ben's new friend...kind of

This is a picture of the T-1a Jayhawk, the Air Force Jet that Ben will soon be flying. We're still deciding whether it is really our friend or not.

For the past week, he has been getting really intimate with it and all its inner workings--learning everything about this little jet. Almost like getting to know a best friend or a spouse...but well, not as friendly or forgiving when you forget what one of its buttons do.

Ben has been taking test after test on the systems of this plane, its emergency procedures, and some other stuff that was probably too complicated for me to remember.

God has been really merciful to him and he has passed all of his tests so far! He has one more to take tomorrow, and then could start flying as soon as Wednesday.

He is pretty exhausted, actually we both are. Ben said that the Air Force should give me half a wing when he gets his wings because I help him study and kind of act as his wingman. :)

I'd be down with half a wing.

Anyway, the point is....these past couple of weeks have been hard. The Lord has really been sustaining us, but Ben especially is really exhausted and still has soooo much to do.

One of his instructors made an analogy of a flight student going through T-1 training as being like a person stranded on a little boat, with all of these vicious alligators coming at him/her.

To defend their self, the person has to club the nearest alligators first and focus primarily on them, but at the same time, keeping their eye on the alligators that are coming up behind the others, because if you drop your guard, they will get ya.

May sound a little silly to some of you, but it describes very well what Ben & the other students are going through. It seems as though they have this never ending list of things they have to get done and they have to slow down enough to decide which ones take priority, and use good time management to balance the rest.

So its one of those weeks where we know 100% that we won't get through it without the Lord's divine hand. Please pray with us that Ben will have energy & perseverance to get through this difficult week and that he will complete all the things expected of him this week. Pray that he will be a shining light to instructors & students and that the peace of God will guard his heart and his mind in Christ Jesus.