I woke up and snuggled next to Barrett as we realized this was our last day together for awhile…that or because it was so cold in our room! =0) We talked, got up, and made amazing berry-cherry-banana pancakes and coffee for breakfast and sat on our couch and ate while watching the last episode of “The Closer”. It was raining outside and I thought about how fitting yet foreboding it was. Those few precious, sweet, relaxing moments of the morning were a gift…I see that now.
Frustration. Time started to tick away and unforeseen things came up that made us get angry and exhausted toward each other….kind of how you feel when you try and get the family to church on time every Sunday morning. It should be a sweet time, yet things and words weed their way in stealing the sweet water of grace. I had posted our two iphones for sale online on Okinawa’s version of Craig’s List and got a call within the hour. Despite the fact that I told him my husband was deploying that day he wanted to buy it. We held what felt like a drug exchange in the entrance to one of the gates and after about a half hour, sold our first phone. Then my phone kept ringing with more offers. I turned it off. By that time we were late and didn’t know how to get to the Navy pier that was at another base about 45 minutes away.
We made it in the rain through wet and winding roads complete with my white knuckles of fear and met up with his young RP. We got to the pier and honestly had to walk a half-mile to the ship…with his gear…in the cold and blasting rain. We get to the ship and they told us we couldn’t board for another half hour or so because they were loading hovercrafts. So, his stuff was left in the rain as we did our second trip to the car and back with the rest of his gear. We were wet, smelly, and sloshing through our circumstances. Then we boarded and tried to find his room. The ship is a maze of about 15 to 20 decks each connected by steep metal ladders. Yup, wet ship, metal ladders. By the grace of God no one fell. We found his room and then went to get his last bag that was left in the rain only to be told no one could leave because another hovercraft was being loaded. We were there about an hour. His stuff was soaked.
We went to dinner with our clothes painted on by the rain and I tried to get homey nachos which ended up having baked beans and BBQ sauce on them. Blah. We headed back outside…still wet and still raining and went to pick up his RP again. We ended up spending about an hour talking with the Executive Officer (EO) who was from Stafford, VA, near where I used to live. It was a blessing! He gave me better directions to get home in the dark and we headed off. Then we found out that the formation that was supposed to be outside at 8pm was moved to inside the ship at 8:45pm. We got to his stateroom and I balled. I was pathetically soaking wet from walking the half mile to the ship again…and now I new I wouldn’t get home till late and no other family members had come to see their loved ones off. I was tired, spent, and sad. Yet I knew that being with Barrett for as long as I could was better than punting. I just cried. Then he cried. Then I cried more. It actually was a sweet time.
He rinsed his face with cold water that did nothing for his bloodshot eyes and we headed down to formation. So, here I was in my Redsox hat, wet jeans, and dripping rain jacket standing in the midst of about 100 marines all in uniform who were being briefed by their Commanding Officer and other leaders. They looked so young, so young. This is his flock for the next few months. I prayed for them. We walked yet another half mile in the rain back to the car where we had our last goodbye’s and I gave him a card that he promptly stuck in his jacket to read later. Then I took off with my eyes as wet as my jeans.
I got lost. I know right? Big surprise. What should have taken a half hour took double that and I didn’t get home till after midnight, cold, wet, and broken hearted. Barrett helped me via phone which was a huge blessing and told me that the card fell out of his jacket and was lost. That was how the day ended.
The Lord was gracious to let us talk via phone the next morning…even while I sold our other iphone…and Barrett got permission to go outside to look for my card and guess what, he found it!!! Its like the widow and mite! Shortly after that my phone died and would not reboot. That meant no communication to Barrett or anyone! No email, no internet, no calling for help, no nothing! I cried. The next morning’s sermon was on how we tend to have relationships with our stuff more than people or the Lord. Brutal! “But God, I need my phone to have relationships with others!” I tried, yet I knew that phones were not necessary to make friendships or even to keep my husband encouraged. There were other ways to communicate and I just didn’t want to. Conviction. Well, my phone got restored and I am thankful. I don’t deserve it which makes it that much sweeter for me.
So thus began the deployment! Honestly, the Lord has given Barrett amazing Godly leadership and endless opportunities to minister. Pray for him as he preaches, leads Bible studies, and gets messy with these marines. Pray for our marriage as we are apart and please pray for me to find ways to serve and minister in the midst of an empty house. Oh for the Lord to receive the glory in all this and to know the comfort of His sovereign hand. Sorry for the length!