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I don't know what it is, but many times a vacation can feel like a movie. Everything you do, and even the experience itself brings some weird feeling of being in a movie. You keep looking around wondering if this is real and just in awe of how you got to this place. This vacation for me was just that, but it came in the most familiar place in the world... home. This year I come home to Texas like usual for Christmas, but this time I saw some family that was somehow lost for the last 6 years of my life; my mom and 3 sisters. As the anticipation built as I got closer to the terminal in the airport, I didn't know what to expect when mother picked me up. But as I got there it all I know is that is was a long time coming. I couldn't believe I was driving with my mom again to see my 3 sisters. It seemed a little sureal, but was such an amazing time. As I walked into a kind of unfamiliar home, I was greeted by my 3 sisters on the staircase. I was overwhelmed with a sense of joy and love for my family that I have missed out on. Anyway, after staying up until 3 am, we were all laughing and talking about the life we have missed. They have all grown up so much and am glad we reunited again. I am looking forward to growing together in the coming years. Now that the close of my vacation comes near, I know that I am going to miss the thick Texas accents of my little sisters. If I had time to tell you the whole story, you would probably agree with me that it feels a little like a movie... It is funny how sometimes vacation feels like the movies...

Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and just wonder how you got to where you are in that picture? Have you ever looked at an old photo and think "what in the world was I thinking?" I had one of these moments today. As I stared into a photo of myself I didn't really know quite what to think. These last few months have been rather difficult for me. With my dad going through his second divorce and my grandfather passing away, it is easy to look at your life and wish things didn't have to happen the way they do. But as I continued to look at that picture, memories of the past filled my head. I remembered the heartache of when my parents first got divorced as a child. I remembered the many tears I cried when seeking to do the right thing. I remembered all the petty things I did that I got in trouble for. I remembered the good times and the bad times. I remembered the anger and the pain. I remembered the love and the laughter. And then I remembered what Jesus did and is still doing in me. I remembered Romans 5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." It is easy to look at what happened then or what is happening now and begin to ask "what if..." or even "why?" But as the memories of my life flashed in my mind, it was very clear of how I ended up who I am today in that picture. It was the love, the anger, the laughter, the pain, the heartache that made me who I am today. It was the trials and the victories that forged my character into something that could be used by God. See I believe that God is doing something in every one of our lives, helping us to become who He has designed us to be. Sometimes its easy and other times it is so hard, but if we persevere, it will produce character, and out of that a hope that lasts way beyond ourselves. Look at yourself today... what do you see? Sometimes all it takes is a picture...

"Duty, Honor, & Country." Those 3 words continually loop through my mind as I recall my grandfather's funeral yesterday afternoon. As his casket was ushered in by highly ranked military men, we watched as they folded an American flag in memory of his life. We all stood in honor of him as three military men fired off their weapons for a 21 gun salute in honor of a great man, a great father, a great friend, and a great grandfather, Mansford Moon. Tears began to roll down my face as a soldier played the famous military tune from a small horn. The notes from that horn penetrated deep in all of us as we were finally hit with reality that our "Popo" was gone. As the soldier continued to play, it was as if the notes he were playing were somehow tugging on our heart strings. It is such an honor not only to have been blessed to have such an amazing grandfather, but to also carry on his name, "Mansford." As the memorial came to an end, the soldier took the flag and began to walk over to my grandmother. It was as if she already knew it was coming. My grandmother began to weep as well as each of us, as we watched her receive the flag in memory of her husband. It is those kinds of moments when you have to be truly grateful for the comfort of God's hope and the comfort of being together. For each of us, that was a memory that we not be lost. As tears continued to roll down all of our faces and we held each other tight, another soldier walked up to my grandmother and handed her 3 bullets from the salute. He said, "the first one represents Duty, the second represents Honor, and the third represents Country." Duty, Honor, Country... what powerful words to describe a long-lived life. As I held my cousin tight and walked back to our car, I looked back once more at His casket, thanking Jesus for blessing me to be able to be a part of this wonderful family. Salute to you Popo... I love you with all my heart. We will always remember the man you were to all of us. See you soon!!

I have been really interested in this new movement called "I am second." It is a collaboration of short movies created by real people, telling real stories of how Jesus is first in their life and how they are second. I was watching a video from a guy named Chris Plekenpol and I am utterly speechless. He was in the army and was the commander of about 100 men. He was fighting in Iraq when all of a sudden a car bomber ran his car into a tank. The bomb didn't go off when it was supposed to, but the terrorist was badly injured. The terrorist rolled out of the car, with the car about to explode. For a split instant, Chris could have saved the terrorist. But he said that he wasn't at the place to save his enemy. A few minutes later, they all watched as the terrorist blew up. Then it hit Chris... I am that terrorist... I was the enemy to the Lord, yet He sent His Son to die to take that heat. What a powerful picture of God's will for us. Anyway, there are tons of testimonies on the site. I am blown away at the reality of each testimony. If you have a chance check out the site at www.iamsecond.com... and you can check out Chris' testimony here.