Letters from War...

Today was Red White and Blue Sunday complete with chicken BBQ. The church was decorated with red white and blue streamers, balloons and other patriotic decorations. It was planned as a way to honor soldiers who are deploying and as a way to gear up for the next bunch of guys coming in. It's amazing how easy it is to overlook these brave men and women who truly and selflessly give their lives very often for people they may never see or meet.

Regardless of what you may think about these people when they are in their everyday civilian lives or even what your opinion is of the war, the bottom line is that they are people who have given their lives. They go places they don't want to go, do things that people should not have to do for long periods of time and yet there are people who have the audacity to complain??

I am glad I came here to this church and this military saturated area. It has opened my eyes in ways about things that have never crossed my mind because of being so far removed from it. It has also given me what I imagine and hope to be the beginning of a lifetime of appreciation and an infinite gratitude for these men and women....the REAL heros of today!

The lyrics below are from a song that my Pastor played today to bring home the message a little bit more. Because the reality is...unless you live it , you will never understand all that is demanded of these brave men and women and the families and loved ones they leave behind when they go to fight. PLEASE if you cross paths with a soldier, fireman, police officer...please please please thank them for their dedication to our safety and freedom!

Artist: Mark Schultz Song: Letters From War
She runs to the mailbox
On that bright summers day
Found a letter from her son
In a war far away
He spoke of the weather
And good friends that he'd made
Said I'd been thinking 'bout dad
And the life that he had
Thats why I'm here today
And that the end he said
You are what I'm fighting for
It was the first of the letters from war
She started writing

(Chorus)
You're good and you're brave
What a father that you'll be someday
Bring him home
Bring him safe

She wrote everynight as she prayed
Late in December
A day she'll not forget
Oh her tears stained the paper
With every word that she read
It said I was up on a hill
I was out there alone
When the shots all rang out
And bombs were exploding
And thats when I saw him
He came back to me
And though he was captured
A man set me free
And that man was your son
He asked me to write to you
I told him i would oh I swore
It was the last of the letters from war
And she prayed he was living
Kept on believing and wrote every night just to say

(Chorus)
You're good and you're brave
What a father that you'll be someday
Bring him home
Bring him safe

Then two years later
Autumn leaves all around
A car pulled in the driveway
And she fell to the ground
And out stepped a captain
Where her boy used to stand
Said mom I'm following orders
From all of your letters
And I've come home again
He ran into hold her
And dropped all his bags on the floor
Holding all of her letters from war

Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home

Humble Pie

Not so sure that being so honest and transparent on here for those of you who read (think there are about three people now LOL). Anyhow...I owe and apology to a good friend who has become very much like a protective big brother. When I was in my on again off again 'no mas' phase I refused to believe that after a prior relationship I would ever meet anyone again - forget about someone in it for the long haul (what the heck does that mean anyhow? haul what? to where?). So...

Patrick,
You were right. I appreciate your support, prayers, ear and objective view but most of all for your persistence with me when I got into rutts!

Foot Sandwich

Last year I tried eharmony and met a man whom I thought was a great guy, which he may still be. The problem was more that he was not my guy. So I did the typical thing and blamed eharmony lol. The reality, as I am beginning to realize, was more about him not being the guy for me more than anything else. It is with that that I must prepare to eat that sandwich.

I rejoined about 3 weeks ago or so and had few expectations from it. "Sure it would be great!" I thought, but never lost sight of the fact that I believe the people on the commercials are paid and trained LOL. ANYhow...I was matched with a bunch of men, one of which is the man in question here. I wasn't sure what to think of any of it. I even prayed for this man to go away as I didn't have time and didn't really expect any one with interest, that I was interested in or that would go any further than 2-3 emails. The funny this is that the harder I pushed, the more the smoke cleared and the more I realized that I could not find any red flags or flaws. Not only has this man made his intentions clear but he has stuck around, for what appears to be the long haul-God willing he will =)

Well, I sit here still scratching my head from the past couple of weeks or corresponding with this man and realizing all those clichees' people use are actually true about knowing.

So it is with that that I apologize to Mr. Warren LOL.

When you least expect it

You know, lately some of the things that have been happening in my life have been almost surreal as it seems like for some, I have waited my WHOLE life for. And the weirdest part is that all of it has occured when it has made the least amount of sense.

I know what the Bible says about God's timing and waiting on God and receiving God's best when you seek Him and Heaven first but....sometimes you want something for long enough its weird when it happens. And you almost keep looking for it because it hasn't clicked yet.

I am just so greatful that God chooses to use those of us who are not the best at things so that He can shine through!

NEXT POST: I will publically apologize to Neil CLark Warren for my slams about eharmony. Those of you who know...LOL Those of you who don't ask-not appropriate time to put it here.

Things to think about.......

Thought this was worth the read. I was looking for something for my Sunday School class. ENJOY!

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out"?
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp that no decent human being would eat?
Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that Acme equipment, why didn't he just buy dinner?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
Why is it that when someone tells you that there are over a billion stars in the universe, you believe them, but if they tell you there is wet paint somewhere, you have to touch it to make sure?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Is Disney World the only people trap operated by a mouse?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Missed a week

Things continue to plug along. I met my little sister (I am a big sister) for the first time yesterday. We went and saw Madagascar-cute movie. Had a few what I would consider inappropriate jokes in it but it was expected.

You know I never get tired of God's amazing way of tying things together. Pastor Mike's message was about 'Living at the Next Level,' this a.m. ~basically depth, do you live out your faith? Earlier this week, someone asked me that question of my own walk. And I have thought a lot about it, as I do with many walk/faith related questions people ask me.

Mike used an illustration with tupperware (parts of our lives-kids, work,family...) and green colored water (God). He talked about how we tend to compartmentalize our lives and the water represented God and our walks with Him. He spoke of how we need to pour God into every aspect of our lives.It was great. Now I don't know that I feel as though I have arrived in this area, but considering it has come up more than once and in such a short period of time....God got my attention and made me realize maybe I need to reevaluate and step it up a notch. Mike also defined depth as: living what you know and also spoke about Bible college. He spoke of how so often we mistake intellect for depth. Intellect is great! Knowing what every word of the Bible is in greek/hebrew is great but how are you living?

As those of you who know me know how I love analogies and illustrations... kudos to my Pastor for an excellent one this a.m. He was talking about turbulence when flying and how exhilerating it is especially when it is the result of a storm. Then he pointed out how then there is that moment when you break through above the storm, the clouds and the turbulence and its often sunny up there. Getting close to God and staying close to God is like the sun above the clouds! It seems dark and dismal down here but it so isn't if we had God's view and spent more time in His presence. If that blessed you even half as much as it blessed me then you were blessed!! If you were blessed feel free to email me, I would love to hear about it and to also pray with you and for you.

OH the pic, that is new from today. I posted it because I was playing with a feature on the blogger program.

Fourth of July and tickets in Boston

The fourth was fun. Spent it with my pastor, his family and another couple of families. It was nice! It was one of the first times I actually had the holiday off. Between 10+ years at Six Flags and Human Service jobs which NEVER close...its not happened since my pyro shoot days.

I have realized that some things just aren't worth the headache, the hassle and the gas it would take to drive there. As my priorities are here (at least) now, It wasn't worth whatever craziness I may have encountered by racing up to Boston this wknd.; ticket in hand demaning to have the dumb head injury (no injuries here ) fee removed and other assorted other nonsense fees removed. Just a word to the wise, dont ever go over the speed limit in Norwood, MA ESPECIALLY if there is a cop standing on the side of the road and points at you. And if he does point pull over so he doesn't have to sprint to his car to chase you like he's in some Cop drama. Curious about details? Just ask.