Good Morning,
I just wanted to write this down to share it with you. I woke up this morning and lay there in that morning trance- you know, where you are not quite awake and not quite asleep. I kept saying, "Thank you Papa, Thank you Lord" over and over. There are things in my past that have hurt. And there are things in my past that have felt great. This morning I especially felt my thankfulness for all of those things. I can see how they have all been for my good- how they have shaped and developed me......and how they have prepared me for my future................
Just wanted to share that with you............
God bless,
Love,
Craig
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Packing!!! Wednesday, Feb 16, 2011
Hello,
I continue to pack! I have lived in this house for 20 years. Have I told you the story about this house? I got divorced in 1991 and started looking for a place to move to. I wasn't having much luck. I knew what I wanted, in fact, I visualized what I wanted and prayed for it. I thought, "I want a safe place. A place that is big enough for all of my stuff and with a garage to put my boats in. A cheap place. A place close by so that I can see my daughter and family often. How about a quiet place in the country? And while we're at it, how about a place with a white picket fence around the yard."
One day my dad said, "Hey, why don't you check with the Tunzinis, they have rentals." So I did. I drove down a country lane here in Ferndale and found Lucille. She told me that the people had just moved out and they were cleaning it up. She went on to tell me all about the house and that it really wasn't much and to not expect much. Then she stopped talking and looked at me and said, "How did you know it was available?" I said that I didn't!!!! I followed her down to the end of the other lane and there was the house. And guess what? It was absolutely everything that I had prayed for!!!! Hallelujah! God provided just what I needed when I needed it! I realize now how fortunate I have been to be here- I have been able to be here to help raise my daughter. I was able to have her about half of every week; I was able to take her to school and pick her up; I was able to help coach her softball teams; I was able to play games with her and cook for her; I was able to give her a bath, put her in bed, read to her, then say our good night prayers; I was able to take her and her friends Trick-or-treating; I was able to get her playmates to come over to play; I was able to be her father and to experience the greatest blessing in my life. I was able to stay here and continue working so that I could help pay for her college education at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She will be graduating in a few months!! Thank you Father for giving me just what I needed when I needed it. There were tough and lonely times though. I have been single all of those years- it helped allow me to be there more fully for my daughter, but it was also painful at times. Lately I have come to allow myself to just feel my feelings. I am in recovery myself I realize. I know that is why I can help out at Sunny Acres. Suffering means to endure or to carry. There is meaning in suffering. We lament our suffering, but how immature and undeveloped we would be without it! Praise our Loving Father for our suffering. Thank you Papa...........
So, speaking of feeling my feelings, all of this packing, sorting, saving, throwing away, burning, taking, giving, storing, selling................ is pretty close to overwhelming! This house is two story with 4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, and 1 garage! You know how you expand to fill your space? I certainly did! It is a sobering fact to realize that every last little thing we carry into our homes is our responsibility- every last item is something that will need to be dealt with at some point. I am in a position where I am going to move to one bedroom- so it is not a matter of simply packing up everything and moving it. It is time for pruning now! I am ready for it though. I have been ready to let go of things for a year or two now- I had already started the process of selling things even before I went to Honduras. God calling!! So, anyways, this process is emotional and even stressful, as I am leaving my family and friends to start something new. I would be lying if I denied this. This process is exactly like getting ready for The Walk. The preparation was the toughest part- it had it's share of fears and doubts- what I am going through now is the same. However, God gave me The Walk, and so now I know exactly what to expect and how to do it!!!! As before, the answer is to trust Him and to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My preparations are all that I can do- He takes care of the rest. And I know from The Walk that He does!!!!
Thank you for tuning in. I hope that you will keep coming back. I will keep writing from Sunny Acres when I get there. Sunny Acres is a continuation of The Walk...................
God bless,
Love,
Craig
I continue to pack! I have lived in this house for 20 years. Have I told you the story about this house? I got divorced in 1991 and started looking for a place to move to. I wasn't having much luck. I knew what I wanted, in fact, I visualized what I wanted and prayed for it. I thought, "I want a safe place. A place that is big enough for all of my stuff and with a garage to put my boats in. A cheap place. A place close by so that I can see my daughter and family often. How about a quiet place in the country? And while we're at it, how about a place with a white picket fence around the yard."
One day my dad said, "Hey, why don't you check with the Tunzinis, they have rentals." So I did. I drove down a country lane here in Ferndale and found Lucille. She told me that the people had just moved out and they were cleaning it up. She went on to tell me all about the house and that it really wasn't much and to not expect much. Then she stopped talking and looked at me and said, "How did you know it was available?" I said that I didn't!!!! I followed her down to the end of the other lane and there was the house. And guess what? It was absolutely everything that I had prayed for!!!! Hallelujah! God provided just what I needed when I needed it! I realize now how fortunate I have been to be here- I have been able to be here to help raise my daughter. I was able to have her about half of every week; I was able to take her to school and pick her up; I was able to help coach her softball teams; I was able to play games with her and cook for her; I was able to give her a bath, put her in bed, read to her, then say our good night prayers; I was able to take her and her friends Trick-or-treating; I was able to get her playmates to come over to play; I was able to be her father and to experience the greatest blessing in my life. I was able to stay here and continue working so that I could help pay for her college education at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She will be graduating in a few months!! Thank you Father for giving me just what I needed when I needed it. There were tough and lonely times though. I have been single all of those years- it helped allow me to be there more fully for my daughter, but it was also painful at times. Lately I have come to allow myself to just feel my feelings. I am in recovery myself I realize. I know that is why I can help out at Sunny Acres. Suffering means to endure or to carry. There is meaning in suffering. We lament our suffering, but how immature and undeveloped we would be without it! Praise our Loving Father for our suffering. Thank you Papa...........
So, speaking of feeling my feelings, all of this packing, sorting, saving, throwing away, burning, taking, giving, storing, selling................ is pretty close to overwhelming! This house is two story with 4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, and 1 garage! You know how you expand to fill your space? I certainly did! It is a sobering fact to realize that every last little thing we carry into our homes is our responsibility- every last item is something that will need to be dealt with at some point. I am in a position where I am going to move to one bedroom- so it is not a matter of simply packing up everything and moving it. It is time for pruning now! I am ready for it though. I have been ready to let go of things for a year or two now- I had already started the process of selling things even before I went to Honduras. God calling!! So, anyways, this process is emotional and even stressful, as I am leaving my family and friends to start something new. I would be lying if I denied this. This process is exactly like getting ready for The Walk. The preparation was the toughest part- it had it's share of fears and doubts- what I am going through now is the same. However, God gave me The Walk, and so now I know exactly what to expect and how to do it!!!! As before, the answer is to trust Him and to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My preparations are all that I can do- He takes care of the rest. And I know from The Walk that He does!!!!
Thank you for tuning in. I hope that you will keep coming back. I will keep writing from Sunny Acres when I get there. Sunny Acres is a continuation of The Walk...................
God bless,
Love,
Craig
Friday, February 11, 2011
I'M MOVING TO SUNNY ACRES IN SAN LUIS OBISPO!!! Fri, Feb 11, 2011
Hello all!!
Thank you for tuning in! I have told you that it was going to get interesting and to stay tuned, so here it is! I am going to move to Sunny Acres soon! I didn't want to announce it until I had told my parents about it. They have been gone for a month on a trip to the southwest. I felt that it was the respectful thing to do to wait until they got back home before I told them. They are the most important people in my life and I love them very much. I told them yesterday and they already had an idea that I may be moving on! I have never made such a large move on my own before. I went away to San Jose State University for 3 years after I graduated from high school in 1979- other than that, I have always been here in Humboldt County (except for being born and living in the Los Angeles area for my first 10 years). If you have been following my blog, this announcement likely does not come as a great surprise. There is a thread in there that can be followed, isn't there? I feel that God has been leading me all along. I felt called to serve more fully and ended up going to Honduras, where I met the Coders and their children. After I got home from that I felt God tell me on that day when I was walking out in the country, "How about walking from here to San Luis Obispo?" I could feel that The Walk was to help out the Coders, but also to build my own faith and courage. The Walk was successful in all three- actually, it was "significant" in all three (have you ever thought about the idea of someone or something being seen as "successful", but what was accomplished really wasn't "significant"? Think about it). The Coders have been praying for God's clarity to be given to me, and so it has been! Thank you Bob, Joyce, Will and the children for praying for me!! God bless you all!
If you recall from my writing that I had had that still, small voice that spoke to me on the northern coast that said, "I'd like to meet a family and sit and eat and talk with them." That evening it happened, and that is how I met my friend Erik Poor- who came through for me in a grand way at the end of my walk in SLO. Later down the coast I had the same voice saying, "I'd like to be taken in by an old rancher." In my mind, what an "old rancher" is is a straight-shooting, no BS kind of guy who is genuine, real and honest. I remember as I walked into SLO that I had the thought, "Hmmmm, I didn't meet that old rancher." As I walked down Los Osos Valley Road on the very last of the home stretch I saw a Christmas tree lot on the left of the highway. I saw an old barn, a bunch of old farm equipment, a produce stand........and I remember thinking, "This place just looks like the real thing. It's not pretentious. It's just what it is." I took a picture of it. Down the road a few hundred yards Erik met me and walked me to his home. As you recall from my writing, days later I mentioned that I was going to stop by that Christmas tree lot to buy my daughter a Christmas tree. One of Erik's roommates said, "Oh, that's Sunny Acres. It's run by Dan DeVaul." Then he told me a little about it. I became interested and decided that I would like to meet Dan. I did. The next day. He asked me if I would like to volunteer. I said yes and I did. After the first week he sat me down and asked if I would be interested in signing on to Sunny Acres permanently! I told him I'd think and pray about it. The next morning I told him yes, and stuck around Sunny Acres for about another week. Then I got cold feet and told him I needed to go back north and see how I felt there. I thought and prayed about it some more, then several weeks later called him up and confirmed my yes. I have been packing and sorting all of my stuff since. I have lived here for 20 years and have a lot of stuff to deal with. I am finding that, like The Walk, the preparation seems to be more stressful than the walk itself. I worried before I went on the Walk. Then what actually happened was that the walking was the best part! I feel that God gave me The Walk to prepare for this new venture. I would never have had the courage to do this sort of thing on my own in the past. All that I have, all that I am, all the courage that I have, all of the faith that I have, is all because of God's mercy, grace, and love that He has shown me. I cannot take any credit for any of it. Thank you Father.
So, what is Sunny Acres? It is a 72 acre ranch that belongs to Dan. About 9 years ago he started Sunny Acres on his own. He is a recovering alcoholic and addict himself. He has literally opened his own home and wallet to help other people in recovery. There are not many people who put their money where their mouth is like Dan does. So I am going there to help Dan. I am going where God has led me. I see that all of who I am- my skills, talents, gifts, faith.....will be called upon to be put to use in this service. Boy am I thankful for that! That in itself was a prayer that I have had for a long time- to serve Him with all that I am. I can see now that I can't even take any credit for my own prayers. They were not mine. I can see now that He gave me my very prayers. Funny how that works.
Sunny Acres grows tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, and other crops to help support itself. They split and sell firewood. Dan believes in recovery through doing useful work. So do I. It is not just a clean and sober living facility, but also takes in homeless people or anyone who needs a place when they have none. It's an incredible place. I am honored to serve.
I will write more later. Keep tuning in for "The rest of the story".............................
I would like your prayers. Thank you.
Sincerely,
God bless,
Craig
Thank you for tuning in! I have told you that it was going to get interesting and to stay tuned, so here it is! I am going to move to Sunny Acres soon! I didn't want to announce it until I had told my parents about it. They have been gone for a month on a trip to the southwest. I felt that it was the respectful thing to do to wait until they got back home before I told them. They are the most important people in my life and I love them very much. I told them yesterday and they already had an idea that I may be moving on! I have never made such a large move on my own before. I went away to San Jose State University for 3 years after I graduated from high school in 1979- other than that, I have always been here in Humboldt County (except for being born and living in the Los Angeles area for my first 10 years). If you have been following my blog, this announcement likely does not come as a great surprise. There is a thread in there that can be followed, isn't there? I feel that God has been leading me all along. I felt called to serve more fully and ended up going to Honduras, where I met the Coders and their children. After I got home from that I felt God tell me on that day when I was walking out in the country, "How about walking from here to San Luis Obispo?" I could feel that The Walk was to help out the Coders, but also to build my own faith and courage. The Walk was successful in all three- actually, it was "significant" in all three (have you ever thought about the idea of someone or something being seen as "successful", but what was accomplished really wasn't "significant"? Think about it). The Coders have been praying for God's clarity to be given to me, and so it has been! Thank you Bob, Joyce, Will and the children for praying for me!! God bless you all!
If you recall from my writing that I had had that still, small voice that spoke to me on the northern coast that said, "I'd like to meet a family and sit and eat and talk with them." That evening it happened, and that is how I met my friend Erik Poor- who came through for me in a grand way at the end of my walk in SLO. Later down the coast I had the same voice saying, "I'd like to be taken in by an old rancher." In my mind, what an "old rancher" is is a straight-shooting, no BS kind of guy who is genuine, real and honest. I remember as I walked into SLO that I had the thought, "Hmmmm, I didn't meet that old rancher." As I walked down Los Osos Valley Road on the very last of the home stretch I saw a Christmas tree lot on the left of the highway. I saw an old barn, a bunch of old farm equipment, a produce stand........and I remember thinking, "This place just looks like the real thing. It's not pretentious. It's just what it is." I took a picture of it. Down the road a few hundred yards Erik met me and walked me to his home. As you recall from my writing, days later I mentioned that I was going to stop by that Christmas tree lot to buy my daughter a Christmas tree. One of Erik's roommates said, "Oh, that's Sunny Acres. It's run by Dan DeVaul." Then he told me a little about it. I became interested and decided that I would like to meet Dan. I did. The next day. He asked me if I would like to volunteer. I said yes and I did. After the first week he sat me down and asked if I would be interested in signing on to Sunny Acres permanently! I told him I'd think and pray about it. The next morning I told him yes, and stuck around Sunny Acres for about another week. Then I got cold feet and told him I needed to go back north and see how I felt there. I thought and prayed about it some more, then several weeks later called him up and confirmed my yes. I have been packing and sorting all of my stuff since. I have lived here for 20 years and have a lot of stuff to deal with. I am finding that, like The Walk, the preparation seems to be more stressful than the walk itself. I worried before I went on the Walk. Then what actually happened was that the walking was the best part! I feel that God gave me The Walk to prepare for this new venture. I would never have had the courage to do this sort of thing on my own in the past. All that I have, all that I am, all the courage that I have, all of the faith that I have, is all because of God's mercy, grace, and love that He has shown me. I cannot take any credit for any of it. Thank you Father.
So, what is Sunny Acres? It is a 72 acre ranch that belongs to Dan. About 9 years ago he started Sunny Acres on his own. He is a recovering alcoholic and addict himself. He has literally opened his own home and wallet to help other people in recovery. There are not many people who put their money where their mouth is like Dan does. So I am going there to help Dan. I am going where God has led me. I see that all of who I am- my skills, talents, gifts, faith.....will be called upon to be put to use in this service. Boy am I thankful for that! That in itself was a prayer that I have had for a long time- to serve Him with all that I am. I can see now that I can't even take any credit for my own prayers. They were not mine. I can see now that He gave me my very prayers. Funny how that works.
Sunny Acres grows tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, and other crops to help support itself. They split and sell firewood. Dan believes in recovery through doing useful work. So do I. It is not just a clean and sober living facility, but also takes in homeless people or anyone who needs a place when they have none. It's an incredible place. I am honored to serve.
I will write more later. Keep tuning in for "The rest of the story".............................
I would like your prayers. Thank you.
Sincerely,
God bless,
Craig
Monday, February 7, 2011
Hey y'all !!!!!! Monday, Feb 7, 2011
Hello!
Thanks for tuning in! I haven't written in a while but I am still here!
I think about The Walk quite often. The other day I went out after a dance to get a bite to eat and I met a couple of friends at the restaurant. We sat around and they inquired about my adventure. One friend asked me, "You must have had a lot of time to think. What did you learn?" When he asked me that, the following thought hit me. I said, "You know, I did have lots of time to think. But come to think of it, I didn't learn a darn thing from thinking a lot!" I don't know about you, but I can spend a lot of time thinking about things. I turn them all around in my mind, trying to understand and figure them out. But in reality I never actually figure some things out no matter how long I spend thinking about them. I'm talking about the things that just can't be figured out by our thinking. I do get answers though, but I believe that the answers are in the form of wisdom, and are gifts from God. I believe He gives me the answers when He sees that I am seriously seeking them. I can't take any credit for any of the wisdom that I may possess. There were things that I wrestled with all along the coast, and I did eventually get answers, but not from my own intelligence.
The Walk was marginally successful in terms of raising money for the Coder's children in Honduras. I'm sure that it is not over yet- we will see. However, before I left on this walk, I knew that it was much more than being all about raising money. I knew that it was to help build my own faith and courage. And that, it did! My faith and courage are not complete, but they are vastly stronger than they were before The Walk. The preparation for The Walk was a challenge in and of itself. The Walk itself was actually easier by comparison. I struggled with fear and doubt while in preparation. I didn't know if I was crazy or not, and I struggled with this. I felt Him compelling me to keep on getting ready, and so, while wrestling with my fears and doubts, I continued my preparations. I was apprehensive as I walked out my driveway. It was probably two weeks before I started to feel my doubts subside. I was not frightened for my own safety ever on The Walk. But I was concerned with what I was doing- was it right? You all might have seen that it was, but I personally struggled with it. I can see that this was an issue that belonged to me, and so it was "mine." Hence, The Walk. He gave me what I needed to do to start to conquer my own fears and doubts. See how that works? And amen, it did work! But now I notice something. As I have said before, faith and courage are like muscles- they need to be exercised to keep them in good shape. As soon as I let up, they start to atrophy- I can feel it. So what I learned from the preparation for The Walk, and from The Walk itself was this- do what is within my power to do, then start walking. God takes care of the rest. God can only steer a moving ship. When I don't exercise my faith by stepping out I tie God's hands. He can't provide if I don't give Him something to work with. I find that a great challenge I face is to start to worry about obstacles that may be up ahead. When I do that, I try to figure out how to deal with them from here, which is where I am right now. The trouble is, I can only deal with an obstacle when I come up against it, which is then. At that point God provides the way around if I trust Him. Otherwise I would be carrying everything that I think I may need to get around that obstacle and pretty soon I am carrying so much stuff that I can't even walk! So for me the answer is to keep moving and to trust that God is good................................the more I do this, the easier it gets.
So I hope that maybe you got something from my writing. I try to say "I" instead of "us" or "we" in my writing now because the things I come up against are my own struggles and my own issues. You have your own. They may be similar, they may not be. We love one another when we allow each other to learn his or her own lessons- our calling, I believe, is to love and encourage one another as we walk this journey together......
Love,
God bless,
Craig
Thanks for tuning in! I haven't written in a while but I am still here!
I think about The Walk quite often. The other day I went out after a dance to get a bite to eat and I met a couple of friends at the restaurant. We sat around and they inquired about my adventure. One friend asked me, "You must have had a lot of time to think. What did you learn?" When he asked me that, the following thought hit me. I said, "You know, I did have lots of time to think. But come to think of it, I didn't learn a darn thing from thinking a lot!" I don't know about you, but I can spend a lot of time thinking about things. I turn them all around in my mind, trying to understand and figure them out. But in reality I never actually figure some things out no matter how long I spend thinking about them. I'm talking about the things that just can't be figured out by our thinking. I do get answers though, but I believe that the answers are in the form of wisdom, and are gifts from God. I believe He gives me the answers when He sees that I am seriously seeking them. I can't take any credit for any of the wisdom that I may possess. There were things that I wrestled with all along the coast, and I did eventually get answers, but not from my own intelligence.
The Walk was marginally successful in terms of raising money for the Coder's children in Honduras. I'm sure that it is not over yet- we will see. However, before I left on this walk, I knew that it was much more than being all about raising money. I knew that it was to help build my own faith and courage. And that, it did! My faith and courage are not complete, but they are vastly stronger than they were before The Walk. The preparation for The Walk was a challenge in and of itself. The Walk itself was actually easier by comparison. I struggled with fear and doubt while in preparation. I didn't know if I was crazy or not, and I struggled with this. I felt Him compelling me to keep on getting ready, and so, while wrestling with my fears and doubts, I continued my preparations. I was apprehensive as I walked out my driveway. It was probably two weeks before I started to feel my doubts subside. I was not frightened for my own safety ever on The Walk. But I was concerned with what I was doing- was it right? You all might have seen that it was, but I personally struggled with it. I can see that this was an issue that belonged to me, and so it was "mine." Hence, The Walk. He gave me what I needed to do to start to conquer my own fears and doubts. See how that works? And amen, it did work! But now I notice something. As I have said before, faith and courage are like muscles- they need to be exercised to keep them in good shape. As soon as I let up, they start to atrophy- I can feel it. So what I learned from the preparation for The Walk, and from The Walk itself was this- do what is within my power to do, then start walking. God takes care of the rest. God can only steer a moving ship. When I don't exercise my faith by stepping out I tie God's hands. He can't provide if I don't give Him something to work with. I find that a great challenge I face is to start to worry about obstacles that may be up ahead. When I do that, I try to figure out how to deal with them from here, which is where I am right now. The trouble is, I can only deal with an obstacle when I come up against it, which is then. At that point God provides the way around if I trust Him. Otherwise I would be carrying everything that I think I may need to get around that obstacle and pretty soon I am carrying so much stuff that I can't even walk! So for me the answer is to keep moving and to trust that God is good................................the more I do this, the easier it gets.
So I hope that maybe you got something from my writing. I try to say "I" instead of "us" or "we" in my writing now because the things I come up against are my own struggles and my own issues. You have your own. They may be similar, they may not be. We love one another when we allow each other to learn his or her own lessons- our calling, I believe, is to love and encourage one another as we walk this journey together......
Love,
God bless,
Craig
Sunday, January 16, 2011
When this all started............... Sunday, January 16, 2011
Hello everybody,
"When this all started." What do I mean by that? And what is "this all?" First, I'll say that it all started when I was born! People sometimes ask when I first believed, and I realize that I always have. He has always been there- it's just that I haven't always been there too! Now, what I mean by when this all started is this- I have been feeling God's hand upon me heavily for a few years recently. I figure that He must have thought it was time for me to start moving towards what it was that I was supposed to be moving towards!
On July 5, 2007, I became the proud new owner of a used, but new-to-me, bright red, fast, motorcycle. Did I mention it was fast? It was! It is a street bike, and I loved it. I had no fear while riding it, but much respect. Fear, while doing something critical like riding a motorcycle, can only cause problems. I remember when I was learning to drive an 18-wheeler on the busy freeways in the bay area- that fear itself is dangerous. I remember the driving instructor looking over at me and asking me, "Are you scared?" Well, the truth was that I was afraid, but I didn't just hide it, I took control of it. I knew that panicking from fear while driving that big truck would be dangerous, so I didn't allow myself to become afraid. Same with the motorcycle. I got braver and braver on that motorcycle- my confidence improved with time. There's that line, the line between confidence and stupidity- you know what I mean. Well, I went fast at times, but that kind of motorcycle is designed for that, so I felt confident. I don't believe I ever pushed the limit past what was safe. I loved riding it. I've heard that it is almost as good as flying an airplane. So why am I telling you all of this? I rode that bike for a good year, without any mishaps (well, serious ones anyways!). I learned some powerful lessons on that thing- like the power of choice. While riding, it became extremely obvious how critical and powerful were the consequences of the choices I made. How fast to go? What risks to take? What weather to ride in? Only having two wheels and being a small moving target seriously impacts the way you think. I loved firing it up and roaring off down the road. Then one day I started it up and I had a fearful feeling that had not been there before. I started to think about "what if." As I rode, I started to think about what was around the corner ahead. What if there was a car that shot around the corner and came right at me? What would I do? What if I crashed? I had never had these thoughts before. I could not enjoy the ride. I parked the bike in the garage. A few days later, I started it up, thinking maybe the fear would be gone. No, it came right back. I went for a short ride, but it was no fun. I turned around and parked it again, and while doing so I recognized Who was talking to me. I knew Who it was. I felt God telling me that I had a purpose and that riding this motorcycle was taking an unnecessary risk. I listened. However, I did try to ride it once again months later, but the same feeling was there. That bike sits in the garage to this day! Does anyone want to buy a motorcycle? Seriously. I need to sell it soon. I tried to explain to people about the whole thing- some understood, some didn't. What matters is that I understood. And that, my friends, is when the ball started picking up speed as it rolled towards The Walk.
God bless,
Craig
"When this all started." What do I mean by that? And what is "this all?" First, I'll say that it all started when I was born! People sometimes ask when I first believed, and I realize that I always have. He has always been there- it's just that I haven't always been there too! Now, what I mean by when this all started is this- I have been feeling God's hand upon me heavily for a few years recently. I figure that He must have thought it was time for me to start moving towards what it was that I was supposed to be moving towards!
On July 5, 2007, I became the proud new owner of a used, but new-to-me, bright red, fast, motorcycle. Did I mention it was fast? It was! It is a street bike, and I loved it. I had no fear while riding it, but much respect. Fear, while doing something critical like riding a motorcycle, can only cause problems. I remember when I was learning to drive an 18-wheeler on the busy freeways in the bay area- that fear itself is dangerous. I remember the driving instructor looking over at me and asking me, "Are you scared?" Well, the truth was that I was afraid, but I didn't just hide it, I took control of it. I knew that panicking from fear while driving that big truck would be dangerous, so I didn't allow myself to become afraid. Same with the motorcycle. I got braver and braver on that motorcycle- my confidence improved with time. There's that line, the line between confidence and stupidity- you know what I mean. Well, I went fast at times, but that kind of motorcycle is designed for that, so I felt confident. I don't believe I ever pushed the limit past what was safe. I loved riding it. I've heard that it is almost as good as flying an airplane. So why am I telling you all of this? I rode that bike for a good year, without any mishaps (well, serious ones anyways!). I learned some powerful lessons on that thing- like the power of choice. While riding, it became extremely obvious how critical and powerful were the consequences of the choices I made. How fast to go? What risks to take? What weather to ride in? Only having two wheels and being a small moving target seriously impacts the way you think. I loved firing it up and roaring off down the road. Then one day I started it up and I had a fearful feeling that had not been there before. I started to think about "what if." As I rode, I started to think about what was around the corner ahead. What if there was a car that shot around the corner and came right at me? What would I do? What if I crashed? I had never had these thoughts before. I could not enjoy the ride. I parked the bike in the garage. A few days later, I started it up, thinking maybe the fear would be gone. No, it came right back. I went for a short ride, but it was no fun. I turned around and parked it again, and while doing so I recognized Who was talking to me. I knew Who it was. I felt God telling me that I had a purpose and that riding this motorcycle was taking an unnecessary risk. I listened. However, I did try to ride it once again months later, but the same feeling was there. That bike sits in the garage to this day! Does anyone want to buy a motorcycle? Seriously. I need to sell it soon. I tried to explain to people about the whole thing- some understood, some didn't. What matters is that I understood. And that, my friends, is when the ball started picking up speed as it rolled towards The Walk.
God bless,
Craig
Friday, January 14, 2011
Hey there! I'm still here! Friday, January 14, 2011
Hello everyone,
How are you? I'm sorry that I have not written sooner. No excuses, I just haven't written.
Before I left on The Walk, my fellow employees at the City of Fortuna pledged a dollar a mile for my walk. This weekend I calculated that I had walked 553.3 miles from Ferndale to San Luis Obispo. This Monday morning I went to the Monday morning safety meeting and announced my mileage. They cut me a check for $553.30 right away!! Isn't that great? Thank you Fortuna Employees Association! The next day I got it into the mail to Bob and Joyce Coder. They were very appreciative because, if you have been following their blog, the Coder clan just moved to a bigger house. The check will help them offset their moving expenses.
While I was at it, I inquired into how much money The Walk may have helped raise for the Coder children. It turns out that it wasn't very much. However, we don't know what the future holds. There may still be someone who has it in their heart to help out financially. The great news is that the Coders and their board of directors expressed their appreciation for what I did. What is so great is that they expressed gratitude for how what I did may have helped uplift people along the way! I know that it did. I had the privilege of being there. I had the pleasure of seeing them uplifted, and I had the pleasure of being uplifted by them. So, it's not all about money now, is it? It's about God's will being done. When His will is done, we are all blessed. Sure, I wished that more money would have been raised, and maybe it will be, but right now I am grateful for the experience. Before I left, I knew that this walk was not just about the children, but was also about building my own faith and courage. The Walk worked. It did build my faith and courage. But guess what? They are still not perfect! Probably never will be. They are both like muscles- they need to be exercised. And like muscles, if they are not regularly exercised, they will fade. We climb a hill only to find a bigger one just beyond!! A clue, hmmmmmm?!? I realize now just how much I needed The Walk and the exercise of my faith and courage. I am still in danger of getting "stalled in the city" as I have come to call it. Getting stalled in the city is when I try to figure out the road ahead while staying in this city. I try to figure out the obstacles and their solutions now, instead of when I confront them. It is also a matter of losing a little bit of courage with each passing day while I wait. If I wait too long, I won't leave the city- know what I mean? The only solution is to have the faith to go ahead and step out, and trust that God will work out the solutions to the obstacles right when I come up against them. I can say from the experience of my walk that He did come through- every time. Now I find that I still have my doubts and fears. Oh well, I am human, huh? However, they aren't nearly as big as they once were though. Hallelujah!! If you want to know something that I am thankful for, it is that! I find myself more brave and hopeful now than I have ever been before in my life! I say Amen!
I said in an earlier blog that I would write about what I had learned along the way. The above is one of the things I learned- so there you go. I hope it helps you in your walk of faith. I will write more. There is plenty more to say. I just hope that you will be patient with me and keep tuning in. It will get interesting............
Love,
God bless,
Craig
How are you? I'm sorry that I have not written sooner. No excuses, I just haven't written.
Before I left on The Walk, my fellow employees at the City of Fortuna pledged a dollar a mile for my walk. This weekend I calculated that I had walked 553.3 miles from Ferndale to San Luis Obispo. This Monday morning I went to the Monday morning safety meeting and announced my mileage. They cut me a check for $553.30 right away!! Isn't that great? Thank you Fortuna Employees Association! The next day I got it into the mail to Bob and Joyce Coder. They were very appreciative because, if you have been following their blog, the Coder clan just moved to a bigger house. The check will help them offset their moving expenses.
While I was at it, I inquired into how much money The Walk may have helped raise for the Coder children. It turns out that it wasn't very much. However, we don't know what the future holds. There may still be someone who has it in their heart to help out financially. The great news is that the Coders and their board of directors expressed their appreciation for what I did. What is so great is that they expressed gratitude for how what I did may have helped uplift people along the way! I know that it did. I had the privilege of being there. I had the pleasure of seeing them uplifted, and I had the pleasure of being uplifted by them. So, it's not all about money now, is it? It's about God's will being done. When His will is done, we are all blessed. Sure, I wished that more money would have been raised, and maybe it will be, but right now I am grateful for the experience. Before I left, I knew that this walk was not just about the children, but was also about building my own faith and courage. The Walk worked. It did build my faith and courage. But guess what? They are still not perfect! Probably never will be. They are both like muscles- they need to be exercised. And like muscles, if they are not regularly exercised, they will fade. We climb a hill only to find a bigger one just beyond!! A clue, hmmmmmm?!? I realize now just how much I needed The Walk and the exercise of my faith and courage. I am still in danger of getting "stalled in the city" as I have come to call it. Getting stalled in the city is when I try to figure out the road ahead while staying in this city. I try to figure out the obstacles and their solutions now, instead of when I confront them. It is also a matter of losing a little bit of courage with each passing day while I wait. If I wait too long, I won't leave the city- know what I mean? The only solution is to have the faith to go ahead and step out, and trust that God will work out the solutions to the obstacles right when I come up against them. I can say from the experience of my walk that He did come through- every time. Now I find that I still have my doubts and fears. Oh well, I am human, huh? However, they aren't nearly as big as they once were though. Hallelujah!! If you want to know something that I am thankful for, it is that! I find myself more brave and hopeful now than I have ever been before in my life! I say Amen!
I said in an earlier blog that I would write about what I had learned along the way. The above is one of the things I learned- so there you go. I hope it helps you in your walk of faith. I will write more. There is plenty more to say. I just hope that you will be patient with me and keep tuning in. It will get interesting............
Love,
God bless,
Craig
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Don't go away!! Thursday, Jan 6, 2011
Hello! My friend Karen visited me yesterday! She used to live up here in Humboldt County and she recently moved down to Santa Rosa. She came out and met me at Bodega Bay during my walk and camped with me. She also drove me around town so that I could take care of some things that I needed to tend to. Thank you Karen!!!
Thank you for tuning in again. The numbers of you tuning in has dwindled a bit, and I understand. I have not posted much lately----and The Walk is finished. Or is it?!? Things may get interesting................
We are called to have faith. We are also called to seek wisdom. We need to trust that God is good, but we also need to get up in the morning and go to work. "Pray to God, but row the boat to shore." "Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you." Ever heard either of those?
Have you ever heard the story of the old dog and the panther? One day an old dog was way out in the middle of nowhere- out in the open. He caught sight of movement and looked way out yonder (yep, out yonder) and saw something running his way. A minute later he recognized the sight! It was a big ol' panther and it was heading right at him, and fast. It didn't take the old dog too long to realize that he was probably next on the panther's menu! That ol' dog ran around in circles, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he had to do something fast. All of a sudden he noticed some old bones laying there. He stooped over and started chewing on the bones. Just before that panther was about to pounce on him, that ol' dog blurted out loud, "Boy, that sure was a good panther!" That panther slammed on his brakes, turned around and slinked off, thinking to himself, "Man, that was close! I almost got eaten!" Well, a ground squirrel just happened to be around to witness this whole thing and he thought to himself, "You know, I can use all this to my advantage", and with that he chased down the panther. He told that panther about how he had just been had!
The panther said, "Hop on my back and we'll go settle this once and for all with that ol' dog." Now that ol' dog hears something and looks up, only to see that darn panther comin' back- and this time with a squirrel on his back to boot! He knows this can't be good, and he runs around in a circle again, thinking real hard. Now just as that panther is about to jump him again, that ol' dog looks the other way and says out loud, "Now where is that squirrel? I sent him off about an hour ago to bring me another panther!!!"
The moral of the story? You know, there are a few in there, isn't there? But the main simple one is this- Ya gotta be smart!
Jesus said, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
May you all have a shrewd and innocent new year!!!!
God bless you and yours,
Craig
Thank you for tuning in again. The numbers of you tuning in has dwindled a bit, and I understand. I have not posted much lately----and The Walk is finished. Or is it?!? Things may get interesting................
We are called to have faith. We are also called to seek wisdom. We need to trust that God is good, but we also need to get up in the morning and go to work. "Pray to God, but row the boat to shore." "Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you." Ever heard either of those?
Have you ever heard the story of the old dog and the panther? One day an old dog was way out in the middle of nowhere- out in the open. He caught sight of movement and looked way out yonder (yep, out yonder) and saw something running his way. A minute later he recognized the sight! It was a big ol' panther and it was heading right at him, and fast. It didn't take the old dog too long to realize that he was probably next on the panther's menu! That ol' dog ran around in circles, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he had to do something fast. All of a sudden he noticed some old bones laying there. He stooped over and started chewing on the bones. Just before that panther was about to pounce on him, that ol' dog blurted out loud, "Boy, that sure was a good panther!" That panther slammed on his brakes, turned around and slinked off, thinking to himself, "Man, that was close! I almost got eaten!" Well, a ground squirrel just happened to be around to witness this whole thing and he thought to himself, "You know, I can use all this to my advantage", and with that he chased down the panther. He told that panther about how he had just been had!
The panther said, "Hop on my back and we'll go settle this once and for all with that ol' dog." Now that ol' dog hears something and looks up, only to see that darn panther comin' back- and this time with a squirrel on his back to boot! He knows this can't be good, and he runs around in a circle again, thinking real hard. Now just as that panther is about to jump him again, that ol' dog looks the other way and says out loud, "Now where is that squirrel? I sent him off about an hour ago to bring me another panther!!!"
The moral of the story? You know, there are a few in there, isn't there? But the main simple one is this- Ya gotta be smart!
Jesus said, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
May you all have a shrewd and innocent new year!!!!
God bless you and yours,
Craig
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