Six Months down, ? to go.

So, it has been six months that I have been over here. I am getting ready to go on leave and spend time with my family. One of the first things I wrote for this website was about endurance, and the words I used then are really coming back to me now. I could not have been more on point when I used the term endurance to define my time here. This is not a way of tooting my own horn, or saying “Gee I am so smart.” No way, far from it. The truth of the matter is that I have never been a “long haul” kind of person. Truth be told I have always been more like a TV sitcom. If a major problem was not resolved within 24 minutes (that is minus the commercials) and everybody broke out into really corny laughter, I was not interested. I tended to avoid long term solutions. I mean look at my life. I was a teacher, had a few problems with the administration I worked for, and how did I resolve the issue. I did what any rational person would do, I joined the Infantry. How did that work out for me? Well think about where I am writing this from. See, rash decision maker. Now I am not upset with the path my life took after that decision, nor do I regret it. Fact of the matter is that had I not joined the Army, there is no telling where I would be. God uses everything we do to make us who He wants us to be. Sure, I could have done things the easy way, like paid attention in church and got the point a long time ago, but why would I do that. In case you have not paid attention over the last six months, I do and say a lot of really stupid things. I always have, and I probably always will. Why, because I am a moron. God made me that way. God uses my stupidity to make me realize just how stupid I am. He has given me the opportunity to learn from all my mistakes, and I have a lot to learn. He even gave me a wife who started a website that gives me the opportunity to reach the entire world. Now that is just theoretically speaking, I do not think the entire world has seen this website, I mean the counter is only on like 5000, and I think there are more that 5000 people on this earth, point is there is the potential to reach everyone. So what exactly am I trying to say here. Simply this: It is never too late to find out what God has in store for you. All you have to do is ask Him what it is He wants you to learn from in whatever situation you are in. That is what I have figured out in the last six months. I came over to Iraq asking God, “Why am I in Iraq?” All my life God has tried to teach me patience, but I was too distracted to listen. Here all of those distractions were taken away, and for the first time I really started to listen. God doesn’t need everyone to come to Iraq to learn patience, just me. Remember, not only am I very stupid, but I am also very stubborn. That makes for a great combination. God wanted to drive the point home, so he used a God sized hammer, named it “Spend some time away from your family in a war zone.” and started driving the point right through my thick skull. So as I prepare to go back home, at least for a little while, I just wanted to say thank you for all your prayers and support over the last six months. And also take a listen to what God is putting in your life. It is never too late to live a life that has meaning, purpose and value. Let God direct your heart, and you will see that he wants us to live life, and live it to the fullest.

“For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Take a listen to where God is directing your life, you know there is so much more that God has for us, than we could possibly imagine for ourselves. He set the freakin’ universe in motion with the sound of His voice; you don’t think he could solve whatever crappy issues you are going through right now. Trust me, you can trust Him.

Talk to you all when I get back.