The Home Fires are Kept Burning

Yesterday the Great Falls Tribune had an excellent article on what the Montana Guard's role was in combating PTSD. see:

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100124/NEWS01/1240301/Montana-model-for-PTSD-detection-to-face-first-major-test

My son just left on another deployment. Great difficulties await his family and all the other families that are facing the same situation. The spouse now has the sole responsibility of caring for the children, taking care of the finances, and maintaining the home. All emergencies are now her sole responsibility. Single parents manage, but the situation is not the same. (Not to make light of single parenting...that is a tough job and I commend all those girls that get it together and make it work!) When husband and wife work together, make decisions on the family together, and with each maintaining their responsibility in the home...there is now a void -- one is missing. The support and strength they received from each other...is now only found in a fleeting phone call at times. Add to that the stress of caring about the safety of the spouse. Add to that the loss the children feel when they know Dad is not going to be home for a long time.

Tim and Huimin prepared for the separation: A dependable car, finances up-to-date, plans for the future made, and things that needed fixing - maintained.

Huimin, just like all the other wives, has already set in motion her plans to keep those home fires burning. In other deployments she got the kids involved in planning for Dad's return. And, she worked on preparing for the future. She then made plans to make it possible to have a time away for rest and relaxation when he returned. They also sent letters. Just those little special letters from Mom and the kids with drawings of the family with (now also the cat) and dog and the heart-felt "I love you" messages are his greatest treasurers. All things aren't perfect, but prayer and Trust in God will get everyone through the days until our loved ones return.

Coming Home

There is nothing like a little winter weather to make the trip long! Kathleen and I finally got back to Montana but could not get back to the house because the county roads have not been plowed out. Kat parked the car and Andy used 4-wheel drive to pick up and transfer us home.

During the years when our family was young, I made sure our house was in order and everything done up before we left on a trip, so that when we returned home, it would be a "welcome home" time and a time of rest. This time it is Kat and Andy's house that is a welcome rest.

We also have another home, a spiritual home, as Jesus describes:

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'

Jesus also promises us another home, a future, eternal home that will be forever,

John 14:2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

What a great Hope we have--to someday live in the Glory and Love of God! Imagine..such sinners as us loved by the Almighty God -the creator of all things!! This awesome God--holy and pure--has adopted those who follow Him, as His children, and has prepared great things for us. May you know His Peace and His Love in your life today.

To California

Kathleen and I took off to see Tim and family. It is probably just as well we did not check the weather report before we left. Montana was balmy compared to our traveling weather. We hit rain, snow, ice, slush, freezing temps, and blowing snow where we could not see the road on the mountain roads above Wells. As we got to Reno we saw the signs "chains required" for trucks. We got to Boom Town and bought chains; there was now no travel for any vehicles unless it had chains, was a 4-wheel drive or had snow tires. So we went across the Sierra Nevada mountain range at 25-30 mph. FINALLY we got to the other side. Rain never looked so good!

We arrived at Tim and Huimin's with the directions that Victoria gave us. The rain altered between downpour and drizzle, and the winds altered between breeze to gales. There was even hail. We then lost electricity. Victoria and family came up after they got off work. Supper was cooked on the BBQ grill and candle light danced in the rooms. The children danced to Kathleen's music on her laptop, played charades, played cards and then made shadow animals with the flashlight. It was fun.

We are going to enjoy another day with Tim and family and will head back to Montana this weekend. Thank God that He is with us.