Visiting Home

Monday night

16 Feb 09

I made it home and back this past weekend. It was really nice to see the family and friends again, and to know that if we made it this far, we can make it the rest of the way! Looking back, 6 weeks didn't seem all that bad, so the next 6 weeks should be the same. (I hope). I loved seeing my wife and kids again, and it was a special time at home.

I've included a few pictures of the family taken at the airport, and one of the USO Club in the Dallas/FTW airport. I walked right by it before I realized that I'm now allowed to go in there! So I flashed my military ID and enjoyed a free lunch and soda while watching some comedy show in a flat-screen TV. It is a 2-story club, with room for Soldiers to sleep, watch TV, call home or get on a few computers, as well as eat and relax. It was packed with Soldiers coming and going to Iraq and/or Afghanistan.

On my way home I say next to a young Sergeant coming home for his 2-weeks break while in Iraq. In over 4 months, he has seen his Chaplain only once! That may have something to do with his remote location, but more likely something to do with his Chaplain's refusal to go visit his Soldiers in remote areas. We're told some Chaplains like to sit around and wait for their Soldiers to come to the Chapel, and that just doesn't always happpen. It made me sad for this young guy that he has not seen his "pastor" in 4 months.

I also had an interesting experience on my flight home that strengthened my belief that I'm right where God wants me to be. On the first leg of the flight I sat next to a scared 18-yr old kid who was on his very first flight ever to go see his biological dad for the very first time. The dad found him on the internet a year earlier, and they arranged this visit. His name was Michael and he had also just joined the South Carolina National Guard and would be doing his basic training at Ft. Jackson in a few weeks, but for now he was going to spend some time with his dad. Needless to say, he was a nervous wreck. So, in the course of the flight I got to know him a little bit and then prayed with him (twice) to help him through the flight and the anxiety about meeting his dad for the first time. He grabbed my arm and thanked me after we landed in Dallas. I had to acknowledge that there was a reason God put him in the seat next to me that morning, and I hope his very first experience with an Army Chaplain was a good one!

Well, it should be a busy week again here. We have our mid-point diagnostic PT test this Friday, including weigh-in on Thursday. We'll see how well the exercise so far has paid off (or not)! Oh oh, too much good food at home this weekend...