Whew! This life is exhausting! These are a few pictures of what's been happening this spring. A few highlights:
- Jordans and Viki came for a couple of days and I kept them busy! Putting up pictures, moving chairs, sightseeing at the Arch and visiting my favorite park with the bison and elk. We drove right through a herd of elk but I forgot my camera! Ask the girls. And then they were gone - too quickly.
- Maria left the next day in the middle of a horrible rain storm but she got to Canada safely and is having a good time there, I'm sure. It's quiet here and I'm not so good at making healthy meals just for me.
- We had terrible flooding in St. Louis over Easter and the Army was on duty. That work is part of my responsibility - not to do it but to support the disaster service director. I am learning a lot about floods. And just this week, a little earthquake. No damage, but made us think about our preparations.
- I have been out visiting several corps in the division. I'm still enjoying getting to know the officers a little better and seeing them in action. And now, I'm feeling like I know a lot more of the soldiers and can put them in context of their home corps. I like it here!
- We had officers visiting from Ghana, Majors Baah. They went around the area sharing their amazing story of God's grace and protection while they served in Liberia during the civil war. If you have a chance to hear or read their story, do it. You will be inspired and humbled by their testimony.
- My good, good friends, Mark and Carolee Israel came for our Sr. Rally. What a blessing to have them in my home and get in some precious time for catching up. We all had lots to talk about.
- I've been to two seminars and my head is still swimming with too much information and inspiration and ideas of how to implement what I learned. The first was the Ethnic Ministries Summit, which was a real spiritual blessing and a great resource for our strategic planning. It was also fun, as there were a number of Army people from our division and around the country. As I said before, I'm having a good time getting better acquainted with officers and employees in this division and this seminar was another chance for that. Also, I heard lots of powerful preaching which often made me want to jump out of my seat and yell, AMEN!
- The next seminar was in Chicago, an Urban theological symposium. Not quite as inspirational, much more intellectual. Since it followed the other immediately, I'm afraid I didn't get as much out of it as I should have. But still, came away with some new concepts to challenge my thinking and more good fellowship with Army friends.
These have been good days and some more difficult. I guess I'm still in transition and wondering about our crazy American way of life. Just when I think I'm over the edge, God comes near and reminds me that He knows it all and I'm right where He wants me. All of the things I've mentioned here are part of God's work - a conversation here, a time of worship there, a laugh with corps officers and a prayer with others. All of it, evidence of God at work not just in my little world but in His great big world. And all of it, drawing me closer to Him - just where I need to be.
