The majority of people on this earth are short. My mind was in a daze as I stood in line at dinner tonight. Absolutely void of any conscious thought- so I forced myself to think about things, to notice things around me. First my mind grasped just how many people there were in that large tent. Probably around 300. All from different countries, most were European- Danish and British, with a smattering of US Marines, and I could count the Army and Air Force together on two hands. “They all fit into the plan of salvation, too,” I thought to myself. Each of them individuals, who stem from their own family and background- how many people did that add? Then I started to glimpse just how vast the throngs of heaven must have been. And there is a place prepared for each of these…individually. They will all fit into the various orders and levels and estates. I realize that I most often view the gospel and the future joys in terms of my family, immediate and extended, as well as considering the many friends and associated we have in the church. But this is an ‘all encompassing’ plan…much bigger than my mind can grasp, so I put those thoughts aside for later and surveyed the line ahead of me. There was a cluster of Marines. Man, they all look so short, and young! Am I just that tall…and old? Even the group of Brits that worked in a feverish pace back and forth from the serving line, keeping it well stocked with fattening, unidentifiable European dishes…some of them could barely see over the glass spit-shield. How do they do it? I guess Tom Cruise did it…then my mind wandered to all the short people that are famous because of TV- Vana White and Pat Sajak, the hobbit form LOTR, Olsen twins, in fact, most actors, actresses and musician are short…and not just compared to me.
Ok, that’s enough. I think the desert and sun are getting to me. Frying my brain.
It’s uncomfortable to watch the hours and days go by- feeling like I’m merely existing…not doing anything, just watching the time go by. The mindless routine I constantly nag about…that’s ALL THERE IS. I don’t like feeling stale, like I'm not not progressing or going anywhere. Now you can understand why my mind was blank standing there in the chow line…why I insist on working out, and reading productive books. We did have one hectic day on the 9th. 3 MEDEVAC missions in a row. Ripped us out of bed at 0530 and didn’t stop till lunch. The Marine with the bullet through the cheek and out the back of his neck- he’s gonna make it, and no paralysis either! 3mm is the difference between life and death. Not luck, not destiny, just a cold, abstract measurement. The next one, the ‘other marine’ with the self inflicted bullet hole through the top of his foot- yeah, he’s gonna make it, too. But he has some tough questions to answer. Not life threatening…possibly emotional and mental difficulties and since his unit was still mired in a firefight, they needed him out of there so they called it in as a Category A- Urgent. Last mission was an Afghan soldier with a through-and-through gunshot to the upper arm. Not life threatening either …maybe his command thought he’d done a good job and deserved a helicopter ride. All the same to us….
But then, just as fast as it started, it was gone. Nothing for 6 days prior and nothing since.