This is Starting to Get a Little Weird

Ok. So in my last post I mentioned how God had really brought some stuff together that was really neat.

Well, this continues that thought. Here's the story...

While teaching a couple of years ago, I came to know a certain high school senior. He recently joined the National Guard (might be the reserves, but pretty sure it is the Guard).

Turns out that he was sent to Ft. Jackson for basic training. It also turns out that he was sent here now. So I was able to find out which battalion he is with and asked if I was allowed to go visit him there. I was told that this was not allowed, however, if he and I were at his battalion chapel service at the same time, then it would be OK to briefly visit (I'm sure there are different protocol reasons for it all. I just try to follow the rules).

So I have been trying to figure out a Sunday in which I could go to this service, and I have been unable until today. So I went to the battalion building and was told that they were doing a special service at another building. So then I went there and found out that it was a special service for the entire brigade! That meant that there was a whole bunch of basic trainees there.

How in the world was I going to find him there, even if he was there?

Well, I spoke to a couple of the chaplains who were there and found his battalion chaplain. I told him the story and he asked what company the guy was in. Turns out they hadn't come in yet. he then asked his name, and when I told him he said that they had someone with that same last name doing some Scripture reading in the service.

Right after that, the right company walks in, right past me and I spotted him right away. It took him a little while to recognize me, of course I was like 70-80 pounds heavier the last time he saw me. And it turns out that he WAS the guy doing the Scripture reading, and that this was the first chapel service that he had been able to attend since starting basic.

So again, just an amazing series of events that God worked together in order to encourage two of His people.

Never forget that God cares about you and what you are going through even to the smallest detail. Lift it all up to Him. He wants to hear from His children.

Happy Sunday!

God's Little Handywork

I wasn't going to try to post again for a while, but I thought that this was kind of cool and figured that I should share it.

We always tend to think about God when there is something big coming up, but we forget that God is big enough to work in even the littlest things.

I was supposed to do my field service today. This is a program that includes a bulletin, music, and a sermon. However, God had other plans.

Over the weekend we got word that it was going to start getting cold. In fact, they were calling for snow on Sunday night. I assume that out of concern for snow and ice and the inability to call around to make other arrangements with local gyms, our PT for Monday morning was canceled. We got this word on Sunday afternoon so I was able to go get in a run on the treadmill that night so I could sleep in a little bit on Monday.

Well, that did not happen the way that I would like and I ended up awake in bed at 0545. After I thought about what I could be doing instead of just laying there, I spent some time in prayer and then got up and decided to go over my field service. The service is supposed to be a total of 20 minutes, so I went through the whole thing with a timer.

After that, I got moving and began the rest of the day. We ended up at a point later in the morning when we found ourselves as a platoon, needing to fill some time. Our group leader asked if anyone had any suggestions and I mentioned that I could go ahead and do my field service.

Although I did not have all of the paperwork, my classmate and preaching coach did have a copy and another student ran and made copies for everyone else. Therefore, I was able to do my field service on Monday instead of today.

Then, later in the afternoon I got word that I needed to go to a different building today to file some new paperwork. Because of our training schedule the only time I could go was during the field service time. NOW I could do that because I had already done mine.

Later I went for a run on a hill that another student had recommended to me and once I was tired out from running it a bunch of times "I decided" to run around the block to cool down and happened to stumble upon a really nice skate park that I am sure my family going to love.

On my way home last night I actually broke into a smile and a bit of a laugh trying to keep straight everything that had come together to make the day as it was.

We have a great God.

In honor of military spouses

Our class has started going over military memorial services and ceremonies, and the following poem was mentioned to us. I liked it and thought I would share it with you all as a "thank you" to our military spouses. I know it was written for wives, but the military husbands get a big "thank you" too.


The Silent Ranks (Author Unknown)

I wear no uniform, no blues or army greens.
But I am in the military in the ranks rarely seen.
I have no rank upon my shoulders; Salutes I do not give.
But the military world is the place I live.
I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get.
But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget.
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line. But, my job is just as tough. I'm the one left behind.

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man and the call to serve his country, not all can understand. Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep our country free. My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me.

I love the man I married. Soldiering is his life. But I stand among the silent ranks, known as the Military Wife!