the final countdown

Anybody remember that song from the 80s? I loved 80s music. Still do.

So what does 80s music have to do with me coming back to post on this blog for the first time in more than 6 months? Absolutely nothing. Other than the title of the song. It's the final countdown. I know in my last post I said that we had decided to extend our stay an extra semester. But things change. New schedules come out and you realize that you can fit in 3 classes in the summer instead of just 1. To make a long story short, as of 10:01 AM yesterday I officially have less than 100 days until my graduation from seminary.

As I said above I was able to fit in 3 classes this summer, along with my Air Force tour to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs. I currently taking my final 4 seminary classes and, assuming that I pass everything, I will graduate on December 12. That's when the fun really begins. I still have to get 2 years of pastoral experience before I can go on active duty with the military so we're looking for the place God has prepared for me to serve. Our lease on our apartment is up December 30 and we don't know if we'll still be here or moving elsewhere so we're not sure what to do about it. Oh, and Dee Dee is pregnant with our 4th child, which is due on January 15. Busy, busy, busy.

Speaking of the baby, yesterday was great in many ways. Not only did it mark the crossing of the 100 day plateau but Dee Dee had an ultrasound and we found out that we are having another boy. His name is Tyler Ethan and we are all excited to welcome him into the chaos that is our family.

Well, I know it's been a while, but you'll remember that in my last post I said I would be extremely busy during the Spring semester. Well, it lasted through the Spring and Summer, and into the Fall. I have 19 books assigned this semester, 2 of which I've already finished, 2 more of which must be finished, along with parts of 2 others by Tuesday. So I must bid you all adieu for now as I bury my head in a book for the night. I promise that more will be coming to this website in the future. Good night all.

and then there were 2... (update)

We have decided to reevaluate the timing of my graduation. I got all the syllabi for my classes and loaded everything onto my calendar. It was quite a bit of work but would still have been doable. The key came when sitting at community group on Wednesday. We are going through a series on money and our attitudes toward it. I was convicted by much of what was said and Dee Dee and I talked and looked over things after group. We realized that it will actually end up costing us less money out of pocket if I drop a class now and take an extra semester to finish instead of pushing myself to finish in December. So, I dropped my Personal Evangelism class and graduation has been delayed for an extra 5 months. A little more time and a lot less stress on me and my family is a good thing.

and then there were 2...

As in only 2 semesters remaining in seminary. I can't believe that I will actually (God willing) be graduating in December. The spring semester starts on Monday and I will be taking 15 hours. Before everyone starts telling me how absolutely insane I am, I've already heard it quite a few times. The thing is, I can either take 15 hours this semester, 6 in the summer and 11 in the Fall or I will have to go another semester. Since I'm not keen on putting off active duty with the Air Force for an additional 6 months, I'll just have to take 15 hours. Here's the rundown of my classes for the Spring.

Introduction to Old Testament II
Ministry of Proclamation (the preaching class)
Personal Evangelism
Biblical Worldview and Education Practice
Discipling Adults

So, if the frequency of posting here on the blog does not increase like I promised for the next few months at least you'll know why.

square peg, round hole

Ever been somewhere--church, school, job, wherever--and felt like the proverbial square peg in a round hole. I've been feeling that a lot lately. It's not that I'm trying to force myself, or being forced, into positions that I don't fit. This is occurring in places where once I fit into the slot like a hand into a glove. I just can't tell if I've changed shape or if the hole has altered shape around me. I guess it's a little bit, or possibly even a lot, of both. But regardless of which shape has been altered I know that I no longer fit correctly in some of the places where I am and I need a change. Pray with me that I would make the change that God wants for me to make.

writing again

Since I seem to have developed a small but fairly loyal following (as evidenced from the small but steady numbers on my traffic reports) I suppose I should attempt yet again to return to posting on this site. The end of this past semester left little time for things like blogging. Following almost immediately on the heels of Dee Dee's miscarriage I found myself rapidly coming to the end of the semester with all the book reviews, research papers, projects, and final exams which that entails. I managed to get everything done, with a little grace on the due date of a theological position paper from one professor since that paper was due the day after the misscarriage. It wasn't my best semester but I did pretty well, managing to squeak out an A-, 2 B+'s and a B-. Following finals I spent about three weeks reading nothing but fiction (I finished the Harry Potter series and started a new series about the legend of Robin Hood). Throw in traveling to Atlanta, Nashville, Greenville SC, and Hendersonville NC and my mom visiting with us for 3 weeks in the last month and things have been pretty hectic. Now I have two weeks to prepare for a one week class that I'm taking in January. Things are busy, but I still can't wait until January 1 when I can say "I am graduating THIS year."

Well, that's a brief update on the last couple of months. I would say that I am going to make a New Year's resolution to post more regularly here, but come on, everybody knows that New Year's resolutions only last about 2 weeks anyway. I will however say that I will do my best to post more so keep checking back.

P.S.: Thanks to whoever it was that used the links here on my site to purchase books through Christianbook.com. I get a small percentage back on all sales and that check got here in time to pay for my wife's Christmas present.

joy and sorrow

Several weeks ago we found out that Dee Dee was pregnant with our fourth child. We told the kids, called all the family and friends, and began preparations for the addition to our family. On Monday of this week, Dee Dee and the kids went out to the campground where her parents were staying in their motorhome. When she called me to tell me they were on their way home that evening she said that she had been bleeding slightly during the day and had experienced a little bit of abdominal pain. We called the doctor on Tuesday morning and went to have her checked out. After blood tests and an ultrasound it was determined that the baby was measuring at about 6 weeks development instead of 8 1/2 weeks where it should be. The doctor prescribed some hormones and sent Dee Dee home to rest. At about 4:15 this morning (31 Oct 2007) our baby went home to heaven. We are sad that this has happened but we "know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 ESV)

We may never know, this side of heaven, why God chose to end this pregnancy the way He did. But we know that He is in control and that His plan is perfect, no matter how hard it may seem to us at the time we are going through things such as this. God loves us and we are leaning on that love right now.

The BCS must go

This article from Dan Wetzel pretty much sums up my feelings on the BCS and what it is doing to college football. This thing just needs to die so we can move on to a playoff system like every other normal sport. For the people who are crying and moaning that it will destroy the old traditional bowl system I have a solution. The winner of each conference makes it to the playoffs. That's 11 teams. If you have a 16 team field then you would have 5 wild card teams that would have a shot (there's the chance for the stupid AP, USA Today, and Harris polls to still mean something). Then the remaining teams that are not in the playoffs can still play in the traditional bowl games. There you go, everybody's happy. The fans, players, coaches (and especially the SEC which tends to get messed over most years by the current setup) get an actual national champion crowned with fewer arguments (I would say no arguments, but come on, it is college football after all). The big corporations and the smaller conferences are happy because they get to keep the bowl system which brings in so much money. Of course, maintaining the bowl system and adding a playoff just generates even more money, so everybody is even happier. There, problem solved. Whose desk do I need to jump up and down on top of to get this thing done?

semester 5 halfway point

Well I just got out of a midterm exam in my Intro to Old Testament class. Could have gone worse, could have definitely gone better. But regardless of that, we have reached the halfway point of the semester. We get a week to sit back and relax and take it easy next week................... Yeah right! We'll all be scrambling to catch up on the reading that we've fallen behind on over the last seven weeks and hopefully get a little jump on the reading and papers that will be coming in the six weeks following the break. But even with all this work ahead of me and even with a little more than a year remaining until graduation I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I started seminary it seemed like I would never be done with school. I figured out a while back that since I started Kindergarten I have been in school for 26 out of the last 31 years. But now I can actually see the end in sight. I'm ready to get done with school and get to work actually doing ministry. My chaplain candidate tour this summer was just a small taste of what I will be doing as an Air Force Chaplain but it was a wonderful taste. My current job, though with a church, has me sitting in front of a computer the vast majority of the time. I'm ready to get away from the machines and start dealing with people. And I can see the day coming!

Incredible song and video

I got a link to this video from a friend of mine and just had to post it here. The love of Christ for us is amazing.

The song, "New Again" is by Brad Paisley and Sarah Evans.

preaching

I got a call on Wednesday of this week from a little church out west of Louisville asking me to come preach for them on Sunday morning. The church is English Baptist Church in Stephensport, KY. Their interim pastor, or actually their former interim pastor now, was one of my graders at seminary my first semester. He was also an Air Force Reserve Chaplain. I ran in to him this summer and he told me that he was switching over to the Army so he could go on active duty and asked me to send him my resume to forward to the church. I got a call from the head of the pulpit committee this week. I would covet any prayers that might be lifted up for me as I prepare the share the gospel with them on Sunday.

I'm still amazed that God has called me to do this since I never wanted to be a preacher and honestly liked dealing with computers more than I did people. But He has placed this call on me, and I have seen His transforming hand on my life over the past couple of years as He prepares me for it. I am now anxious to get away from the computers (at least as a profession) and to deal more with people. I long to develop relationships that will give me the opportunity to share the gospel with lost people and see them brought to Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I have seen the evidence of what I've heard all my life. God will not call you to do something without equipping you with the tools and gifts you need to do it.

Money for nothing? Well, almost...

With as much time as I spend on the computer in general and on the internet in particular I have for a long time wondered if it is possible to make money online without spending a ton of it up front. I have tried many different programs and most of them end up dying a quick death just about the time they are supposed to actually send you money. I have found a couple that actually pay however. One of them is sendmoreinfo.com. This program works by sending you emails based on the interests you select in your profile. When you get the email you click on a link to go to the advertiser's site. You can then just close the site and move on to the next email. For each email you click on you get a "share". You also get shares for each email that anyone you refer clicks on. These shares are converted to cash at the end of each month. The amount varies based on how much revenue the company has generated and how many shares were earned. I was skeptical about this at first but I have actually received 4 checks from them. You're not going to get rich clicking emails (unless you refer a heck of a lot of people) but I know in my family, any extra money is a good thing.

back to the books

Well another semester has officially begun. I am again taking 4 classes this semester. They are:
1. Introduction to Old Testament I
2. Systematic Theology III
3. Introduction to Christian Philosophy
4. Team Ministry Relations

So far it seems like this is going to be an interesting semester. The only drawback so far is that 3 of my 4 classes are 3 hour blocks one day a week. In one sense that's good because I only have to have assignments done for those classes once a week. However, I have the feeling that sitting through two 3 hour block classes on the same day is going to get really old. But, oh well, it's only for a season.

AF Chaplain Candidate Tour - update 4

Well today was a new experience for me. I had the opportunity to preach my first sermon. I've led Bible studies and youth group meetings before but never had the opportunity to preach an actual sermon. It was a great experience. I'm sure it was nowhere near the greatest sermon ever preached. It probably wasn't even very good, but I got lot's of encouragement from the congregation following the service and that helped to build my confidence and let me know that, yes, I can do this job that God has called me to do.

AF Chaplain Candidate Tour - update 3

I'm back. Blogger decided for a while that my blog was spam so I couldn't post anything new until they reviewed it and realized that there is in fact an actual person behind this thing.

The past two weeks have been full of hospital visitation, invocations at various base functions, and meetings in preparation for two 5K runs that the chapel is sponsoring in the next few weeks. We spent the last two days going around to every building and every office we could get into passing out info about the runs and making sure everyone knows about them. The first run is tomorrow morning so I've got to get this done pretty soon and get in the bed. We've got to be at the chapel at 0530 to get everything loaded and set up at the run site.

I've been scheduled to preach in the Evangelical service at the chapel on 5 August. I have the scripture that I am going to preach on and have some illustrations that I know I want to include, now I just need to sit down and figure out how to put everything together. This will be my first experience in preaching a sermon instead of leading a Bible study so pray that I would accurately convey the Word to those listening and that I would not be too nervous.

AF Chaplain Candidate Tour - update 2

Our candidate team is complete. Two more chaplain candidates arrived today and both of them are guys that I went through COT with last summer. So now there are four of us, two Baptist seminary students and two Jewish rabbinical students.

I got the briefing and tour from the hospital chaplain today so I guess the ministry begins in earnest tomorrow. The biggest challenge I anticipate right now is not getting lost in the maze that they call a hospital here. The next two weeks should be very interesting and intensely busy. The chapel staff is large but will be stretched pretty thin over the next two weeks so we candidates will get lots of experience in a hurry.

AF Chaplain Candidate Tour

I started my first AF Chaplain Candidate tour today. I drove up to Wright-Patterson AFB yesterday and got my car registered, got checked into billeting, and ran to the Base Exchange (the on base equivalent of WalMart or Target for those of you not in the military) to pick up a few things I needed. The chapel staff here is all very friendly (as you would expect a chapel staff to be). I actually ran into a couple of people I know. One of the other candidates went through training with me last summer. The other person is a reserve chaplain who was actually the grader for one of my classes at Southern while he was working on his PhD there.

The day went pretty well. I got to Chapel 1 about 0715 and chatted with the NCOIC until my sponsor arrived a little later. After going out to breakfast with my sponsor all four candidates who are here right now went with one of the chaplains to a Commander's Call (an awards ceremony and a time of information briefing) for one of the squadrons. We then all went to the club for lunch and spent the afternoon moving some equipment out of a few rooms that the chapel doesn't use anymore so they can be turned over and then doing some maintenance in one of the chapels. I was done for the day and back in my room by 1600 (4 PM). I'm looking forward to finding out what the remainder of the summer holds.

too long away from all things LSU

OK, we have officially been in Kentucky for too long as of tonight. I was just glancing through the headlines on my "My Yahoo!" page and saw one that read "UK officials widen hunt in terror attack." My first thought was "What happened at University of Kentucky?" Sorry, I've got to cut this short and go listen to LSU pregrame about 50 times in a row to purge myself of this Kentucky-itis.

social networking - connections and reconnections

I've been on the net for years now. That's a pretty simple thing to figure out considering that I've been involved in some way or another with computer networking as my job for almost 20 years. In all that time I've avoided many of the popular sites that have sprung up, especially those dedicated to social networking. I hated AOL and it's instant messaging from the outset. I've used it sparingly but never really liked it. I avoided Plaxo for years due to the privacy concerns that many industry leaders raised when they broke onto the scene. I've rarely even browsed on Myspace much less set up a profile. My sole foray into the popular culture of the net was in starting this blog just over 2 years ago. But even in this I've not been very active, as you can see by my post count. However, over that past year or so I've begun to break down a few of these barriers I've built up. I signed up with Plaxo after reading a review in PC Magazine about how many of the privacy concerns have been answered. I've loved it so far. It has allowed me to get updated information from many of my contacts and even more importantly has allowed me to keep the data easily synced between my office, home and laptop computers.

More recently I read some comments from a good friend of mine about how he had found many old friends on Facebook and Myspace. I thought "You know I think I signed up for a Facebook account a while back but never did anything with it." I went back and set up my profile and in a very short while have connected with friends ranging from my high school days to some that I am in school or work with currently. There was one person in particular that I went to high school with whom I had been looking for off and on for the last 10 years or so. Within 2 days of getting active on facebook we had reconnected. We also reconnected with some of the students from our youth group in Georgia that we haven't talked to in almost 5 years.

Now that I'm reconnecting with all these folks I guess I'll have to do a much better job of using this blog for what it was originally set up for - a way to keep our friends and loved ones updated on what's going on with our family as we follow the path that God has laid before us.

and the silence is broken...

I've noticed from my site statistics that there are at least a few people out there who still check this blog on a regular basis. So, after far too long a time spent away from writing, I have returned to break the silence that has held sway here for more than 4 months. Some may ask, "Why were you gone? Where were you?" Well, this past semester at school was an incredibly stressful one for our family. It wasn't so much the workload as it was all the external things that occurred. There was a lot of traveling and many external crises that had to be dealt with. All of this on top of the stack of books that I had to read and the papers that I had to write left little time, and even less desire for blogging.

The first weekend after school started we made the 13+ hour trip to Baton Rouge for a surprise party for my Mom's 80th birthday. It was a wonderful occasion but far too quick of a trip. We left Louisville on Wednesday and came back on Sunday. About a month later was Dee Dee's sister's wedding on a small island off the coast of Belize. The kids and I didn't go to the wedding but a week without Dee Dee here and with my mom and cousin in town to help out with the kids so I could go to school and work added to the stress level a bit.

A little later on in the semester we took our van in to the shop because the air conditioner was making noise whenever we turned it on. The estimate to fix all that was wrong was around $1800. Being poor seminary students we don't have $1800 lying around to fix the air conditioner. We do however have some pretty wonderful friends in Baton Rouge several of whom happen to be mechanics who offered to help and who refuse to take payment. So during Spring Break off to Baton Rouge we went once again. Toward the end of the semester we took the van in to the shop again (I honestly don't remember exactly what was going on that time) and the estimate to fix the shocks, struts, rear wheel cylinders, etc, etc, etc, was around $1500. Again, poor seminary students here. We did get the things fixed that were major safety issues and then my father-in-law helped me replace the shocks. OK, he replaced the shocks while I handed him tools and parts.

Somehow, through all the traveling, visitors, automotive and financial crises I actually managed to pull my best set of grades since starting seminary. I got an A and three A-'s for the semester. I was planning to take at least one and possibly two classes this summer but decided I needed a break for a while. So for now I'm reading some fiction I picked up from the library and just taking a much needed break from academics. I leave 3 weeks from today for my ADT at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. I'm really looking forward to getting there and actually being able to engage in ministry with Airmen. A huge bonus is that one of my flight mates from last summer at OTS and the Chaplain Candidate Course will be arriving just a few days after I do.

Well, that's about it for now. I will try my best to make sure that it's not another 4 months before my next post.

In service for freedom

I have been searching for a while to find out what awards my Dad got during his time in the Navy. This image shows what I believe his rack to be. The records I got from the archives in St. Louis left a lot to be desired. When I got out of the Army the clerk that was processing me made sure that every single award I had earned was listed on my records. I guess they didn't take that much care with folks getting out 50 years ago. My dad's records showed only the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. The other ones wer in his old stuff that my Mom still has though they were extremely worn and faded. His rack may not be the biggest or most impressive of the era but for a WWII era sailor it's not too shabby. I'm proud to come from a line of military service and I'm proud to be continuing that tradition of defending the rights we hold dear in this nation. I count it an honor to be one of the many who have voluntarily answered the call to serve. Remember that all the men and women serving in our armed forces today do so of their own free will. We are not compelled to serve, we are not sent to war; we choose to serve the interests of this nation. And if it means that we must lay our lives down on foreign soil, like so many of our predecessors, we will do so, in order that our loved ones, and those that we may not agree with or even like very much, may enjoy the freedoms that make this nation great. My father did not lose his life in service to our country, but he did answer the call to serve, and did so honorably. I pray that none of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, or Marines would ever again have to lay down their lives for the cause of freedom but I know that that prayer will probably not be answered in the way that I would wish. However, even though they lose their lives, it shall not be in vain if their sacrifice brings continued freedom to our nation and carries the cause of freedom to other peoples.

If you are reading this, whether you agree with the current war in which we are fighting or not, please take a moment to say a prayer for the safety of the men and women in uniform who are fighting to keep this country free and to bring that same freedom to other peoples around the world.