tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-374172842024-03-07T14:27:50.325-05:00Covenant & CodeThe personal weblog of Chaplain Mark WilliamsMark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-90152075329995890252011-12-06T11:16:00.003-05:002011-12-06T11:26:14.280-05:00Home and Reintegration (06 DEC 11)<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnqlm3Q6dTjs4FsTrtsMC0wEgYhGhJTeaQYc5mSllKc3cdlDRaP9_fmi6KK57086zRBT2SRB4FI1RdNu_-IhhfXqEGbf9mTktVvJWWNuUqpODv8QWXxAPDExyzk_IZ_k95MtdKg/s1600/HPIM8944.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683050385543779346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnqlm3Q6dTjs4FsTrtsMC0wEgYhGhJTeaQYc5mSllKc3cdlDRaP9_fmi6KK57086zRBT2SRB4FI1RdNu_-IhhfXqEGbf9mTktVvJWWNuUqpODv8QWXxAPDExyzk_IZ_k95MtdKg/s320/HPIM8944.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a>Well, I've been home now for about four months. Though being away from my family for a year was one of the hardest things I have ever done, being home with them is also difficult. God is showing me how much I need to rely on Him every day to make this work! My wife and kids are doing great and we are slowly but surely creating our new normal. I am thankful for such an understanding wife and wonderful kids who consistently surprise me. Thank you, Lord!<br />
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</div>Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-41614370404443634522010-09-30T10:27:00.002-04:002010-09-30T10:33:30.990-04:00Got my Passports in the mail (15SEP10)I spent almost four hours today helping SFC Turner "clean" and organize the medications at the local national's clinic. We had some laughs and made the place look pretty good compared to what it looked like before we started. <br /><br />Another mail day! We got packages from the Greenville Methodist Church and Vineyard Publishing. I was excited to hand out the Passport books at Bible Study, and we had a good discussion about prayer, intimacy with God, and vines and branches.<br /><br />Also got to talk with Sheri, Ellie and Asher on Skype. Eleanor heard my voice and ran across the house yelling "daddy!" Asher told me "Corban is at school."Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-17251943889976131882010-09-30T10:23:00.004-04:002010-09-30T10:35:18.688-04:00Day in a nutshell (14SEP10)I stayed up late last night watching movies and ditched PT this morning (it's nice being the commander). Met a fellow Red Sox fan in line at the laundry; he is from Little Rhodie. We talked for a while about home.<br /><br />Started reading a pretty good book by John Piper called "Don't Waste Your Life." It's about finding purpose in two things: enjoying God and bringing Him glory.<br /><br />Not much else going on today, just want to keep in the habit of journaling.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-30339736306521936912010-09-30T10:15:00.003-04:002010-09-30T10:23:11.699-04:00Productive Day! (13SEP10)Worked on a short talk for my Skype appointment with Corban's kindergarten class, got two steps done on my sermon, and delivered four bags of goodies to different units on the FOB. Prayed with a Soldier after he shared with us about losing his faith. He is from Haiti, and he lost 5 cousins and 2 uncles in the earthquake this year. <br /><br />Played a game of dominoes with some of the guys in the SECFOR, which was a lot of fun. While we were playing, the ANP were training in combatives. It was interesting watching them and seeing how much like American privates they are.<br /><br />Gave three haircuts tonight, MAJ Czeladzki (sounds like Cheladski) is my most regular customer, and has come to the office twice to have tea and talk in English. <br /><br />After haircuts, I got on Skype and talked with Sheri before talking with Corban's class. I got to share most of what I had prepared based on an email from his teacher. Corban looked awesome in his Scottish prince costume for Castle Day, and Tanner had a cool "page" outfit.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-64050122079190474442010-09-30T10:09:00.002-04:002010-09-30T10:11:59.032-04:00Soul depth with my sweetie (11SEP10)Got up early to talk with Sheri; I love talking with her! We are such good friends and we are blessed with soul depth in our relationship.<br /><br />It was a quiet Patiot's Day, thanks be to God!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-37879985779325466952010-09-17T11:07:00.003-04:002010-09-17T11:22:28.719-04:00Is it Right to Burn a Quran? (10 SEP 10)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3jEhlyHwpDbJC9_pf0uizWsOl048ElY3er5E7ExMCCFUzlTjcrjKD35pmCxS9KTiveQdZJvJqXDSoLYXkUlc3BgiIjBDGNvKJFfpPuJc3SeyzpmELqkcTAaaCucRxtkKzCoXtg/s1600/alg_quran.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517903078379073266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3jEhlyHwpDbJC9_pf0uizWsOl048ElY3er5E7ExMCCFUzlTjcrjKD35pmCxS9KTiveQdZJvJqXDSoLYXkUlc3BgiIjBDGNvKJFfpPuJc3SeyzpmELqkcTAaaCucRxtkKzCoXtg/s320/alg_quran.jpg" border="0" /></a> Had an interesting (and good) talk with Peter about Pastor Terry Jones' plan to burn Qurans tomorrow in protest against the evil of Islam and, more specifically, the calculated construction of a mosque near Ground Zero scheduled to open on the ninth anniversary of 9-11. While I do believe that Islam is a perversion of the true faith perpetuated by the Enemy, and I do value free speech granted by the 1st Amendment (also the Amendment that guarantees freedom of religion, interestingly), and I am offended at the insensitivity of a mosque built at the site of radical Islamic terrorism, I do not see anywhere Jesus teaching that we as Christians should respond to an insult with an insult (see Matthew 5:39). Nor do I believe that burning what another person esteems as holy to be an act of loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 5:44).<br /><br />Ultimately, I believe that God has given men a choice to make, and I will espouse another person's right to choose a false religion if it means I also have the right to follow my faith and share my understanding of Christ's forgiveness without fear. God never told the Israelites to try to convert the Philistines (though I do believe He would want them to love the Philistines and live a life that reflected the righteousness of God) just to make sure that they didn't follow in their idolatrous practices.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-91020173414111817692010-09-17T11:00:00.002-04:002010-09-17T11:07:22.406-04:00Missed My Family Today (09 SEP 10)I got to talk with everyone on Skype before they went to school (even little Ellie started preschool today!). When they hung up, I stayed on and watched them getting ready for a few minutes.<br /><br />I got an email back from the USO today. My request for USO2GO resources was approved! I just need to send them back a form saying that I will be responsible for the equipment and sending in the monthly sign up sheets they require. They are sending a Wii, X-Box 360, and PS3 with controllers and games, portable DVD players and 100 DVDs, a guitar with strings and music books, a keyboard with music books, and a bunch snacks amd toiletries. I think it will be a fun day when that shipment comes in!<br /><br />I purposed today to reach out, and I had a good conversation with SSG Cheatwood about Bible Study last Wednesday and playing guitar.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-18669286472019695692010-09-17T10:57:00.003-04:002010-09-17T11:00:26.419-04:00Another Good Haul (08 SEP 10)Best mail day yet! We got 11 boxes from a bunch of people I had written to: Military Ministries, Operation: Care & Comfort, Ranger Rosary, RGB Ministries, Adopt-a-Chaplain, & Greenville Methodist Church in Alabama. <br /><br />I got to talk with Eleanor on Skype; she is getting more talkative in the last few days. Also got to see Asher identify a blue truck from a red and a green truck!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-87659781113071172562010-09-17T10:51:00.001-04:002010-09-17T10:57:01.253-04:00Another Ordinary Day (07 SEP 10)I went walking around the FOB today and had a couple of cool encounters. I prayed with a platoon of Sappers on their way to Kandahar after I hung out with them for about 15 minutes. Their LT was telling me about how God had redeemed him and saved his marriage, and we had a good time of fellowship talking about God's goodness!<br /><br />On my way back from the "North End," I stopped into the PRT motorpool and had a good time chatting with a few Sailors. I am especially hoping to talk with on Petty Officer (I can't remember his name, though!) who opened up a little while I was there.<br /><br />Sheri and I talked on the phone for a while tonight; God really matched us well. Sometimes it is a little weird how much we think alike. Weird, but very cool! I can't wait for our "date night!"Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-91054281096444670402010-09-17T10:42:00.003-04:002010-09-17T10:51:04.119-04:00Labor Day (06 SEP 10)I have never seen such a big deal made over Labor Day! The DFAC was decorated with streamers and posters, there were three cakes, two ice sculptures, three kinds of BBQ, and ice cream! I organized a clean up day in the morning and there were about 20 Soldiers who came to help out. In about 45 minutes we probably picked up 40 bags of trash!<br /><br />After getting some work done, I gave Houde a half day off. I stayed at the office and set up our SIPR and CENTRIXS computers and finished watching a movie.<br /><br />Had a couple of good conversations this afternoon! One with SPC Trejo from the new RCP (Route Clearance Package); he seems like a really good guy and he was comfortable talking about his faith with me. The other was with Mark, an Afghan interpreter for the Polish who is from the US and who doesn't practice Islam. He asked me some questions about communion and the difference between Catholics and Protestants. I believe he is interested in these things because he is searching, and I always talk about the Gospel when he and I have these conversations (this is the second time he has asked me questions about Christianity).Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-67164074797165532432010-09-17T10:37:00.003-04:002010-09-17T10:51:45.969-04:00Getting Better Today (03 SEP 10)We had both morning and evening services, and though I don't think this week's sermon was as good as last week, it was definitely better than my first sermon here. We also had a couple of guys show up for a game of basketball this afternoon. SPC Houde and I took on LT Bamberg and Richard and won 22-18!<br /><br />We got some good news today about the electicity for the chapel. Apparently, the Polish had plans for a chapel back in April and submitted a request for electricity that was most of the way through contracting, so that contract can be applied to our project! God has made it very clear that He has His hand on this project. From the construction crew to the quality of their work and now the electical work. I am excited to see what His plans are for this building on FOB Ghazni!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-90987430216937006282010-09-17T10:32:00.002-04:002010-09-17T10:36:53.149-04:00A hard day (02 SEP 10)I am not sure if it was just the news about CH Goetz, but I was not able to focus today. I came over to the tent tonight feeling defeated. Then, as I was getting ready for bed, I met SSG Kin. He is here for a few days from Andar to help set up some logistical systems for the Rakkasans. He shared how seeing me pray this morning encouraged him and started his day in the right direction. What encouraged me was when he reminded me that everyone falls short, but it's how you respond that makes a difference. I can get up tomorrow in God's mercy and might to face the day on His terms, regardless of how today went.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-17862480172984430342010-09-17T10:28:00.003-04:002010-09-17T10:32:50.650-04:00Chaplain (CPT) Goetz (02 SEP 10)I found out last night that CH Goetz was killed by an IED in Kandahar on Monday. Victor posted it on Facebook while I was on the phone with Sheri. God used the articles I read about him this morning and his mission to bring 300 Soldiers to Christ during his tour to challenge me. It is not enough to build relationships and be a nice guy; I must be bold to share the Gospel if I truly want to make a difference. I had lost a clear vision for soul-winning, but I want Your courage Lord, to be open and inviting with the Gospel. Hear MSG Chase's prayer over my feet and empower me; open doors, give me eyes to see the possibilities, and boldness to speak in Your name!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-31075225508003272010-09-17T10:24:00.002-04:002010-09-17T10:27:56.857-04:00Mail day! (30 AUG 10)Operation First Response sent six boxes of magazines to FOB Ghazni Chaplain's Office. I sent out an email and had quite a few guys come to the office to look through them. Barbershop open tonight; I cut 4 guys hair and a Polish MAJ asked if he could come by for coffee tomorrow. He is a nice guy and I hope that he appreciates instant coffee!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-41991296765302653402010-09-05T08:12:00.003-04:002010-09-05T08:18:52.965-04:00A good Sunday! (29AUG10)I got up just before 0530 to Skype Sheri before she went to bed. Talked with Tanner for a little bit, too. Little Corbie is starting kindergarten tomorrow! I am sad that I will miss it, because I know how proud I would be to see him off to his first day of school. Sheri said he is really excited, especially about his blue pencil box.<br /><br />God really blessed my preparation this week and the "dress rehearsals" this morning. I felt much more confident in a sermon that I had studied and developed as opposed to an Internet special.<br /><br />Just as I was getting ready to head over to Big Daddy's for service, a crane hit the foundation of the chapel and broke a couple of beams in the floor. When I got back, the mayor cell was putting up T-walls at the street end of the chapel and the Afghan workers had replaced the broken beams. <br /><br />We had one Airman show up for the second service at 1730. I will keep offering a service in the evening through September and see what the overall response is. I am thinking about starting a men's group, maybe on Friday nights. I will keep praying and see where God is working!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-7955420875327535672010-09-05T08:06:00.002-04:002010-09-05T08:12:12.978-04:00Preparing for Sunday (28AUG10)Slept in until 0730 and made it over to the office after my quiet time about 0900. I spent about 5 hours on my sermon today, with another hour tomorrow to tie things up and run through it a couple of times, I will have spent 10 hours on this sermon! <br /><br />Four Soldiers from the Rakkasans were MEDEVAC'd into Ghazni this evening. All but one returned to duty. The Soldier who was flown to BAF just had to have a test done because he never had a baseline MTBI scan. We have been here almost a month, and only 9 US troops have been treated by the FST. None of them were seriously injured. Praise God, He has protected our guys this month!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-7742669286468025802010-09-05T07:59:00.002-04:002010-09-05T08:06:09.689-04:00Chapel project (27AUG10)The last few days have been taken up mostly with projects around the chapel. We got two more truckloads of wood, and a Soldier needs to excort the trucks from the gate to our site. The floor is almost done! We have been building a fun relationship with Walt, the chief of construction. I know God is using it in his life, and it is nice to see a friendly face every day!<br /><br />On Wednesday, I went to the clinic on the FOB run by and Afghan doctor for the local nationals both here on the FOB and from the nearby city. I met Dr. Massoud, who was glad to meet me, but I was not able to be much help. I saw LCDR Yach the next day, and she said they were coming up with some projects that I could help with. I really want to get involved with this program!<br /><br />Last night, we had karaoke in the DFAC, and SPC Houde and I sang "Sweet Home Alabama" together. It reminded me of Sheri's family (who is at the beach this week) singing karaoke every year at Salisbury Beach.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-46980493459225524402010-09-05T07:51:00.002-04:002010-09-05T07:58:42.567-04:00Busy day...(23AUG10)It was busy, though not what we were expecting. CH Hurley had said he was coming to visit from BAF, but I got an email in the morning that said he wouldn't be able to make it. We did get to meet BG Phipps, who came to the chapel project site and took a good picture with SPC Houde. He asked us to keep a good eye on the progress, because of the great impact the completed chapel will have on morale. <br /><br />This evening, Farid invited us to have a meal with him to break his fast. We spent almost two hours sitting with a few of the interpreters eating, asking questions, and watching TV broadcast from Ghazni City. They stuffed us full with rice and potates and bread (my wife buys this kind of bread in the states, back home it is called Na'an bread. Here, na'an means "food.") then desert of melon and chai from Jalalabad.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-88662177457691190842010-09-05T07:46:00.003-04:002010-09-05T08:20:59.669-04:00Quiet Sunday (22AUG10)Brother Anthony preached today because I wasn't sure if I would make it back on Saturday. Flights are not a guarantee and they only run a couple of times a week. God reminded me to believe and have faith in His call! Houde and I played some B-ball and I went to hear the Ghazni Sunday Occasional Band (the Polish worship team).Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-22129602338124833092010-08-26T11:06:00.005-04:002010-09-05T07:51:16.804-04:00Religious Support trip to FOB Warrior (19AUG10)Took a chinook to FOB Warrior, southwest of Ghazni, to provide services for US personnel there. In the middle of the FOB is an old Afghan fort that was used by Al Qaida at one time. The troops call it "the castle." There is also a little stream that flows through the FOB and has trees growing on both banks! The Soldiers diverted the stream to make a little waterfall and built a bench at the bottom of the falls where you can sit in the shade and listen to the water (and the large generator about 10 feet away...sigh). The small chapel (right next to the MWR building, dubbed "The Devil's Den...coincidence? You decide) is also full of character. The chaplain has used spent brass from the 30 caliber cannon on the Polish Rosomack to make a cross, mortar shells to hold candles, and a large artillery brass as a bell.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-81235796727985873142010-08-26T10:58:00.002-04:002010-08-26T11:05:38.563-04:00Chapel project underway (16AUG10)Just before I was getting ready to head over to the DFAC for dinner, I found a truck full of lumber in front of my office! It wasn't for the chapel... But the truck right behind it was! They unloaded the lumber and called it a day, after spending the hours of 0400 to almost 1700 getting through the various checkpoints and entry control gates to deliver the wood onto the FOB. I also did some research online for chapel furnishings: the Polish mayor cell offered to pay for all the furnishings as a joint effort on the chapel. God is good! I thought I was going to have to ask the 101st for money, and then the S4 came up to me last night to let me know about the mayor's offer.Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-17975325231663079682010-08-26T10:52:00.002-04:002010-08-26T10:58:44.205-04:00Polish Armed Forces Day (15AUG10)Chaplain Kapron invited me to prayevangelium (Gospel reading) and read the at the 1000 Polish Mass (check out my facebook page for pictures!) It was a neat experience, though I felt a little out of place sitting in front of a large crowd of Polish soldiers celebrating a Catholic Mass that I couldn't understand. I had to watch Raphao to know when to stand, kneel, and sit. I had some authentic Polish food at lunch: real Polish sausage, a type of lentil soup, and something they called szmelytz. This is basically chipped pork under a layer of fat that you spread on toast with dill pickle spears. But for the layer of fat, it wasn't too bad!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-15696448001340605272010-08-26T10:48:00.003-04:002010-08-26T10:52:00.047-04:00Polish is hard! (12AUG10)I've spen two days thyis week learning the alphabet and reading the first three lessons in Raphao's grammar (Raphao is the Polish chaplain on Ghazni). Besides having 35 letters instead of 26, the consonant blends are unnatural for me. I am going to have to back off to once or twice a week, because my tongue is tired!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-38026246134813695912010-08-12T10:42:00.002-04:002010-08-12T10:46:02.580-04:00It's been a long time...Connectivity in Ghazni is not even as good as it was in Bagram. I have a half hour a day on the computer for MWR, and I have been spending it with my family on Skype! I have been keeping a journal, so I will try to catch everyone up who is following the blog soon. Do vidzenya (goodbye in Polish)!Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37417284.post-41238785273679260272010-07-25T00:49:00.003-04:002010-07-25T01:29:17.109-04:00Maranatha Marathon<em>Genesis 47:7-10<br />Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.<br /></em><br />Spending time reading the Bible this morning, I came across the above passage in Genesis, and was struck by Jacob's answer to Pharaoh's question. After being confronted with another delay in transportation, I was frustrated, but recognized that God's plan was not upset by a cancelled flight. Later this morning , I was talking with CH Gregory, who is the Family Life Chaplain at Bagram Airfield (BAF), about life being a marathon and that all the experiences and circumstances that we encounter are designed to draw us closer to God over the course of our lives. Jacob described his entire life as a pilgrimage. Wikipedia describes a pilgrimage in this way: "In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance."<br /><br />All of us are on a pilgrimage to find meaning in life. Praise God that He has shown us the ultimate meaning to life!<br /><br /><em>Psalm 34:8-9,22<br /></em><em><strong>Taste and see that the LORD is good;</strong> blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for <strong>those who fear him lack nothing</strong>. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.</em><br /><br />If you have not yet found the meaning of life, taste and see that the LORD is good! If you have begun the journey of a life in Christ, it is not over! It is a marathon, and you can only complete the race when you run with Jesus.<br /><br /><em>Philippians 1:6<br />Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.<br /><br />Philippians 3:12-14<br />Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in</em> <em>Christ Jesus.<br /></em><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">P.S. Maranatha really has nothing to do with the above thought, but I remembered it from when I was a kid listening to my parent's Christian albums. If you have never heard this phrase, I copied the definition below from Wikipedia.<br /><br />Maranatha (either מרנא תא; maranâ' thâ' or מרן אתא; maran 'athâ' ) is an Aramaic phrase transliterated into Greek. It is found at the end of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 16:22). As understood here ("O Lord, come!"), it is a prayer for the early return of Christ. If the Aramaic words are divided differently (Maran atha, "Our Lord has come"), it becomes a credal declaration. The former interpretation is supported by what appears to be a Greek equivalent of this acclamation in Rev 22:20 "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"</span>Mark Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450812335121019547noreply@blogger.com0