"A man fires a rifle for many years and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life - build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper - he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert." Anthony Swofford, Jarhead

I think the reason this made so much sense to me is because whatever "else" we do with our lives.. whether it is serving, loving, pouring our lives out... or failing, abandoning, falling short, blowing up.. we will always remain children of God- chosen and called to be a part of his family. We may at times be dying, just really struggling to obey and have the fruits of the spirit be evident in our lives, but other times we shine with the passion of Christ. I think that both extremes will characterize our lives and "be us" at points. I live with 6 other girls and I have seen the two sides in us all- weeks where we flourish and love and thrive, and the weeks when we cry because we lost our car keys or because we just can't seem to be "meaningful" in anything we do. But whatever we do, we are blessed to remain in the desert to a certain extent, always thristy for the word of God, thirsty for righteousness and justice to be done.. longing, aching for the fruits of the spirit to be evident in our lives. I think it is the reaching that shows our desperation for God. At Faithwalkers Mary Knox said something along the lines of: "When we are put in desperate situations we become desparate for God." How true- why not be desperate?