Another Homecoming!

We had another home coming tonight!!!! I wrote about it and shared pictures on Chad and I's journal....so if you want to see, stop by there!

 

http://journals.aol.com/my3gifts/TalesfromtheFrontandtheonesleftB/entries/2006/09/28/homecoming/1002

I got this one from Terri

 

I Live:  With my wonderful husband, boys, a cat, and 2 birds in Germany!!

 

I Work: As a mother, wife, and teacher (home schooling)

 

I Talk: a lot! lol

 

I Wish: there was a cure for Childhood Cancer so no other child or parent had to go through that pain.

 

I Enjoy: being with my family

 

I Look: like me

 

I Find:joy in Jesus

 

I Smell: the outdoors (windows are all open)

 

I Think: people need to know Jesus and be more aware of childhood cancer and just how many children die from it every year.

 

I Listen: to who ever's talking to me, although I admit to getting distracted at times.

 

I Hide: things that I wish I could share everything that's in my heart.

 

I Walk: with Christ

 

I Write: as a release

 

I See: how messy my desk is (it's insane!)

 

I Sing: because I love to!

 

I Laugh:  everyday

 

I Can: do anything God has planned for me.

 

I Watch: too much tv

 

I Learn:something everyday, especially from my children!

 

I Dream: of growing old with my husband!

 

I Want: my husband to come home safe and sound and to see a cure to Childhood Cancer in my lifetime.

 

I Cry: because I'm a woman

 

I Read:  a lot! From journals, magazines, newspapers, magazines, children's books, Christian based books, and the bible

 

I Love: Jesus, my husband, my children, family, and my friends

 

I Sometimes: just yearn for Heaven.

 

I Hurt: when someone says cruel and untrue things and just takes things from a one sided view vs looking at both sides or at least asking. Also hurt to hold Jordyn again (I know one day I will!!!!!)

 

I Fear: Chad being killed in Iraq or one of my other children dying.

 

I Hope: For a cure to childhood cancer. My boys to grow up and be Godly Men. For everyone to come to know Jesus.

 

I Broke:no bones so far in my life, but have broke a couple hearts in my life. :(

 

I Eat: too much, so I'm eating less!

 

I Quit: cussing when I gave my heart to Jesus, but I've slipped up some and have made a new committment that even those "little words" to stop. I'm ashamed of myself for that slip up.

 

I Bathe: when I need to

 

I Drink: water, I LOVE water!

 

I Save: my deepest feelings and emotions for Chad

 

I Hug: my boys every single day, many times a day

 

I Meditate: never

 

I Play: with my boys everyday!!!

 

I Miss: Chad (just a few more weeks!) and of course Jordyn

 

I Forgive: those who've hurt me, but I don't forget

 

I Drive: very well, and surprisingly fast on the autobahn! LOL

 

I Have: everything because of Jesus Christ!

 

I Cant:wait until Chad's home!!!!!!!!! (Can you tell I'm excited AND Ready!)

 

I Don't: and won't deny Jesus Christ as my savior or smoke (it's digusting and a horrible addiction that I pray everyone who does will quit)

 

I Kiss: my sweet boys every day  and soon my honey!

 

I Believe: In Jesus Christ as my Living and TRUE GOD

 

I Feel: Happy that 4 soldiers came home today, safe, sound, and to the arms of those who love them!

 

I Know:  I'm loved

 

I Wonder:if Chad will have to go back to Iraq in the next 12 months....come on General S. announce it already.

They're home! :)

The welcome home ceremony went great! Remember we're in Germany and at the min. 6 hrs ahead of you in the states and up to 9 hrs on the West coast. The ceremony was over by 6 pm our time. It was wonderful! There was a good amount of us wives who are still waiting for our husband's to return there to show support! Once our Col. got to the building the soldiers were outside the doors waiting to come in! We all cheered for them as loud as we could! The wives and girlfriends and special friends of the returning 4 soldiers were in the front row. One of the soldiers has twin little boys just over a yr old. Another soldier was married, the other two single. To watch those sweet little boys hug their daddy, just I think made us all cry! It's a beautiful thing to watch a home coming and if you're ever privy to experience one I highly suggest it! It's an emotional event, and well worth it.

Afterwards the boys and I talked about how close we are to Daddy coming home and that starting tomorrow we will be marking on a calender the days off until Daddy comes home. We don't know the exact date of when he'll be home, and Jacob at least understands that. It is getting a little exciting we are down to the point that we're looking at just a few small weeks! Oh I can't believe we're almost done this time around!

Sadly I was not able to take any pictures, because I left the camera in the van (thought I tossed it in my purse and didn't. :( Sorry about that. I'm hoping I can get some and if I do I will post them!

God Bless

Exciting News!!

I only have a few minutes, but wanted to share we have 5 soldiers coming in today! In about 20 minutes we're to be at the Welcome Home Ceremony for the soldiers!! Not my honey, but that's ok because these guys worked hard and bravely for 12 months!

Ok, I'm off. I'm going to take my camera and if I get any good shots I'll post them!

 

For those who read the other journal, you'll see this idental message! :)

Taking Bible Verses Out of Context

 (Start from the subject) This saddens me when I see this. What's even sadder is when you share with someone that they have, show them the proof (via the verses surrounding the particular text they've misquoted or taken out of context), and they continue to argue. It's not about interrupting differently, it's about simply taking a verse and using it for your own agenda. Why are we (just people in general) so stubborn and PRIDEFUL that when we're shown that we took something out of context or misquoted. I know I struggle with pride, and it's a hard pill to swallow. Yet I know that I must. I am not the best at it, but I honestly try.

If we are going to quote the bible and use verses to prove our point, we need to share them in correct context. I don't think using an excuse is ok for using them out of context. We need to look at the verses before and after the verse that we feel alone supports what we're talking about, to make sure that's truly what that verse IS saying. It saddens me and just disheartens me.

 

 

 

I've been tagged by Mary:Tagged!!! 6 odd or weird things you prob should not know about me lol

 

Rules:
Each player of this game starts with the "6 weird things/habits about you". People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird habits/things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1.  I don't shower everyday! I know, I know not a good little American girl! LOL It's actually not good for our hair or skin (washes away all the good/natural oils from both) normally every other and if I'm having an awesome hair day...every 2 days!

2. I've had odd dreams about ex high school boyfriends at the strangest times (when life is exceptionally stressful).

3. My favorite drink is actually water.

4. This one is odd for our society today...Chad and I have let GOD take control of our child bearing....meaning we don't use any sort of birth control (the pill can actually cause an abortion, most women do not know that)

5. I prefer doing dishes over laundry

6. I've had insomnia for 6 1/2 yrs now.

Now... who to tag???

Kelly

Dona

Kelly's Green Olives & Pickle Juice

Traci

Lisa in Florida

Respecting Someone's Words

I am a little upset as well as humbled. I got a call from our FRSA this morning saying that she read something I had written and that it was beautiful titled "Memorial", it's the entry I wrote about the last soldier from our unit who was killed (on 9-11). Someone who is either new to my journal/blog or who's been here for a while took my entry and posted it elsewhere. My name is not anywhere on it and I was never asked permission if my words and feelings could be shared else where. If asked I would most likely give permission, but and this is why I'm a little upset...I was not asked. These words may not be legally copyrighted, but they are my words. No one else can write a journal entry on here, just comments. I would apperciate if anyone reads this and wants to share what I've written that they please come and ask first. Yes this is for now a public journal, and I really do not want to have to make it private because of fear that someone may take what I've written and possibly use it as their own or just not give ownership.

 

Often when you read an article or poem, etc there's no author, it's because someone took it without permission.

 

So, if you did take my entry and post it somewhere else, please let me know where and who you are, not because I'm angry, I'm not. I'm honestly humbled that you felt my small entry was worth sharing, but so that I can put my name on it. Those are my feelings and it mentions MY husband, so if there's something out there from me I want my name with it.

 

I hope this makes sense. I don't want anyone to think that I'm mad, I'm truly not. I guessI was just really taken back. I never had any intention for anyone here where I live to read my words. It's not because I write negatively about them, just this is something of mine that I don't go and advertise so much to a lot of people I see face to face on a semi-daily basis.

God Bless

Christy

Overwhelmed in Love

Do you ever have those days where you are just literally overwhelmed in love? I have that feeling right now. I am loved and it takes my breath away. I have an awesome Father who loves me, who DIED for me, and who wants me as his own. I think of how much I love my children and to think that MY love for them just doesn't even compare to the love Jesus has for me is overwhelming. He not only loves me, but he WANTS me in his home. He wants to hold me in his arms, welcome me with his hug, and show me just how wonderful eternity can be. It's truly remarkable.

Not only do I have My Jesus who loves me, but I have an amazing husband. Chad as most of you know is in Iraq. We're down to single digit weeks until he's home, you have no idea, truly no idea who exciting this is for me. I really try to hold it together as far as the excitement level goes for the simple fact that we're a military family and anything, I mean anything can happen. But the simple fact is, I'm THRILLED that my honey is going to be home soon! I met this man when I was a girl ultimately. I was 19 yrs old the first time Chad set his sight on me. I was doing something I shouldn't have been doing (in a club and we won't mention the state of nonsobriety I was in). I was dating another guy who we seemed to go on again and off again. I was crazy about that guy and I know he was crazy about me, yet we just couldn't get it together. I know why now of course, he wasn't who GOD had planned for me. Chad though was not to shot down by me, even though I told him he didn't have a chance with me (yes I really did say that). When I broke up for the last time with that boy friend, guess who was there with open and truly caring arms? You got it, Chad. He was my friend. I actually dated another Chad who lived across the barrack's hall from him for a couple months. During that whole time Chad and I were getting to know each other more and more and he had turned into one of my dearest friends. I told him my secrets, all my secrets and he told me his. I would sit in his room while my "boyfriend" was out cheating on me (unbeknownst to me). One night Chad and I were sitting in his room and he told me that he couldn't let me be treated the way the other Chad was treating me and he told me that he had found out for sure he was sleeping with another girl. I was actually ok, we hadn't dated that long and although I liked him, it wasn't too horrible. Now don't get me wrong I was ticked off and boy the next time I saw him I chewed him out up and down! Of course by the time "My" Chad told me about the cheater Chad, I'd already started to fall in love with "my" Chad. My best friend and I talked to Chad every night (I was practically living with her and we would either call him or he'd call us and we'd all 3 talk for hours, her and I on the speaker phone. One night I looked at her and said, "I think I might want to date him". She knew me so well she already knew, it just took me a little longer to figure out that a nice guy was really what I wanted! I told Chad that night that if he still wanted to and still liked me that way, I'd like to go out on a date! (He'd asked me so many times before that, he'd actually half way given up that I'd come to my senses and he'd stopped asking me out! LOL). From that night forward there was no looking back. We started dating in November and before Christmas he'd asked me to marry him. We married in March. My family loved him, my friends loved him, but most importantly I loved him and he loved me!

The two most important men in my life love me so much I literally feel like I need to take a deep breath!

When Chad's not home, I'm not whole. I don't fall under that feminist following, new age garbage that you need to be whole alone before you can have a good relationship. If you were complete and whole, why would we NEED someone so intimately? Gee I can't imagine why divorce rate is so high today. Between these thoughts being thrown around out there by so called experts (all though amazingly the majority of these people have either 1. NEVER been married or 2. Divorced and not remarried) and the fact that so many don't think that GOD should be the center of their life. So many now believe they can just pick and choose what to believe in when it comes to the bible. Our country has become such a secular nation, I can't imagine why divorce is so high in our nation now. When our focus is on Jesus, it doesn't mean our marriages will not have bumps and bruises, but when we have Jesus we know we are strong enough to get over those bumps and heal from the those bruises (figuritively speaking). I know I'm not perfect and Chad's definately not. Our marriage is not perfect, yet we're happy the majority of the time (God doesn't promise us we'll always be happy and I don't expect that), what we do have though is love. Love of Christ and love of each other.

Love is truly the center of it. I love Jesus and he loves me. I love Chadand he loves me. I'm truly overwhelmed in love.

 

Just think I didn't even mention my children and all the love I have and get from them!

 

"Jesus, I thank you for your love, your desire to have ME as your bride. You died for me, so that I could join you in Heaven one day. You humbled yourself from our LORD in Heaven to become the child of a poor virgin and her husband who was a mere carpenter. You lived in a house that most likely had nothing more than dirt for a floor, you at the most road a donkey, yet most the time walked. You chose me to be your child. You chose me. Lord, in my human flesh I am unworthy, but in your coat of love, you deemed me worthy and I will never reject you. Lord you gave me love first, and then allowed to be loved by the man you chose to be my husband. I thank you for Chad. Thank you for allowing me to feel what true love on this earth is to feel like. Thank you for blessing me with a man who's not afraid of hard work, laughter, light-heartedness, tears, being sentimental, not afraid to play with his children and make sure they feel loved. Lord you are worthy of my praise and I thank you. I love you. I am honored that you want me. Thank you Lord for covering me in your love."

Jack's 3 yr pictures

I just realized I hadn't added these and since I mentioned them in the previous entry I thought I'd share my beautiful boy!

I'm too tired to do it through FTP tonight, maybe if I'm motivated I'll change it tomorrow or Monday, but probably not! LOL

 

 

Hello

Hi it's so late here in Germany. The last 2 days I haven't been able to fall asleep. I'm hoping that when Chad's home I can either find a medication to help me sleep or maybe just having him home will help me. We'll see! Since I couldn't sleep I decided to do something productive! I had Jack's pictures taken 2 weeks ago for his 3rd birthday. I sorted through them for family and friends. I also have been very bad and not went through Jacob's 5 yr pictures (taken in January :X)

So...I got them all sorted through, well almost all of them! The photographer we use here on post does not copy right the pictures so I can legally and guilt free scan and print them off here at home! So I spent a great deal of time doing that (far cheaper to just buy the ones I want for me and then scan and print for others!). I have an awesome scanner/printer and you can't tell the difference in quality! The paper is different, mine's actually thicker! So on Monday I'll be able to mail everyone's pictures to them! Tomorrow I have to go to the PX and get more color photo ink, Tuesday I can go pick up the regular color ink for printing off just regular things, the PX is out of the reg. color ink! There's a couple pictures I still need to print off for 2 people so I will wait until I get all the new ink to print those, because I want them to be the best quality they can be.

Well, we had a great day today! I got Jacob's Halloween costume. It's completely UnPC (if you know me, I'm not much of a PC kind of girl anyways!). He's 5 1/2 yrs old and I have 1 rule on costumes...nothing scary/morbid. Pretty well since last yr he's wanted to be an Indian. So....he's going to be an Indian. I still need to get some war paint for his face! Jack couldn't decide what he wanted to be while we were at the costume store, so on Wed we'll go back. The floor where the costume's are (the store is HUGE!) will officially be open (the lady was very nice and let us up there today). On Wednesday the boys and I will return and wander through the store and hopefully Jack will find something he likes. On our way home he said that he wanted to be a pig with a nose! LOL I didn't notice any pigs, but who knows, we didn't get to look long. I do wish now had I known then that Jacob wanted to be an indian this year I wouldn't have had Jack be a cowboy last yr and would have waited until this year! Wouldn't that have been the cutest! A cowboy and indian! LOL Jacob tried to talk Jack into being a horse (so he'd have his horse! LOL) Jack had no interest though!

It's going to be a great year for Halloween. Chad should be home!!!!!!!!!! I think both boys will really enjoy it this year as well. I plan to buy a few pumpkins hopefully just a few days before Chad comes home so he can carve them. He's great at it, I'm so not!! LOL We all have our talents! Carving pumpkins is NOT one of mine. ;)

After we left there we went to a used furniture store that we've went to a couple times, this time I finally found something I really wanted and will be returning on Monday to get!!! YAHOO! It's a beautiful Cario cabinet! It's twice the size as the one I have. It does have a light in it, which of course is 220 volt, but when we move back to the states we'll either take it out or Chad can put in a new light. I have a light in mine now and I've never used it, so a light really isn't that big of a deal to me. The store will deliver and set it up for me for just 15 euros!!! I need to rearrange things a bit. I was really hoping to find a bookshelf. I'm going to keep looking. I want one that's no taller than 4 feet tall, and that's wood. I need it for our homeschooling books. We'll see what I can find! :) This store always gets new things in and they mark things down all the time! I'm going to see if I can actually get the cario cabinet for less than what they're offering it for as well. If not that's ok, I still want it, but if I can yeah for me! LOL

After we went there, I decided to surprise the boys and stop at the Garden Center which has animals. We got our birds there. I don't think I posted this but a couple weeks ago our female bird up and died. She was alive and acting normal that morning, we'd been gone a good portion of the day. That evening Jacob went to see them and found her dead in the corner of the cage. He knew immediately she was dead. He was so sad. He cried and cried. He is fine now, just sad that she was dead. I told him if he wanted we could get another bird, that it wouldn't be a replacement because we can't replace those we love and care about....but could be a new one we could love. Our male bird had not sang since his companion died, so today he got a new female companion. Unlike our 1st female who was boring brown, our new girl (Tweety) she's beautiful yellow with orange spots on her!!!! Our male is a beautiful yellow, his name is Mishi. Jacob named them both! LOL They circled each other for a couple minutes, but after a few minutes singing and chattering started up, which was wonderful to all our ears!

We started our evening by going to friends of ours home for dinner. Her husband's in the states in school. He'll be back in December. She made speghetti and meatballs and cheesey garlic bread, which was good! Her and I get along so great. Her son and Jacob get along well. Her son does not get along with Jack though. Her son is almost 6, and an only child (well until January when he'll become a big brother) and as his mom says, "very spoiled". He's far too sassy for my liking and tonight I about had it with him. He loves me though! LOL He got ugly with Jack and his mom really laid into him and he ended up getting disciplined for it. They want to have Jacob stay the night and before he does I'm going to have a long talk with Jacob. He knows not to act or talk back like my friends son, but I want to make sure he gets that just because he does, it's NOT ok for him/Jacob to. I'm planning on having them over for dinner next week and if he gets rude with Jack I'm going to have to talk to him because he will not treat Jackson like a 2nd class citizen. Jack btw isn't doing anything wrong. Tonight he set her son off because he was playing with his TOY harmonica and trumpet and was trying to play them. Her son actually threw down the little plastic trumpet (which imo looks like a toddler toy) and broke a piece of it. Different parentings styles trust me. Had it been one of my boys throwing the fit her son did, they would have been spanked and put into a time out and the toy would have went to the trash...no if's, ands, or buts about it. I'm definately a disciplinarian, and just will not allow that kind of behavior from my boys. Poor Jack though he didn't know what he'd done so wrong. They were toys that were in the little toy basket. Personally if he didn't want Jack playing with them, then he should have had them put up instead of down in Jack's reach. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. He can be a good kid. She said that when her husband comes home he will be a totally different kid, because he doesn't put up with that kind of behavior. I think though that has to be hard and confusing for her son. To be allowed to act one way when it's just her and another way when Dad's there too. It's inconsistent. Chad and I are for the most part on the same page with parenting (as close to it as possible imo) and we both discipline and stand behind the other.

Anyways, over all itwas a good night and well a good day! I'm finally feeling tired so I think I'm off to bed!

 

God Bless

Answer to a Question

Betty asked me what an IED is, I have to say since we're a military family I'm so used to so many, many, many acronyms I forget civilians quite often probably don't know what they are, even if they hear them on the news. An IED is an Improvised Explosive Device. More or less it's a bomb that the TERRORISTS make out of well anything. It can look like a harmless small piece of cardboard on the side of the road (or in the middle,etc) it can look like a lost shoe, etc. They will make bombs/IED's out of ANYTHING, literally. Some are on timer's, some are controlled via remote control. They're very dangerous and deadly.

My husband's unit's job is to find the IED's and get rid of them. They have found more IED's than any other unit in ALL branches of the military since this war began. This is something they ARE very proud of doing and should be proud of. They've saved countless lives and injuries. We have lost 5 soldiers from 2 different IED incidents, yet they've saved probably hundreds or thousands of lives! It doesn't by any means make the losses any easier, yet it is truly amazing. They are going out there looking for these things and they find them over and over and over again. 

It's very humbling to me to think of the danger not only my husband's in, but all these soldiers who work along side of him are in daily. Many people look at military men (and women) and think "brave, strong, etc". They are, yet they're still humans. Some have a great sense of humor, some have gentle, kind hearts, all are unique and special in their own way. Some are tender and under normal circumstances wouldn't hurt a fly, yet they go to War and become Soldiers. Fighting for not only their lives and the lives of their comrades, but of the Iraqi people. I'm humbled by the fact that my husband, who so gently holds our children in his arms when they're hurt and kisses their boo-boo's, who holds me closely when I'm sad, is also an amazing soldier. I don't tell him nearly as often as I should how proud I am of him for not only his job as a soldier, but as a father and husband. He's all of these wrapped up in one.

All our soldiers have a story, I'm blessed to know just a handful of those stories, and sometimes I am able to share them with you. Thank you for the prayers for all our soldiers, spouses, and families.

 

If you ever have questions please just ask! I will do my best to answer them and explain them so you can understand and if you still don't, let me know and I'll do everything I can to explain it! In a lot of ways we do live in a totally different world. I grew up in the world most of you live in. When I married Chad, I didn't have a CLUE what military life was going to be like, and had no idea that in so many ways, we'd have a different language! Let me know if I start talking a foreign tongue to you! :)

Memorial's

The memorial service for Spc. Harley Andrews was at 11:00 this morning. His beautiful wife was there, along with her mom and brother. We all filed in after they did and sat down the service started. It's rather frightening that the words coming out of our Rear D Captain's mouth is becoming familiar, as he starts the service the same way the last 2 were started. I couldn't help from looking at this fallen hero's wife. She's so young. You just really don't understand. She couldn't be more than 22 yrs old if that. They have a 14 month old son, Ayden. She sat there weaping, and how do you not cry when you see someone's heart literally breaking right in front of you? Well I couldn't hold the tears back.

In April, Spc Andrews had written in the Battalion Newsletter. He described how his job of finding IED's were keeping other soldiers safe, and how he was proud of what he was doing, because he was preventing soldiers from getting injured or dying and that he was saving families from heartache. He was killed by an IED.

After the service we gave our condolences to his wife, and then someone went and got precious Ayden from the nursery. You don't know how beautiful this little boy is, or how heart breaking it is to me that this precious little boy will NEVER get to know his Daddy. It just isn't right. He toddled around without a care in the world, as literally everyone doted on him. He was probably hugged and kissed more times than he had been his entire life. He also got to eat German pastries, which he REALLY, REALLY liked and was not happy if when he was done with one, he wasn't handed another immediately. At one point, he was walking around with the little handout they give you, it had his Daddy's handsome face on the front and he was walking around pointing at his Daddy saying "Dada" then kissing it and then hitting himself in the face with it. He was completely oblivious to the heartache and life changes surrounding him.

It's very humbling to experience what we have experienced 3 times since July. Today was by far the hardest memorial service to attend, because this Brave soldier's wife was there. She's the first one who was at a memorial service. The last one we had only one soldier's wife was in the area, but she's a German national and she was/is ANGRY at the US Army. I can't say I blame her, but it does make me sad that she wasn't able to see that we do care and ache for her.

I did not know Spc. Andrews or his wife. Haley Andrew's is living I think every deployed spouses worst nightmare and greatest fear. We have 6 weeks left aprox. and this happened. I ask that you all pray for this young wife and mother. That she feels GOD's hand covering her every single day and that although there will no doubt be horrible days, that eventually she'll start finding reasons to smile again, that the thought of her husband will bring tears of joy over sadness, eventually.

I think the quiet echo of words that came from all of us other spouses was "just let us get through the next 6 weeks with nothing else happening and get them home". Our soldiers are the absolute best. They have found MORE IEDS than ANY OTHER UNIT through out this war! That is truly amazing and something to be proud of. Now though it's time to just come home, get out of Iraq safely and back into our arms.

I also found out that one of the soldiers who died in July, his family is planning on coming over here when our soldiers return. I can not imagine the heart ache. I have no doubt they NEED to do this FOR THEM. I ask that you pray for the Lidell family. I don't believe that we ever have "closure". I honestly can't stand that word when it comes to grief. We have a right to be sad, angry, etc. There is absolutely NO TIME LINE for grief, yet so many seem to think there is or should be. Of course most of them have never lost a loved one unexpectantly or just simply too soon.

I'm proud of my soldier. I love him more than I can possibly explain and I honestly don't ever want to know the pain the wives who've lost their husband's in this war have. I am ready for Chad to be back home, safe, sound, and where he belongs.

 

Lost another soldier...4 injured

Sept. 11 marked more death. In our unit we lost a young soldier, young husband, and daddy. His memorial serivce here will be on Thursday. I know his wife is here, but not sure when she'll be heading back to the states, so no clue if she'll be there on Thursday.

We also had 4 soldiers injured. Two were fairly seriously injured and are heading here to Germany to be treated. The other two were not too bad and will be returning to work soon.

Please keep this young family in your prayers, as well as their extended family and their friends. We're just so close to the end, so close.

9-11

 

Artist/Band: Keith Toby
Lyrics for Song: Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue
Lyrics for Album: Unleashed

(The Angry American)

American girls and American guys, will always stand up and salute.
We'll always recognize, when we see ol' glory flying,
There's a lot of men dead,
So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our heads.
My daddy served in the army where he lost his right eye,
But he flew a flag out in our yard 'til the day that he died.
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me.
To grow up and live happy in the land of the free.

Now this nation that I love is fallin' under attack.
A mighty sucker-punch came flying in from somewhere in the back.
Soon as we could see clearly through our big black eye,
Man, we lit up your world like the fourth of July.

Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list,
And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist.
And the eagle will fly and it's gonna be hell,
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.
And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you.
Ah, brought to you, courtesy of the red, white and blue.

Instrumental break.

Oh, justice will be served and the battle will rage:
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.
An' you'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A.
'Cos we'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.

Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list,
And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist.
And the eagle will fly and it's gonna be hell,
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.
And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you.
Ah, brought to you, courtesy of the red, white and blue.

Oh, oh.
Of the red, white and blue.
Oh, hey, oh.
Of my Red, White and Blue.

 

 

On Chad and I's journal: TalesfromtheFrontandtheonesleftBehind I put "Have You Forgotten". It's easy I think for most American's to put the tragedies of this day to the  back of their minds. To go back to life like nearly 3,000 American's didn't die that day. We were attacked 5 yrs ago and that will not ever change. We can't forget what the enemy did, and we have to keep our guard up. Doesn't mean we can't enjoy life and live the best life we can, but we still need to be more aware.

I  hope each and every one of you will be in prayer for those who lost a loved one 5 yrs ago today.

 

 

A Breathtaking View of Grace

A Breathtaking View of Grace

This is from the devotional that I read every night. This was from August 28, which is my Jack's birthday and it just really touched me and I wanted to share.

"From the fullness of his grace we have all recieved one blessing after another". John 1:16

There are times in my life when I am breathless. It may come when someone gives me a gift I never expected. At other times it comes from seeing an incredible painting or from reading a beautiful story. And, of course, there is always that moment when I see a "breathtaking view" of nature.

I can feel that way spiritually at times. Consider the grace of God in John 1:16. Now that's breathtaking!

I've grown to see grace on its own as part and parcel of our incredible Lord. His grace saved me. His grace sustains my life. His grace showers and sun on the good and the evil. His grace withholds judgement on nations. Inexplicable, His grace. But I accept it and live on.

But grace upon grace?! I'm floored. What can I say? His grace upon grace not only lets me live, His grace lets me serve, it lets me worship, it lets me take His name as my own, it called me by name, it grants me fullness of life as John says.

His grace upon grace is too much for me. Sometimes I cry out for God to remove it because there is no way I deserve such grace. At that very moment His spirit says, "I'm glas you see your complete dependence on Me. Now, loosen your limbs. Clear your throat. I've got more work for you to do. And more grace."

My breath restored, I live and move again until another day when He takes my breath again.

Lord, You are too good to me. I don't deserve even the simple pleasures of life, let alone Your bountiful grace. It's too much. But teach me how to move according to that grace. For by it You will be glorified and I shall rejoice.

From: Diamonds in the Dust: 366 Sparkling Devotions by: Joni Eareckson Tada

(If you're looking for a wonderful devotional, I highly recommend this one)