Geronimo!

No, it isn't me in person. But it was me in heart. Today.

Sweet goodbyes

The last two days have been full of meaningful goodbyes from Northern Virginia. God has provided such a superb network of friends here...

Saturday morning...Our (Jake Laine and I's) last Christian Men of Quantico (CMoQ) breakfast. We were certainly the "junior" members of this group of wise and experienced officers. The teaching was (as usual) hard-hitting and deeply motivating. And it made a deep impression upon me when LtCol Braddy's voice cracked as he prayed to conclude and send us off. This tough, grizzled grunt whose passion and emotion showed through so powerfully. Would that I could learn the God-loving, other-focused, manliness that he exemplifies.

Saturday afternoon/evening... My accountability brothers. We've only been meeting for three months, but the relationships have already formed I plan to maintain for the rest of my USMC career and life. Three of us are leaving, three are staying. So, in a sense, our group isn't ending, but multiplying to new locations. God has been at work in our lives and I'm excited to find new brothers to meet with in Okinawa.

Sunday morning/afternoon... The Vineyard. Much as I entered this fellowship ten months ago to open arms, I left with hugs, encouragement, and corporate prayer. Becoming a part of this church, attending with Clark and Donnell, and broadening my scope of understanding of how God works among His people...blessings have been multiplied to me at VCF.

Sunday night... Jason & Katie and friends. Want to meet a couple that is on fire for the Lord in the military? J&K Roberson are your case in point. Others, too have been such encouragements throughout the year. Who knew how much a hug can mean? The growing and good fun from these brothers and sisters motivates me to hold nothing back when investing in relationships. There is nothing more important or valuable than the Father-blessed relationships we share with others.

Mmm. I stand in awe. Thanks Father for good friends and marvelous companions on this stretch of road.

Goodbye Luther

Luther, my beloved car will soon belong to another. For three years I've traveled west and east in his friendly black leather confines.

As I drove away from the dealership my Dad told me "Yeah, all you need now is a wife and two kids." Very funny. If practicality is stylish, Luther was epitome of chic.

He soon earned his name from being a practical, hardworking German commoner.

Our low ebb was when I drained his transmission fluid by accident. Twice.

He followed me to Virginia, courtesy of my parents, last winter and has taken me to many a monument and Civil War battlefield in the intervening months.

I'll miss the monk, but he won't be lost forever. He's going to my close friend Donnell, so he goes in the hope that there may be a reunion sometime in the future.