Tag: home

Battle of the Heroes

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So, Star Wars Ep. III is currently playing as I sit here in the family room and attempt to write a few words! It’s been a Star Wars marathon for the past few days – fun times! But since I’m feeling a bit sleepy and not capable of writing too much tonight, I’ll try to quickly summarize these last few days of awesomeness!! Yes, home in Tampa right now, what! Maryanne and Laura are here too and we’ve had a Thanksgiving to remember.

And I would write more now(and I mean to laters!) – but time to finish up watching Remember the Titans. That’s been our family movie these past four nights!! Fourth quarter. Fourth quarter. Fourth quarter.

The Outback

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So I do not have too much time to write now! But thought I’d write a quick paragraph as I sit here at home – home in Tampa! Back in the USA, y’all!! I still can’t really believe it, and still don’t think I’ve fully comprehended that I won’t be traveling back to Scotland in a few days. But it’s true. One saga of my life has ended, a new one is about to begin. And so now, as I listen to the Rays/Twins game in the background and get ready to eat ice cream with Mom and Dad, I will say no more. Just ever so thankful for the love of God! I love you, my friends, always.

Also – happy 27th anniversary to you, Dad and Mom!!!! You’re the best parents anyone could ever dream of. I love you so.

The Homestretch II

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Good morning, my friends! I thought I should write a few words this morning/afternoon, simply because I’m at Books and Beans and my computer is on and there’s really no good reason why I shouldn’t write. I got up this morning and after enjoying my walk into town, stopped at the bank and then came here for my morning mocha. Mm…it’s now sort of cold, but I’m still drinking it anyway. Soon enough I shall have lunch and make my way back to the flat, but for now, just enjoying reading and coffee time.

And the real reason I stared writing this was because I wanted to say that I shall soon be moving back to Houston. Yep, my time in Scotland is drawing to an end and my return to America is soon at hand! This past Monday I got my official offer letter from the Houston office and on Wednesday I signed my contract. So either in August or September, I shall be leaving Aberdeen behind and settling in Houston. I don’t have an official moving date yet – and I haven’t decided where to live in Houston – but these details shall come. For now, I can simply confirm that I’m coming back to America, y’all.

How do I feel about this? Well, I don’t want to delve too deeply into my feelings, but the word I think I’ve used the most this past week in talking with people about this has been “surreal”. Truly, I’ve been here in Aberdeen almost three years now. And it is home. And I have dear friends here and I love living here. And yet. I do feel that God is leading me to go back to the States. I’ll be so much closer to my family(2 hour flight is far better than traveling over 12 hours!) and I also have good friends in Houston! So though I do not yet know all that is in store for me as I get ready to move, and although I do feel a bit sad at the prospect of leaving everyone here behind, I look forward to the new adventures that await me! God is taking me by the hand and He shall continue – as He always has! – to guide me for His glory. Never shall I fear that my heavenly Father shall leave or forsake me. Never shall I doubt my Father’s goodness to me. Always shall I remember the great things He has done for me – for me!

And now, I shall get ready for lunch – think I might change it up a bit today and get a soup(spicy broccoli and cherry tomato!) instead of my normal ham-and-cheese panini. I know, daring.

Peace, my friends. Peace and love.

Sweet Home

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So I’m chilling here on my bed here in my oh so cozy room here at home…it’s not even seven at night and I’m exhausted!! Have been quite busy all day though…from eating dad-made chocolate chip pancakes in the morning to errands out with Mom and Laura(Target, JCPenney, AE, etc…) and then a perfect lunch at NY Pizza with Mom(including cherry coke of course!) and then some more driving to drop Laura off at CPR course and pick Dad up from the car shop…and then more errands(Sweetbay for chicken caesar salad ingredients!!)…and now home again and me and Dad have just finished the salad prep and picked green beans from the garden. Which are amazing. And now we both decided it is nap time…at seven pm. But I think a nap is perfectly reasonable, especially because this perfectly awesome day is not over yet.

And now…sleeeeep….

Green Gables

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Thought I’d just write a few words here.

I may or may not be currently sitting in the family room here in Florida. And as Anne of Green Gables plays in the background and the chicken and stuffing roasts in the oven, I just wanted to say how simply awesome it is to be here. To be home. Maryanne and Laura and Mom are watching the movie and I hear Dad in the background, talking on the phone…and soon we shall be sitting around the table for dinner. And I will write no more words just now, but wanted to at least pop my head up and wave hi to y’all! Peace, always, my friends.

Joyful Joyful

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Yes, I probably should be in bed now, as the clock bears down on 1AM. Oh dear.

But – just wanted to briefly dash down a few thoughts before my body shuts down and I fall asleep on this most comfortable bed here at home…

I really have been wanting to write more these past few weeks as I’ve been home – but I’ve been far too busy enjoying being with the fam…so no regrets! And today was as sweet as ever…from going to church and loving being with everyone again as we worshiped our God together! (And got to sing some of my fav songs…And Can It Be, Jude 24/25!!) Came home and dad made some delicious hash from the leftovers from last night’s roast beef dinner…once that was done and me and Mom and Maryanne and Laura had done our Sweetbay run(needed to get ingredients for sauce for tomorrow night’s lasagna!!), we decided it was too nice a day to stay indoors…so me and Maryanne and Laura walked down to the park and got some awesome basketball/football in! It’d been *far* too long since I’ve played with them…and oh so much awesomeness. Following that, came home and we all had Jack Bauer time(*almost* all the way through Season 8! Agent Renee Walker just died in one of today’s episodes…one of the most tragic episodes in all of 24, I think…) then went off to church for end-of-year praise and prayer time! There weren’t many of us there, but there didn’t need to be. We had the sweetest and most lovely time of singing praises to our King and praying deeply and fervently to our Father. I can’t really describe it any further other than I wish you could have been there if you were not…oh how much our God blesses us, giving us such times as these!!

And no, the night was not over yet. We all came home(picked up some delish Pizza Hut on the way! SO GOOD) and watched another episode of 24 before watching the Redskins/Cowboys game…winner-take-all, loser-go-home! And in fine fashion, the Redskins won, 28-18, to take the NFC East crown and a spot in the playoffs! Hail to the Redskins!! And better than all of that…was being with Mom and Dad and Maryanne and Laura and just soaking in the love of my Lord and my God…

And as my grammar continues to deteriorate, it is time for bed, my friends!!

I love you all.

Peace.

Second Breakfast

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And I was planning to write a bit more this morning, but now it is no longer morning and I no longer have time! Me and Dad are about to go out to lunch(destination: unknown) so I’ll just write a few lines. Currently importing the 6th CD(!!) of the Jascha Heifetz collection I got for my mom. Gorgeous violin music – truly, he is one of the best. But yes, this morning has been nice and restful, been able to read a bit with my morning coffee(Coffee always tastes better at home, why is that??) and try to help Laura feel better(I think she’s got the flu, no!!). I picked her an orange from the tree outside…being able to eat a yummy hand-picked orange two days after Christmas? I love Florida.

Now I want to read more of David being awesome(he’s currently on the run from Saul), but I think it is time for lunch. It is half past twelve after all! Oh and I want to write more, but alas my time runs out. Maybe later I’ll be able to talk about my perfectly lovely time at home…from watching Jack Bauer awesomeness on season 8 of ’24’ almost every night…talking and praying and resting and relaxing with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura(truly the best part of being home!!)…eating delicious foods(fettuccine alfredo, chicken burgers, Ledos pizza, yummy pork chops…) and partaking in far too much coffee!!…going to see “The Hobbit” last night with Mom and Maryanne(magnificent timid Bilbo as he goes out to adventure to lands he knows not…loved it!!)…and truly, just being with my family. Love them so.

And I guess I lied before because I wrote quite a tome above, but now – I’m off. Lunch with Dad time!!!

Peace, ya’ll.

A Sprig of Parsley

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And a Merry Christmas Eve to you all!! I sit here as the fettuccine is beginning to boil on the stove. The salad is made and dished out and soon enough the family shall be sitting around the table about to celebrate the wondrous love of our God and Father and the Most Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ – the Messiah and our Saviour!

While it has been a most dazzling few days behind me, days of catching up with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura and moments of utmost bliss sprinkled throughout the pain and sorrows that come with living in a weary and sorrowful world. Yet shrink not back do we from that ancient foe, that serpent of old – nay, we celebrate this day of Christmas as the day when God was born a Man – the Seed of woman and the Son of God. This Child was born and truly was it proclaimed – ‘Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth to men upon whom His favour rests!’ And this Jesus was sent to this world to reconcile the shattered form of mankind to Himself and to herald the time when He would once and for all crush the dragon’s head – that devil and father of lies.

And this Messiah was born on this world as the most lowly child so that the love of God might be proclaimed in all the world – Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! And that love of God – so blissful, so sweet, so achingly beautiful – is proclaimed to us abundantly. Hear the call of the King! The Most Almighty God gave us the most shockingly lavish gift of all time – that gift of His Son Jesus, the Anointed One of God. This very God died so that we could come to Him in humble and broken adoration – this Jesus has died for the very forgiveness of our sins. What wonder! What hope! What love! Hear the cry of the King! Hear how he weeps for those who are lost and broken and in utter and complete darkness. Hear the trumpets of the heavens, the songs of the stars! Hear the chorus of the angels as they sing praises to our God! Hear the cry of our King!

A chorus of stars and angels high,
A dance of lovers in midnight sky,
A song of bliss and sparkling mirth –
A sigh of praises – oh God’s own birth!

Hope for Hope

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And as I lie here on my bed in my room in Tampa(!!!), I just wanted to write a few words, despite the fact that I’m about to roll out with Dad to have lunch! I’ve been home for almost a week now, and oh how marvelous it’s been!! While hopefully later this afternoon I’ll have a chance to write a few more words, I just wanted to take this moment on the 21st of December 2012 to thank my most wonderful Father in heaven for the blessings He has poured out on one such as me!!! To be here with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura…to rejoice in the beauty of our Lord Jehovah’s most magnificent presence and glory…what can be better, I ask you? No, don’t answer. For there is none. Hopefully I’ll write more later about the gorgeous times I’ve been having in Tampa and Gainesville these past days, but for now, just know this – no matter the fires and corruption of this world, no matter the blasphemies and depravities of this present age, there is still beauty to be found upon this earth. And that beauty belongs to the faith and hope we have in the most marvelous love of Jehovah God. Oh how I love y’all!!!!

Softly dreaming

James HoganLeave a comment

So should I be in bed right now? Well, yes. Actually, I am sort of in bed already now, since my bed is the couch and I am sitting on it! But while my eyelids are drooping and my thoughts are fading…I still feel I must write a few words. And so I will be uncharacteristically brief, but wanted to write one last post from Florida before I fly back to Scotland tomorrow.

This trip has been most glorious – although it’s flown past far too quickly for my liking! Nevertheless, I have been oh so blessed these past days…from my times of joy with my family and friends to a pretty sweet weekend past in Gainesville(where I spent time with some of the best friends known to mankind…maybe later I’ll write more on this, but just know that hanging out with Rob, Laurie, Dan and Betsy is pretty much the best thing ever. Just saying. Talking and talking and praying and being together…epic. I can’t really think of a better word right now. Maybe I’m just tired. Or maybe there just isn’t one. Nonetheless, I should probably close this parentheses) But yeah, Gainesville was awesome(also may have included some sweet disc golfing with Dan, Rob, Laura and George…as well as quality time back at the Lebos – one of my favorite families ever!!)

And then driving back home with Laura this afternoon, with the beautifully thunderous rain pounding down on the windshield and the windswept trees of central Florida shadowing our path…I just couldn’t help but thank our God for his goodness to me. Always.

And then being with my family tonight – eating dinner and talking and being encouraged by the best parents in the universe and then watching some classic 24(3 episodes was not enough!)…capped by reading a few Psalms together. Love it.

And since this post has been characteristically not brief…I’ll close.

Time for some sleep. And then one more day here in Florida. Here at home.

Love longs to leave one last encore-
Songs spill across the sun spun night,
Crystal chandelier, caressing sight.
And stars named
and blessed
with light.