"Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes He calms the sailor." - (unknown)

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,

Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;

Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty!

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life!

Christ, the blessèd One, gives to all wonderful words of life;

Sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life;

All so freely given, wooing us to heaven!

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life!

Sweetly echo the Gospel call, wonderful words of life;

Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;

Jesus, only Savior, sanctify us forever!

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life!

    "We all have images in our mind’s eye that defines what we think a cer­tain type of per­son or a cer­tain voca­tion must be like. Very few members of John-Q-Public ever have the oppor­tu­nity to see what an enlisted Sol­dier, an NCO, or an Officer of the US Armed Forces is really like. Too much of our knowl­edge is formed by Hol­ly­wood and the TV net­works, even in this age of alter­nate media report­ing. Maybe more strides have been made dur­ing my lifetime to correct this prob­lem than ever before.

     Yet, I think a fully-orbed view of who the cit­i­zen sol­dier “is” may be too much for peo­ple to grasp. Addi­tion­ally I think it is too trau­matic for them to grasp. Because, if they did then they would have to care, and if they cared then they would have to do some­thing about it. By “some­thing” I don’t mean carry a sign, write a con­gress­man, or for­ward an email. No. I mean they would really have to do some­thing tan­gi­ble in the same man­ner as when your three year old says “please, I am hungry” — and the cost of actu­ally doing some­thing is for some of them too high. Far too high. So it is eas­ier to ide­al­ize our Sol­diers, our Offi­cers, and the like by cast­ing them in the role of sin­ner or saint. In that way the observers can embrace as much or as lit­tle as they can afford to embrace." - D. Bryan Shackelford

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -- Hebrews 12:1-3

 Oh Holy Night is probably my favorite hymn of all time. It is usually only sung during the Christmas season, but it’s message is timeless. This Christmas I am singing with a small group in my Church and this is one of the songs we are preparing for our Christmas program. I was humming the tune and singing the words that brought my recent study of Acts chapter 15 to life:     “Truly He taught us to love one another. His law is love and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall he break for the slave...

I was chatting with a friend when an analogy came to my mind about how I would feel when I saw Mike for the first time after 7 months of deployment. He was slated to come home in November for his first mid-deployment leave during the troop surge of 2007. I told my friend that the emotions, feelings, and anticipations are a lot like when you are in the delivery room at the hospital.



Remember all of those firsts?



Moms and dads, do you remember?



Remember when you heard that first little cry that signaled to you that your baby was doing well and was strong and healthy? Remember when you held your baby for the first time? You had never met this little person face to face, but he fit snug in your arms as if your arms were created solely to hold him.

...

Whence comes this idea that if what we are doing is fun, it can't be God's will? The God who made giraffes, a baby's fingernails, a puppy's tail, a crooknecked squash, the bobwhite's call, and a young girl's giggle, has a sense of humor. Make no mistake about that. --Catherine Marshall

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. Ephesian 5:22

"Let us beware of rebellion against the Lord. Circumstances are of his choosing, because He wants to bless us, to lead us (even through the wilderness) out of Egypt, that is, out of ourselves. Settle the complaint with God, and it will settle other things. Be offended with God, and you will be offended with everyone who crosses your path." - Elisabeth Elliot

Courage can never be divorced from love, commitment, and morality. They are all individual strands, but part of the same braid. You have to love with your whole heart before you can truly display courage. You have to commit yourself to the task at hand immediately and completely so you will not waiver when the sea of trial tosses you around.

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."  2 Timothy 2:20-21

"... at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot." Isaiah 20:2

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" John 1:38  

Luke 12:27-31 “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

 

.........

He who has faith is better than the stoic. The stoical philosopher bore it, because he believed it must be; the Christian bears it because he believes it is working for his good.  C. H. Spurgeon

Revelation 11:15 - The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

This was written in January 2008 when my husband was convalescing and trying to decide what direction he should take after breaking his leg in Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning. As a wife I knew my job was to love him, help him and encourage him... in fewer words my job was to sharpen his countenance. I wrote this while figuring out how to put that concept into practice.

 

 

 

(Exodus 33:12-16) "₁₂ Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' ₁₃ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."
₁₄ The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." ₁₅ Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ₁₆ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"

 

 

 "Experience has taught me that the Shepherd is far more willing to show His sheep the path than the sheep are to follow. He is endlessly merciful, patient, tender, and loving. If we, His stupid and wayward sheep, really want to be led, we will without fail be led. Of that I am sure." - Elisabeth Elliot

 

 "What Do You Have? If the only thing you have is a broken heart, you offer a broken heart. So in a time of grief, the recognition that this is material for sacrifice has been a great strength for me. Realizing that nothing I have, nothing I am will be refused on the part of Christ, I simply give it to him as the little boy gave Jesus his five loaves and two fishes—with the same feeling as the disciples when they said, “What good is that for such a crowd?” The point is, the use He makes of it is His blessing." – Elisabeth Elliot

 

 

"Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!"

 John 20:24-28 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God"

I am hoping to share some of the blog entries from Christian Military Wives over here on this blog.

I plan on sharing what I am learning in BSF each week, and what is going on in the home of a professional "wait-er."

I do wait.

I don't always wait patiently.

I don't always wait for the right reasons.

I want to abide in Christ.

I want to know more about what that means, exactly.

 

So, welcome to "She who waits..."