Learning about Solar Power

Yes, I guess I have lived in the Puget Sound (read Seattle area) too long. I am not green - just learning the lingo. I have learned much in my four years here. Most prominent is the fact that I am solar powered. My life is much easier and I have much more energy when the sun is out. I have also learned new weather terms like "sun breaks" and "the mountains will be out today." This is definitely a unique place. I don't think we are the rainiest area, but we must have rain, or drizzle, or grey, or fog about 75% of the year. Today the sun came out and it gave me some thoughts on rain and sunshine.

The first thought was, "Am I shining the light?" The world is covered in the cloud cover and rain of sin. Do I give small, taunting SON breaks when I am in the world or am I giving the full SON that gives warmth, and life, and hope? I recently heard a message about Joseph in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar recognized the hand of Jehovah in Joseph's life. As a polytheist, Potiphar probably had not even heard of Jehovah. Joseph not only showed his faith in honest, hard work - but he verbalized it. Enough of just a silent testimony (ie a sun break), how about the direct witness (full sun)?

My second thought was that it is in the 8-9 grey months each year that I learn to appreciate the sun. I have lived places like Pensacola, FL where the sun is normal and expected. But here in WA, when the sun comes out, I know to go out and enjoy it while it is there. I have often called WA our "wilderness." We have struggled with deployments and the separations they bring, we have wandered looking for strong churches with strong preaching, and we have learned and possibly experience a disorder called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) caused by the lack of sunlight. It is through these times that we begin to appreciate the times we are together more than we are apart, the times when we are in a church that is preaching about our sin, and the times when our location is a little more sunny :)

I guess above all, I am thankful that in sunshine OR rain, in the Promised Land OR the wilderness, I have a God who is in control.

What are we up to?

Some people say that journaling is a good discipline and also a way to relieve stress. I don't know about that, but it is at least a method of letting people look into our lives and know what is going on that week.

I guess the first entry will be easy. What's going on with Chris and Sandra? Well, we are currently 2 1/2 months into our FINAL 7 month deployment. So that puts Sandra in Mukilteo, WA and Chris in the Persian Gulf on the USS Abraham Lincoln. We are still not aging this year and remaining newlyweds (no spouse=no birthday, no anniversary) - that is my spin on the situation in order to maintain a positive attitude.

Chris will be busy keeping the ship running so that they can use the catapults to launch planes. Usually he is helping to propel the ship, but they are parked for awhile (we think). He is of course keeping up on his workouts and is trying to start a Bible Study again. He has had two different sailors show up on Sunday. His work is starting to wind down as they slowly give other sailor's his responsiblities.

Sandra is currently itching to get going on packing. It is still a little too early for that, but there are always cupboards and drawers to go through and mental planning to be done. It is my job to empty fridge and freezer and do the logistics of our coming move.

So where are we going? We were accepted to Ambassador Baptist College beginning in January 2009. We are more than a little excited about this new adventure. The real packing will begin in August and I will move out of our cute little apartment here in Washington at the end of August. Chris is due home mid-September or end of September (that is Navy time for you). He will do official separation paperwork and then we will pack up the Storage Unit and head across the country again. Hooray!

Until then, I must check my enthusiasm. There are still a few months ahead of us. Of course, I am reading, teaching piano and flute lessons, teaching Sunday School, and accompanying congregational singing. During the week, I am crocheting blankets for a program called Project Linus. It fills my time, uses up yarn, and aids families facing severe illnesses. I am also sewing dresses for some of my students and attempting to teach myself to play the violin. Again, discipline will be the key. And the exercise endeavor, which my husband has instilled in me - with gas prices rising and an unpredictable fitness center at the apartment complex, I am trying "real" running in place of my treadmill. I am currently doing 5.5 miles in just over an hour. I am in training so that I can run with Chris without slowing him down. I have a little way to go. I guess I can make some progress in my remaining 4 months of training.