Happy New Year

Back at Army Camp and now no the true date of our departure. Don’t know where in Iraq or what we will be doing though. I want to wish everyone a very happy new year. The previous year was filled with many challenges that had both good and bad result. It was a hard year but not any harder than the one previous and the coming year seems to be shaping up to be chock full O’challenges too. Every difficulty we face in life has a purpose. Each shapes us and molds us into what we are to be. Life is the process of becoming and we never really finish. God is a potter. He shaped and molded us into our basic form but like the potter he uses fire to temper and finish us. Every challenge that we face in life is like the fire of the potters kiln. It certainly ain’t comfortable but once the process is finished we are a work of art. Every once and a while the potter will pull us out of the fire and give a little flick. If we go thud then ain'tain’t done cooking yet. If we ring clear and joyful then we are finished. I spend a lot of time in the Kiln in the heat of the fire. I guess I go thud a lot. That is OK though because I know that when the Lord is through tempering me with fire, I will be a work of his art. I expect a lot of the Kiln for me and mine this year. My Bride and the little ones had wonderful resolutions for the year designed to make our family stronger and even better. The will achieve them. My Bride can do anything she decides to do. The Lord has truly blessed me with my family. My goals for this year are simple. I want to bring my team home alive, intact and with honor. My second goal to comeback alive and intact myself. Happy New Year to all and may you all be blessed as I know me and mine will be.

TO THE TYRANT NEVER YIELD