Have you ever stopped in reflection on your life in wonder at the place where God has brought you?
That happened to me yesterday as I attended a Brigade Awards Ceremony for volunteers on post.
As I left my home to walk over to the convention center on post where the ceremony was to be held, I thought, “Wow…I never in a million years could have imagined myself in this place”.
I never would have imagined myself as a part of the Army community.
I never would have imagined myself married to an Army chaplain.
I never would have imagined myself living in Germany.
I never would have imagined myself surviving a fourteen month deployment with three small children.
But the one lesson that God has clearly taught me time and time again is that His plans are always so much better than any of my own.
I may not have ever imagined any of those things, but through God’s wonderous work in my life, this is exactly where I find myself…..as a volunteer, an active part of the Army community, married to an Army chaplain, living in Germany and I can proudly say that I have survived this deployment with my children.
I was honored to receive the 1st Armored Division’s Scroll of Appreciation Award yesterday as I am honored to serve my God wherever he places me in life.
Sorry this picture isn’t clear….I had the camera on the wrong setting when I handed it to my husband before the ceremony. I edited it as best as I could.
I am also thankful for the many wonderful people that God continues to place in my life. Yesterday I had to say goodbye to my friend, Amy, who has served as our task force’s senior advisor throughout this deployment. I have learned to much from her friendship and leadership. She is headed off to my homestate where he husband will be working, so I look forward to seeing her again.
This is all the spouses from our batallion who received an award yesterday. What a great group of ladies!
Sheila says
Wow,I’m so very proud of you Monica.Love Mama
Shanna says
Congratulations on your award! I’m so glad you were publicly recognized for your involvement and dedication to the Army life, which is such an inspiration to many people. You deserved it!
Suzanne says
Congratulations. You definitely deserve an award and I’m so glad they gave you one 🙂
Keep on keeping on and I look forward to seeing how God is going to continue working in your (and Keith’s) life
Suzanne’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Goodbyes are Tough
maryleigh says
I just wanted to thank you and your family for your service to our country. I know that my family is safer because of what your husband does and the sacrifices you make. My second and third son are wanting to join the military when they graduate from high school. I encourage them to pray about what God has called them to do. If that’s His calling in their lives, I’m behind them 200%. I hope happy blessings fall on your today!
maryleigh’s last blog post..♥ Hubba Bubba
Grandma says
Congratulations, Monica! We are very proud of you for all you have done this year and even receiving an award. You look SOOOOOO cute! I know Keith is as proud as can be. So happy the deployment is over and he is home for awhile. Give the babies a hug and kiss from Grandma and Grandpa.
Donnetta says
Reminds me of Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
This verse has been close to my own heart lately.
Congrats on the award!!!
Tanya says
Congratulations!! Completely unrelated, but I have to say it: I love your skirt. You look gorgeous! 🙂
Tanya’s last blog post..Bathsheba: Victim or Vixen? (Part 1)
Jordan says
Congrats on the award, Monica! You are so very deserving! You know, I often have had those very same thoughts…”Who would have thought I’d end up here?! Not me; not in a million years!” When we trust and listen to God’s plan for our lives, it’s always more than we could ever have imagined or hoped for ourselves!
Jordan’s last blog post..Baumholder
Maggie says
What a great post. And, you are such a deserving and beautiful person — inside and out! You have such a phenomenal way of accepting every thing in your life… even illness. It’s called GRACE and God blessed you with that wonderful quality!
BTW – Oddly… Looking at my life, I think I actually did envision myself here with this NYPD husband, this “old soul” daughter and with my special little boys (though the twin thing still gets me every time… I never envisioned THAT!)
Maggie’s last blog post..What If? The Biological Side of Childcare