The beginning:

This is not the 'beginning' but it is the beginning of this blog anyways.  i'm learning so much these days: 
 - about what it means to love my wife and two daughters well
 - about a God who is much bigger then the one they teach you about in Sunday school
 - about what following that 'big God' looks like in life and practice
       and, the impetus for this blog
 - about all that the process of becoming a firefighter truly involves.

There's more, of course, but these are some of the biggies.  Looking at this list above, i could write pages about how each of these lessons are both individual and also linked to one another. 
For instance:
   got another 'no' today - that's a part of what it means to pusue this calling to be a fireman.  following God in life and practice means that i don't just ignore all that i've been learning about this very big God simply b/c i'm disappointed in circumstance - a God who is sovereign over all things, and so, is sovereign over this 'no' as well.  and in this 'no' i've also got this wonderful wife who supports me and grieves with me which makes this 'no' so much easier to bear.  and on, and on, and deeper i could go.

God is good - i know this to be true in so many ways - and so i seek His voice above all and wait for His 'yes' which will just happen to come through the mouth of the fire chief in which He puts it.