Today I got to spend my day hanging out with my friends! Piper was extremely well behaved. Amber and I had breakfast this morning that I didn't even get to start on until 10:30. We decided to go to the festivities with Sarah and Jen on post. Before hand of course we had to have a cute outfit for Piper. The one that she had and I tried on her last week, did not fit! I was not happy about that and decided to go get her a new outfit. So off we went. The fest was alright. Piper got to play in a duck pond and "won" a sticker. She also spent some time in a bubble table that she thought was just amazing!
I then went to Sarah's to talk to my hubby. He has been having a really hard time since moving to Kunduz and was not interested in our day at all. As I left Sarah's to drive home (a little frustrated that I only got to talk to Justin for 10 minutes and that the whole conversation was about him)I got into my minivan (provided by my husband, of course) turned on the air conditioning, and as I drove, I saw a man on the side of the road. This man lives around here and goes to our church. His name is Franz and he was saved by soldiers many years ago. Since that time, he has devoted his life to thanking the Armed Forces. Now, I have know this man since not long after we moved to Germany four years ago. At first, he was "this weird guy with a lot of signs." This man has some land in a village close to ours and on that land, there are signs. These signs are all dedicated to two things... praising the USA and praising God for his life. This man is getting on in years, I want to say somewhere around 75. He is married and has a daughter. That is about all that I know about him. Now I know I am rambling but I have a point, I swear... He spent his day in three of the local villages on the side of the road with these signs to demonstrate his love for the US soldiers. He took the time to make signs to put up around his car and to have flags above his car so that we could be lifted up today. He took 3 hour blocks at each of these villages to just sit so we knew he was supporting us. I spent my day leisurely walking around and complaining that I wish there was more for Piper's age and how much I missed my husband; Justin spent his day cooking for hundreds of soldiers and finally got to call me, and had to wait for me to get there, (which he did patiently) then finally got to talk to us for just a few minutes before he had to go to bed; and Franz spent his day demonstrating his love for us. I stopped to talk to Franz and asked him if he had eaten anything, he said not much, so I gave him some food, but that isn't why he does this. He is a true witness to what God has done in his life and wants us to know who he is and for what reason he is able to be that person.
The point is, while we are all spending our days BBQing or worrying about whether or not we will get to see the fireworks, there are men working and fighting in foreign lands to save men exactly like Franz. People who will spend the rest of their lives thankful for what these soldiers consider to be "just their job!" THESE MEN ARE BRAVE! They should be thought of and prayed for. Their families should be in your heart all the time! We have lost nine men so far this deployment and we are only 5 months in! They laid down their lives willingly to take care of us! And I had the audacity to make this day about activities and clothes?
Lord, please help for me to be a better witness. Help for me to put your will first in my life! I have been so whiny lately about Justin being gone. He is missing out on so much of Piper's life and I hate it, but you have a plan and this is part of it! You know what you are doing and I am trying so hard to micromanage for you, Lord help for me to realize that you know the plan and that I do not need to know it! You are almighty and amazing and I would not ever want to hinder your will in our lives! Help for me to be more like Franz and grateful for the things that you have blessed me with. Help for me to lift up my husband and pray for him daily even when I am tired and just want to go to sleep! Thank you for having already started a work in my heart, Lord. Amen
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