When Christmas Comes

Christmas is the best time of year
It is the day when we all cheer
There is nothing but happiness and fun
Just playing with your presents
all day in the sun.

Some people don't get presents because they are poor
But God will give them presents and even more
Have a good Christmas, and make it fun
Because Jesus' work has been done.

- Joshua F. Deckard


Poem was Published in the Excellence 2006 Poetry Collection by The American Library of Poetry.

Celebrate Life Without Excuses

I would never trade my loving family, my amazing friends and my wonderful life, for less gray hair or a flatter tummy....well....maybe. But anyway, as I have matured, I've become kinder and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra piece of chocolate cake or for not making my bed, or for buying that odd item that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde in my bedroom. After all, I AM entitled to a treat, and to be a little junky AND to be extravagant! :-)

I have seen too many sad people depart from this world much too soon and before they ever understood the great freedom that comes with growing up. Whose business is it if I choose to read or update my FaceBook page until the wee hours of the morning and sleep until....? I will sing out loud and dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 70's, 80's, 90's 2000's and if I choose to weep over a lost love, I will.

I may walk the beach in a 2PC swim suit and maybe skydive in my birthday suit if I choose to, despite the pitying and gasping glances. They, too, will get old.

I may sometimes be absent-minded but there again, some of life's challenges are worth forgetting. I eventually remember the most important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken and deeply wounded. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a parent dies, or even when somebody's beloved decides he or she decided to fall out of love with you. Sometimes broken hearts give us strength, understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile, and will never know the joys of being imperfect.

I am sooo blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray and to have my youthful chuckles be 4ever etched into the depths of my soul. So many have never laughed but have frowned - then perishes before their hair could even turn silver.

As you grow in age, it is easier to be blatantly positive. And, growing older means that you should know better and make good choices. Growing older should mean that you really should care less about what other people think. I question myself less and less now. I have even earned the right to be wrong a times. So, I'm human!

I love who I am and very comfortable with me. I am free to be me. I love the person I am evolving to be. I know that I'm not going to live forever, but while I am alive, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, should have been, might have been or worrying about what will be.

Life is short so, I can eat dessert every single day if I want to, and laugh until my face hurts if I need to.

For you I wish: THAT YOUR FRIENDSHIPS NEVER FALL APART, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE DEEP FROM YOUR HEART!

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER!

- Be Happy

THE POWER OF AN IDEA

Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers.' Ecclesiastes 7:19


Thinking For A Change by John Maxwell says: 'The right thought, plus the right people, in the right environment, at the right time, for the right reason, always produces the right result.' Let us examine those words:

1) The right thought. Thinking produces ideas and ideas have power. But every idea begins as a 'seed thought' and you have to nurture it!

2) The right people. Every time you expose the right idea to the right people, incredible things happen. In their company it blossoms and becomes infused with possibility.

3) The right environment. In the right environment thinking is valued, ideas flow freely, fresh eyes are welcome, change is expected, questions are encouraged, egos are checked, ideas stimulate better ideas, and thinking generates teamwork.

4) The right time. The Emperor Hadrian said, 'To be right too soon, is to be wrong.' While still in the stretching stage of an idea, present it without expectations, time frames or rigidly defined goals. Why? Because if you try to implement your ideas too early they may not survive.

5) The right reason. J P Morgan said, 'A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.' Motives matter. Selfish motives disqualify us; God only gets behind ideas that fulfill His purposes and demonstrate that we care for others. Sometimes an idea becomes great when it partners with another one; other times it excels just as it is. One thing's for sure: as you stretch your thinking, you will discover that your thinking is stretching you.

HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON!!!!

- Rev

Sandbranch Water Drive

Sandbranch is a community located in Seagoville Texas (approximately 30 minutes from downtown Dallas). About 400 families settled into the community around the 1950's and now the remaining residence are approximately 45 families, the majority being Sr. Citizens.

Sandbranch has developed contaminants in their water supply over the years. The families that reside in this community are often without potable tap water, causing a great inconvenience of having to purchase water for the purpose of drinking and cooking to avoid risking their health.

Church of the Solid Rock and Pastor Deckard enjoys organizing these monthly water drives and would love to encircle more ministry partners and local organizations to join us in providing clean drinking water to the Sandbranch Community.

Please help support our water drive by joining us on the 3rd Saturdays of each month at Kroger on Camp Wisdom near Main street in Duncanville.  We'll meet between 9:30am -9:45 am then depart at 10am central standard time to caravan to Sandbranch.

If you are not able to join us, please send your donations to Church of the Solid Rock, P. O. Box 765038, Dallas TX 75376 or you may donate online at http://www.crock4christ.org/.

Sandbranch Water Drive

Sandbranch Water Drive
Saturday, November 20, 2009

Meet at Kroger
200 W Camp Wisdom Rd,

Duncanville TX

9:45am CST

We will depart from Kroger at 10 am and caravan to Sandbranch.

The water drive should take approximately 1 hour.

Church of the Solid Rock purchase water from Kroger because it’s less expensive. The water is packaged in 3-gallon cases which is easier to lift and load. You may purchase single gallons of water, bring them with you and meet us at Kroger on Camp Wisdom. You may also donate online at www.crock4christ.org and CSRock will purchase the water from Kroger then load & transport to Sandbranch. Some of the citizens from the SB Community form an assembly line to help unload the water and place in the community center. For those of you whom wish to join us but may have a handicap, don’t worry about heavy lifting, we work as a TEAM but most of all, we really enjoy the fellowship!

For more information, contact Rev. Deckard @ revdeckard@ymail.com

Hope you will join us!!!
www.crock4christ.org

Are U An Undercover Christian?

I was at a large convention recently where all the participants wore name tags around their necks. This is a really good idea; lets people know who you are and helps when you cannot remember names. Name tags also give us a visual aid when meeting people.

Name tags can also identify the company people work for and whom you are dealing with but, they only work when they are facing the right way. If they are turned around they become somewhat useless. I mean, why wear a name tag if no one is able to read it?

Don't forget to check and be sure the name tag is not twisted in the wrong direction? Maybe some Christians do not care if another knows their name. Maybe some Christians do not want anyone to know who other Christians are??? Could it be that some Christians are ashamed of who they are and the God (our Creator) that we really work for?

I have known Christians who want to keep their "identity" a secret for fear of offending another or not being "politically correct" (what does politics have to do with God's business?) Maybe some Christians are afraid of being stoned or ridiculed; for being imperfect or maybe even made to feel guilty for being a progressive child of God?? Maybe they are ashamed of the imperfect "things" in their lives or embarrassed to be seen as a Jesus follower? Perhaps they do not even realize they are hiding their true identity....not keeping it real???

Whatever the case, Jesus did not call us to live as "closeted" believers. The very act of coming out as a Christian is not done in secret - it involves confession from our lips and belief in our hearts...then we are baptised to a life of purity and set apart to live decent, honorable and righteous lives. Christians should serve as light in a very dark and evil world; always pointing towards Jesus, the Light of the world and not to the evil drafts that plague our Christian society.

WE cannot let Christianity be our "clean little secret" but

our open-never-ending-declaration of freedom in Christ Jesus!

All Christians deserve to live an open, happy, fulfilled and joyful life! So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Don't be an undercover or closeted Believer....LIVE OUT LOUD....and with responsibility!!!

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:33

- Rev

Inspired by Elder ASD

Church of the Solid Rock: Important Announcements

Our Wednesday nights end and Sundays mornings begin in 2010!!!
Power Hour Worship discontinued at 2735 Villa Creek Dr. as of October 28, 2009.

Join us for Sunday Worship beginning January 10, 2010 at 11 am
Resource Center Dallas (Rainbow Room)
2701 Reagan St.
Dallas TX 75219

Adopt a Family for Christmas & Annual Toy Drive
Church of the Solid Rock has adopted 5 children from The Dominica Center for Integrated Growth and Development in La Urena, Domincan Republic through Blue House Effect Project, Canada! "http://bhecanada.org.
Join us as we share global promises of God!
Merry Christmas!
Feliz Navidad!

For prayer requests, send them to: pastor@crock4christ.org.

Pastor Doris G Deckard, Founder
Church of the Solid Rock
Dallas TX
972-679-0635

Wednesday Night Power Hour Worship Discontinued

Church of the Solid Rock will discontinue its Wednesday Night Power Hour Worship at 2735 Villa Creek Dr., Suite 290, Dallas TX 75234. We will worship on Wednesday Night through October 28, 2009.

THE BEST NEWS IS.....DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

WE WILL BEGIN OUR SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP IN JANUARY 2010. KICK-OFF DATE?????

.................STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR CHURCH WEBSITE AT http://www.crock4christ.org

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP IN 2010!!!

Sharing the Promise,
- Rev

Lord Send A Revival and Let It Begin with ME

Church of the Solid Rock is hosting its 2nd revival. Delores Berry blessed us with her rainbow psalms; the Praise Team and Rev. Lonnie, thank you for allowing God to use you..and for sharing your gifts with our church. Rev. Lonnie keep allowing God to use those anointed hands to blessed others. Ellen, thank you for the awesome percussions! You ROCK!!!

Rev. Darraugh, thank you for opening up the sanctuary to share your space with our church and for helping us to establish our local church body. It takes a real leader to not feel intimidated by another church who is NOT an MCC denomination but independent. Just proves that God's children can assemble and share in a Spirit-filled worship experience regardless of where!

I can't wait to see what God has in store for us on tomorrow. Rev. NaDine Rawls is preaching and I KNOW she's going to LET US HAVE IT!! Hope to see some more folks in the house!!!

Sunday is our brunch at 11 am at Mattito’s (Dallas). Hope you are able to join us!!!

Sharing the Promise,

Pastor Doris G Deckard
Church of the Solid Rock, Dallas TX
http://www.crock4christ.org/

Are You An Octopus on Roller Skates?

"Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways. " - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

How often have you met or worked with people who are talented in amazing ways but still can't get anything done? How often have you realized YOU are talented but still not getting the important things done? Having talent is not enough. In addition to talent it is critical that we know how - and when - to use our talents to achieve a stated goal or need.

Leaders know how to selectively use their own talents to achieve amazing results. Good leaders know how to tap into the talent of individual members of their team. And, great leaders know how to combine the unique talents of different members of their team and guide them to work together as a single unit.

Think . . . and act . . . like a leader!

LeaderThink®

from Tracy Brown

Famous Quote

Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained... now everywhere is war. -Bob Marley

In Loving Memory of Doris Harrison Deckard

May 9, 1925 - September 21, 2009

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Words can never express how one feels at the loss of a loved one, especially a parent. Seems this week has been one of those weeks where time and purpose have married. One generation of parents have crossed over and a new generation of parents has now dawned upon us. New trees are developing with each season of change and the baton has been handed off to begin a new race.

We'll miss you mom but we know that you are now resting from your labor. When Christ returns for us, we will be caught up together to meet Him in the AIR! I love you mom and will miss you more than words could ever express. I thank God that your final resting place is with Him!!! This is not a good-bye but a see-you-in-a-little-while...

Dearest Mom, you fought the good fight of faith and finished your earthly journey... (2 Tim 4:7-8)