What’s Going On?

As many of you are aware, it is hard for me to find time and motivation to update the blog very often.  Here is a little bit of what has been going on lately.

Alot of this has been going on…orange days.  This is a view from inside one of our buildings.  I took this photo about noon so it should show full, bright sunlight.  The dust storms that we have had are not the kind that you think of like a wall of dust blowing through.  Usually the dust builds gradually on a windy day until it look like this.  Many times it will settle overnight and then start again the next morning.  Side note…lungs do not perform as well when coated with dirt.

 

 

My friend (and roommate), CPT Andrew Sanders took command of the Echo 3-7 INF Engineer Company.  It was a day that he had long waited for.  This picture shows (from left to right) the outgoing company commander, CPT Neels, the 3-7 INF Battalion Commander, LTC Newsome, and CPT Sanders.

 

 

 

I’m sure that the chopper pilots certainly feel exactly like this from time to time.  They do such an important job of moving people and things around the battle space.  I appreciate them so much…expecially when they practice their tactical flying skills when I am a passenger.

 

 

 

I was recently able to travel to some new areas to provide religious support while other chaplains were on leave.  One site I went to has a really nice building that serves as their chapel on one side and a coffee shop/video game/movie hangout on the other.  It was good to spend some time with those guys.  We had 2 chapel services while I was there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a view of the Euphrates river as it passes by a small inlet at the FOB I was visiting.  Not much to look at from this angle but I was glad to have a view of such an historical landmark.

 

I am very much looking forward to taking leave soon.  I am ready to transition from the chaplain role to the husband and daddy role for a few days!

Memorial Day

     For Memorial Day this year we had a cumulative memorial ceremony for the fourteen soldiers in the 4th Brigade Combat Team who have given their lives during this deployment. 

Lasting about half an hour, the memorial included prayer,

scripture reading, special music, and a message from our brigade commander, COL Thomas James.  As each name was read soldiers from the corresponding battalion placed a flag at the picture and rendered a salute. 

After reading all of the names we observed one minute of silent reflection followed by firing of the volleys and playing of Taps.

I was honored to give the closing benediction prayer for the event.  The service was well done and brought honor to the memories of our soldiers as well as to 4BCT, 3ID.  It was a somber reminder that what we do is both dangerous and important.

National Anthem Day

written by SAD — Today is March 3—National Anthem Day…on this day March 3, 1931 the United States adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem.  Listen to this beautiful rendition by the Cactus Cuties (from where else….TEXAS!!)

Challenge Coins

If you google “military challenge coin history” you can read about an activity that may have begun during WWI.  Units would sometimes give a coin to soldiers with the unit crest on one side and various other designs on the flip.  It may have started as a way to identify unit members in case they had to evade the enemy by donning civilian clothes.  It definitely came to be a status symbol for troops who received a coin for being in some elite unit.

Since that time challenge coins have become a way for leaders to recognize exemplary service by soldiers of the unit.  So many challenge coins are given out these days (not only military but all sorts of organizations) that many would say it has lost much of its meaning.  One can even step into a store and purchase almost any type of coin, certainly without any hint of “earning” it.  My battalion commander has a coin that he has given out to some of our soldiers and he certainly upholds the tradition that it is something special and should be earned (which I appreciate).  Not everyone gets one just for being in the unit…I don’t have one.

That being said, I recently was able to spend some time with an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) unit.  These soldiers get called out any time an explosive is found and it is their job to take care of it.  Whether disarming (sometimes by hand), blowing in place, or removing to another area and disposing of (usually a large pile of stuff with a really big boom) the item.  This company has been over here for many months and will soon be heading home.  They have seen more than their share of violence and trauma.  I was able to give them a briefing on redeployment (deploying back home) which helps them to prepare for what to expect as they reintegrate with life in the rear.  It has been my privilege to serve them and to get to know their company commander and first sergeant.  After leading them through the brief I deferred to CPT Nobis for any comments he may want to make to his company.  He called me back up to the front and gave me his coin.  Now, I have received two prior coins from other chaplains which I appreciate but I received them based on my position so to speak and not for my service.  This is the only coin I have been given based upon something I have done.  We are all simply doing our jobs here.  These soldiers have done incredible work and have suffered much pain in doing it, yet have saved innumerable lives because of it.  I have not done enough to earn their coin and I was certainly not expecting to receive one but I am proud to have it and proud to serve this great group of soldiers!  These are the kind of soldiers that all Americans should be proud to honor.

 

Pray for them as they return home to friends and families who love them but who can never fully understand what they have been through.  Pray that God’s peace will reign in their hearts and minds!  And remember that there is someone else coming to take their place on the wall!

My Own Blog

written by SAD — I finally created Choosing Life .  Check it out.

The Body of Christ

written by SAD — Having served in local churches for all of my life (my dad was a local pastor and of course, S served for 16 years in church ministry), one would think that I understood what the body of Christ was all about.  It was not, however, until we followed God’s call into the military chaplaincy that the body of Christ has become real to me.   This post is a list (and probably a partial one at that) of people, churches or organizations that are supporting S and our family in some way…through prayer, packages, emails, etc.

FBC Midlothian – GLOW , the children’s Wednesday night program, handmade and sent S a birthday card for EVERY soldier in his unit…EVERY soldier means 400 cards.

The 9:30 Adult Bible Fellowship class, led by Jim and Susan Norris and class directors Matt and Stacy Helms, prays for my husband and our family EVERY Sunday morning during Sunday school.  They also call and email to check on me as well as send cards and packages to S.

FBC Richardson – One of the adult Sunday school classes collects and sends S unsigned birthday cards so that he can sign and distribute a b’day card for EVERY soldier in his unit…EVERY soldier means they have sent 400 cards.

East Ridge Baptist Church – 2 Sunday school classes collected  and donated money for our FRG (Family Readiness Group) to help fill stockings to send to our soldiers.  We filled 190 stockings.  They also pray for us and send blank cards for the soldiers to send back home to family for special occasions.

China Spring Civic Club  — collected and donated phone cards for S to hand out to soldiers who don’t have another way to phone home.  They have also sent goodies for S to have on hand for soldiers who just drop by.

FBC China Spring — The pastor, Mike Copeland mentions and prays for S and our family almost EVERY Wednesday night at prayer meeting.  The ladies Bible study group also consistently lifts our family in prayer.

FBC Perryton — The Women on Mission donated Clinging Crosses to S for him to hand out to soldiers.  They also sent packages at Christmas and pray for him on an ongoing basis. 

The Missions Committee, led by Carolyn Thurman, recognized the families who follow these “missionaries” into service during a worship there in January.   Our friend Rita Sell stood on behalf of our family during the service.

 Roach, Howard, Smith, and Barton Insurance Agency packaged and sent S various supplies and goodies when he left for Iraq.

Rancho Community Church in California has adopted S as their chaplain.  They send numerous packages full of Bible study materials, tracts, Bibles, and any other things they think might help S in his ministry.  Pat Karlin, the point of contact for this Sunday school class, also emails me and the kids to encourage and minister to us.  We have no prior connection to anyone from this church or Sunday school.  They just found S’s name through the Adopt-a-Chaplain program.

Bobby Smith – chaplaincy relations director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas- prays for my family and is just a phone call away for me…in fact, he called and left a message just last night…reminding me that he was praying for me and thinking of us this Valentine’s Day….(by the way…if you want to support the corporate chaplaincy ministry, think about sending an offering to the BGCT Chaplaincy Relations Office or include a special portion of your church budget to them.  In supporting them, you’re supporting all the chaplains endorsed by the BGCT…military, hospital, public service, etc)

The list of individual people who have sent cards, emails, packages, or who have prayed for us is too large to even include on this post….friends, family, friends of family that we’ve never even met, former church family who still remember us…it’s amazing!  

Thank you for showing me that the body of Christ is not limited to the body where you serve or where your membership lies.  And thank you for reminding me that though we may not see eye to eye on every doctrinal issue, we do love and serve the same Lord of lords and King of kings…Thank you for bringing to life I Corinthians 12:12, 27  “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 

“There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”  Ephesians 4:4-6

It’s About Time!

written by SAD — Sorry it has been so long since you’ve received an update.  S assured me that he was going to be working on the blog; however, a fiber optic cable was cut somewhere in the deep, blue sea, and internet access for him is limited.  He is unable to access the blog site.  He did send me pictures though and asked me to send them on to you. 

S and roommate CPT Sanders

S and CPT Sanders on a “forced march” — I have no idea what this means other than they wear their gear and march around the FOB.

S and SGT Martin at Christmas

 Just a really cool picture…S says flying in these things is awesome….

In army life, the spouses have “unit coffees” each month.  This is S and CPT Moreno’s version of a unit coffee at Kalsu.

There are many things that the spouses do for the unit coffees.  So far, my unit coffees have included an antique auction, a visit to a brewery, a Christmas party, and a wine/cheese tasting party.  However, this is not one of the things the spouses do at their unit coffees.  Apparently, though, S and CPT Moreno were bored with just drinking coffee, so for their December coffee.. they shaved their heads.

Now that they have done that, they are having a contest to see who can grow a mustache the fastest…if you refer back to the first picture, you’ll see that what you might have thought was dirt is actually S’s attempt to win this contest…He said that another chaplain is beating them both.

These are the guys that S socializes with the most…from left…CH (CPT) Bowman (chaplain of another battalion in 4th brigade), CPT Moreno (Bravo Company Commander, 4-3 BSTB), CH (CPT) Dennis, as himself, and CPT Sanders (S’s roommate and 4-3 BSTB battalion staff, headed for a company command position with another battalion sometime soon)

Band of Runners…

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 I hope you have enjoyed this selection of pictures. 

Nothing about Ministry

OK…here’s the deal.  I am not afraid of mice.  When I see one I don’t scream and jump on the nearest piece of furniture; however, I don’t care to share tent space with them.  S put up some pictures of my Toffice (Tent/Office).  It is a great space out of the options that one might have while deployed.  In this great space…there are creatures.  I can hear them when I am in the Toffice at night reading or typing on the computer.  I hear them crawling around and scratching on things.  Sometimes I hear them trying to make a nest or something.  I can’t always find them but I know they are near.

One of the chaplains that recently left told a story of trying to off the little creatures.  Apparently he got so disgusted because he never could get to the end of them that he decided to befriend them instead.  That’s right, they became his pets.  He told a story of how he would leave some cracker crumbs and a water bottle cap with some water in it up on the corner of his desk so that they could come and feast whenever they wished.  I listened to his story and honestly thought nothing more about it until I was sitting at his desk using his computer and up crawled a mouse onto the corner…stopped and looked at me for about three seconds…then he ate some cracker and got a drink before climbing back down the back of the desk.  I thought to myself, this is unusual, this cannot continue.

I am not intentionally feeding the mice in my tent.  I have learned that they love peanut butter; however, sometimes they are graceful enough to lick it clean off of the trap and walk away.  I know this because I watched him do it.  I sat in my chair holding the digital camera and made a movie of what I thought would surely end badly for the mouse…nope.  He licked the sucker clean and crawled away.  I set the trap again and back he came within 2 minutes…licked it clean again and left.  I thought I saw him wink at me.  That is when I learned that a peanut smashed into the jaws of the trap is much harder to get out and requires the mouse to bite and tug.  These mice are making me get smarter.

I don’t know if I will end up like my previously mentioned chaplain brother…maybe I too will grow weary of beating them and simply join them.  As for now, I am a man on a mission.  13 and counting, Baby!

I’m Back

I finally have access to my blogsite again.  Since we deployed I have only been able to access the site if I go to one of the internet cafes and wait in line to use a computer half an hour.  I’m sure you can understand that if I have only 30 minutes online I am going to use that webcamming with S and the kids.

I am doing well.  Today is overcast and only about 59 degrees.  I am trying to enjoy the cold now and soak up as much as possible for the coming summer.  With Christmas in just a couple of days we are gearing up for a visit to every workplace of our soldiers on the FOB and a visit to another location where we have soldiers to provide a worship opportunity for them.

I and another chaplain from my brigade started a new chapel service a few weeks ago.  I have taken the lead in coordinating music and trying to begin a worship team.  We have picked up a couple of guitarists who will play this Sunday.  Our goal with this chapel service is to build strong basic Christian discipleship in those who attend.  We are beginning by preaching through Romans.  This weekend is the fourth lesson and I am preaching on Romans 2:1-16 (God’s Judgement).  This is a great passage to talk about how God’s Truth exists and is shown not only through His Word but through His creation so that no one has any excuse not to believe that He exists.  I have grown a real interest lately in Apologetics (defense of my faith).  I am excited to get to preach…it seems like it has been forever since my last opportunity.

I have recieved SO MANY packages and letters!  Thank you all!  I have gotten cookies, candy, magazines, books, phone cards, DVDs, Christmas gifts (I am waiting to open), pictures, letters, well wishes…and on and on.  Many of you have sent things for me to give out to other soldiers.  They appreciate it!  There are lots of boxes coming in now for Christmas for our unit.  Some of them are to specific soldiers and some are just for anyone.  This is great; however, in a couple of months when Christmas has come and gone…that will be the time that you can do excellent ministry by continuing to send things I can hand out to my soldiers.  The flow of care packages will slow down and those things will become more precious during non holiday times.

Please pray for protection, wisdom and awareness for our soldiers.  Pray that they will be hungry for the Word and that they would find their needs met through Jesus.

Blessings my friends!

The Reason for the Season

Jesus 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours…