Second day of the seventh treatment cycle. I felt fatigued again, though not as much as after the sixth treatment. It may be only a matter of time. Rash-like splotches today, earlier. Otherwise, a rather uneventful day. It has rained now for nearly twenty-four hours, occasionally heavy at times. In spots my yard looks like a small stream. But I do like the rain, and am at the moment looking forward to listening to the rain outside as I go to sleep.
I worked a full day, and actually it was a little more than a full day. And it was rather productive, getting quite a bit accomplished, and building my hours so I won't have to take so much of my leave, what little there is. And apart from a few frustrating issues with work, I'd rather be there when I can for it helps to be occupied. And in this particular job, I am afforded a great opportunity to work right alongside the government customer, often making policy for their processes, writing procedures, and generally running day-to-day operations. It really is nothing glamorous, but I do take no small amount of satisfaction that what part I play has some importance and significance to our country.
It seems so strange, after nearly 26 years, to look back over the path that God has led Cynth and me down. I never thought of leaving my home town. I was set on pharmacy school, and working the rest of my life in a drug store in the town I grew up in. I didn't realize it at the time, but God had orchestrated the steps that would lead me to Charleston, to meet Cynthia, and to an enlistment in the Air Force. I was blessed to earn a navigator position, and upon completion of training, an assignment to a specialized variant of the aptly-named C-130 Hercules aircraft. I should have mentioned in the order of things there that Cynth and I married after graduation and just three months before moving to Sacramento, CA.
God also was at work in us spiritually, leading us to churches at each duty station: a Baptist church in Rancho Cordova, CA; a Presbyterian Church (USA) in Tucson, AZ: a Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Fayetteville, NC; Little Rock, AR, and here in Chantilly and McLean, VA. Through all these, we enjoyed the welcome, warmth and love of God's saints. We got involved and helped where we could and felt led by God. These were just one example of God's intervention in our lives. There are many others.
When I was deployed at the start-up of Operation DESERT SHIELD, I was not particularly happy to be there. We had just brought Aaron home from the hospital after his birth two days after Iraq invaded Kuwait. I was the lead on the planning cell that deployed most of my squadron and worked long hours immediately following the invasion as our tasking began to come in. I was allowed to stay back until after Aaron's hernia surgery, but shortly after we got Aaron settled at home, I was on my way to join my squadron. For the next two months, we flew familiarization sorties over Saudi Arabia, and portions of the Persian Gulf, practicing for what most of hoped would begin soon so it would end soon. And each day, I prayed that God would get me out of there. And he answered my prayer.
In December of that year, I was tasked to go to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to be part of the planning and control cell at the US Military Training facility in that capital city. While there, my job was split, with the most time spent in the control side, coordinating with tanker units for gas, and working with the daily planners for range times and routes to and from airspace. I did have a part in the planning of the first several days of the Air Tasking Order for Operation DESERT STORM, when and if it were given the green light. In fact, I rejoined my unit just days prior to the start of hostilities, and flew the third sortie of the day on the first day.
Most of my crew had been flying together while I was at Riyadh, but I was given a few days to fly with them so that once we were in the real thing, we could function as a team. And what a team it was. We all knew each other's habits in the air and would almost know what the crew member on the radio was going to say at the appropriate time. It goes with out saying that we were extremely happy that the job was finished quickly, and we soon received orders to re-deploy back to Tucson.
A few years as a navigator instructor in my squadron's schoolhouse, and I was off to my next flying assignment, this time in regular, old, "trash hauling" (cargo) C-130 aircraft. It is true that our tasking came direct from the Pentagon, that we were a somewhat specialized unit, but the best part was that same character of crew members with such experience that the mission ran very smooth. We would often land at one destination with a few more to go as we delivered and picked-up specialize cargo, and each crew member was working to get the cargo off or on the aircraft so we could get back in the air in the shortest time possible. We had a mission to complete, even though we rarely would see the impact of our efforts.
Near the end of my flying career, I gained a place in the wing headquarters as an operations plans officer, tasked to ensure that our wing's battle staff ran according to directives, and maintaining our operational plans. Then I was off to the Pentagon myself, taking a job first as a special projects airlift officer, then as part of the Joint Staff, coordinating between all branches of the military services for specialized support programs.
Each job was rewarding in its own way, and in each job I was enabled to take on tasks and responsibilities that I would have never known about or could have even dreamed of as that young, idealistic youth with dreams of a career as a pharmacist. God surely moved in my life, took me to places and gave me opportunities that looking back now I am amazed at my life.
And really, I can consider it my life, but it is his story. He reached down and grabbed me one day long ago and changed my heart. He called me to himself, led me to repentance, gave me a heart that desired to follow him. And slowly, over the next twenty or so years, he has constantly had to forgive me of my sin, the sin that always sought to usurp his authority over me, the sin that sought to replace him in my life. Even though I am not the creature he intend me to be yet, I am closer. And I know this because he is still with me, working in me, bringing me ever closer to him. This journey Cynth and I are now on is concrete proof of his loving mercy and grace.
Life is good. Life now is really good. I am constantly humbled by the opportunity that is now mine to share with so many the riches of God that I am experiencing, even in the face of sometimes overwhelming fear. And you all are a part of this, encouraging me every day, pleading before the Father on my behalf, often not knowing how to pray, but praying just the same. I pray with you and for you, asking God to give you strength for this journey, even as I ask for strength each day to continue as he leads. What a joy to be surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses as these. Keep praying, will you? And pleas add to your pray list Cynthia ( not my wife) who is in treatment for Lyme's Disease, and her husband John who is caring for her while on a much deserved Sabbatical. Lift them up as you continue to lift all the others that I have had the privilege to make you aware of during the last two months. Ask God to show you the impact your work on your knees is having for me and the others you pray for. God bless you all for your love and care.
Edwards Roast with apple gravy, collards and butternut squash - Yum, Yum. What a treat, and Peanut Butter cookies to finish the meal. Very good.
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