Thought of the Week 4-25-2008

“If you want change in your life, you must do it immediately and flamboyantly!”

-William James

Change is not something that comes without certain risks. The older I get, the more I value risk-taking. I think this is mostly due to having a wife, a child, a stable job, an income, basic bills and needs. Oftentimes I forget what it was like to simply drop everything and at the whim of a gut feeling, jump on an airplane and travel hundreds or thousands of miles to stay in hotel after hotel, village after village city after city, doing who knows what from medical and humanitarian work to bungee jumping off the world’s tallest bungee tower over a lake!

This week I face my foe again… RISK. And I see the writing on the wall. Times have changed. Needs and opportunities have shifted and rather than watch a movie about seizing the day or reading a book, I am off to take hold of things that do not exist as of yet. HOPE. It’s a word lost in an era of challenge. I challenge us to remember hope and by the people we are destined to be. The leaders that we are supposed to be and in this time of loss, change and transience, to take hold of something much larger than ourselves, something that cannot be seen, let’s rebuild community.

Your community is near and far. It’s always as close as your next door neighbor and as far as your Outlook inbox. In this time of change, take risks on being beacons of hope. Speak encouraging words to others and make tons of friends.

You can start by just taking the next week to hold the elevator for that one more person. You can say hey to your neighbor as they are working in the yard. You can give a better tip to your waiter or server. You can say thank you, wave at people who let you in traffic and even simply smile.

This week, I go to Tajikistan where there was $850 million in losses due to the worst winter in over a hundred years. There were more deaths, power outages and damages then ever before and where the economy is ever shaking due to their autonomy from the Russian Federation and their close proximity to Afghanistan. As a whole, they have suffered and endured. When I think about to where I am headed, my reality shifts.

It only takes a couple muscles to smile. What will it take to rebuild a nation? Let’s each take a risk and do what we are able to do in this season and economy to spur life in our own local community. There is always a hope!

Have a great one. I will miss you next week.

dh

Dustin Hedrick

Operations Manager

Burt Associates, Incorporated

The Tajik Journey 4-24-2008

Good Morning Friends & Family,

Here’s something interesting. This AM I awoke and spent time with Lori and the baby and time in my prayer closet. I went about everything pretty much as usual, yet today, GOD melted my heart like wax.

Last night I played a bunch of old songs with my guitar just in a time of refreshing and reflection. I simply wanted to have that personal communion before being in the public eye again since we are going to Tajikistan and working with so many wonderful leaders. I also knew that my fingers needed the time on the strings to re build my calloused finger tips after having to stop playing and singing for a few weeks due to being ill.

And GOD stirred me.

Today, I see the pictures and read the schedule for the Tajik Journey and for the first time in many weeks, I am moved inside. GOD is doing something. I needed this. Thanks for allowing me to be a part. Thanks for allowing your pastor the opportunity to grow. Thanks for supporting him and even financing his crazy adventures. Thanks for joining in on my personal faith journey. Thanks for keeping the church going and even making it a better place with your activity, lives, hope, vision, plans and services! I am able to be obedient to GOD and GO only because of you!

Tapestry, you make my life wonderful. You make my dreams come true. Every day that I awake to be in your service is another day that I am truly blessed.

I love joining GOD in these works that HE is already doing. I am always amazed at my being the one most blessed when I go to serve. I hope that in some small way, we can encourage the discouraged and empower the battered. I can’t wait to just go and make some more friends. You know? GOD is so good to us.

I am so excited for what this Tajik partnership means to my little Tapestry. I can sense a bit of destiny in all of this.

Well, I must run back to my duties.

I will miss you all next week, and I look forward to reporting what happens as a result to your prayers, fasting and support the Sunday after I return. It’s all a bit humbling. You know? I mean. You all are the support base I have always longed for.

Blessings!

dh

Dustin Hedrick

Senior Pastor

Hi Everyone,

I want to share with you a short story from Sonia Calcagno. (She worked with us here at Dembo Jones during tax season and attends the Tapestry with her son John and often her sister and mom). She will be participating in the upcoming Race for Hope DC. Sonia has an amazing story of hope, faith and life. I want to share it with you today and ask you to think about either supporting her in her participation or actually taking part in the walk! Here is a direct link that you can use to go right now and give online.

Give Online to Sonia’s Race! (CLICK HERE)

So, read her story and GIVE! Way to Go Sonia! I know you’ll make your goal!!!!!!

Blessings!

pd

Dustin Hedrick

SONIA’S STORY | April 22, 2008

I’m so excited for this year’s race!  It is my 10 year anniversary as a brain tumor survivor.  It’s so amazing when I think about everything that I went through.  I was one of the 60 survivors to complete the race last year, and I hope to be in the top 10 of survivor finishers this year!  I haven’t set a monetary goal, but I know that together we’ll raise a good amount of money to support brain tumor research.

In 1998, after one month of having a headache 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I was finally diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Oddly enough, I had no other symptoms than the headache.  During that month, I went back and forth to the doctors at least four times.  At 25, I wasn’t terribly concerned that something was really wrong with me.  The doctors felt the same way because they reluctantly prescribed an MRI after four weeks of suffering from this intense headache.  I laugh now, as I look back and remember how the doctor said, "Sonia, we’re not concerned that there is anything seriously wrong with you, but we want to prescribe an MRI to rule out any of those possibilities."  Not even twelve hours later, I received a call at work.  I was told over the phone that I had a brain tumor and I had to follow up with a specialist that same day.  So, a co-worker drove me to the neurologist since I was beyond upset.  Life was already stressful enough as a new single mom juggling work and home.  Now I had to deal with a major illness.  The neurologist scared me to death because he said he had no idea how I was still walking or talking with the size of the tumor that was growing into my cerebellum.  He said the one good thing was that the tumor was encapsulated by a cyst so it had not grown fingers or attached to my brain.  He then told me that I had to undergo emergency surgery that weekend.  Labor Day weekend, September 8, 1998.  Truly a day that I will never forget.  So, I took the doctor’s advice and underwent an 8 hour surgery.  Miraculously, my neurosurgeon removed the entire tumor, and I have been tumor free since then.  Other than the scars on my head, I have a tremor in my left hand as a result of my surgery.  Not bad for potentially facing a lifetime of not being able to walk or talk.  I am so blessed!

I appreciate all of your support!  I look forward to walking with you on Sunday, May 4.  Thank you!!

-Sonia

Give Online to Sonia’s Race! (CLICK HERE)