There is no place like home?

Earlier today I thought, "I want to go home"... meaning College Station.
I guess Littlefield is my hometown, but no longer my home. Then again, College Station is just a temporary home.

Bill Whittle's got it goin' on.

When choices are made

http://www.renewamerica.com/analysis/jon/110505


The link above goes to an article that pretty much sums up my feelings over the whole Osama Bin Laden thing. 


I'm also reminded of the end of the Book of Esther. 
"Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. ⁴ For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king." ⁵Then King Ahaserus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?" ⁶And Esther said, "A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen." (7:3-6)


This is not a celebration of death, but a celebration of relief from one of our persecutors. 
1 John 2:21-23 and 2 Thessalonians 1:5-8


"Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely." Proverbs 28:5

"Here."

Roll Call for the Absent


In many lands and climes this April Day 
Proud sons of Texas A&M unite. 
Our loyalty to country, school, we pray, 
And seal our pact with bond of common might. 
We live again those happy days of yore 
On campus, field, in classroom, dorm, at drill. 
Fond memory brings a sigh -- but nothing more; 
Now we are men and life's a greater thrill, 
Before we part and go upon our way, 
We pause to honor those we knew so well; 
The old familiar faces we miss so much today 
Left cherished recollections that time cannot dispel.
Softly call the Muster, 
Let comrade answer, "Here!"  
Their spirits hover 'round us 
As if to bring us cheer!
Mark them present in our hearts. 
We'll meet some other day 
There is no death, but life eterne 
For old friends such as they! 

-Dr. John Aston '06

You're still keeping me up until two in the morning...whatever am I going to do with you, B?

I still think about B a lot, but lately he has really been on my mind. I heard this song on the radio this morning and I couldn't help but think, what would I tell him if I could have 5 more minutes with him?

I would ask him to sing a little bit of Cher's song "Believe". 

I would ask him to call my phone so I could hear his ringtone: "Hot n Cold".

I would let him tickle me.

I would tell him that I forgave him the minute he broke my heart, and tell him that I know now why it had to be done. 

I would tell him how special he made me feel.

I would tell him that I loved his family and all his friends.

I would tell him that I was so thankful that God orchestrated our meeting.

I would ask him to call me Natasha, and I would rub his head one last time (and he would probably go "Kitty!!!" like Boo from Monster's Inc.).

I would tell him that I loved him, and that I never stopped, and that he was just plain ridiculous if he thought he could convince me to do otherwise. 

After all this, I would hug him, and hold onto his hand until he walked out of the door of Briggs where we always met. Then, right before our hands broke, I would say, "I'll see you soon, dollink. I love you."

That is what I would do if I had 5 more minutes.

Now I remain in a world apart, but my heart remains in captivity.

Go and stand on the mountain, for the Lord is about to pass by!

(I am writing this at 3:00 in the morning. This is due to the three Dr Pepper's I had at the IHOP.)

For a while, I've been on edge. I've felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin and I wasn't sure why. An icky paranoia settled heavily around me, and I didn't know what to do. I began to despair some, because I thought (key word: I) that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. A couple of weeks ago, I felt a quiet tug telling me, "Kaleigh, it's alright. I'm holding you. Trust Me. I orchestrated all this for a Good Purpose...now step outside of the cave." Like Elijah in his cave, I was at first reluctant. I wrapped my cloak around my head and stood at the mouth of the cave, unsure: I looked at the picture sitting on my desk, taken during one of the most enchanting times of my life. I saw my face next to his and was afraid.  "Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'...Then the Lord said to him, 'Go...'" (1 Kings 19:13,15) I decided to Go. The only problem was, I knew I was supposed to Go, but I didn't want to take the road back the way I had come. "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus." (verse 15) You see, in my impatience I thought I could hurry the Lord up. So, I starting chasing after things not ordained for me. We all know what this leads to, if you are unaware, allow me give you a hint: heartache, nothin' but heartache. I said, "Okay: I need affirmation. I want to feel special. I want to sparkle like I did with B, how 'bout it Lord?" Instead of heeding His call to go back the way I came, back to the beginning where He would restore me and walk with me, I decided to keep going down the road that had not yet been cleared for me. Naturally, I became stuck in the vines: where uncertainty sapped my confidence, jealousy reared its ugly head, and worry swept over my soul. I began to behave in a way I didn't like: little things sparked into huge fires, my tongue became sharp and unkind. I could see all of this occurring and I was convicted. Sadly, I am a foolish little sheep and tried to ignore Him. I kept going deeper. 

Thankfully, the Lord uses a staff in addition to a rod. I went with some dear friends to IHOP, a place I vowed I would never set foot into again (because of B), and I listened to a young man tell me words I needed to hear: that I am worth something and that I can't force the Lord's hand on anything. I listened to two young women tell me that I am loved and B and I's time had a very special and Good Purpose. Slightly ashamed of myself, but mostly encouraged, I let the Lord lower His staff down and set me back at the mouth of the cave. This time, I'm going to go back the way I came. There will be times when those deprecating thoughts will arise and times when my impatience will make me want to turn and try and hack down the vines myself. However, I know that if I allow the Lord to revive me, unimaginable works will come about, works so wondrous I will have no choice but to fall to my knees in awe of Him.  

My dear friends, it is no use to try and make the Lord hip to your ideas: He is much too big and His plans are much more incredible that ones we would conjure. The Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor the fire. He was in the gentle whisper. I am thankful that the Lord is merciful enough to speak in a gentle whisper, for if He showed accorded justice, He would speak in ways much more terrible. Despite my presumptuous ways, He speaks words of love. 

I've come out of the cave and I will go to the Desert, where He will restore me and where I will proclaim His good news to the brokenhearted. (Isaiah 61) He will revive, each and every one of us, if we step outside our caves and Go.

All glory and praise to the God of all grace, Who hast brought us, and sought us, and guided our ways. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Thine the glory: revive us again.