"...keep your head in all situations..."

That's what it says in 2 Timothy 4:5.  What it actually says is "But YOU, keep your head in all situations.." (caps mine), which I read as "But you, STEPHANIE, keep your head in all situations" because that scripture, although written thousands of years of ago, was written for me.  I'm sure of it.  It's comforting, and a little annoying, to know that when that scripture was penned and then translated and retranslated and retranslated again, God ensured that MY scripture stayed intact and in a way I could understand it.  The only thing it's missing is exclamation points, underlines, and bold lettering. 

It's funny to find that scripture today seeing how I failed so miserably at everything Christian today.  I didn't know it was possible to fail so miserably at something so many times in one day.  Well, let me tell you, It is possible.

So should I start with the excuses first or just move into what happened?  I think I'll start with background, excuses and then situations.  Hope that works for everyone.  So I'm on the rifle range this week.  For those of you who don't know, Marines have to qualify shooting a rifle one a year (hence the phrase "Marines are basic riflemen").  For my rank, I also have to qualify with a pistol but that's next week.  Anyway, so this week is range week.  We have to be there early, fire our weapons, pull the targets for the other shooters and then go about our day.  It's a long and tiring day.  Very long, very tiring. 

So we get done shooting and pulling pitts, our day should be over right?  No.  The Marine Corps powers that be have decided that the relay that I'm on should be the relay that does a working party staying late to make targets for qual day.  Now, you have to understand, in the military once you've gotten to a certain rank, all this working party stuff should be null and void.  You leave this stuff for the lower ranking kids because...well, because thats the way it goes.  But no, the people running the range decided that my relay (which incidentally is the relay that had all of the higher ranks on it) should be the relay to make the targets.  Fine, whatever.  We make targets, do a clean up and go about our day (almost three hours after the junior Marines were let go). 

Here's where it gets interesting, the person who I was riding with decided that he absolutely HAD to stop at West Point and pick up a movie that came out today.  HAD to stop.  With three other people in his car who only wanted to go home.  and for a MOVIE, a MOVIE, people.  Oh, and did I add that it's over a half hour out of the way?  Yeah, do you see where I'm going with this?  You have to know this is not going to end well.  BUT in a move that proves to me that I can be changed, I simply say, "I would rather go home, but it's your car."  Yes, that's it.  That's all I said.  His response?  "What the hell is your problem?"  Yep.  That was it.  I can't even write what I said but it looked something like this, bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep.  You know you've accomplished something when Marines are standing there with their mouths hanging open in utter awe.  Now THATS an accomplishment.

But alas, my standards are not from man (and certainly not Marines) but from God.  I'm just grateful for God's Word correcting me with a firm but gentle voice telling me exactly what he expects of me.  "So you, Stephanie, keep your head in ALL situations."

Till next time.