Not like I'm posting on a regular basis as it is. Oh, well.
Anyway, I won't be posting, cause on June 20th (Lord willing), I'm going out to Utah to be a staffer at a Bible camp out that way. I'll be waking up at approx. 5:00 am on the morning of the 20th, so that I can get a ride down to the airport by 6:00 am and be at the airport at 7:00am. This is also the same day that Dad's being told that he will be leaving for Afghanistan for 6 months. He was actually planning on retiring here in a few months, but now the Air Force is shipping overseas until December or so. He went to Qatar for about that long a year ago. That wasn't very fun and I thought it was supposed to be the last time, but evidently not. Oh, well. As Dad keeps saying, "How good of a Calvinist are you?"
The whole deployment thing completely threw my family's vacation plan out of whack. They were going to come out to Utah, too, go to family camp and see the sites, but that's all off now. My plans, however, are virtually unchanged. As I said, I'm still going out to the camp. I want to be a consular and to I hope to take lots of pictures. That's not to say that I'll post them, I only promise that I hope to take them. I don't know if I'll have internet access out there (definitely not at the camp) (although I will volunteer for camp office tech support), so don't count on e-mail getting through. If I get a chance, there will be an "I've arrived" post later.
But for now, I have a little time, so I'll update chy'all on what's been going on. For those of you who check Isaac and Nathaniel's blogs, you know that our troop had a campout at Kiser Lake. It was fun and productive. Three of our guys are now very close to being 1st class scouts (as in they should have it tomorrow (or later on today…). Anyway, after that, because my family was in Illinois for my sister's second graduation celebration, I went to Isaac and Nathaniel's house and spent the rest of Saturday, Sunday, and the majority of Monday there.
Since then, I've been working on planning the planning plan for a canoe trip that we are hoping to do in September (I think. It really depends on adult availability). I've also been packing for going to Utah. I know I'm over packing. The problem is knowing where I'm over packing. I'm well under the weight limit, but those suitcases are still very heavy. Today I helped out at my church's VBS. It was the last day and I would have liked to help more, but I had other things that I needed to do. Besides, even today, I didn't help out that much. Mostly I just hung out, made sure that the 4-year-olds didn't eat poison ivy or something, and ate free snow cones.
This evening, my family went to the airport to pick up my older sister, Emily, whom they had left behind when they went to Illinois. She wasn't going to come back until Friday, but now that it looks like Dad might be leaving for Afghanistan on Wednesday, he decided to bring her back early to spend a little more time together. She's going to be at college when he gets back, so that's important. After we picked her up, we went to an Amish restaurant to celebrate "half" of one of my younger sister's (Lydia's) birthday. It's really in July, but she wanted to celebrate it when Dad was still here.
When we got back, we watched some "Easter eggs" on the "Incredibles" DVD. I know it's supposed to be a kid's movie, but I still like it. One Easter egg was especially funny: mid-way through the production, Pixar wasn't sure if they could finish the movie in time, so one effects manager created a "back-up" just in case. The video is a shortened version of the movie done with sock puppets. It's hilarious!
Right now, I'm listening to some new music I got by a group called Casting Crowns. Their songs (unlike that of many other "Christian" artists is understandable, meaningful, and glorifying to God. Most of their songs call for action on the part of the Church. They have a lot of good stuff. One of their songs that I like more than the rest is "If We Are the Body."
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
CHORUS
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tell him that his chances
Are better out on the road
CHORUS
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
Chorus (2x)
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
Jesus is the way
I also like "What If His People Prayed?"
What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more
What if the church, for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took a stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates
Chorus:
What if His people prayed?
And THOSE who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way
And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day
What if the life that we pursue
Came from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus?
Stopped asking Oprah what to do
Chorus:
What if His people prayed?
And THOSE who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way
He said that they would hear
His promise has been made
He'll answer loud and clear
If only we would pray
If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray
If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray
Chorus:
What if His people prayed?
And THOSE who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way
He said that they would hear
His promise has been made
He'll answer loud and clear
If only we would pray
What if His people prayed?
If My people called by My name...
Other songs of theirs include: "Praise You in This Storm," "Does Anybody Hear Her," "American Dream," "Your Love Is Extravagant," and "Now My Lifesong Sings." All of these are very good and I would highly recommend them.
Anyway, I'll be posting (only not for a while). J
