Well it's a wee bit before midnight as i'm writing this post, and i'm nowhere near bed. Prior to going to work i spent all day printing out letters, envelopes, more envelopes, support cards, applying for my visa, etc. I'm hoping that this will be my last wave of letters. After this post i must sign them (74) and write a personal note on each. Again I say, i'm nowhere near bed.

In church on sunday we sang this song, and i've been thinking about the lyrics therein:

"Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea

A great high Priest whose Name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heaven He stands

No tongue can big me there depart

No tongue can bid me there depart

"When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

To look on Him and pardon me

"Behold Him there the risen Lamb

My perfect spotless righteousness

The great unchangeable I AM

The Kind of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God!

With Christ my Savior and my God!"

The last part of this entry goes to my job, or more appropriately, my mission field. I wait tables, which is going well. However, it's a very hard place to be a christian, and harder to act as a christian. Moreover, i wouldnt be surprised if i'm the only christian on staff. I am certainly not the judge of who is and who isnt saved, but given the language and everything else that i hear, let's just say i feel alone in that regard. As i've been thinking about this, i'm beginning to realize that this is the first context i've been in where i'm the only christian. At my school, i know a lot of christian kids and the christian teachers. On sports teams and random places around, i've been in the presence of some other christians. At my work, however, i dont think that's the case. There are a lot of stressed-out, angry, two-faced, lying, coarse people where i work. Sadly, i drive home at night asking God to forgive me for some things i said, some things i didnt say that i should have, etc. It is very much a mission field for me, and i do ask each of you to help me be a better witness amidst the people at my work. It's like the line in "Come Thou Fount:" "O to grace how great a deabtor daily i'm constrained to be..." Thanks.

sDg