One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two of our choices to be President of the United States. In the course of presidential candidates, I can't remember in my lifetime two more polarizing candidates. It seems like a vast majority of folks are voting against a candidate rather than being for a candidate. To me, that is a sad situation in which many Americans find themselves in. So what should we do? How should Christians respond?

At the time of this writing, Donald Trump has said some vulgar disgusting comments about women. The comments don't need to be repeated, a quick google search will reveal what he said if you're interested. Trump's comments bother me and trouble me. But what has me more troubled is the response of some Christians. Some Christians still endorse Trump. Their response goes something along the lines of "Donald said things but..." Why is there a "but" This man has said it was ok to sexually assault women. What Christian can stand behind a leader like this? What Christian can prop him up as a replacement for evil? A Christian that attempts to relegate Trump's comments to locker room banter does nothing but promote a sexual assault culture from which EVERY single Christian should run.

Al Mohler said, "Far too many evangelicals have set themselves up for a humiliating embarrassment by serving as apologists for Donald Trump...The moral credibility of evangelical Christians is on the line, and it is of far greater value than any election.”

In spite of Trump's behavior, I don't think Hillary Clinton is any better than Trump. Blogs have been written about the things she has done. As far as her treatment of women goes, she is complicit in her husband's treatment of women. She has systematically sought out to destroy women who have tried to bring down her husband after he was accused repeatedly of rape.

As of now, I have no idea who I will vote for. To me it seems like I get to choose between wanting a bullet in the head or a bullet in the heart. Both are terrible choices. On November 8, I personally believe that no matter which candidate wins we will be lead by an evil individual. In light of that, here is how I believe Christians should respond

1. Christians are called to spread the Gospel, not reform the political system.

Christ never brought about revolution even though his disciples desperately wanted him to. He realized there was a greater purpose. Christians, the Great Commission is that we "Go and Preach" not "Go and Reform"

Christian, will you continue to complain about the political system while squandering the freedoms you do have to share the Gospel?

2. Understand that God still works in the lives of people, regardless of political leadership.

The nation of Israel had flawed Kings. Israel had maniacal evil kings. Even the kings like David and Solomon who we would consider "good kings" had some serious sin problems and by today's political standard would never make it in political office.

Imagine this headline:

Giant Slayer says "SORRY" After Plotting Murder of his Lover's Husband. 

It sounds like it is ripped from the National Enquirer.

Regardless of Israel's political leadership, theology abounded. God worked miracles. Prophets were exalted, Scripture was written. And most importantly, people still worshiped the One True God.

In the New Testament, the Gospel flourished under intense persecution and "evil leadership" Neither Trump nor Hillary are even close to the wickedness of the Roman emperors of Paul's day.

This point serves to prove that Christians should be busy sharing the Gospel and redeeming the time "because the days are evil."

3. We are to render honor and obedience to our political leaders

In context, I Peter was written to exiles dispersed throughout the world. The world is the region where Christianity had spread during the times of great persecution. By extension there is great application for the modern exile, the Christian.

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." 

Christians are not asked, but are commanded to submit to every ordinance. Romans states,  that whoever resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and those that resist shall receive to themselves damnation...Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom is due; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Paraphrase)

Newell says, "Remember your Savior suffered under Pontius Pilate, one of the worst Roman governors Judea ever had; and Paul under Nero, the worst Roman Emperor. And neither our Lord nor His Apostle denied or reviled the ‘authority!"

4. Don't shout down or drag a political leader through the mud. Paul never yelled about or shouted down a political leader. In fact, he attempted to lead them to Christ. I highly doubt he inked a meme on parchment.

This is kind of a restatement of number three. But I'm sure most of us are guilty of this. I know I am. In a world of internet memes and pithy phrases and jokes about political leaders why should Christians be the ones to stoop to the levels of night time comedians?

Clearly we can be critical about policy without name calling and showing disrespect.

In Conclusion: In November approximately 50% of people will dislike the current occupant of the White House. One could probably gather that a good majority of Christians might not like the occupant of the White House. So let's focus on the things that matter. The things that are heavenly and not temporal. Let's redeem the time and remember that Romans 12:18 states, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

A Chaplain, A Police Officer and a Civilian Went To....

A chaplain, a police officer and a civilian went to a crime scene. While this sounds the like start of a horrible joke, it will be an analogy that will be discussed in just a minute. For the last several days ever since the attack on Paris occurred my Facebook and social media accounts have been inundated with several things. First is the profile picture of solidary from nearly all my friends. Second, there are very heated arguments, opinions, commentary and news articles that usually take one of two sides. The individual either thinks we should open our doors to refugees of any sort, or they believe we should lock our nations gates and protect our great nation. I believe both opinions are equally correct and equally wrong at the same time.

 

One may wonder how this can be possible, but lets return to the analogy. Imagine if you will, that a horrible crime took place. After a few moments people arrived on scene. First, you have the police officer. He arrives on scene and goes about his job. He protects, he investigates, he takes charge of the situation and analyzes if there is further danger. Eventually the chaplain arrives, probably called because of a distraught parishioner, and begins his job. He offers aid, comfort, counsel and spiritual advice about the situation. The civilian has conflicting emotions. He seeks out help, searches for answers and wrestles with the meaning of life.

 

Those who have taken the position of closing our borders are ones that identify with the police mentality. They take charge to protect and make sense of a horrible situation. Those who have taken the position of opening our borders are ones that identify with the chaplain. They try to help the hurting, they seek to render aid and offer comfort. As you can see there is not necessarily anything wrong with either of these positions. So let us take a minute to analyze whose job is whose.

 

Primarily, the government is the police officer. They are to protect.

 

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (Preamble, US Constitution)

 

Thomas Jefferson said this, "A government regulating itself by what is wise and just for the
many, uninfluenced by the local and selfish views of the few who direct their affairs, has not been seen, perhaps, on earth." If you research this quote, Jefferson believed that the United States Government viewed its position that regulates itself for the good of the many irrespective of the views of the individuals who run the country.

 

Stephen J. Heyman in his law article entitled, "The First Duty of Government" states that the government's first duty to its citizens is to protect them and this protection is rooted in constitutional law.

Our country ought to protect its citizens. We ought to do whatever it takes to ensure that each and every citizen is safe and sound. That when we pillow our heads at night we can sleep knowing that we will be free from harm. We ought to take every single precaution out there to ensure that people coming into this country are vetted. Here's a closer look at that process.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/refugee-screening-process-in-us-2015-11

 

Secondly, the Christian is the chaplain.

 

They are to offer aid, comfort and the simple plan of the Gospel. The chaplain is the one who has a ministry of presence and goes to where the need is and shares his faith and the Source of his faith with others. 

 

Scripture is very clear on a Christ-follower's role to other people.

 

"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." (Matthew 25:35, 45b)

"Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

 

"Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." (Acts 10:34)

 

"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:13)

 

"Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." (Hebrews 13:1-3)

 

Our country has seen its worst when bigotry, racism and fear abound. Ask the Japanese who were stuck in internment camps during World War II. (http://allegiancemusical.com) Ask the African American who suffered through the Jim Crow laws. (Black Like Me, Griffin)

 

Our country has for the most part, risen above those blights on our history. Let's not go backwards.

 

Finally, we are all civilians

 

We each wrestle with our conflicting emotions, seeking out help and searching for answers. When all three positions arrive at our crime scene, each person should stick to their role. There is no greater problem on a crime scene then when no one works together and everyone does their own thing. In the same token there is no greater success then when every person does his own vital part. Results happen.

 

So how should we respond? Christian, let the government do the governing. Let them decide how best to do that. Let them determine if we should shut our borders, or keep them open. Let them decide how to react. I encourage Christians to take part in the democratic process our Republic affords its citizens. Please participate and be vocal, but remember first and foremost we "are citizens of heaven" and we eagerly await the return of our Savior (Philippians 3:20).

 

When we are vocal we should remember to make sure that our speech is full of grace and seasoned with salt. (Colossians 4:6) Sailors and Marines this is not an invitation to let your conversation be "salty." As we eagerly await the return of our King Jesus, let us be busy being Christians. Let us be busy following the tenets of the Scriptures we each hold so dear. Let us not give into bigotry as the Priest did when ignoring the stranger. Let us not give into selfishness as the Levite did. Let's stop by the roadside and help. The Good Samaritan at great personal cost to himself was willing to lay it all on the line and help those in need. The Christian should be willing to do the same.

 

The Gospel we preach is not an easy one. It is not a Republican one or a Democrat one. The Gospel we preach is sometimes one that is a tough pill to swallow. So Christian, it's time to take your medicine and help.

 

http://imb.org/updates/storyview-2934.aspx#.VkzDoGaFNhE

 

gobgr.org/Syria.

 

NCSC Week 6--The Kinder Gentler RMTEX

For those of you who don't know. RMTEX is the Religious Ministry Team Exercise. It is designed to simulate life in the field in case the chaplain is stationed with the Marines. Normally, RMTEX is designed for chaplains and RP's and consists of 40-50 people. But due to program changes, our RMTEX consisted of us 19 chaplains, Gunny, our class officer, and some corpsmen.

MONDAY

At 0500 we loaded up our gear into the vehicles and drove out to the camp site. We set up camp which took a couple hours and then headed to our first evolution. Team building! This would turn out to be a lot of fun, but our team wasn't too good. We completed one of the five exercises. Well sorta. We blew up one of the team members right at the end of the one we completed so I guess it means we failed all of them. Oh well, it was still fun!

After that we did combat field medic training. We were ushered into a building that looked like a town and saw a body leaking blood and filled with bullet holes and wounds. It was almost like a day in Lillian, AL on the fire department.

That night, we camped out, but it was interupted by a severe electrical storm. We evacuated the tents and went into one of the buildings and slept the night there. It was nice and warm, but the floor was hard, and the light stayed on. Not too much sleep happened that night.

TUESDAY

Tuesday we woke up early, but since it had rained the previous night, we were told that a lot of the height evolutions would be dropped today. Much of the time at RMTEX we were up against the clock, since the Army was going to be using the course right after we finished.

The evolutions were challenging and I hurt my wrist trying to climb a rolling log that was nearly as tall as I was. After I successfully got over, I was hoping I was not going to have to do it again. But since we weren't doing some of the other evolutions we would do the same set again. So here we go, I had to do it again. This time my wrist hurt really bad. I took me three times at least to get over the log, but I made it. Short people should not do some of these evolutions....

One of the benefits of this kinder gentler RMTEX and our lack of RP's probably allowed some time to be built into the schedule. For a few hours, we took the vans back and were able to get showers and clean up a bit. That was wonderful!

My memory is a bit foggy about what else we did that day, but I think we had some briefs and some practicing of land navigation.

WEDNESDAY

Here was the day I was dreading, but it turned out to be a blast. We began the day with Victory Tower. This involved a lot of things! See the picture below (It's not me). I'm scared of heights and rapelling down a 40FT complete vertical wall is not my idea of fun. However, I was not going to give Gunny the satisfaction of seeing me scared of heights. I leaned back (trusted the equipment) and gave a big jump. It was so much fun!

We did more of the parts of the tower and went on to the next thing...PT!

Gunny called this modified PT. I was thinking it wouldn't be too hard. I didn't realize it would be a modified Marine Combat Fitness test. This meant I would have to do some ammo can lifts, low crawl, body drag, fireman's carry and some pushups. This was going to be challenging. I didn't think my body would be able to lift many of the guys in class. Thankfully I ended up lifting a guy that was 170 lbs. What's more amazing, is that as a firefighter, I had never done the fireman's carry....Now I have.

The next evolution would be interesting. This was the gas chamber. For those of you who are not familiar with CS gas. Read up on it. It involves tablets and fans. Most marines go in with a concentration of 30 tablets. Most chaplain classes have about 9 tablets. Our class had 3. We chalked up the lack of tablets to sequestration.

I had this plan to go into the gas chamber and conquer it without any adverse side affects. After going through the simulation, I figured I could take my mask off, say my number and clear my mask all in one breath. I get in the chamber. Did that and was thankful! I had made it. No problems...until Gunny said. Now take off your mask. I'm thinking to myself that this is completeling insane. He never mentioned this in the simulation! After taking the mask off we were to recite the Sailor's Creed. That was all she wrote...I was coughing and my eyes were burning like crazy. We exited the chamber and I was so glad to be done with that. My worst fears were done for RMTEX. I had conqured more than I had ever thought possible. It was great!

After this, we did some hiking and more land navigation practice. We also had some incidents that led to some other trying moments in the class, but each class should keep things within the team and they don't need to be shared among others.

THURSDAY

Land Navigation day and camp tear down! We were going to do some land navigation and see Ft. Jackson! It promised to be great. Our team had come together really well and we had found the points. Some stupid mistakes through us off, but we were excited. After eating our lovely MRE for breakfast, we were told no MRE for the rest of the day. Instead we'd have one MRE for our four people to share. Ugh.

I also decided to paint my face with camo paint. Gunny said I looked like Lou Ferrigno. I didn't recognize the name. But many people said the same thing.

We started off heading off in the right direction and quickly found our first point. The second point, we plotted in the middle of the swamp. We found it...well we found where we thought it should be, but it wasn't there. We spent two hours trying to find the point. We couldn't find it. By the grace of God we did manage to find three of our other points. By the end of the daytime land navigation my feet had it! I put some moleskin on my toe to keep from rubbing against my NWU boots. We had covered a ton of ground (Probably 10K or so during the daytime navigation). I was also starving.

I had been doing a carb free diet for 3 weeks, but at that point. We tore into our MRE. I had two bites of garlic mashed potatoes, some bites of stew and a sip of cappuccino.

Next we did some night time navigation. We hiked in full MOLLE pack to the course (Probably a half mile) This time we were told no lights at all were to be used after we plotted our points. So now, we had to memorize our Azmuth and distance. Our team was the last one out...This was not bodding well for the team. As we took off, we headed for our first point. We ended up finding...Starting Point 4...Another strike.

But we eventually found our first point...and then from there we sailed through the rest of them. We actually beat everyone back! Woo hoo! Go us! It was nice to be on top!

FRIDAY

Friday we spent the day cleaning equipment and doing Admin stuff. So that was my week! It was physically challenging and I really learned alot about teamwork, and about myself. I also more importantly learned that God truly is in control. He had answered many prayer requests and revealed himself to me in many ways!

NCSC Week 5

I am making up for lost time. I forgot to blog Week 5. So here it is!

Monday and Tuesday were finishing up Phase I of Chaplains school. Since we had taken our exam the friday before, there really wasn't a whole lot to do. We had some lectures and our three departing chaplains (those only staying for Phase I) would do some short five minute briefs to the class. After Tuesday's class, we would then begin our week and a half of REMTEX.

Much of the rest of the week was prep work for being in the field. We had a brief on Marine Corps history given by our Gunny. He really didn't want to do four hours of Marine Corps history so he gave us the highlights and then opened the floor to questions from the class.

This was really one of the best things to happen. Gunny was happy to answer our questions and really shared a lot of his life in the Corps. He has been through a ton of things in his life, and his story is really inspirational and motivating. It has motivated me to push myself more than I ever thought I would. (I didn't know that at the time though)

Near the end of the week we went out to our future campsite and grabbed our MOLLE Pack and Assault Packs. These packs would contain everything we would need for the week. We also received our gas masks and reviewed how to put them on and use them properly.

After Friday's class we took our equipment back to the room, and packed. Monday at 5:00, we would be headed to the field.

Each chaplain was told, no phones, no communication equipment. If we needed to be contacted, the Gunny said we could have Red Cross messages sent to us.

Wow, the next week would be interesting.

NCSC Week 4

Wow, it's hard to believe that I finished week four already and Phase I of Chaplain's school is now complete. The time has gone by pretty quickly, but I'm eager to be done with the training. I have learned quite a bit, and I want to put my knowledge into practice in my own way, with my own personality.

This last week we took a trip to NAS Mayport to experience the naval chaplaincy. You would think that is what I have been doing the last few weeks, but you'd be mistaken. A few years ago, the DOD decided in their infinite wisdom to move the Naval Chaplaincy School from Newport, RI to Ft. Jackson, SC. For this reason, there are not too many things "Navy" around here. It's odd to be wearing our NWU's (Naval Working Uniform/Digital Camo) and get stopped by people who say, "What branch of service are you from?" We would reply that we are with the Navy and they would smile, and say, "THANK YOU. I feel like I'm the only Navy person around here.

Yet, suffice it to say, we don't see too many things Navy. Colors in the morning, include Reville, not the national anthem. There are bugles sounding all the time, I see Army uniforms here, there and everywhere. So the Navy takes a back seat here at Ft. Jackson. We have our little building and that's it.

So to give the chaplains a taste of Naval ministry, we went to Mayport. This was a fantastic trip. It was wonderful to interact with many chaplains in the Navy. They all loved their jobs, loved their sailors and really got along well with other chaplains. The chaplains were super friendly and informative and very relaxed. It put us at ease, and made a lot of us feel compelled to be a Navy chaplain again.

We first toured a guided missile destroyer, and then spent the night aboard a cruiser. The ship was nice and clean (The galley, food was terrible) and the bunk where I stayed wasn't too bad. We stayed in enlisted berthing so we had 3 bunks in one compartment. Imagine if you will, three coffins on top of one another. Then you'd get the idea of how you slept on ship.

The comfort wasn't bad, the NOISE was. I didn't sleep hardly at all. I kept waking up to every little sound. Oh well, it was a great experience!

We ended the week with a couple papers and our second test. I did much better and got a 91% on it. So praise the Lord.

This coming week, we begin RMTEX. It involves lots of things...one of which is a gas chamber.

NCSC Week 3

Here I am sitting listening to music on my iPod and staring out at the rapidly flowing waters of Westen Lake. It's a bit on the chilly side as I write this during our self-care day. But the cool breeze keeps me from sleeping and let's me reflect a lot on the last week of class and events.

Monday was a depressing day for nearly half our class. We had our first knowledge test and nearly half the class failed the test. Passing in the navy is an 80% but my stellar score was 67%. Seminary wasn't that long ago and I did fairly well, but for some reason the class struggled.

 

These last few weeks have been a blessing, yet as a class we've struggled. People have struggled with situations and our teambuilding has needed a bit of work. I had been fairly isolated from many struggles until Monday. That morning, I had received the wrath of the gunny because I walked for about 10 seconds during PT after an unexpected incline.

 

Normally the words people say don't affect me, but it really got to me, because I felt I had let myself down. In addition, that day I heard Bethany had a bad day as well, being up half the night with sickness. So those things were weighing on me Monday. When I found out I had let myself down again with the test it was just another nail in the coffin emotionally.

 

Thankfully the Navy has remediation and myself and teammates buckled down that night and studied for our retake. But that day I resolved not to quit.There may be trials struggles and afflictions but those are just temporary in nature. (See verse at end)

Tuesday was uneventful other than studying for our test.

Wednesday, was where i would be put to the test again. 0500 was PT time and we had a running day. It was the same course as before and this time after the big hill i pushed through the pain and never quit even when it hurt. During the day I kept thinking about the test and slogged through another series of PowerPoints. These powerpoints are filled with ministry information and really are helpful but they do get tedious after a time.

 

Wednesday afternoon I felt good about the test and determined to ace it. Thankfully I did get 100% but since it was a retake the most I could get was an 80%. I didn't care about the grade I cared I had accomplished the goal.

Thursday was the time the we got to go to Parris Island. This is where we were able to observe the marines and experience a small taste of being a Marine. We got yelled at and we screamed back "yes ma'am" we got yelled at some more and marched from the van to he yellow footprints several times. It was disorienting and it's designed to help the recruit be disoriented and help strip the individuality away and begin the team building process.

It was amazing to see what Marines go through for our country. They are willing to lay down their lives for their countrymen. And they go through a lot of pain to have the honor of doing so.

 

The other blessing is the fact that Marine commanders acknowledge the need for chaplains in the military. Marine's love their chaplains tremendously. They are used to counsel regularly and I heard stories of recruits doing a complete 180 in direction and mind after speaking with the chaplain. The colonel we spoke with even said that he relies on his chaplain for advice and counsel routinely and trusts the chaplain completely. He encouraged us to GET OUT OF OUR OFFICE and see Sailors and Marines we serve. Ministry of presence is everything.

On the way back from our trip I heard the story of another one of our chaplains. He has gone through a whole lot already. His family has suffered through 2 PCS moves and his family has to go through another one and his wife and kids may have to do it alone.

Last night I was writing my second paper for our class and came across a passage of Scripture that I have been mediating on. It is found in II Corinithans 4:16-18 and states:

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

No matter the trials or afflictions, they are temporal. God will renew us daily and wants us to focus on the eternal not the temporal.

 

On to week 4! Our final week of Phase I.

NCSC Week 2

It's hard to believe how fast time flies. This week was a great week at Chaplain School. For most of the week we had a guest lecture series on Ethics by Captain Rick Rubel. He was very thought provoking in many of our lectures and caused quite a bit of discussion amongst the class.

It was so enjoyable to be able to contemplate things that would never cross one's mind. When it comes to ethics, most people think the world is just black and white. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

But how do you decide between a good thing or a better thing? How do you decide between two equally horrible choices? Those are the types of questions that the great minds of 19 students at NCSC tried to answer. And to be completely honest, I don't think we came up with anything substantial.

The only conclusion I managed to come up with is: I hope God will speak audibly to me, when I have a tough choice to make.

Apart from class, there hasn't been a whole lot going on. The PT sessions are strenuous. Ammo can lifts, suicides, sprints, pushups, situps, pullups. All that normal good stuff. Thankfully I have survived.

On another note, the devotions the other chaplains have delivered have been fantastic. The sweet spirit that is present among all is a sight to behold.

I was sick earlier this week and I think it might be spreading through the class.

This upcoming week should be great! We have a trip to Paris Island to look forward to.

NCSC Week 1

My head is cold. I will tell you why in a moment, but first let me let you all know that the first week of Chaplain School has been fantastic. The opportunities for ministry abound. As many people think that the military ministry is not a real ministry, or that there are no opportunities to be able to make a difference in lives of people, I want to be the first to say NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

The U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps is a small world. There are only 850 active duty chaplains that cover the entire U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy and let's not forget the 2 billets to the Merchant Marine.

There are opportunities to do the following as a chaplain: Preach according to your faith twice a week, lead a Bible study, perform weddings and offer marriage counseling, offer evening prayers, dedicate ships, dedicate babies, conduct at sea burial ceremonies, help those who are suffering and depressed and this is just a small taste of what a chaplain does every single day. It is exhilarating just to think about it!

I learned a few new things this week. First, I wonder how many people knew that when a ship is underway and there is a church service occurring the Christian banner (See Image Below) flies above the national ensign? What an amazing tradition that reflects the fact that God still has a place in our every day world!

Another thing I learned is that we have amazing instructors that care about their troops. I know that this may seem obvious, but I have learned that there are chaplains in the fleet that don't care. The instructors, particularly LCDR Moore, is fantastic and has given briefings that are practical, soul-stirring, hilarious and informative.

The next thing I learned is that this is not ODS! Thankfully, I have a room to myself, full kitchen, two TV's and maid service daily. I'm practically in the Air Force now ;)

Additionally, there are more things to tell about. The chaplains that are with me, though some are different (I think we have a bunch of baptists), all have a call to ministry. It is amazing to see how God has worked in so many individual lives. How He has led people through their own trials and struggles and has brought them to the place that they are in their military career. One of the cool things is that I met another chaplain who went to my high school. LTJG Chad Goddard went to PCS/PCA and is with me! Another blessing is that I was able to meet two other chaplains from that are also endorsed by Conservative Baptists of America. It is such a small world and God constantly reveals himself to me through these little blessings.

Now, the answer to why my head is cold. Gunnery Sergeant Foote wanted us to all have marine hair cuts on Tuesday when we went back to school. Well, I got a marine high and tight. Today it snowed. Lovely, my nice thick hair is no longer isolating my head. Gunnery Sergeant, seems to be a pretty nice individual. We had our first day of PT yesterday and he gave us two choices. Run six miles, or do the Gunny Obstacle Course. We chose the obstacle course. Today, my arms and neck are sore. :(

For those of you who are looking for information about chaplain school, here is the rundown of a schedule.

0730-0800-Daily Devotions with the other chaplains. These daily devotions are wonderful, you get to see how different faiths conduct some of their services. I observed the Eastern Orthodox service the other day and it was very interesting! Not my cup of tea though.

0800-1130-Lecture, "death by PowerPoint"

1130-1300-Lunch

1300-1630-"death by PowerPoint"

On Monday's, Wednesdays and Friday we have PT lead by the Gunnery Sergeant at 0530.

Well that sums up this week! God bless, see ya next Friday!

The Reserves!

For the last several months I've been acclimating to the United States Navy Reserves. Since joining I have attached to NOSC (Naval Operational Support Center) Pensacola and am enjoying getting to know the people there. There is a great group of sailors there and the leadership truly cares about the sailors under them.

The first couple months of reserves, was just workshop success and power point presentation. I honestly think the Navy has stock in Microsoft. Power points seem to be a way of life. One of the drawbacks was that there wasn't too much for a chaplain to do in these seminars. Much of the material focused on enlisted sailors.

After a couple months of being attached to the reserves, the XO suggested that I flex drill and work with some of the area chapels. Fortunately, I know the staff chaplain at Corry Station and was able to help him out.

While Chaplain Alander was gone for two weeks, I was able to fill in for him and do the Sunday services. It was an amazing opportunity and the people at the chapel are so loving, kind and caring. They truly were receptive to the message and the Holy Spirit moved in the congregation.

Next week though, is another milestone. I head to Ft. Jackson, SC to complete all three phases of Chaplain's school. This is a bit of a nervous time period, I don't really know what to expect. I have heard horror stories, but I know the Lord will carry me through. One thing is certain, this blog should get updated a WHOLE lot more than it has been in the last several months.

We are actually all moving up there. It will be nice to have my family close by so that I can hang out with them all during liberty. Also since the apartment is only 5 mins away. I should be able to see them quite a bit.

May God bless all of you!
Chaplain Dewhurst, USNR

The Future is Present

Well, it's been a week of emotions! I've been waiting for awhile to find out the decision of the CARE board. Today I found out I did not get the Active Duty slot that I requested, however I was offered a reserve spot instead. My chaplain program manager said that it was like getting a consolation prize. I suppose it's better than nothing and its obvious that is what the Lord has for me right now.

The disappointment was really hard to handle at first and I wasn't sure I wanted to do much of anything. But after speaking to a couple chaplains, and my lovely wife, we decided to accept the reserve chaplain position. There are actually a couple benefits to being in the reserves. First, there is a chance to be called up to active duty at anytime. In fact, after talking to a current reserve chaplain, I found out that there are two week billets, and even 365 day billets. So if I do a reserve tour for a bit, I have a good chance of being active duty when I have even more experience.

But right now, I'm just trying to wrap my mind around the fact that, with the Lord's help, I achieved the dream of being a Navy chaplain. I am not a chaplain candidate, I am a chaplain.

God does give desires of the heart, we might not understand how they will all play out, but He does do all things well. (Psalm 37:4)

And I'll close out with Chaplain Justin Bernard's quote: "CCPO's are not Chaplain Wannabe's...They are Chaplain Gonnabe's..." Today I realized that statement. 

So onward, and forward.

-Nick

They That Wait Upon the Lord...

Let me begin by saying this: I hate waiting. Have many of us ever spent much thought thinking about how long we wait? We wait at the DMV for our licenses. We wait on our spouses to do something for us. We even wait on publisher's clearing house to tell us that we've not won, but we're entered in the final drawing for 10 million dollars. Waiting is something that I have learned to do over the last several months and I'd like to tell everyone that it gets easier the more you do it. (Kind of like riding a bicycle) but it doesn't.

I can't believe that in December 2010 I decided to resign my full time position at Berean Baptist Church so that I could pursue the Naval chaplaincy. That was nearly 18 months ago. 18 months I have been waiting for a dream to happen. As I look at the last 18 months, I have had many things to wait for. Here is a short list.

1. Acceptance into the CCPO (Chaplain Candidate Program)
2. Commissioning as a Naval Officer
3. School Grades
4. My Disney Cruise
5. A Job
6. IRS Refund
7. Graduation from Liberty
8. Orders to ODS
9. Graduation from ODS (LOTS of Waiting at ODS)
10. Going before selection boards

These are some of the things that I have had to wait for, and as I look back on these things, I realize that the Lord has helped me each and every time. After looking at the timing for each of these things I had to wait on, I realize that the Lord has perfectly (Not coincidentally) orchestrated everything.

Now I am near the final part of the journey. Everything listed above has occurred and is now in the past. I am now I am waiting on the decision that will probably change my life (One way or another). Last Friday I was told that my packet went before the CARE board earlier than I expected. Now I am waiting their decision and I was told I had to wait 2-3 weeks for the result.

I will tell you that waiting does not get any easier. As I write this blog, I have gone an entire week, hoping for a phone call. But deep down I know that everything happens according to his timing. I must wait on the Lord, because I have seen over the last 18 months, that his timing is perfect and waiting on Him always has the best reward.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."--Isaiah 40:31

All Good Things...

ODS is done! As many can tell from my facebook posts! It's nice to have this step done in my military career. That means there are only two more obstacles to getting a PCS somewhere. Those two steps are CARE board selection and Chaplain School.

Week 5 (The Conclusion)

The last week of ODS was nice and easy. There wasn't too much to do. Monday we had our last organized PT. It was a 3 mile carrier run. Normally these runs aren't too bad, but this day was extremely tiring. We had Lt. Lufkin run with us, and he must have been a cheetah in a previous life, because I the pace was much faster than it had been. I had a hard time keeping up, and nearly thought about giving up. But I pressed through the pain and kept running. After the long run and our cool down. We had a "nice" breakfast at Ney Hall Galley.

After breakfast there was "Personal Enrichment" time. This meant we could personally enrich ourselves. I think most of us decided to take a nap. This time was actually used for those who had not finished the Buttercup and/or the firefighting simulation.

Tuesday:

More personal enrichment time.

Wednesday:

TRAC day. This is where we had chaplain's come in and talk to us about our future careers. Chaplain Moore was fascinating and enjoyable to listen too. He answered lots of questions and really made me excited about the future ministry. I can't wait to be in the fleet! After Chaplain Moore spoke, we had Chaplain Bernard tell us all about being a CCPO. (Chaplain Candidate) Since I'm near the end of my time as a CCPO, I knew most of what he was saying. But I found his information on CARE board selection quite informative.

During this time, I found out that the June CARE board meets on June 27. I also found out that my packet was near completion. I would have to work extremely hard to get the final things ready for my packet if I wanted to get all the information needed in to my recruiter so it would be submitted!

Thursday:

I saw my wife and we had our "Hi Mom's" celebration. The dinner was quite nice and it was wonderful being able to meet the families of many of my company mates. Everyone looked great. Except the one who won our uniform inspection award. He forgot his white t-shirt. It was hilarious. Although Chief didn't find it too humorous. The three chief's gave a rousing speech. Our chief gave the most motivating speech! Hoo-Rah!

Friday:

The day we waited for finally came. It began early with a mile cadence run. It was not too bad, except my knee was hurting quite a bit. Thankfully after the first hill. I got my stride and ran it out. We picked up our final orders and then left base until Graduation time!!

The End is in Sight

ODS Week 4

Well the end is drawing closer and I never thought I'd get this far! Week 4 actually went by very fast and it was great to know that I would be seeing my family very soon.

Most of Week 4 consisted of the DOLC Class. (Division Officer Leadership Class) This was a much pleasant break from the powerpoints and a whole lot more interactive. To sum up the first few days. We were in class, ALL DAY. It was fun though and the roll playing and information was very helpful. As chaplain, some of the things won't necessarily apply. But there are some great leadership principles that can be drawn from the information given.

Friday we had our final PFA. I was hoping I would do well, since this was the one that really mattered. Meaning if we failed, a letter would be sent to our next command informing them that we failed. So I really wanted to pass. For those of you who know, this is the big part of my worries at ODS, the physical portion. Well now that it's behind me, it's nice to know that I can pass my PFA without too much stress. Now the goal for the remainder of my career is to keep passing! I did 68 pushups, 53 curlups and a 1.5 mile run in 13:32 seconds. Not stellar results, but I passed and received the good score! I'm tired of PFAs! Thankfully you only do your PFA two times a year. I did 3 in five weeks here.

Friday night many in the company were preparing for their liberty. They planned on taking a train to Boston and watching the Boston Red Sox play. I was unable to go, since I had watch that night. But my roomate and I planned on travelling to the historical city of Boston as soon as we had been released from watch.

Saturday, we drove to Boston and I have to say, Boston traffic is not too terrible. We started our trip by seeing Harvard University. There is so much history there, particularlly religious history. It is a shame that a school that was founded on religion does not embrace it's history. We saw the Divinity School and some of the other historical sites in the immediate area. After our trip there we headed for lunch at a great Italian place. We had some of the best calamari I had ever eaten and then headed for our next stop.

My roomate, Mark Bristol, had the brilliant idea of parking at the Coast Guard base. Since he's former enlisted, he's the one that comes up with all the brilliant ideas. We parked there for free and stopped at the club to charge our phones. After charging the phones, and fixing an iPhone that was not working correctly, we headed for the Old North Church, Paul Revere's House and the USS Constitution.

Seeing the Constitution was amazing. The ship was so powerful in its day that it earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" As I went to the lower decks I realized one thing. I did not have to duck! :) I was the perfect height for serving on the ship. I don't think I would have bonked my head too often!

After seeing the ship, we headed for some canoli's. They were great and filling and I didn't have to pay, since I fixed his phone :) Thanks again, Mark!

After leaving Boston we headed to Newport for dinner and then drove back to the base. It was nearly midnight. I had not stayed out that late in a LONG time. My idea of a great evening is not to be out all over town. Normally I like being at home by 9:00 (I'm getting old.)

Sunday was a great day. I was able to sleep in a bit, and then we all got in our dress whites to march in the 300th anniversary of Abington, MA. While the bus was broken, hot and slow. We were able to make it after a few wrong turns.

Marching in the parade, allowed me to be very grateful of the people that are in our country. They were so appreciative of the troops. They all stood and cheered and one guy even offered his single daughters to us. Moments like that made me proud to be able to serve our country.

Here it is on Monday. Our chief returned from his paternity leave! We welcomed him back to PT with a cadence about his baby girl. He is on cloud nine since having his first child.

Hope everyone has a great week! This week is graduation week!!!

Hand--Salute!

ODS Week 3

It wasn't until my wife told me that it had been a week and a half since I updated my blog that I realized how quickly time has begun to move here. After the first week feeling like it was about three, this shortened week flew by. The weekend Liberty from last week was refreshing, but after the flury of activities, I was actually becoming bored without my family by my side.

Monday (Memorial Day)

What a privlege it is to serve one's country. I have always been facinated by the military and have enjoyed watching the reverent ceremonies that take place on and off base. This day, I was going to be part of the color guard for morning colors. The flagpole at NAS Newport is the second highest of any military base so naturally the flag would be gigantic. It certainly was it was 38 by 24 (Roughly). As we began to march out, it was just amazing to see the pride and dignity that our flag was treated with. Those that truly love and honor their country, revere the symbol of it. For a short side sermon, I wonder how many people that claim to love Christ truly honor, revere and honor his name and the symbols of the faith (ie. God's Word). After color's ceremony, I enjoyed a relatively boring day at the liberty center.

Tuesday: Most of the day was spent in our "Death by Powerpoint" session. But primarily this day was immunization day number 1. Unlike ages past, when you were lined up and were shot with everything, our blood had been previously screened and we were selected for our shots. I ended up getting three this day. I honestly don't remember what they were but, my arm was hurting a bit after the shots.

Wednesday: PT early in the morning. My average day involves waking up at 4:15 every morning, going to the head and then getting changed into my PT gear. At 4:45 we're "on the line" and ready to go out and begin PT. After our warm up lap around the track, and our "morning dynamic exercises" we were about to run 3 miles. AHHHH! I have never run 3 miles before in my life. The most my wife ever made me run was 2 miles. So I was unsure of what would happen. Thankfully, it wasn't too bad. I managed to finish with little pain. I don't really remember what happened the rest of the day, but more than likely it was more powerpoint and a review for our Navy exam.

Thursday: Today was the beginning of a flurry of activity. We had our Navy knowledge exam as well as our Mid Navy PRT. For the Navy PRT test, I managed to shave 15 seconds off my run, add the 11 curlups I needed and added 5 more pushups. (Chaplain Alendar, I forgot to do my tricep pushups) I scored an overall "GOOD."

For our exam, we had to remember everything we learned in our power point sessions. Many people spent hours studying for the exam. And if any of you know me, you can figure out how long I studied. I think I studied for ten minutes. I could tell by the way the instructors were wording things, that this would be a "no brainer" I awoke this morning. Did PT and headed for our exam. The exam was pretty easy and I scored an 88. Passing was a seventy, and no one in our entire class failed! After the exam it was time for more lectures and prepping for our lovely third week inspection.

Friday: The inspection was the stress of the week. The instructors made us feel as if it was the most important thing in the Navy. And to be honest, it was our mission to accomplish. The inspection involved  spitting out our Navy knowledge, having our room inspected, and our summer white uniform inspected. I was a bit nervous during it all, but kept in mind what our chief said, "It's all about confidence" I think you could have been confident in your knowledge and been completely wrong and they would have passed you. But that's just a guess. I took several hits on my cover (Lots of IP's (aka Irish pennance, aka string). My bed fold was a 1/4 inch off and I missed my Navy Mission statement. Yet in spite of it all, my inspector said I was above average.

After a few more short briefs this day, we were briefed on the only thing that everyone wanted. LIBERTY! People were allowed alcohol if they chose, and were allowed sweets and to go off base! I chose to go off base with several other chaplains. We went to a nice restaurant in downtown Newport. On a side note, I really wish I had more time here to be able to explore all that Newport has to offer. It really is a beautiful city. However, if the Lord permits, I will have to do that another time.

Today is Saturday! Continuing Liberty. Sort of. We woke up this morning and were instructed to do another 3 mile run. When we arrived on the field this morning. Our chief made us do more "ON YOUR FACE" because two people had been talking during chow earlier in the week. After 3 or 4 mins of that, we began to run our race. The bad part was, we were running through the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl. But as our chief said, "If it's not raining...We're not training." This is one of many of the "Chiefisms" that he utters. I think I could spend an entire post on some of the strange things he says.

Until next week!

Fire in the Hole!

This week has turned out to be very interesting as far as things to do here at ODS. For the most part, our chiefs have stopped yelling at us all the time, and we are under the leadership of our division officer. Although we do manage to mess up the easiest things. We had some "pain and discipline" for one of our guys not shaving. And some more pain and discipline for yours truly not stowing his officer's crest outboard on my belt loop when my garrison cap is not being worn. Oops!

Sunday was a good day. Our chief was on quarterdeck watch so he was around a lot and taught us some things in the classroom that day. The nice thing was that each of the staff corps officers were able to share their stories about what drew them into the Navy. It was very touching. It was also nice to hear that our chief thoroughly enjoyed his graduation. We also got to hear about his career in the Navy as well.

Monday, I don't really remember what we did. So it must not have stood out! Oh that's right. I think we did Dental that day. It involved sitting and waiting. I found out I have a cavity. But since I'm not going to a duty station (as of yet), I will probably have to pay to have it filled on my own (Thank you Apple for Health insurance) After dental, I believe we had some drill and some lectures and not much else. I actually was able to sleep quite a bit!

Tuesday was a fun day, though not so much in the morning. Since it was raining, we did PT indoors. This involved two minutes of pushups, curlups and lots of laps around the P-way's of King Hall. After PT was breakfast, followed by me driving the students from base to the medical center for their audiograms. Since I had mine done in Meridian, MS last year, I think it was already in the system so I didn't need to go! THANK YOU LORD! After four hours of sitting in the van, getting to know my new roomate, we returned for lunch and then headed off to the USS Buttercup!

I know, the name doesn't inspire fear, shock and terror in the hearts of the enemy. But it is the Navy's only underwater boat trainer. This boat allows sailors to train for the unthinkable. Shoring up and stopping leaks if the structure of the ship were compromised. After a few hours of lecture, we headed for the boat. The water was a nice 80 degrees and after our 75-80 minutes and two different drills we did manage to save the ship from sinking!

Today was a nice day. After a 1.5 mile of 30-90's (Running for 90 seconds sprinting for 30) we came back for breakfast and then headed off for firefighter training. As you know this was something that piqued my interest. After many lectures about SCBA, Fire extinguishers and everything else we got to don our turnout gear and go fight fire. Unfortuntely, my back was hurting very bad today. I had to get my SCBA off as soon as I could. (For those of you in LVFD, they had some cool masks but their tanks were about 15 pounds heavier than ours--Tell Chief, I'm still training even up here!)

Tonight I went to Chaplain Drakes services on base. They were wonderful. Just what I needed. The worship service was great, the Bible study was expositional. Another shipmate (aka Sea Warrior) of mine went to Clearwater Christian and him and I both liked it. So if two "enemies" can come together anything can happen right?

Tomorrow is supposed to be lectures all day! We'll see what happens! Off to study my Navy Knowlege. Everyone wish my son a Happy Birthday! He turns five tomorrow! What a big boy!!

There's an Acronymn for That

ODS Week 1

Well the first week is behind me as far as ODS goes. Honestly, all the blogs I have read seemed to make it out far worse than it really has been. Let me give you a run down of the week as best as I can. Since all the days have seemed to run together, I'll just be as accurate as I can.

Saturday (May 12)
After saying goodbye to my wife and kids, I boarded the plane for Atlanta, GA. There wasn't a whole lot to that trip. Pensacola to Atlanta is like riding down the street in a nice sports car. Nice, smooth and fast. The plane landed and I boarded the trip to Detroit. There was the first snafu in the process. The plane that was going to take me from Atlanta to Detroit had a malfunction and arrived late. This seemed to be no huge problem, because I would have enough time to get to my connection that would take me to Rhode Island. Unfortunately, they kept pushing back the time. I arrived in DTW, and ran from Concorse A to Concorse B. This was no small run, and I had 11 mins to make it. Unfortunately I arrived 1 minute to late. I had to board the next flight to Rhode Island which was 3 hours later. I used that time wisely, studying my handy-dandy Navy Knowlege and listening to the Fire Alarm at DTW go off for 15 minutes, as people ran around in some sort of panic. Hey, I'm a firefighter. If there's no smoke, there's no fire. Usually.

Well the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I met some prospective ODS students at the airport and we caught a Taxi to NAS Newport. This took an $85 cab fare down to $20 a piece! Praise the Lord,

Sunday (May 13)

The morning was my own. I went to the liturgical service on base. It wasn't too bad, but really seemed short. (About 30 mins total). I had lunch with one of my Liberty classmates and met some people that were in my company. At 1730, the first briefing with our class Lieutenant took place. Lt. Fromnecht. He is a really nice guy and really wants us to learn how to be Naval officers. He's very patriotic and has had some very inspiring words for each of us to remember. The first briefing consisted of Navy paperwork. As they say in the Navy if it isn't written down, it didn't happen. (Hence the reason for this blog).

One of the things I had dreaded most was the weigh in. I had worked for several months to get to the right weight. I had checked myself on the scale and saw I was 2 pounds heavier. Since the height measurer measured me an inch shorter than normal (This meant I had to be five pounds lighter than I initially thought) This was tough. I was stressing big time! But by the time I got on the scale I was within standards! Praise the Lord!!

Monday (May 14)
More paperwork. We also learned some marching basics from our Class LT. Nothing hard so far. We had lunch, learned some lunchroom procedures and at the end of the day the Lieutenant told us to be ready at 4:30am. I was pretty ready for 3:45 since that is what I had read.

Tuesday (May 15)
0430 on the nose. Our class chief Chief Hebert woke us up screaming to get up. He ran down the hall banging on the doors saying, "On the Line!" We had no idea what to do. But we did as he said. We did something that day. But I really don't remember. Oh yeah. We got our PT gear. Or was that Monday? I don't remember.

We learned a bunch of Navy terms. Here are some I had never heard of before (P-way=Passageway, or Hallway; Scullery=Spider looking Dish Return; On your face=Do Pushups). Anyway, our class chief is really quite good at his job. He is tough and stern, but he is not afraid to show that he is a human being. Congratulations to him too, because he just graduated from college. Maybe he'll become an officer now and go to ODS. :)

This was also the uniform shop day. This involved 5-6 hours of standing in line being fitted for everything the Navy would require you to wear. Fun fun fun!

Wednesday (May 16)
Lots of lectures on basic things. Navy knowledge. Also this day was the Navy's third class swim test. It was really a lot of fun. I passed (Thankfully). There was a 10 meter jump, a front facing five minute float a swim and inflating the khakis. It was a fun!

We really began to do a lot of drilling these days. We learned a bunch of marching movements. A lot of neat things.

Thursday (May 17)
This was the first PRT test. I'm still not sure how I did. But no one said I failed. At least not yet. We also had to begin prepping our Khaki uniforms for inspection. This was much more difficult than I had imagined. There is something every Naval officer needs to do. That is take pride in his uniform. There are a bunch of new terms to learn here too. Gig line, brass on brass, IP's=Irish Penance=String as well as other terms. We also had an inspection rehersal too.

Friday (May 18)
Uniform inspection day. All the time I spent looking at my Navy knowledge would come in handy in this one inspection. Lectures most of the morning. The rest of the time was spent prepping uniforms. Our company was late. This is not good. Our chief said he'd make us pay....

I did pass the uniform inspection. Because we were late, I did not get to adjust my uniform so my gig line was off, my belt was off and my laces were not tucked in correctly. Ughhh! Oh well, I passed! We thought we could wear our uniforms. Unfortunately, not. We hadn't earned them yet.

Saturday (May 19)
Today started at 4:30 like normal to the sound of an air raid siren. We were led from deck to deck doing PT (Pushups, Squats, Situps, led outside to the SUYA (Don't ask); the Cookie Jar and the Rose Garden (aka Sand Pit). This wasn't too terrible, but my abs hurt. After this awakening. We were told we had earned the right to wear our Khaki's! Woo Hoo! Our company looked pretty good marching in them. However, one thing, the SHOES HURT!!!

See ya'll next week! For update number 2!

Playing Taps or Reveille

I'm not sure where to begin. Since my last post, lots has happened. As of right now I have a little less than twelve hours remaining before I board the flight to Providence, RI for ODS (Officer Development School). The chaplain program operates a bit differently than others and one day I will have to take the time to devote an entire post to the process. But suffice it to say, I have been busy getting everything ready for the time of my life!

So for the next five weeks, I will be trying to blog about my experiences as a Navy Chaplain. Hopefully future Chaplain's and Chaplain Candidates will be able to view the blog and if it's a help to you, great. If it wasn't...well tough.

For the first post about ODS let me tell you some things I have heard that might help or hinder your time at ODS.

1. Be thankful you're not in OCS.
2. Don't call the Chief, "sir".
3. Be prepared to spend some money.
4. Bring Swiffer
5. Give up Caffeine
6. Get ready quickly
7. Have fun!

See you all soon!

Order Up!

Two weeks ago, I received my orders to ODS. For those who don't speak military, (which I don't) it stands for Officer Development School. From what I understand, there is very little school and lots of physical development. The goal of the school is to put prospective staff corps officers (Doctors, Lawyers, Chaplains) into shape so that they can effectively do their job. After all, nothing can move the Holy Spirit in a military chapel service like realizing that your chaplain can bench press you as well as the pulpit from which he is preaching.

For the last year or so, I have been getting myself into shape. In spite of me telling myself that "Round is a shape" I have forced myself to run, do various push ups, sit ups and other forms of medieval torture. 

Thankfully, I have had my wife endure the torture with me so its not too bad. 

To be completely honest, the "Corry Get's Fit" program is a great program. I have not lost the weight that I've been hoping for, but I have been able to see great differences in doing some of my PRT exercises. 

Currently from May 12-June 15 I will be in Newport, RI. This is just one step in the process of becoming a Navy Chaplain. After ODS is complete, the next step is chaplain school. And then from there, there are options presented to me. 

1. I will be able to go to Active Duty (Which is entirely up to the Navy)---This is my first choice

2. I will go to the Reserves (Which is entirely up to the Navy)---This is my second choice.

3. I can be removed from the program (Which is entirely up to the Navy)---I sincerely hope this doesn't happen.

So as of now, I'll keep training, working, praying and hoping. Everything is in God's hands and His timing is always perfect.

Entering the Realm of the Blogosphere

Posted from January 2011--Trying to put everything in one spot.

When I first heard the words "Navy Medical" my mind conjured up all sorts of weird military images. I had heard stories from several former enlisted military personnel, that made me wonder if this was going to be a huge ordeal. Most of the stories revolved around having to "Bend over, and 'Spread your cheeks'" so I was praying I would not have to endure that part of military initiation.

Since determining that the Lord has called me into the Naval Chaplaincy, I have, for the last 10 weeks, been preparing myself physically to join the Navy. I have lost about 4 inches off my waist and lost 20+ pounds. Yeah! But unfortunately, I was still above the maximum weight standards. So my best hope was that I would be below the 22% body fat standards. Many prayers and worries revolved around that one concern.

Monday night, I left home around 4:15pm and traveled to Meridian, MS to spend the night. If you've never traveled to Meridian, you're not really missing much, since there's nothing there. (Although, someone swears there are two Wal-marts and a Sam's club somewhere) I arrived on base around 9:00 (21:00) and waited for my sponsor to show up so that he could escort me on the base. When he did arrive, I was greeted by a friendly face, and was given the grand tour of NAS Meridian. My final stop on the tour was my room, which was a very spacious hotel room, consisting of stove, two refrigerators, and bathroom facilities.

Tuesday morning I awoke at 5:30 and checked my e-mail and got ready. I decided to do a work out and found a "Fit for Duty" exercise program on the Pentagon channel. It was very intense, but helped me wake up. I followed my workout with a shower, and then breakfast.

At 7:45 I arrived at NAS Meridian Branch Medical. I waited for awhile until my sponsor showed up, and I was put into the system. Immediately I went to the eye exam, which I passed. And then I went right to the lab to get blood work done. Unfortunately, I did not fast for twelve hours so they were unable to do my labs. (I was told, I didn't need to fast) But labs will be scheduled soon at NAS Pensacola. (Yeah, no 8-hour round trip!) However, it was discovered that my birthday had been entered wrong into the system and needed to be fixed. Back to the front desk! After the mix-up was cleared, I went to dental for a full set of X-Rays and a dental check up. The next stop was hearing...

As most people know, men can't hear. At least that's what their wives claim. Well, the hearing test was the worst part of medical. I was in a small enclosed sound-proof room with a set of headphones on. I was told to push the button when I heard a tone. So I did...and proceeded to do so for what seemed like 20 minutes. Mind you, I was straining to hear every little sound and ended up hearing the buzzing of the lights, my heart pounding in my head, myself swallowing and all sorts of sounds that you normally just block out. I managed to push the button the correct number of times and thankfully passed that test.

The next and final test/exam was vitals and physical exam. Here was the time that I had been dreading. After more paperwork being filled out, I went to another room and was told to get on the scale....ACK! I was praying that my height would be higher and my weight would be lower...The Petty Officer had me keep all my clothes on, shoes, jeans, phone, wallet, keys and had me hop on the scale. I weighed about 7 pounds over the limit. Thankfully with my shoes on, I did manage to get an extra half an inch! But in the back of my mind, I was still 7 pounds over and that would not be good...

Next came the physical. It was a breeze. Just following a light with my eyes, getting my reflexes checked, breathing etc...Nothing major. Passed that with flying colors.

My sponsor and I returned to his office and I told him my concerns about the weight. He had one of the enlisted folks get a measuring tape for the body fat test. (I silently pray that I make it below 22% BF) After doing a bit of paperwork, I get measured and....pass the test with 2% to spare! Woo Hoo!!

We then go to the Galley, and eat and around 1:10 I had an interview with the base chaplain. He was a nice man, a southern baptist and it was rather informal. I received a lot of information, and am now more than ready to hurry up and get my schooling done, so that I can get to active duty and start a great ministry with the military.

So right now, I have a few things to do before I get my commission. I have to get my labs finished, transcripts sent, and another interview. So I'm hoping that sometime in February and March, I will be a Navy Chaplain Candidate with the rank of Ensign! 

Continue to pray for me and my family as we transition to this new adventure! God Bless.