on nerves and friendship

in the past year, i’ve made drastic life-changes including: a new dream and goals, marriage, moving halfway across the country, and adjustment to navy life.

today, though, my stomach is all in knots and my brain is frazzled because i’m working on an application for a job that i.really.want.

today, despite the nerves and still-unsettled-ness in my life, i’m confident.  because, more than ever, i appreciate my friends and their effect on my life.  i’m extending that word to include the family and loved ones in my life who are also friends to me.  without each of these people, i wouldn’t be who i am.

without you, today would be just another.

thirsty thursday: philippi

acts 16:6-15

(all quotes from the NET Bible translation)

early on in college, i took a trip to europe.  our group followed roughly the path that paul “the missionary formerly known as saul” (see, i made a bible joke!  i love bible jokes…) took on his second missionary journey.  after receiving his calling to enter macedonia, which could be a whole thirsty thursday post in itself, his first stop (aside from the port-town of neapolis) was philippi.  the town holds special significance in my own spiritual journey.

i don’t think it’s by chance that paul uses some specific terms in addressing the church in philippi: “because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now” (philippians 1:5, emphasis added).  these were some of the first believers that paul encountered in macedonia!

it seems the focus of the letter is how to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…” (philippians 1:17a)  like it or not, behavior is central to a Christian lifestyle.  like it or not, i am held accountable to this standard of being worthy or unworthy of the very message i proclaim.

honestly, paul was a skilled wordsmith, and i can’t think of anything i want to add to the passage that really comes off the page at me today as a severe challenge:

“finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.  and what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things.  and the God of peace will be with you.” (philippians 4:8-9)

what about you?  is there a passage in philippians that stands out to you this week?  any area in which you think God might be challenging you?

life of learning: navy-style

i love to learn.  i always have.  and, while my mind has taken a bit of an education-vacation in the last two months, i’ve still managed to learn a lot.   i’m hoping that this can be a bit of insight for you into my new life, and david’s,  in san diego.

david: FC2PO = fire controlman 2nd class petty officer.  that’s his rate (job) and rank.  for those familiar with the broader ranking system, he’s an E5.  he works with the self-defense weapons computers on the ship.  and he’s really good at it.  he’s been in the navy just a few days over 4 years, and he has just a few days less than 2 years left.  he’s currently stationed on CVN-70, the USS Carl Vinson.  it’s a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, nimitz-class.  it just recently changed home-ports from norfolk, va to san diego, ca.

me: i’m a newbie navy wife, and blindly feeling my way around the maze of terms and customs.  going (and deciding to never go again) to an frg (family readiness group) meeting.  learning that when david says something about “casualties,” it most likely has nothing to do with loss-of-life, but refers to a broken something-or-other in the work station.  i’m realizing i’ll never ever get used to him leaving and coming home again.  and i’m figuring out how to navigate a new town, befriend other navy wives, and feel at home in an empty house.

while the journey has already been harder than i have admitted to anyone besides myself, i know that i’d rather be where i am in life than anywhere else.  learning the ropes (oh, that pun was GOOD) is necessary, but also deeply meaningful.  more than anything, i’m discovering what it means to truly invest in someone else’s life and needs.

and maybe soon i’ll have a job of my own that i’ll learn from or an opportunity to work towards a career goal, butfor now i’ll keep taking my lessons from my sailor, his ship, and my dear navy friends.  because, while learning a new language (navy-speak) won’t help me much later on in life, the other skills i’m developing are essential to living a healthy life here and anywhere else in the world.

i want to write…

truly, i do. i think my inspiration just got picked up and carried away to somewhere far.
part of me is winding down and taking a much-needed break after my last semester of college.
another part of me really doesn’t know what to do with this blog right now. it seems directionless and purposeless.
so, let me apologize for my absence, and leave you with a passage to think on while i get my blog-feet back under me:
luke 5:5 and surrounding context. i’d like to know what you see in it. ready? go.
love,

slim-jim

he’s not so slim anymore.

my brother james left for basic about a year ago.  some go through immense shock, pride, sadness, or any other given emotion when someone they love joins the military.  i’m not sure if i’ll ever know why, but it just seemed natural to me.  i didn’t experience much of a strong emotion when he “dropped me off” at my internship in virginia, because… well, because i’m confident in him.

and i still am.  sure, there are plenty of other emotions, pride included.  but mostly, i’m confident.  he has a good head on his shoulders, and he’s grounded.  even as he prepares to leave for a deployment in the middle east.  and if i could pick one (okay, two) thing(s) to pray for this week, it’s that God will move in jim’s life during this time of challenge and danger, and that he’d allow me to both be there for my brother before he leaves AND be here… for my husband as he comes home (i hope) from cruise this week.

because if there’s one thing i know about myself, it is simply this:

i love strongly.  both.  all.

here’s to the military, and all those who serve – but especially those close to my heart.

love,

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