Honoring a friend

I had been looking forward to yesterday! The errands for the day, before my "anticipated event" was to go to the Christian bookstore to buy a gift for said event. That, in itself, was wonderful as I know the man who owns it (he goes to our church) but I'd never really talked to him before. I was SO blessed talking to this guy!!! He has a tiny little store and only carries things that agree with his beliefs.....what a powerful statement! Very cool! I'm going there from now on!! Anyway, after that, we went to base and I had planned to get Big D's hair cut, but there was a line, so instead, spur of the moment, I went into the BX to see if they had any nice dresses as I wanted to dress up for the evening. The kids helped me pick out a really pretty black and white dress. They insisted that I HAD TO buy it and that we would surprise Daddy and just show up in it. Then we grabbed lunch and headed home, but on the way, I realized the boys didn't have nice pants for the evening, so we stopped at Saver's and found khakis for both of them, then finally, home at about 1:45. I had to be at the base Chapel before 4pm....and somehow (God be the glory!!) I managed to wash and dry the boy's pants, cut Big D's mop, iron the Pink Princess' dress and the boy's shirts, get Big D set up to sew a button on his shirt, orchestrate their getting dressed, take a VERY quick shower, put on makeup, and get dressed myself. Whew!!!! And we got to the chapel at 3:45!!

Now, the special event.....I am so in awe......through most of the formal part of the event, I couldn't help sending up prayer after prayer of thanksgiving for......well, the event: Our dear friend Chap. Carl Wright, an Episcopal priest and major in the AF was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. I have never been to a promotion ceremony, so I didn't know what to expect, but we all were invited to attend (yes, kids too, cuz although he really doesn't like kids who behave as kids, he LOVES my children....yes, I know, just don't ask!) The ceremony was held in the chapel, started out with wonderful Souza marches and such, then he came in and the Colonel made a few remarks about his career (most of which I did not know, but he is an amazing man!), then he was sworn in and his orders were read (again, very emotional) and he was "pinned on", after which he gave a brief speech and ended up crying! He said that when he was ordained as an episcopal priest, part of the ceremony is that the new priest faces the bishop with his back to the congregation, and when it's done, he's supposed to turn around and stretch out his arms and say "The Lord be with you." Well, when he turned around, he was overwhelmed by the show of friends and family who had traveled great distances to be there, so he stood with his arms outstretched, speechless, with tears pouring down his face. His 90 year old Grandma was in the front pew, and after a brief moment, she stretched out her arms and just started praising Jesus with "Glory Hallelujah! Praise God! Glory, glory hallelujah!" At this point in the story, Chap. Wright's voice broke as he got teary and he said, "That is what I want to say today. It is not me at all, it is God. God has put me in this place, He alone has brought me here." After that, he walked back to his seat, and we all stood and sang all verses of "Amazing Grace" at which point I joined Fr. Carl in crying!! :) Amazing!! After that and abrief reception, he took all the chapel staff and family out to dinner. I am SO honored that God saw fit to have us there for that and he has blessed us so richly with the friendship of this dear man!! Very cool!!!!!