Iced Tea, "What the hell is that"

I was arriving Oman via seagoing tug from the Persian Gulf with the "tiger team" of MIUWU 113 from OKC. OK. Despite the fact that I was a member of the Navy this was the first overnight trip on the ocean. It was an absolutely excellent trip and for the first time I felt at home and comfortable on a boat.
The water could not have been any more blue and you could see way down and watch the sea snakes working their way through the water.
Once we arrived on the dock, the joint British/Omani contingent arrived to greet our commander and run us through disembarking procedures. Our equipment would be inspected especially our weapons ( down to serial #'s and number of rounds) and we would begin to offload to a holding area. We became aware of the stifling heat right away as it was close to 125 F and immediately started gulping our prescribed 8 liters of warm water .
Once we had offloaded all are equipment we were assigned quarters on a troop ship which used to be British and had been converted for the Omani troops. What conversion might you ask could be required of a once Royal Navy ship? Toilets thats what, yeah they had taken out perfectly good toilets and put in new smaller pipes and squatters. Omani's must be small people as our heads were hanging out of the curtains and we looked like some sort freak show as we did our business. For your convenience they had installed a small hose (which looked like a siphon hose) to spray the business end of ourselves. We didn't even try and used the first rolls of our pallet of toilet paper. We found out later as the ships engineers came up yelling ( no comprende) at us that we had clogged their precious smaller pipes. It was a real riot trying later to use the water hose. After we had set things in motion and found our quarters, we were allowed to rome freely around the base as it was after 2 pm and closed down for the day (heat). We had been told that we would be welcome at the British club on base. I was the first one in the door followed closely by some 5 others of my team. I was pleasantly and totally surprised to see a vast amount of alcohol on board. You see the Brits (retired Royal Navy contracted as trainers for the Omani navy) have everything in place and proper order. I was amazed because we were told no alcohol anywhere in the Arabia's. They must have made a deal (as they are on for 4 months and off for 1 month) to pacify themselves in this horrid place. Myself, being on duty and not having considered the option for alcohol while here for 3 weeks walked up to the bar and asked for an iced tea!! I must have been speaking chinese or something cause the whole place stopped in its tracks.
The Brit behind the bar asked me "what the hell is that?" We have tea but not with ice!!
Just because we speak english doesn't mean can communicate. We usually think we have it figured out so why do things almost always come around on us. Before we walked in there I would have bet 1,000 dollars they would've had iced tea. C'mon it's hot here, is a glass of cognac really the best thing
here?
Think you know everything? Think again, God is a mystery in almost all he does, so don't ever let your mind get the best of you. Belief is beyond perception and communication is our way of dealing with unbelief. Don't discount what you don't know, but don't dis it either. Given time you will be ready when the Spirit decides you are, hold on.

Greetings for Easter ,,,

Great blessings and gifts have truly been presented to my wife and I. Recently, we were called by a young but very orthodox couple who just had their first child. Although we knew who they were and they us we had not really known them well. To our surprise they asked us to be godparents to their 3 week old son. We told them we are honored to have been considered let alone chosen for this great gift. They came over to become better acquainted with us and we could see the love of Christ is their actions and words.
Although we have been chosen before as godparents, it has never been outside the family; but then again what constitutes family?
Beyond the bloodlines runs the very deep flow of Christianity and in all the world nothing is more familiar than the brothers and sisters of Christ.
Mostly one thinks of the gruesome aspect of the "Godfather" movie which is the hollywood perversion of a blessing bestowed on others.
The godparents are both witnesses and partners in the development of the child's faith. If the parents should fail or fall the godparents have the obligation to help and nurture the faith of the child. It is an obligation we take extremely seriously and one I will cherish in prayer and deed.
Hopefully with God's blessing we will be able to carry this task to fruition as our godchild grows into a man. I have every confidence his parents and extended family will devoutly instruct him as they should.
Beyond doubt there is always more at work in this life than any one person can possibly comprehend, the path is narrow, rocky and treacherous but occasionally there is a sign saying
your headed in right direction...............
God Bless You

Exile .......

My self made exile has been difficult but also fulfilling. I realize and I'm sure Catrina does that at some point we will go back and end this. My hope that things will resolve themselves and our priest would come talk with us about what happened have all gone out the window. It seems to me after talking with a dear friend that I must take the step of going in and talking on his terms. My fear is that he feels he did nothing wrong and I am bothered increasingly by what is supposedly floating around about our departure. I know that shouldn't bother me but I respect many in my faith community and to date (almost 3 months) only a handful have even called to see what's up.
We dearly love going to Liberal to St. Anthony's and if it weren't for the drive and the fact we really can't contribute as parishioners should (3 T's) then we'll have to work things out here in Guymon. We have been praying the rosary on the way over there and that really prepares you for the Mass. Catrina and I are closer than we have ever been and I feel that this was definitely the best thing that could have happened considering the circumstances.
I only really have one major vice I'm still dealing with which is my love of eating. One of these days I will figure out how to die to self and put aside my desires for gluttony. I honestly don't know how our Lord pulled off forty days of fasting, that's definitely spells Divine in my book.
My swim workouts have gone by the wayside and I hope within the next few days to get them going full strength. Prayer is the only hope now as I feel my need for staying in shape slipping under the mat. I hope I can look back on this episode in my life and see where I stepped off the curb and out into the street full of Mack trucks. God will provide answers in time and right now as far as I know I still have a couple of days. "KNOW GOD no regrets" short and to the point.