Evidences of God's Grace

God has been very good to me thus far on my trip. Let me tell you about it.

1. See that picture up there? That is almost all the medicine that it would take to get me through 6 months in Afghanistan while eating like a "normal person". This is now the 11th day that I have thrown out my diet. I am eating at the military dining facility (DFAC) and not taking some of my anti-inflammatory medicine (the really big bottles and the ones wrapped in bubble wrap), because it is too cumbersome. The result? A few stomach aches, but my joints have been fine! I even worked baggage detail and only had muscle soreness, no problems with my joints. Truly amazing!

2. I have met some really nice people. There are two guys who are headed to NTM-A/CSTC-A, just like me, so I should run into them throughout my deployment. Then there are the two Sergeants who talked to me as we traveled, answering questions and giving me advice. There was the civilian guy who asked me if I grew up on a farm, because apparently I was throwing bags like bales of hay. There was the Chaplain who sat with me at breakfast and talked. And many others!

3. In a separate category of his own is LTC Hopkins. I never did introduce him to you. He is the married father of 3 children, loves Jesus, and works in a different division of the Center for Army Analysis. W have prepared for deployment together, sharing notes and going to training. While traveling, he has been a sort of home base for me, giving me advice, talking through decisions and issues, keeping me out of trouble, and teaching me about the Army specific situations I keep finding myself in. I could probably get through this by myself, but it is so much better with him! LTC Hopkins is one of the most significant evidences of grace on this adventure thus far.

4. All of you are such a blessing to me! Thank you for praying for me, engaging with me on Facebook. It is wonderful to know that I and loved and supported in this grand adventure.

5. Hot showers. Need I say more?

6. Free wifi and calls home. This is not World War II. I am not writing letters home in hopes of receiving out of date news several weeks later.

7. The ability to sleep even in a tent with other strangers who come and go at all hours and a rule that the lights must remain on. I'm not sure if this is a specific gift from God or if it is just an indication that I am too exhausted, but I'll take it!

Update and Prayer Request #2

I leave the US tomorrow.  Wow. 

My bags are packed.  LTC Hopkins gave me lessons on how to assemble and wear armor, a helmet, and a gas/chemical mask.  And I found out that I was assigned to the baggage detail.  Not sure how that one happened.  I know myself to be a small person lacking any significant muscle mass.  However, the Sergeant in charge of this detail thinks my excuses are silly.  I'll give it my best shot!

We have been trained and filled out way too much paperwork, stood or sat in lines for hours, and made it to formations that were held too early in the morning.  We still have no details on the flight - only that there will be one!  I'm still excited, a little nervous, and as this post may indicate, a little scatterbrained.  But I think I am ready.

Thank you for praying for me!  It means so much to me when my mom tells me of all the people asking about me and telling her that they are praying for me.  Here is how you can pray this weekend.

First, we will be flying in several planes between several countries.  It is a lot of coordination for administrative people and for each of the passengers.  Please pray for wisdom and guidance to get through all the points along the way.

Second, please pray for safety.  That all the planes would work and all the people involved would be alert and able to do their jobs well.

Thank you so much!  Next time I post, I should be in a different country!

P.S.  Those combat boots above are mine.  I can't believe I now own combat boots!

The first step

Greetings from Fort Benning, GA!  Thank you for your prayers for my flight.  It was an interesting experience.  LTC Hopkins and I had a delay on our first flight and missed our connection from Atlanta to Columbus.  However, we were automatically put on another flight and after another delay we arrived with our luggage!  We took a bus with some other Soldiers to Fort Benning to begin processing through the Continental United States (CONUS) Replacement Center (CRC).  We will be here for a week.  Above you can see one of the landmarks of the site.

So far Army life has not been too bad for this Civilian!  LTC Hopkins has helped me stay out of trouble and understand what is going on.  We are supposed to have 4 man rooms, but given the smallish group that is here and the very small number of females, I have my own room.  I've never had a dorm experience, so I guess this is it!  The food has not been too bad.  I decided to go off my diet (with the help of some supplements) so regardless of what I am eating, I am no more restricted than anyone else - which is a wonderful feeling!  The lady who serves the food is trying to get me to gain some weight and serves me portions that are more suitable for a teenage boy!  So I am definitely not starving.

The days have so far been filled with paperwork and boring lectures, but I am quite fascinated by all this Army stuff, so I am enjoying myself.  I tried on a uniform today to get my size and stood in formation. Probably not cool for a Soldier, but it certainly is for a curious Civilian!  They told that they will not march us to places because previous people wrote in their evaluation surveys that the did not like to be marched.  That sparked quite a bit of laughter today!  But I guess these people really pay attention to their surveys!

Tomorrow we have formation at 0530 for the military and 0600 for Civilians, so I had best get to bed.  We have medical all day.  I would not be too disappointed if my lingering cough was enough to prevent me from getting the smallpox vaccination...  I shall have to report on that later.

Prayer Request #1

It's getting so close! I spent today packing and working on online training. It is kind of fun getting ready to go with other people who are going as well. For lunch, my office took me and two other deployers out to Ghengis Grill, a Mongolian restraunt that loudly announces to the whole restraunt anyone who is deploying (or having a birthday). It's pretty fun! I have fabulous coworkers!

Thank you to all who are already praying for me! I wanted to let you know more specifically what I am asking the Lord for right now. First, my family has been sick for a few weeks now with various forms of colds, coughs, and maybe flu. I did not escape and have a cold/cough. Given that traveling while sick is no fun, I would love prayer for healing so that I can start this trip off well.

The second request also has to do with travel.  Airplanes and far away places make me so very excited! However, it also makes me quite nervous, too. This travel is more complicated than anything  I have done before, so it makes me REALLY nervous. Thankfully, I will not be alone. I have a coworker (LTC Hopkins. I'll introduce you soon.) who will be traveling with me and I am sure to make friends along the way. However, I still need prayer for safety while traveling and wisdom to know what to do in these new situations.

Now for some sleep in hopes of feeling better tomorrow!

The Beginning

Before I go too far with this blog, I probably ought to explain what it is all about.  The name comes from this passage:  

"Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.  Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God.  For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart." Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

This passage is special to me, because it reminds me that God can give us joy in the mundane or otherwise unpleasant details of our lives, and we do not have to wait until Heaven to experience it.  God Himself, not our circumstances, is the source of our joy!  And He is always with us!

The purpose of this blog is to share with my friends and family the joy that He gives me in my deployment to Afghanistan.  Ok, maybe that sounds funny, but I really mean it!  I'm excited to see and experience all that I will see and experience there.  And I'm excited that I will do it with Him!

So, will you join me on this adventure?