise

This young lady has it going on !

Rescued and Restored

We have discovered Red Box ... but that is for another time ... last night I headed to Wally Mart to return a movie that we had rented ... while I was there I was able to help a few people figure out how to rent from Red Box ... they were gracious and thanked me over and over ...

So I returned my movie and browsed to see if the one I REALLY wanted was available ... NOPE ... I walked out of the store to head to my vehicle ... I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to walk inside the store ... but I didn't "need" anything ... so I continued toward the vehicle ... but I "need" to go inside ... but for what ? To spend money on something that I really don't need ? But I "need" to go back inside ... I fought the urge and then finally gave in ... so I turn around to head back inside ...

I walked through the sliding automatic doors and ( pretty confused about what I "thought" I "needed" from Wally Mart at 10:30 pm ) ... as I walked toward the inside store entrance where the shoplifter alarms are located I noticed to my left an older man sitting on the bench with a Wal Mart employee ... I thought they must know one another and kept walking ... slowly ... still confused as to why I had to come back inside ... I hear a small commotion behind me ... as I glanced back over my shoulder I noticed 2-3 policemen entering ... oh no ... they were headed to the man and the employee sitting on the bench ... my first thought was what any good, upstanding and "judgemental" person would think ... THAT MAN WAS CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING ... I am ashamed ... I know ... stone me ...

Policeman ( P ) - You are not sure how you got here ? Did you drive ?
Daniel ( D) - I am not sure ... I have these keys ...
P - Do you know where you live ?
D - I think I do ...
P - Do you know where you are at now ?
D - Wal Mart ........ in Texas ..... City ..... Wal Mart in Texas City
P - What is your name
Employee - His name is Daniel ... here is his address book

By this time ... I know why I had to go back inside ... for Daniel ... but what should I do ? Ok Lord here I am ... there he is ... what ?

So I sat on the other bench ( directly across from Daniel ) ... all the while thinking and praying ...

P - Can we take you home ?
D - I didn't do anything ... leave me alone ... ( standing up as if to get away from the questions ) I didn't do anything ... I didn't do anything wrong ... I just don't know where I am ...
P - Hey I know you didn't do anything ... let's just sit back down and talk ... I can help you ...

WOW ... by this time Daniel is visibly upset ... red face ... wide eyes ... tears in his eyes ... wringing his hands ... just plain SCARED

All I know to do is start praying ... by this time I am crying ... I have Wally Mart employees asking me if I was OK ... but I kept my head down and ball cap over my eyes ... all the while asking the Lord what all of this has to do with me ? What should I do ? Should I do anything ... ?

This is what He said ... " Daniel needs to be RESCUED ... rescued from himself ... his mind has failed him ... his experiences have failed him ... he needs to be RESCUED ... ( so that is what I prayed for Daniel --- GOD PLEASE RESCUE DANIEL ) ... Daniel needs to be RESTORED ... his mind and body needs to be RESTORED ... brought back to life ... Daniel's mind needs to be RESTORED ... ( I prayed that Daniel would get FULL restoration ... over and over I prayed these two things ... I pleaded with God to RESCUE and RESTORE this man's mind, heart, and body )

The policemen persuade him to leave with them ... they head outside ... I am still sitting and praying ... he gets into the policecar and they drive away ... I get to my vehicle and I start the engine ... I am certain that we ( God and I ) are not done ... so I just cut through the chase ... "Father what else ? What else are you wanting me to see / hear ? " This is it ...

Your area is full of Daniels ... I will let you decide what YOUR AREA is ... they are confused ... their experiences have failed them ... what they once knew has left them ... they know they have a car out there somewhere but can't tell you where it is or even what color it is ... they have the keys in their hand ( interpretation - the field is white unto harvest - I have prepared them - you just come along side Me and help them find the car - I am waiting for them ) ... They need to be RESCUED ... then I can RESTORE them ... too many people have been defeated ... I want to RESTORE them to where they need to be ... I want them to live an abundant life ... bu they are scared ... consumed with confusion and fear ... when you approach them if you are not walking with Me and My spirit is not in you they will react like Daniel ... they will assume that you think they have done something wrong ... they will be defensive ... take the time to talk to them before you require something from them ... RESCUE ... RESTORE ... then they will RESPOND

God wants us to be His tool ... a tool is only as effective as the the person that holds it ...

Father, please use me ... your tool

DWC

Chasing Daylight

Also published earlier as SEIZING YOUR DEVINE MOMENT.

I have read this book 5 times and it gets better each time. Based largely on Jonathan and his armorbearer ( 1 Sam 14 ). Jonathan was engaging while his father and others were merely resting and were really scared to move.

Some great quotes from this book :

• Don't sleep through your dreams
• We all should know that to play it safe is to lose the game
• The greatest danger that success brings, aside from arrogance, is the fear of losing what have been gained
• In Christianity the goal of the spiritual journey is the transformation of our desires
• You can talk all day about what God has promised to do through His people, but you will never live in those promises until you act on them.
• It is a priviledge to be called to go first even when it means you are the first to suffer and the only one at risk
• Sometimes prayer is nothing more than our religious veil

Check it out ...

To throw a stone ...

We label people … fat, skinny, old, young, sincere, fake, adulterer, liar, thief, cheater, and so on ( you get the idea )


Why ? Not really sure ...

Fact : You never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression

Fact : Once a person has been labeled ... it is very difficult to shake / overcome that label ... you know I am right ... think about that drug addict ... to you he is ALWAYS a drug addict ... no matter how well is is doing now ... always a drug addict ... this is especially true in the church of today ... right ? Prove me wrong ... think about it ... we divide / isolate people ... EXAMPLE ... singles ministry ... divorce recovery ... young adults ... senior adults ... labels labels labels ... why not just go ahead and have our label on our chest ... like our SCARLET LETTER ?

Fact : Some mistakes follow us the rest of our life because others won’t let them go

Fact : Some mistakes follow us the rest of our life because we won’t let them go

I wonder how people label me ? ( be nice )

Why is it ...

Why is it that we can pray and pray and pray for something(s) only to fight / argue with the Father when He answers our prayer ?

How do I know You will do that, God ? Are You sure you want to do that ... I'm too old ... I don't have enough education ... maybe I can't do it ... what if they laugh ... blah blah blah ...

God says I have heard your prayer and I will do it ... and we are quick to turn Him down ... so why did we pray for XXXXXXX in the first place ?

I am confused ... we are such "wishywashy" people ...

Perfect example ...
Luke 1 : 5 - 25 ( the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist to Zachariah)

DWC

The Ambition Question

OK … ladies and gentlemen … thought for the day … well maybe this is enough for a couple of days … this is pretty long … read this at your own risk …

NOTE : Feel free to share any / all of this to the ones that God lays on your heart …

THE QUESTION :
Ambition ... good or bad ?

THE DEFINITION:
1.
an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment:

2.
the object, state, or result desired or sought after:

3.
desire for work or activity; energy:

4.
to seek after earnestly; aspire to.

Too many times we think that ambition is not a good thing ... you know why we think that ? It is because we subscribe to the first definition ... an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment

Ambition for a believer / follower of Jesus Christ should not be about striving for achievement, gaining power, being bestowed with honor, acquiring fame, or amassing great wealth ... but rather about aspiring to and earnestly seeking after God and His calling on our life ... we should have ambition ... we should aspire to and long to find out for ourselves what we are here for ! We should hunger to know more ... not for the sake of knowledge ... we can have knowledge and still be a failure ... knowledge must be applied and used according to His plan ... you have sat under professors in school that HAVE the knowledge but lack the passion to teach it ... you know the type ... the ones that are uptight ... unwilling to discuss alternate methods of solving problems ... they are more interested in the process ( details ) than the outcome ( getting the right answer ) ... they want to make sure you get through all the material … makes no difference if you understand it … just like the church of today … but I digress

FOCUS:
Ambition is not, in and of itself, the problem ... the problem is WHAT we are ambitious FOR ... God has made us ambitious… even as a child we can’t wait to crawl … then once we have mastered crawling we want to walk … and then run … you get the picture … what would you think about a child that did not want to crawl or walk or run ? Probably the same thing God says about the ones of us that have no ambition … LAZY … COMPLACENT … LUKEWARM …right ?

So why is that we are satisfied with where we are at right now with our Heavenly Father ? Is it wrong to dream the big dreams ? Dreams ( ambitions ) are what keep us going … passion should fuel our fire …

Why is it that our heart beats wildly when someone talks of great things ? For instance, when folks come back from missions work and tell of what God has done through them why do we want to go with them next time ? Why do we want to jump up and scream … YEAH !!! It is because of those ambitions that God has placed in you … they are there … you can push them away … but they are there … maybe after a while they “seem” to go away … but I submit to you that they do not go away … we are just “numb” … we learn to deal with them … we become insensitive … dead, in a sense … dead on the inside

Have you ever noticed that the ones with great ambition seem to create their own future ? They don’t just enter into the future … they run to it and help create it … to create the future we have to dream it … then act upon it … you will never achieve what you haven’t first seen in your mind in dreams !

The numb ones of us ( the ones that have no passion and no ambition ) never consider the appropriateness of their actions … they don’t really think about what the consequences are … they just act out what they know and think they understand … they speak with complacency and with indifference … as a result, those that LONG for a better world, better church, better society are along for the ride … while the dead are forging out their future ( and our future ) we just sit idly by and WISH things could be different … am I right ?

Sometimes indifference is truly the issue … but more often than not we have misplaced thoughts and beliefs … we that want things to be different … we KNOW things SHOULD be different but we think that it is ALWAYS God’s place to rein these dead ones in … we wait for him to “take care of them “ … hogwash … this type of thinking breeds spiritual complacency and in the end is a cop out … we just don’t want to get our hands dirty … we don’t want to risk … (risk - that is an entirely separate sermon right there) Admit it … God created us to engage … solve problems … meet needs … God says BE AMBITIOUS … BE PASSIONATE …

Do not be afraid, I have ransomed you. I have called you by name and you are mine.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go
through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the
fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume
you.

Call out to me, for I am the Lord your God !
Isaiah 43:1-3