"This is the Day"

There is a particular praise song of "thanksgiving" that most of us have sung at one point and time in our lives to uplift us on any particular day.

The familiar tune, "This is the day! This is the day that the Lord has made! I will rejoice. I will rejoice and be glad in it!" On and on it goes...for various occasions, at church, or even right now as you read.

The reason this song resonates with me at this particular time is due to my current location. I just happen to be deployed with the Army in Afghanistan. We arrived here with the understanding that it would be a 9-month deployment. Well, that quickly changed on "Day #5" after our arrival. We are now here for an entire year...a 12-month deployment.

Even as a Chaplain, I found myself a bit overwhelmed at the vastness of rocks, lack of grass, blowing sand and dirt...not to mention the choking smoke/exhaust of generators, burn pits, and vehicles. I must admit that it was hard...or should I say, flat-out difficult, to be motivated to be here.

I just wanted to be home. I wanted it to be September 2013...time to return home. I soon found myself "being grateful" that the time was passing quickly and at the end of each day, remarking that it was at least"one more day that is over with." I was in a mind-set of "just get this over with."

Then came a subtle reminder of Psalm 118:24...you guessed it...that quaint little praise chorus that gets easily stuck in your head. The verse that proclaimed, "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

This became a wave of conviction that I had become so focused on "being done so I could go home" from my deployment, that I was missing the opportunity to "rejoice and be glad" for each day...even if "that day" is in Afghanistan. I have asked God to forgive me for my ungratefulness and sour attitude towards each day that He has given me on this deployment to be His Ambassador to our Soldiers.

So, starting now...and each morning as I awake to the sunshine and beautiful mountains of this part of Afghanistan, I will proclaim in a song of praise..."this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!" Thank you, Lord for your reminder to adjust my attitude and to be grateful for each day that you give me. Thank you!!