Catch up.

Well, after my predictions for the Super Bowl teams were only half right, I forgot to pick my Super Bowl winner. I did however, pull for the N.Y. Giants. I even bought the Giants Super Bowl shirt and wore it to the Super Bowl party. I watched the Super Bowl on the Carnival Dream with about a thousand other people. Most of them were pulling for the Patriots, so it was really fun watching Eli and the Giants pull off the win at the end.

Speaking of the cruise, it was amazing. It was my first cruise ever, and I can’t wait to go again. The ship was pretty awesome. The food was great. The weather was great almost every day. The stops in Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Costa Maya were amazing. Rachel and I snorkeled with a school of squid, had a massage on the beach, ate amazing food, saw some amazing beaches, had monkeys craw on us, zip lined, drove a Land Rover through the jungle, viewed crocodiles on the river, explored a cave, ate iguana, bought some cool souvenirs, soaked in the hot tubs, and agreed we needed to divorce. It was truly an awesome vacation.

Since returning I have moved into my own apartment. This has been a lot of fun. I have been buying and acquiring furniture for the last two weeks. I finally have everything that I need. Well, I still need a bed for Abby, but she likes to sleep in the bed with me anyway, so it isn’t that important right now. The kids love the apartment, and love staying with me. I look forward to my days off so I can be with them. The suckiest thing about this is when I go home to an empty place, and I don’t get to see the kids before they go to bed or leave for school.

I’m not happy about the divorce. I truly feel like I have made every attempt to keep it together, but it takes two. I don’t believe divorce is ever the right thing to do, but in this case it seems unavoidable. Anyway, there is a lot more to it, and it isn’t anyone’s business. I may write about my true feelings on divorce someday, but not now.

My Top 11 Reasons I Love Rachel

11. She can make friends with anyone.

10. She became a great person even though she came from a background that definitely didn’t promote it.

9. She makes the most amazing Lasagna in the world.

8. She is an amazing writer, and has even published her own Kindle Book. Coming Out: Poetry & Short Stories

7. She is the smartest woman I know.

6. She is absolutely beautiful.

5. She married me even though I was a total jerk and didn’t deserve her.

4. She stayed married to me for 11 years (in one month), even after I treated her bad and did awful things to her.

3. She gave birth to the 4 most amazing kids in the world.

2. She is the best mother those 4 kids could ask for.

1. Her desire to love and honor God.

Summer Vacation is about over

I have been off of work and school for the last two weeks. That is all about to come to an end. I go back to work on Wednesday, and my summer classes will start on June 2nd.  We didn’t go anywhere during my time off, but I have greatly enjoyed relaxing, spending time with the family, and doing some unnecessary reading strictly for enjoyment.

Over the last two weeks, Rachel and I have taken the kids to the zoo, to two movies, and to a company picnic. We have spent a lot of time at home just enjoying being a family. Since we weren’t able to take a real vacation this time, we are planning on going off somewhere in August when my next vacation time is scheduled. We were able to dump the kids off for one night, and go out and have a bit of personal time. A movie, a good dinner, and time alone is always a needed, and appreciated experience.

I was able to catch up on a little yard work, but I didn’t make that a priority. I am glad I don’t live in a community which enforces strict by-laws on yard, and home maintenance. They would have already kicked me out. Fortunately, we have a close by neighbor whose yard looks like a jungle. Just passing his yard makes me feel better about mine.

I have been reading two books over the past few weeks. Debating Calvinism, and In My Place Condemned He Stood. I have enjoyed both of them. When I finish, I plan on posting a review of each. Hopefully, I will be finished with them both before my next classes start on June 2nd.

So far I have only registered for one class, although I am still contemplating whether or not I will take a second. The summer should be busy, especially if I get a practicum. I have requested it, but since I was about five months late in the process, it isn’t certain if I will actually get one. It really doesn’t matter either way, I can either take more classes which will get me closer to the M. Div or I can go play chaplain for a summer. Either one will be beneficial.

Much to do, and much to look forward to. All for the glory of God.

Years ago today

Ten years ago today I was in Kaiserslautern, Germany counting down the months until I could leave the Army and go home to Tennessee. I had recently returned from my second deployment to the Balkans with the 230th MP company. I had serious short-timer’s attitude and was pulled out of my unit and placed in the gym. It was great. The unit had to provide the installation gym with a soldier to run the gym after regular work hours, and I got picked. I got to show up for work wearing workout clothes and didn’t have to put on a set of BDU’s again until it was time to clear. I was in a great church and was loving life.

Seven years ago I had just returned home from two weeks in Germany. This time it was with the Army Reserve unit that I was in. It was a Postal Unit, and that’s what we did for annual training. I was able to go back to Kaiserslautern I visited my old church and had a great time. I was also looking forward to my wedding. Rachel and I got married two days after Valentines day in 2001. I couldn’t wait for that day to actually get here. I was working at a low paying security job, and we really had no clue what we were going to do. I lived in a tiny one bedroom apartment, and none of that mattered, cause I was fixing to get married. The day finally came and my life has been awesome ever since Rachel became my wife.

Five years ago today I was a father with a seven month old baby girl. The most beautiful little girl God ever allowed to be born, and if you don’t agree with me it’s only because you didn’t see her. Seriously, if you have a daughter and you think the same thing of her, then you’ve never seen baby pictures of Kyra. If you have and still disagree, well, you are simply lying to yourself. I had also been working with my current company for two years. I was making great money, and was thinking that I had a great life.

Four years ago today we were expecting our first son, Elijah. I loved my daughter, but the thought of having a son brought unbelievable joy to me. God was filling my life with all the blessings I could ever hope for. At work I was staying extremely busy, and making all the money I could spend. My spiritual life was suffering because of all the time I was spending at work while missing church.

Two years ago today Owen was on his way into our life. Actually, he was 6 months away, but he was on his way. I wasn’t nearly as excited about having Owen as the other children, but once he got here I immediately fell in love with him just as much as with the other two. God had once again blessed my life with another awesome child. At work, I had just begun a new job in supervision. I was making more money and working less hours. Life was great. We had recently started attending Fellowship Baptist Church and I was really excited about what God was going to do with us there. Unfortunately, as time went on it didn’t seem to be the fit we had hoped it would be. I had also just recently finished up my Bachelor’s Degree, which would become extremely important in the next turn in our lives.

One year ago today I had just finished up my first semester at Seminary and was beginning the Spring semester. God had called me into ministry years before, but I had no direction as to where He would send me or how He would use me. Then in the Spring of 2006 I got the call. A very clear call it was. God showed me the path I was to follow. The Army Chaplaincy. Within a matter of months everything was in place and I was taking the oath as an Officer in the United States Army. So, as I worked on my Seminary work, I was making plans to attend CH-BOLC in the Summer of 2007. I now had a wife and three kids. I had a great job with great benefits, a large home, and a good future, and I am preparing to go back in the same Army I couldn’t wait to get out of only 9 years before.

Today I am waiting. I have everything I have ever wanted. A wife, three awesome kids, a good job, and a nice home. And here I am just waiting. As I look back at the last ten years, every aspect of my life was a part of what led me to where I am today. It may not be the way I would have scripted it if I had my way, but I know that anything I could have done couldn’t have made me as happy as I am today. And as I wish I could be serving soldiers somewhere in the world today and leading them to Christ, I try and remember that God is in control. He will keep me where He wants me, and when it’s time He will move. And before I know it, I will be looking back at what He has done for me over the last ten years and thinking of how great God is once again.

Praise God for all His goodness and mercies! Praise Him for His guiding hand! Praise Him for His greatness!