Journal 071709_071809

July 17 – These days are all starting to run together. I met with Major Jason Dempsey, S3-Operations, today. He wants me to make threat financing my number one priority with a second goal of going through surveys/polling data. Today, Lora went to Odetah Bingo with Larry and Laura Smith. So glad she has good people to watch over her and hang with while I am away...

July 18 – This morning, I found some financiers in Logar who we may want to speak with. An F-15 crashed , today, neither pilot survived. Mechanical failure they say. War and training for war can get one killed. So can hanging Christmas lights on a ladder. We don’t escape death, but we shouldn’t court it either. Am I courting death by being here? Some would say, “Yes!” I did not think much about dying in making my decision to take this job and come here. Since being here, I am even less concerned: I am right with God and right with those whom I love. I am ready to go if called, but hope to enjoy many more years with those whom I love here on Earth!

Working my way through Genesis still. Reading today about Joseph and his brothers. There is a parallel between Joseph, who was sent by his father to go to his 11 brothers and who was subsequently mistreated and sold, and Jesus and the disciples (Judas Iscariot not included). There was lots of killing going on, even Abraham got his hands bloody when rescuing Lot. Then the story of killing all the newly circumcised men. Jacob/Israel had a rough patch with Laban, his own father-in-law, and were it not for God’s intervention would have probably been killed by Laban. I have heard some preachers talk about Jacob as one of the unlikeliest ancestors of Jesus, yet God used him.

Came down with a scratchy throat – probably just getting the routine illnesses for which I don’t have immunities same as on the boat when we would all go out in a sealed pipe for weeks and catch each other’s colds.

Watched ‘Angels and Demons’ and ‘Righteous Kill’ in the afternoon, early evening. Read some in The Purpose Driven Life. Took a shower – forgot towel, but put on shorts and tee-shirt. Was completely dry when I got back to my B-hut: a tribute to the 115F no humidity weather pattern.