Home...

The unfortunate part of being particularly affectionate and attached to eachother (that is Jonathan and me) is that it doesn't lend itself to pulling out a camera and taking a lot of pictures.  Not because we're all that private but, really, we're much more occupied with living a lot of our moments than we are of capturing them on film/pixels.  Perhaps we should make room in the budget for a personal/family photographer to follow us through our precious moments...or just get a grip on life and just start clicking and flashing away.  (If someone has photos, please send and I will post.)

Good news is that I'm home and have been back at the McLean residence for about a week now.  Everybody jokingly asks me to rag on Jonathan about having to put the apartment back together after 9 months without a woman running the household...untrue, except for emptying the vacuum cleaner (which does help with its efficiency) and decreasing our "dry cleaners" budgeting envelope by taking up ironing again.  You can probably imagine but perhaps not fully comprehend the amount of gratitude I have for being home: the green grass and beautiful trees with crisp fall air, the independence of attire and schedule (at least until I go back to work), the ability and need to complete household tasks, and the chance to bask in the company of Jonathan and other family and friends we've been blessed to visit so far.

I will continue to write about things I learned while away (or because I was away), but one current and pressing lesson is about trusting in God and remembering to let anxiety and fears be his and not mine.  There are times when the weight of the transition back home and the soon-coming transition out of the Navy (no uniform, no free healthcare...) get the better of me, and fears about money, future endeavors coming nearer in time (new car, new apartment, new civilian job, possibly children) threaten to overwhelm me.  Jonathan has been so good to remind me of God's sovereignty and his goodness, even though he is facing these trials and changes with me.  One lesson Jon brought up was from one of John Hutchinson's sermons, from Luke 12:22-34 (just a few verses below to highlight):

"And he said to his disciples, "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.  For life is more than food and the body more than clothing...

"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.  Provide yourself with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."