I'm still in SLO! Saturday, December 11. 2010.......

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for continuing to tune in.  I am still in San Luis Obispo!  Why?  I can't say for sure exactly.... I am following the leading of the spirit.  If you read my last blog, you would know that I am staying at Sunny Acres right now.  It is an amazing place founded and run by an amazing man named Dan DeVaul.  I suggested in my last blog that you may wish to Google Dan and also Sunny Acres.  There is some very interesting history here- as well as some very interesting current history!!  Dan is in his 60's and he was raised on this farm where he still lives.  It is a beautiful place with a view that rivals the beauty of any view, anywhere.  Dan no longer lives in his farmhouse- it is occupied by the people who live on his ranch.  He lives in a loft that was built some years ago in his barn above the antique cars and shop below.  He spends his day running this place, which is a combination homeless shelter and drug/alcohol recovery center.  It is a program, sort of.  Dan believes in hard work- every day here is a work day.  I have been doing some plumbing as well as going out with Dan to several wineries to pick up loads of donated used wine barrels.  Dan sells them and uses the money to help fund Sunny Acres. 

Faith without works is dead.  I can say that I've ever met anyone like Dan before.  He gives thoroughly.  His dream is to have this ranch be able to house many needy people, and to be as self-sustaining as possible.  If you do decide to Google Dan and his ranch, you will learn about the controversy that surrounds this place.  Dan has quite a history of "dealing" with the county!  Dan is willing to go to jail before he will allow his people to be put back out on the streets.

I will write more about all this later.  Right now I am sitting at Erik's kitchen table typing this.  I have not had the chance to do it earlier, so please excuse me. 

I would like to share one last thing.  I think I have told you the story of how I met Erik and his family weeks ago up on the coast at Anchor Bay.  Do you remember how I wrote that on the day I met Erik and his family I had the thought earlier in the day that I would like to meet a family and sit down and eat and talk with all of them?  Remember that?  Then it happened!  I met Erik and his family and sat down and ate and talked with them!  Now the rest of the story..........  For the last few weeks of my journey I had another random thought that would pop into my mind occasionally.  It wasn't consciously contrived- it just sort of popped into my mind from time to time.  Want to know what it was?  I thought, "I'd like to meet and be taken in by an old rancher!"  I even remember having the thought on my last day of walking, "I guess I didn't get to meet that old rancher."  Then I met Dan that day last week- but at that point I had not remembered my earlier thoughts.  Dan offered me the opportunity to stay there and volunteer.  I accepted and returned to Erik's house to pack and to say goodbye and leave.  As I was telling Erik and his roommates about Dan it hit me!!!!!  It did happen!  It just happened!  I did just meet and get taken in by that old rancher!! 

Good bye for now.  I sincerely appreciate you continuing to check here and to check up on me.  I think you can see that the story is not over yet- there are more chapters still.........  If you will keep tuning in, I will keep writing........  I am just as interested in the story as you are!!! 

Sincerely,
God bless,
Craig