Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Medals, Meals and Mommy Fail

Michael was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal today for our time in Misawa, Japan. This was earned there; between the two bases it took 2 years to actually give it to him. ::snort::   I'm just glad it arrived before retirement. It made me sad to think of Japan knowing we aren't going back next month.

Attention to Orders - Chaplain Tangen reads the Medal Citation 
 
Father Lowe (Our Wing Chaplain) presents the medal


Ch. Lowe surprised us all by taking all of us and the staff to lunch! Wow! Good food and good times. He said he felt like celebrating!
Happy to see Ed caught ALL of us chewing and not just me. LOL


Some dear friends in this staff photo
Our next stop on base was the beauty salon. When we go full time in The Caboose I may have to drive to FL to get my hair done! I miss Barbara!

Arielle needed to pick up a copy of her immunization records for New Hope. It seemed like a good time to get Stacia's very LAST immunization. We've been on  a VERY slow schedule since her childhood reaction. She won't need more until she is 11 - a year away. I asked them to check on the boys' records. MOMMY FAIL.  They are both past due.  It's the story of my life - as soon as I get them caught up - I blink - and they're behind again. They were fussing about which shots were "voluntary" and I helpfully reminded them they are ALL voluntary and let them know which ones we wanted.

The kids insisted on ice cream after the shots....and since it was Stacia's last shot I agreed to take them for shakes!
 


"More than I can handle?" You BETCHA!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.                          Ps 28:7 NIV - with an assist from NASB
A quick google on "strength" and you discover there are some really stupid ways people look for strength.  The internet is filled with inane quotes on strength - I may be guilty of having repeated a few of them a time or two.  ::grin::

While this verse doesn't tell me everything about strength or joy - it gives me a strong start.  To truly experience God, I will walk through some "things" and this is ultimately good.

If it flees when life gets hard, it's not the joy of the LORD.


Bottom line:

I won't know Him as my strength if I'm never given more than *I* can handle!

I won't know Him to be my shield if I never follow Him into battle.

I won't know Him to be my help if I never trust in Him and I won't trust in Him if I can handle everything just fine myself (see #1).

Because I HAVE experienced him as my strength, shield and help, my heart can and will leap for joy...even here....because the One who has proven Himself to be my strength, my shield and my trustworthy help does not change.