9 July
I was watching the movie, "Fireproof", the other night and was struck by a song on waiting on the Lord that play about 3/4 of the way through the movie. If you have not seen the movie, by the way, I would highly recommend it. But there is this song playing while the main character, Caleb, is trying to be a good husband and keep going with the "Love Dare" book even though he is not seeing any results. The words of the song really hit me:
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on you Lord, and I am hopeful.
I'm waiting on you Lord, though it is painful.
But patiently... I will wait.
I will move ahead, bold and confident,
Taking every step in obedience...
While I'm waiting!
I will serve you... while I'm waiting;
I will worship... while I'm waiting.
I will not faint, I'll be running the race,
Even while I wait.
I will serve you while I'm waiting;
I will worship while I'm waiting!
What a great song, and I know why it means so much to me now. I have been praying for God's wisdom and guidance on new job opportunities when I return from this deployment (maybe something in the ministry or chaplain-related). But He has been silent on the subject so far. So I wait.
Psalms 37:7 and 46:10 are two of my favorite and they speak directly to waiting on the Lord. But this song also hits the important point that we are still to serve Him and to work diligently while we wait. Even if we're uncomfortable and it's painful, we still need to trust Him and continue serving Him where in our current circumstances (i.e., bloom where you are planted), and wait patiently for God. Another great passage, Jeremiah 29:11-13, tells us that the Lord has a plan for our lives, and it's a good one. So we have to trust in His promises, timing, and provision. Even if it means waiting for awhile! Rather than complaining about my circumstances and my desire for a change, I need to keep praying and continue serving and worshiping Him while I wait.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Reading Material
7 July
This year has given me the opportunity to read quite a bit, and this current trip is no exception. I recently started "Jesus Among Other Gods" by Ravi Zacharias, and have been plodding my way through it. He's very deep and philosophical, and so it's no easy pleasure read. Ravi was born in India in a Hindu society, but became a Christian later in life. He is now a brilliant and outspoken Christian author and lecturer. He goes all over the world teaching and preaching about Christ and debating athiests in liberal and secular universities as well. His work is awesome and I am enjoying his arguments for Christianity, especially against Islam and Hunduism, which he knows well. The message of Christ's love and truthfulness is very much needed over here.
The second book I just picked up yesterday is called "Wisdom of Our Fathers," by Tim Russert. This is the follow up book to his earlier "Big Russ and Me," a book he wrote about his dad. You may rememebr Tim Russert as the political analyst on NBC who died suddenly of a heart attack about 3 years ago. Anyway, this 2nd book is a collection of stories people wrote to him about their own dads after reading his 1st book. The stories are touching and personal and meaningful and have me thinking about my own dad as well as my affect on my children. If nothing else, his book reaffirms the absolute importance of a dad in the lives of his children--sometimes in ways he never knew about or expected. I can't wait to get home and love on my kids! So there I was reading this book in the dining hall last night with tears running down my face, hoping no one was looking! What a sight I must have been.
"God, thank you for my dad, and help me to be a little more like him!" Amen
This year has given me the opportunity to read quite a bit, and this current trip is no exception. I recently started "Jesus Among Other Gods" by Ravi Zacharias, and have been plodding my way through it. He's very deep and philosophical, and so it's no easy pleasure read. Ravi was born in India in a Hindu society, but became a Christian later in life. He is now a brilliant and outspoken Christian author and lecturer. He goes all over the world teaching and preaching about Christ and debating athiests in liberal and secular universities as well. His work is awesome and I am enjoying his arguments for Christianity, especially against Islam and Hunduism, which he knows well. The message of Christ's love and truthfulness is very much needed over here.
The second book I just picked up yesterday is called "Wisdom of Our Fathers," by Tim Russert. This is the follow up book to his earlier "Big Russ and Me," a book he wrote about his dad. You may rememebr Tim Russert as the political analyst on NBC who died suddenly of a heart attack about 3 years ago. Anyway, this 2nd book is a collection of stories people wrote to him about their own dads after reading his 1st book. The stories are touching and personal and meaningful and have me thinking about my own dad as well as my affect on my children. If nothing else, his book reaffirms the absolute importance of a dad in the lives of his children--sometimes in ways he never knew about or expected. I can't wait to get home and love on my kids! So there I was reading this book in the dining hall last night with tears running down my face, hoping no one was looking! What a sight I must have been.
"God, thank you for my dad, and help me to be a little more like him!" Amen
Monday, July 05, 2010
M.A.S.H. (part 2)
5 July
If you followed my blog back in May of this year, you might remember that I had the privilege of praying for (and traveling with) a soldier critically wounded from a blast and who needed to take a medivac helicopter back to a larger base. Well, I am back visiting that same FOB and the same medical personnel at this surgical hospital. It's very much like MASH the TV show (and my buddy Father Mulcahey-- sp?), except that it's not mobile, as in "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital"). These guys are awesome and save lives every day. It's the busiest forward medical facility in the country, and it's been kind of an honor to work with them. Which I did again today. They called me this afternoon to let me know wounded soldiers were coming in. One young man took shrapnel to his lower legs and needed surgery here before being flown out. I was allowed to stand at the head of his bed and spend time with him -- talking, praying, keeping him occupied -- while the medical crew worked on his legs. He was Catholic but didn't care at all what my denominational preference is... just that I was there. It was a privilege.
I also noticed something interesting last night when the Polish priest led evening Mass at this FOB. The chapel was literally destroyed by a rocket months ago (with no one inside), and since they have not rebuilt it, he holds Mass outside to the Polish soldiers at this location. I noticed that at one point that a Polish soldier played the guitar and sang... in English. He was singing a Top 40s tune I knew (but cannot recall the name) and playing very beautifully on the guitar, but I thought it was interesting that his choice of song was not a religious song and it was in English and not Polish. Maybe translating it to Polish would lose all the rhythm of the words and music, I'm not sure. I guess it doesn't really matter since over here you worship where you can, when you can, and with what you got. I remember leading a field service to about 7 soldiers awhile ago and we got rained on! Oh well. You do the best you can and leave the results up to God.
If you followed my blog back in May of this year, you might remember that I had the privilege of praying for (and traveling with) a soldier critically wounded from a blast and who needed to take a medivac helicopter back to a larger base. Well, I am back visiting that same FOB and the same medical personnel at this surgical hospital. It's very much like MASH the TV show (and my buddy Father Mulcahey-- sp?), except that it's not mobile, as in "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital"). These guys are awesome and save lives every day. It's the busiest forward medical facility in the country, and it's been kind of an honor to work with them. Which I did again today. They called me this afternoon to let me know wounded soldiers were coming in. One young man took shrapnel to his lower legs and needed surgery here before being flown out. I was allowed to stand at the head of his bed and spend time with him -- talking, praying, keeping him occupied -- while the medical crew worked on his legs. He was Catholic but didn't care at all what my denominational preference is... just that I was there. It was a privilege.
I also noticed something interesting last night when the Polish priest led evening Mass at this FOB. The chapel was literally destroyed by a rocket months ago (with no one inside), and since they have not rebuilt it, he holds Mass outside to the Polish soldiers at this location. I noticed that at one point that a Polish soldier played the guitar and sang... in English. He was singing a Top 40s tune I knew (but cannot recall the name) and playing very beautifully on the guitar, but I thought it was interesting that his choice of song was not a religious song and it was in English and not Polish. Maybe translating it to Polish would lose all the rhythm of the words and music, I'm not sure. I guess it doesn't really matter since over here you worship where you can, when you can, and with what you got. I remember leading a field service to about 7 soldiers awhile ago and we got rained on! Oh well. You do the best you can and leave the results up to God.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Prayer Needed
3 July
Happy early 4th of July to all. I will be traveling all next week, so please pray for our safety and ministry efforts. There are serious morale issues going on in this battalion and it is effecting me, too. I believe in Ephesians 6:10-18 and know in my heart there is a spiritual battle going on here, too. We're not just at war with the Taliban over here, but the unseen realm as well. I am being attacked and stretched way beyond my comfort zone and at times feel very alone. I know that I am not, of course, as God's Word tells me that He will never leave me nor forsake me, and I am counting on the promises of Scripture. But it can be very hard nonetheless. I also know that He who is with me is greater than anything working against me, so I take comfort in that knowledge as well. I love the story in the Bible of when Elisha prays that God would open the eyes of his servant to see the hills around them surrounded with angels and chariots of fire ready to protect them (2 Kings 6:15-17). At times I wish I could see that, too! I would value your prayers for me and my troops until this thing is over.
Happy early 4th of July to all. I will be traveling all next week, so please pray for our safety and ministry efforts. There are serious morale issues going on in this battalion and it is effecting me, too. I believe in Ephesians 6:10-18 and know in my heart there is a spiritual battle going on here, too. We're not just at war with the Taliban over here, but the unseen realm as well. I am being attacked and stretched way beyond my comfort zone and at times feel very alone. I know that I am not, of course, as God's Word tells me that He will never leave me nor forsake me, and I am counting on the promises of Scripture. But it can be very hard nonetheless. I also know that He who is with me is greater than anything working against me, so I take comfort in that knowledge as well. I love the story in the Bible of when Elisha prays that God would open the eyes of his servant to see the hills around them surrounded with angels and chariots of fire ready to protect them (2 Kings 6:15-17). At times I wish I could see that, too! I would value your prayers for me and my troops until this thing is over.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Chess and other Recent Pictures
2 July
Yeah, July is here!! I am sitting in the USO here on my base, having just connected to their free WiFi network. The network administrators here have recently upgraded their filters and now it's almost impossible to get to the internet from your work station. Everything (it seems) is blocked. For example, I cannot even get to http://www.strongbonds.org/, which is a website for Chaplains on single and marriage retreat seminars available to all soldiers after returning from deployments. So I came over here and found out I can work for free from here. I wish I had known this 9 months ago!!
The pictures: A momma bird sitting in her nest near my B-hut "hooch", the dining facility (DFAC) getting ready fot the 4th of July, and two shots of a chess board I recently saw at one of the FOBs I visited. A soldier made this set from hand and was selling it. I did not inquire as to the price, but I thought his creation was pretty impressive. Note that it's a chess game of the "good guys" vs. the "bad guys."
And finally, a special thank you to a few friends from my church who helped set up a basketball hoop for my oldest daughter on her birthday. Thanks for helping make her day special guys. I appreciate it and thank God for good friends.
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