What does it mean to have compassion?
noun1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
I am a work in progress, and I'm the first to admit that. I have come along way, but God is still working in me. He has given me compassion and He commands me to give it as freely as He has given it to me.
What does the bible say about having compassion?
Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you
Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
James 1:27 - Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.
James 2:14-26 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Matthew 25: 35-36 - For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
So what does that mean for us as Christians? We are COMMANDED to have compassion! We can not just say, "I will pray for you and your needs." We need to help each other out! You see someone hungry, feed them! You see someone without clothes, clothe them! I think a lot of times, we want to believe that the said person in need somehow deserves the hunger or nakedness or homelessness. The bible is saying the faith without deeds is dead! Love one another people. Have compassion on one another! See a need, meet it!
March 24, 2015
March 3, 2015
My Double Life
I live two very different lives. I wish they weren't so black and white, and that they could both exist together at the same time. Slowly my two worlds are beginning to collide.
I spend the majority of my life being a military wife and a mom. Dropping my kids off at school, attending teacher conferences and scouting events fill my days. I do homework with my kids and read them bed time stories. I grocery shop and cook. I clean. I work a part time job and am involved in various military functions, including my favorite…military balls!
My other life is in Uganda. I'm also a mom in Uganda. Culturally, you begin to take on the name "Mom or Mum" when you have earned a level of respect in someones life, or you are old…lol. I was called mom on my second trip to Uganda by a few girls that I began to sponsor. Slowly the older kids started calling me Mom. And within the last two years, even my drivers call me Mom. Or Mama Elisa. These relationships that I have been building for the last four years are no longer just casual relationships with people I see twice a year. They are ongoing relationships. I see them more than I do my own extended family! They are real life people that I love dearly.
When I get off the plane in Uganda, I feel at home. I know the airport and where to go to report lost baggage. I know the exits. I know the parking lot. I know the familiar faces of the loved ones picking me up. I know the places to stop for food and a good bathroom. I am familiar with the guesthouse that I stay at and how the plumbing and electricity work. I know the guards that protect it. I know the cooks and their specialty dishes. I know which boda driver knows his way around Jinja Town and won't screw me over. I have his number! I have my favorite super markets and street vendors. I'm learning more and more of the language.
When people ask me where I'm from, I'm stumped. I'm a Navy wife and a Navy brat. I'm from the Navy! When people ask me where is home, I've got two answers, "Home is where his boots are," and "Uganda!" I can have two homes right?
Every year, I spend more and more time in my Uganda. Last summer, the kids were able to join me for almost two months. It was an experience. I was so excited to share my Uganda with them. They loved it! But there is still a very big divide in my life here, as a wife and a mom, and my life there. It's as if I'm Superman leading this double life. I'm home playing mom and then a trip comes up and I put on my cape and fly to Africa.
I desperately want my two lives to fully collide. They are slowly. I used to spend about 3-4 weeks a month in Uganda and this year, it's looking more like two months! In the meantime, I will continue to be obedient to the calling on my life and live both my Super Elisa lives!
I spend the majority of my life being a military wife and a mom. Dropping my kids off at school, attending teacher conferences and scouting events fill my days. I do homework with my kids and read them bed time stories. I grocery shop and cook. I clean. I work a part time job and am involved in various military functions, including my favorite…military balls!
My other life is in Uganda. I'm also a mom in Uganda. Culturally, you begin to take on the name "Mom or Mum" when you have earned a level of respect in someones life, or you are old…lol. I was called mom on my second trip to Uganda by a few girls that I began to sponsor. Slowly the older kids started calling me Mom. And within the last two years, even my drivers call me Mom. Or Mama Elisa. These relationships that I have been building for the last four years are no longer just casual relationships with people I see twice a year. They are ongoing relationships. I see them more than I do my own extended family! They are real life people that I love dearly.
Every year, I spend more and more time in my Uganda. Last summer, the kids were able to join me for almost two months. It was an experience. I was so excited to share my Uganda with them. They loved it! But there is still a very big divide in my life here, as a wife and a mom, and my life there. It's as if I'm Superman leading this double life. I'm home playing mom and then a trip comes up and I put on my cape and fly to Africa.
I desperately want my two lives to fully collide. They are slowly. I used to spend about 3-4 weeks a month in Uganda and this year, it's looking more like two months! In the meantime, I will continue to be obedient to the calling on my life and live both my Super Elisa lives!
March 2, 2015
How a Military Wife's Mind Works Regarding PCS Season
Anyone involved in military life is VERY familiar with the term PCS. Our lives bank on it. We set our calendars around it. Our children dread it, or learn to embrace it. What does PCS mean? It means Permanent Change of Station, in other words…moving time.
My entire life, with exception of the 7 years in-between my dad retiring from the Navy and marrying a Sailor, I have PCS'd. A lot! I actually can't imagine a life not PCS'ing. It's how I'm wired. In the Navy, we typically PCS ever three years. So after two years, I start to get the itch. I start stalking potential duty stations. I purge the house and prepare for a move. I start disconnecting a bit in my circles to emotionally prepare for the separations of friendships that I have built.
So I've created a list of what runs through a military wive's mind during PCS season!
1. When is that freaking list coming out?!
I call Boo probably at least once a day to see if he's heard anything about the list of potential duty stations. Even though I know what day the list will be released. What if he just happened to get it early? Or what if he had some inside knowledge of potential duty stations?
2. When can we leave?
I love every place that we have lived! Seriously! I am in no rush to leave, I just want to know when we are leaving! I know he has a timeframe, but what about exceptions? The kids need to start school, so can we leave a month early? What about our family time? I want to visit our Texas family before we head to our new home, we haven't been back in three years! Will we be able to do that?
3. Where are we freaking going?
I know we have to wait for the list to come out, select our top three choices and then wait for someone else to decide where we are living, but WHERE ARE WE GOING? Every little job that pops up, even though it probably won't work, I research it to death! Boo comes home and says, "hey, I heard they may release a billet (job) in Pensacola." What do I do? I join every Pensacola Face Book page I can! I start making Pensacola friends! I look up houses, neighborhoods and schools. I research demographics and crime stats. I look up airports and research rates to and from our home town. Then…I find out Pensacola isn't an options after all. So I start doing the same thing with my our dream list of duty stations. It drives Boo insane, but a girl has to be prepared right?!
4. What needs to go?
I start purging through our crap. There's nothing like arriving to your new home and having to unpack all the crap that you never used during the last three years! I remember growing up and watching the same boxes be moved everywhere we went. Some, never even opened. After my dad retired, I went in and opened a few boxes only to find some of their wedding presents from 18 years earlier! It's gotta go!
5. What do I need to stock up on?
Depending on where we live, I like to bring some kind of memento of our time at said location. Currently, we are stationed in Germany. I'd like to have a few pieces of European furniture, some Polish pottery and other German like decor to remind us of our time here.
6. Where the heck are we going again?
I seriously can't emphasize the magnitude of this question! We, as military spouses, just want to know. In most cases, I'll adapt where ever we end up going. But I just want to know!
So, we have lived in Germany about 2 1/2 years. That means it's time for us to know! I love this life, and can't imagine not living it like we do. But bring out that list baby!
My entire life, with exception of the 7 years in-between my dad retiring from the Navy and marrying a Sailor, I have PCS'd. A lot! I actually can't imagine a life not PCS'ing. It's how I'm wired. In the Navy, we typically PCS ever three years. So after two years, I start to get the itch. I start stalking potential duty stations. I purge the house and prepare for a move. I start disconnecting a bit in my circles to emotionally prepare for the separations of friendships that I have built.
So I've created a list of what runs through a military wive's mind during PCS season!
1. When is that freaking list coming out?!
I call Boo probably at least once a day to see if he's heard anything about the list of potential duty stations. Even though I know what day the list will be released. What if he just happened to get it early? Or what if he had some inside knowledge of potential duty stations?
2. When can we leave?
I love every place that we have lived! Seriously! I am in no rush to leave, I just want to know when we are leaving! I know he has a timeframe, but what about exceptions? The kids need to start school, so can we leave a month early? What about our family time? I want to visit our Texas family before we head to our new home, we haven't been back in three years! Will we be able to do that?
3. Where are we freaking going?
I know we have to wait for the list to come out, select our top three choices and then wait for someone else to decide where we are living, but WHERE ARE WE GOING? Every little job that pops up, even though it probably won't work, I research it to death! Boo comes home and says, "hey, I heard they may release a billet (job) in Pensacola." What do I do? I join every Pensacola Face Book page I can! I start making Pensacola friends! I look up houses, neighborhoods and schools. I research demographics and crime stats. I look up airports and research rates to and from our home town. Then…I find out Pensacola isn't an options after all. So I start doing the same thing with my our dream list of duty stations. It drives Boo insane, but a girl has to be prepared right?!
4. What needs to go?
I start purging through our crap. There's nothing like arriving to your new home and having to unpack all the crap that you never used during the last three years! I remember growing up and watching the same boxes be moved everywhere we went. Some, never even opened. After my dad retired, I went in and opened a few boxes only to find some of their wedding presents from 18 years earlier! It's gotta go!
5. What do I need to stock up on?
Depending on where we live, I like to bring some kind of memento of our time at said location. Currently, we are stationed in Germany. I'd like to have a few pieces of European furniture, some Polish pottery and other German like decor to remind us of our time here.
6. Where the heck are we going again?
I seriously can't emphasize the magnitude of this question! We, as military spouses, just want to know. In most cases, I'll adapt where ever we end up going. But I just want to know!
So, we have lived in Germany about 2 1/2 years. That means it's time for us to know! I love this life, and can't imagine not living it like we do. But bring out that list baby!
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