life. faithful.

 Today is Veteran's Day, the day the US sets aside to remember all those who have served in the military. It seems to get brushed aside lately--our nation has a tendency to forget about those who made the choice to serve and protect. If you know a veteran, take a moment today to thank them for their service. Each individual who signed their name on that commitment made the choice to put themself between our constitution and any enemy, and that's not something we should take lightly. The Oath of Enlistment (for enlisted): "I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." The Oath of Office (for officers)...

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend at Higher Ground. It's a weekend retreat designed to help those who attend draw closer to God. Though I'm exponentially more comfortable putting words on paper than speaking them out loud, I was tasked with the last talk of the weekend called, "Days to Come." Though it is given by a different person each weekend, the theme of the talk stays the same. After a weekend spent getting closer to God, that last talk is meant to be both an encouragement and a challenge. Though it's been changed a bit, I would like to share that talk with you (and you have the benefit of reading it yourself instead of listening to me, so there's that). *** When’s the last time you fixed a hole in a sock—or even just fixed a button on a shirt—instead of throwing it away? Or you knock a mug off the counter, maybe even a favorite, and just grumble as you pick up the pieces and toss them in the trash, because you know you could ne...