Its been a while

Hello everyone, I know its been a minute since I've blogged but I'm going to blame that on facebook. I picked that up as my main avenue of communication and I haven't really put it down. But Meg has informed me that some people have been asking for a blog from me so I figured I should get to it.

Thing here are well. We're in the final leg of this deployment. I think most of us are ready to get home. I know I am. My time away and my brief time home on R&R made me realize just how much I love my family. R&R was great by the way. We went to Disney World, was in a wedding, built a deck, had a backyard camping adventure and still had to time to just be together. It was awesome.

There are a couple great things about the fall. First is the dropping temperatures. I never really minded the heat but it is nice not to have 130 degrees everyday. Second is....football season. I really think this has picked up a lot of guys moods. Its like we all have something to look forward to every Saturday and Sunday. I have been fortunate to be able to see 3 of the 4 Buckeye games so far, including the heartbreaker to USC. And even though I'm on the other side of the world, I still am able to participate in my fantasy football league with my guys back home. So every Saturday and Sunday, you know where to find me. The only stinky part is we are still 7 hours ahead so to watch games live can be tough. But AFN (Armed Forces Network, our cable) will usually replay games a couple times so there are chancs to watch.

Anyways, I just wanted to blog and say that I am alive and well. Oh, and I've made some new friends. I was able to post their pictures on facebook so I hope I can here to. Their pics will be at the end.

I hope this note finds you well. Thank you again for all the prayers and support you've given to Meg, Caleb and I. Just a little while longer.

Josh

OUR crazylove

Yep...we're THAT crazy...

And who wouldn't be crazy about this?!

*sigh* And those two...

It doesn't get any better than this...

Crazy Love

I know its been longer than I said it would be, and I apologize! The last few months of this deployment are harder than we thought. School is busy, emotions are all over the place, things at the house seem to never be done....but God is still good! We're still looking for Joshua to be home before the holidays sometime, which is excellent news. We're also on the waiting list for South Korea right now...and the process should begin right around that same time! I think a blog in the near future will focus more on the adoption, our decision, and where are hearts are.

THIS blog, though...I wanted to share with all of you something that has been messing me up lately. I'm reading a phenomenal book called, "Crazy Love," by Francis Chan. First of all, Francis Chan is the real deal. There are pastors galore that write books...but this guy really walks his talk. I told a friend of mine that I think he reeks of authenticity....and THAT, folks, is something you don't find much anymore.

But moving on to the book. Get it. Read it. Live it. Its SO good. The first chapter blew me away...but along with the book, Chan has a website that goes along with the concepts and ideas that he's written about. So I'm watching one of the videos and Chan is talking about the concept of "crazy love." Takes a minute (or a million) to wrap your brain around the idea, but he put it like this, and I love it:

Our relationship with God is a constant pursuit...by Him, not us (because we're human...and sinners). He [Chan] said to look at our relationship with Him like a proposal....THE proposal...which got me to thinking. Well, every girl in the world has either dreamed about or lived that moment over and over again. And every boy in the world has either worried about it, or been the one doing it. To us, that moment seems to be the beginning of it all.....a life of love, passion, unconditional commitment, etc. But in our broken world...that proposal can lead to all of those things, but it also leads to disappointment, broken promises and lonely relationships. But turn it around and think of it from God's perspective. If we look at it as a proposal in the truest sense...the one moment in our life full of passion, purpose, and unconditional love...that moment captured...forever...is how God is constantly chasing us. Constantly. No matter what we do, how often we fail, or how far we wander...that, my friends, is Crazy Love.

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm.  For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave.  Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it."  ~ Song of Solomon 8:6-8 [NLT]

"I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.  Then you will know the LORD." ~ Hosea 2:19-20 [NASB]



When you're loved by a God like that...what could be better? More thoughts on this to come...

And the book? Go get it. :-)