The Trio

Yesterday I arrived here in Mesa, Arizona.  It was a good flight of which most of it I slept through.  After arriving we went to Denny's for a nice lunch and then I retreated to Mom's house to hang out with Mom and my bro.

Matt for some time has been talking some trash about how good at basketball he is.  Unfortunely his talk wasnt followed by the walk as I beat him in three games.  But man, he is huge.  He is so much taller then I remember and as he is growing up he has slimmed too.  But it was fun hanging out with him and my mom for the afternoon.

Later on we went to my Uncle Fred and Aunt Marie's house to see my cousin Tim and his son Brent and Brent's mom Allison.  Man, I know babies dont like me, but this one was the worst of all I have ever seen and this one is my cousin.  I would just look at him and he would give me one of the most aweful faces ever.  And when I came close to him he would tell me to go away.  But at the end of the night, with Allison's help, Brent gave me a high five so that was good.

I retreated to bed early last night being so tired from a long day and woke up today to my mom chewing my bother out.  He was suppose to get some English done so that he could miss yesterday to come meet me at the airport and he didnt do it right.  So now he is in trouble, but at school at the moment.

Well I most likely wont post till after Thanksgiving so Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Almost Going West

Today is now Monday, which means that tomorrow I will be leaving on my way to Arizona. I am really looking forward to my trip out West to see my mom, bro, and family. I went to Wal-Mart tonight to get a jacket for the trip since I am expecting cold weather when we make our journey northward to the Grand Canyon, God willing.

Today was a great day. I got to do something I really enjoy, teach. Tim was away at a youth leaders conference so I took the responsibility of the High School class for the day. I taught on church discipline and I thought it went well. It was rough teaching again; I'm a little rusty and I was never all that great, but I had a blast doing it.

A missionary from Brazil spoke this morning and it was quite enjoyable. Instead of it being mostly about his ministry, like most do, it was about our ministry and how we are to advance what God has called us to do, whether home or abroad. After that we went to the church wide luncheon for Thanksgiving. It was a fun time, but honestly I prefer El Tap. One thing bad happened. Josh and I were suppose to hook up for some disk golf and bad communication lead to us not playing. I thought we said to meet at the church around one and he thought we were suppose to meet at the High School. I still think I'm right, but I'm very forgetful so I have no clue.

After a great lunch I went to change clothes and headed back to church for a game of football. It was fun even though my team lost. I got a little to into it once and a while as my competitive attitude took hold of me. If I never learn to control that better I might have to give up sports eventually. But thankfully the guys I was playing with kept me from getting to crazy.

The evening service was good tonight. I was so tired, but Jeff maintained a lively sermon and I made it through. After ward we took a large group to IHOP for a good meal and great conversation. Then to the Marble Slap for some ice cream.

We headed back and went to Ashley's house for a second and then Erin and I went to Wal-Mart to get some stuff. As we were walking in Erin spotted Rye's car with her and George in it and we snuck up and scared the snot out of Rye. It was quite funny. We went in and got a few things. I got to see George a little. Not enough to say I know much about him, but he seemed okay from the outside. He is a little, well it is easy to see why Rye and him are friends. But I don't mean that in a bad way. After Erin finally got all the stuff she wanted, or at least thought of, we headed to Church and I dropped her off.

It is now 12:23am and I have a dentist appointment with Dr. Boston at 8:30. I missed my appointment Friday which really ticked me, but I'm easily ticked. So I need to get to sleep, but before I do that I'm going to read a little of The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis. For FBC persons don't forget that visitation is tonight at 6pm and for non-FBCians, who are Christians, please pray for us as we go out to spread the good news.

Relaxing Day

This was a great day. I woke up early around 7:20ish when Nancy said good by to Dustin before she left for work. I went back to sleep. I woke up a little later when Sam told Dustin good by as he left for work. I laid there in my bed thinking about the awesome things I have been able to do as of late. I went back to sleep.

I finally woke up around 10 and got Dustin up so we could cut some fire wood. We did that and he went to see Anna off to Knoxville and I got ready for the Daughters of the American Revolution invitation. Dustin came back and we watched TV after I he helped me tie my tie. I took off and he went to sleep on the couch. I came back and hung out watching TV while he slept till Nancy came home. When she came in I chatted with her and checked my mail. Then she cooked a great meal as always, potato soup.

Then Sam left to go teach and we retire to the living room to watch Kentucky basketball. Lance showed up and hung out with us. Kentucky won, but didn’t play well and I was falling asleep during the game. Around 10ish I went to pick up Leah from her night of cheerleading and grabbed a Coke on the way home.

Now Lance is in the living room working on his homework and listening to classical music, and Dustin is sleeping, and I'm just sitting here thinking about pleasant things. It was a good day. I hope more like this follow.

Back in the Swing of Things

It was awesome to come back home and get right back in the swing of things. Things have been so hectic, yet they have been a great joy. I got back on a Wednesday and headed to Church. What a sweet return that was, back to seeing all of my friends and family in Christ. A large group of us went out to eat and that was pretty awesome. It was cool to see everyone together.

Thursday I hung around the house and Friday we (FBC Youth) took off and headed to our Big House Retreat. That was an amazing weekend. Friday night we had a dinner together and played a little basketball and had our intro-session for the weekend topic of coming to know God better; to better understand who God is. Saturday we got to hear more great teaching from Tim and played a ton of sports. My old knees just aren't what they use to be as I was pretty sore at the end of the day. As the night came to an end we enjoyed a movie, chatted a little, and went to sleep. I want to send out a special thanks to my roomies: John, A-ron, and Caleb for not keeping an old man up all night. Sunday we got to sleep in a little later and were greeted with a wonderful breakfast cooked by Wendy and a few of the girls. We had our last session and a lunch to end the great weekend. We packed our stuff and headed off.

It was an amazing weekend and I enjoyed it a bunch, yet sorrow was in my heart to some degree. I remember back to the days of a different youth that isn’t quite as youthful as they once were. Hard core basketball games with a bunch of guys who were all about the same level. No one person dominated a game, other than Josh when he wanted to. I missed some of the older girls that are gone. But it was great to have Rye there, on the other side this time. She did a great job with the younger girls and it was awesome to see.

Sunday night was church and it was good as always. Monday was fun, I got a car. It was my aunt and uncle's and they hooked me up on a great deal. Thanks guys. Tuesday I missed prayer breakfast like a moron. Wednesday I went to church and then we went out to eat afterward. Thursday I can’t remember. I know one of those days I went to lunch with Tim, but can’t remember which one. Friday I went to the High School for the Happening rally, then to lunch with the group at Pizza Hut, then I spoke at White County Middle School (That was rough. By far the biggest group I have ever spoke in front of.), then had lunch with Rudy (an Army friend), and finally to the Men's Conference.

That was a great opportunity. Dr. Hunt was the speaker and he did a good job of challenging men to be leaders and to remain strong through grace in the race of life. He is a very talented speaker and gifted teacher of the Word.

I woke up early Saturday to go to the second and last day of the Men's Conference. We had a good breakfast provided by the Gum Spring's ladies and heard another great lesson. After that I went to the Church to help get things ready for the Happening. After that I went home to have lunch with everyone and our special guests R.V. and his son, Xavier. That was fun. R.V. is kind of crazy, in a funny way.

Then it was off to the Happening. Man, this may have been the best year that I have experanced. Nancy, Rye, and I were the leaders of the greatest game known to man, Corn Hole. It was a tough competition, but the camps were decided. It was an amazing night. Fun, exciting, and moving. R.V. delivered a compelling and moving message, and through the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit sixty-two people gave their lives to Jesus Christ. Ninety-nine rededicated themselves to Christ after they had fallen away from their walk. In total around 620 young people heard the message of Christ death and resurrection and ten percent were convicted and came to saving faith. I want all of you to pray for these people who made a profession of faith in Christ. They are like babies in a forest of wolves and it is our responsibilities as Christians to go out and put a hedge of protection around them so that they may grow in Jesus Christ and be conformed to His image.

It was a great night for me in the fact that I just got to hang out with a lot of friends and the opportunity to meet a friend for the first time. I was excited to hear how Kayla is trying to get back to China. How Kristie is trying to get into Oxford. I got to meet a girl who I have talked to quite a bit while in Iraq for the first time, Michelle. It was a great night of hanging out with Nancy and Rye as we worked together. Another night I hope never escapes my memory.

Then came Sunday, everyone is tired. Sunday school was great as always as Sam leads us deep into the truths of Thessalonians. R.V. spoke during the morning service and delivered another powerful message. A friend of mine, Rudy, came to church with me and that was awesome. It was good to have him there. After that I went to lunch with my normal group,Dustin and Anna, added at the best food in town, El Tap. I had to say good bye to Kristie and Kayla once again as they headed back to school. Played a little football with the guys and I got my "bottom" smoked.

After a shower I headed to Sunday night service and discipleship. We talked about the Happening and discussed what could have been better and prayed for those whose lives were changed. Listened to Jeff bring a message and then went to eat at Yanies. Spent the rest of the evening with Erin, Kara, and Rye and then headed home.

I slept in today and then got up and cut some wood with Dustin. I have to get ready here shortly to go and speak for the Daughters of the American Revolution. That should be fun and hopefully I do better today then I did in front of the Middle School.

Home Sweet Home

The time has come; the day is here; I no longer have to look forward to this day; I am home. It has been a long journey. I can not complain though. I have learned so much, seen so much, and now know more about myself than ever before. I look forward to writing more about my final days of military life, but for now I am still in shock of what I am able to enjoy. Thank you to all of you who were so kind to me while I was gone offering up petitions to our Father. Never did I covet your prayers so much and I trust that with out them this trip would have been most unbearable. God be with all of you.

Never Loved Camp Shelby So Much

Wow, it is hard to believe, but it is 0700 on the 26th of October and I'm at Camp Shelby Mississippi. I have not seen this place in over eleven months. Honestly, when I left here I would have said, “I hope I never have to see this place again.” But now I’ll tell you that I love the look of this Mississippi paradise.

My whole trip went well. On the 25th at 035 we were scheduled to load a civilian flight which would take us north into Europe and then over Greenland and down though parts of Canada to some where in the US, and then to our final destination of Gulf Port, Mississippi. The process started at 1200 on the 24th when Navy customs came and searched our check baggage. We laid all of our stuff out on cots and they went though to make sure we didn’t have any thing not allowed. It didn’t take to long and we got out bags packed and out side to be picked up by the truck. Those bags were some of the tightest packed bags I had ever seen. No one wanting to carry a bunch of stuff on the plain crammed those bags to the max. It worked out good for me as all I had to carry on the plain was my computer bag.

After Customs came though we went to get some lunch, but that turned out to be a hassle more then anything. SGT Bryant, SPC Bridges, and myself went to get something to eat and came back and chowed down to make sure we weren’t late for anything that might come up. They told us we would be heading to Camp Ali Asaline (Kuwaiti base) at 1615. Well, guess what? We had some guys who decided not to show up early and when they called for us early we where missing personal. So the three of us who came back early were chosen to go look for those missing. We walked up to the shopping and MWR area looking for the missing troops—none to be found. We knew we didn’t have much time so we headed back to find that they had already returned and were waiting on us. They said we had four minutes to get back or they would have been leaving us, but nothing goes that smoothly in the National Guard and we were there for some time making sure we had correct numbers and everyone was present.

We loaded the bus and headed out. It wasn’t a bad trip but it did feel kind of strange. We had already turned in our ammo so on our trip though Kuwait all we had was an unloaded M4, not even knives or bayonets—they had to be put in check baggage which was on a different truck. But Kuwait isn't really that big of a deal. The bus ride lasted for about an hour or so and we were at Camp Ali Asaline. When we got there they gave us our briefings and then swiped our ID cards, showing that we were preparing to leave southwest Asia. We had to go though customs again for our carry on bags and then we waited for the time. Loaded another bus and headed to Kuwait City.

We got to Kuwait City and loaded the plain and took off to Shannon, Ireland. It was a good flight. I slept as much as I could of it. We made it to Ireland adding a new country to my list of those been to. Up until this deployment I had never left the forty-eight continental states. Now I have been to Germany, Kuwait, Iraq, and Ireland. After the plane had been fueled and restocked we loaded and took off to Banger, Maine. What a treat that was.

As we were coming down the hallway to the main lobby we were greeted by thirty or so people. Many of them Vets of real war such as Korea, Vietnam, and WW II. We were in the presence of some true heroes, and they were there to greet us. A group dedicated to returning soldiers has taken a room of the airport and used it as a welcoming center. They had drinks and cookies in there for us to eat and enjoy. The best thing was that they had about fifteen cell phones they were letting everyone use. Everyone was allowed to call home using them no matter where they were from in the states. It was a very special gift, their expression of kindness and love for the little service we have returned from. Then they called our number and it was time to load up once again for our final leg in the air as we headed to Gulf Port.

We pulled in and started to off load the plain and were greeted and welcomed home by a Major General and a Sergeant Major as the band played in the back ground. A small group of wives drove all the way to Gulf Port to meet their husbands and it was a good sight to see as they were reunited. We had a short formation and speech from the General and we got on the bus and moved north on our way to Camp Shelby. Got there and turned in our weapons, moved in the direction of our housing, and were welcomed by another group of wives, children, mothers and fathers. It was such a joy to see so many men returned to their loved ones. The First Sergeants got us to off load our baggage as fast as possible and we had our last formation so that the men could head to the hotels with their families.

It has been a long process. I have learned a lot; about life and myself both. I now have another ten to fifteen days left to SRP, which is getting changed back to National Guard from regular Army, and to wait on a bus to take us home. I hope to make it home as soon as possible so that I might be reunited to my friends and family, for good I hope. I am anxious to be going to Arizona to see my mom in Mesa for Thanksgiving. It will be right at 17 months that I haven’t seen her.

My days are all most over and my new adventure will start. Things aren’t as sure as I was hoping as I still have not heard from Georgetown College, but I am trusting in the Lord; that He is guiding my steps. I want to thank all of you for all of your prayers. They have been by far the greatest gifts anyone could have given. I don’t know where I would have been with out the hand of the Lord correcting me in my error if your prayers had not been with me. Nothing bad happened to me this entire deployment. I went out saying I was bullet proof, trusting in the Lord, and it turned out that it was more than that as He was always with me. In the rainy season it rained without end it seemed, yet there was never a time that it rained on me; when I didn’t have a cover of some sort to protect…where as most of my group will have the stories of being soaked while on the Brassfield-Mora OP. I never suffered any sever injury. A few colds along the way are the worst things that I can ever claim to. God has been kind and I praise Him for His mercy. Thank you once again, you who have prayed for me and encouraged me with your words and actions. May the God of grace, hope, and peace grant you with the blessings that I have enjoyed over the last sixteen months.

Leaving Today

I need to be brief because my time on the net is limited, but I wanted to let you have a little update. At the moment I am in Kuwait at Camp Victory. I flew out of FOB Bernstein on a Schnook and headed to Camp Warrior on the 21st. We left Camp Warrior on the 22nd and arrived here in Kuwait. All went well on both the helicopter ride and the C130 flight. The C130 flight was a little interesting when we had one or our engines go out. No worries though as the other three were enough to get us safely to our destination. To day we will go into lock down and have our baggage searched for any contraband. At some point we will be headed to Kuwait City to load a civilian jet which is scheduled to take off at 035 (1235am) on the 25th. Only about a day and a half and I'll be back on US soil. I cant wait. It has been a long trip.

Last Days

My time in Iraq is coming close to an end. Day from now I will be loading a Schnook and heading to Warrior, a base, to which I will then load a plain and head to Kuwait. We are so close to the end. Though the days are near the end, they are not over. Yesterday evening we were hit with a mortar which was a strong reminder. Lying on my cot I heard a loud hum. When I heard the sound I knew we were being hit with indirect. I wasn’t afraid though. When you hear a rocket or mortar coming you are usually pretty save, as you hear it when if flies over you. Then a split second later…boom! It hit. It was rather loud. I'm use to being in a bunker when it hits, but at the moment I'm staying in tents. But we aren’t that vulnerable as we have huge concrete barriers around us. None the less it was extremely loud. I got up, put my computer to the side, got my IBA (Individual Body Armor) and caviler on, and went out side to see where it hit. Most everyone was outside looking for the impact site and they said it hit in a field to the west of us and no one was hurt. So I went back to my cot to finish my movie. In the end it was no real big deal. Found out later the located point of impact and it was about 150 meters from our location. The kill radius of the mortar they used was only about 30 meters or so. So we were in no real threat. Yet, it was a reminder that we are still here and danger is still possible.

Around a week ago we had a convoy out on a mission and they were hit with an IED (Improvised Explosive Devise) hurting two members of our Eliminator group. That is the same group that lost three members in one IED attack back in August, one being from the Sparta unit. One had shrapnel to the head and one to the arm. No real reports were announced to us, but they did say that both made it. Not in our AO (Area of Operation), but in the AO of Third Squadron a soldier was killed by an IED last week.

It is a shame to lose a soldier, no matter when, but it does seem a little harder to lose one so close to the end. We have made it this far. But the time is almost over.

Anaconda

Well, at the moment I’m laying in my rack listening to Reliant K. It is 1705 and I'm pretty worn out. I woke up this morning at 09 and didn’t go to sleep until 0630 after lying in bed for an hour and a half trying to sleep, but things were just filling my head keeping me awake. When I woke up at 09 I used the latrine and headed back to bed for more sleep as I was still worn down pretty bad from a long night. But again, thoughts filled my head and sleep was not going to happen. After lying in bed thinking about grand things I finally got up at 1100 and headed to the showers to get up and ready for the day. On my way there I came to see that the shower was closed for cleaning so I just headed to the latrine to shave and clean up as best I could.

So ready to do what I needed to do I headed to the PX, the military store, to pick up some needed stuff, stuff I needed to mail home. After getting everything I went to the Post Office and sent my stuff to the Hill of Sugar. It was still kind of early, about 2ish, so I went to the MWR and got on the computers and talked to Nancy. We chatted for a while and then I made my way to the gym to shoot. My game isn’t very good, but better then when I first got here. Last night playing in a game I hurt my heal, not sure what is wrong with it but if I move my ankle fully extended it hurts pretty bad, so jumping wasn’t to good for it. Odd turns and high pressure aren’t good either. Plus my bad knees aren't holding up well after so many days streight of playing. So I took it easy and then I finished out with a good brick.

Then I went back to the PX and got some OJ and the CD I'm listening to now. Now on track three…not to bad, but I like K. So now I'm about dead, physically, after playing ball last night for three hours and staying up all night and then only getting two and a half hours of sleep. But mentally, I'm wide awake and even if I wanted to go to sleep, all I would do is lay here and think. Which wouldn’t be bad, most thoughts are pretty good ones. But I guess here in about an hour I’ll walk down and get some chow. On my way back I might stop at the Internet Café and post this blog, other wise it will be a day late, but that wouldn’t bother me to much.

I'm hoping to be heading back to Bernstein in the next couple of days. I have been here way to long, thirteen days now. And I've been away from my FOB for a month and five days. If rumors are true and I’ll be home around the 15 of November; then I should only have about 55 days left. That seems like so far off, but less then two months. Compared to the 9 months I spent on the front end of my tour before leave that isn’t much at all. But coming home was so amazing and refreshing.

I tend to forget the blessings of home when I’m there: going to church, when ever I want to just to hang out and not only on Sundays; going out to eat with friends, and it be okay to just sit there for an hour or so and talk and the food be good; driving for hours back and forth to Atlanta and it being one of the best days of all; eating dinner with my family in Christ; talking to Dustin for an hour at two in the morning when he comes in from spending the evening with Anna; getting to see such a couple as them in love; sitting though the edifying teaching of Sam in Sunday school; sitting in Tim’s office and chatting like we use to; discussing the current events with Angie; playing games in Erin’s new and awesome room with cool friends; eating the Miller’s food; getting to pick up some one who can’t drive yet at 6:30 in the morning for prayer breakfast; no-school day; beating my Aunt in ping-pong; talking to my mom on the phone with out a delay after every word; spending a day with my family and meeting my newest cousin; going to poets and buying frozen chi and hanging out in the bookstore; telling Nancy something I thought was a secret; going shopping with Leah and her finding me appropriate pink clothing; listening to Rye tell me I'm not suppose to where pink; watching Kara play volleyball; seeing Caleb get sack like Josh did when he didn’t have a O line; seeing Cookeville beat the Warriors again; talking to some one about something that actually has importance; standing in the youth room talking to Kayla as if I had never left; watching Brit paint some words on the wall; surprising Nancy on my return and getting hit; surprising Leah on my return and getting hit; hiding under a cloth from Dan when I first came back; bring a gift of chicken to the Benningfield’s and King’s; seeing David Miller run his mouth over stupid stuff; to see Joel so happy with his new girlfriend; driving Doug’s huge truck during the scavenger hunt and making a few people man, sorry; spending my last morning in Sparta with two of the coolest little kids, whom I would now call friends; talking to Ronda as she tried to pry info out of me; waking up around 7 everyday and having a purpose to get up; seeing rain; being rookie of the day at corn hole as I won every game, sorry…a little prideful; eating at Red Lobster and having the worse customer service I have ever seen and listening to Erin pray for her; seeing Rye’s dorm room and meeting her friends; talking to Phuong about my plans as we waited for the girls to get done shopping; going to Atlanta and the only thing we come back with was something for someone who didn’t even go; about dieing as a trucker tried to run us into a wall, twice; about hitting Kara in Kristie’s Kia; going to Hidden Hollow and just walking around; seeing a movie on my second day back with some good friends; listening to Leah say that fake fog smells like wet feet; taking my cousin Nicki shopping, playing put-put golf and all three of us so bad that we cheat almost every hole; talking theology with my Aunt Sue on the way back for Pigeon Forge; playing disk golf and getting my “bottom” kicked hard by Josh and Lance, but beating Jojo…haha; getting my debit card unauthorized because I spent more in two weeks than in the past year; having Nancy there to back me up; having the excellent customer service people of Belk help me find something nice to wear; getting chewed out because I don’t try my clothes on before buying; finding out that I bought the wrong size and hearing, “I told you so”; Dustin taking the shirt because it fit him fine enough; me wearing his shoes for the most part of the last week; having to label all my clothes so I’ll know which ones are mine when they are all in his closet; seeing my friend’s faces; hearing my family’s voices; starting to hear what is going on in the lives of those I love; and I could go on forever.

There were some things that I didn’t like though: letting some one down by not meeting them like I said I would; seeing some one hurt by my foolish words; paying so much for gas; it being only 15 days; people standing for me in church, as if I had accomplished something; seeing a woman, who was a friend, once married to a friend of mine now living with another man; her having kids and them no longer being in church; it being as if it was no big deal, as if divorce isn’t that big of a concern, as if a man and woman’s marriage isn't a picture of Christ’s marriage to the church; having to tell so many that progress in Iraq is so slow; people trying to get political with me; seeing how Tim has no help in the youth ministry because most people at church are so lazy and they only care about themselves; hearing about the worst revival preacher to ever come to FBC and most of the church thinking he was the best thing since sliced bread; finding out that one of my good friends has an illness and she doesn’t even seem to care enough to make the preventive measures to keep it from getting bad; seeing one who I have looked up to for so long act so foolish because his plans for his son’s future aren’t going as he planned; saying good bye to everyone I love so much.

Well, as you can see the good out way the bad greatly. All in all, I don’t think a better leave could have been possible. So now I'm about to come home to leave again though, only not over the sea this time. I’ll be heading to Georgetown, God willing, in January. I'm not accepted yet, Nancy has just mailed in the paper work, but I trust that this is where God is leading and that will be further evident when I'm accepted and there. I can’t wait to start. I'm so old and so far behind, but all things are according to His good pleasure and I wouldn’t give up my past for anything in the world. The past 4 years, since my graduation, have been the best years of my life. I have learned so much and made so many friends. I don’t think I would be here now if I hadn’t been where I was then. Further showing that, “all things work to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” So that is where I’m headed, and I can’t wait.

Okay, I’ve said enough for now so I’ll sign out. I love you guys. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A brother in Him,

I'm Almost There

Well, I have made it to Kuwait. It was a good flight, though very long. Don't have much to say, I'll try to write more when time allows. I love you guys and thanks for the best 15 days ever.

Your brother in Christ,