The Air Force has notified us of our new assignment. We are to be in Utah (Hill AFB) by early March. Since the report date is sooner than I was expecting, we have a thousand things to do in the next month. Blogging will be light to non-existent until we're re-settled.
We will greatly miss our dear friends in Albuquerque.
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Monday, May 25, 2009
Why Memorial Day is Worth Remembering
Pastor Kevin DeYoung on why Memorial Day is worth remembering:
"This may be controversial to some, but I believe the facts of history will demonstrate that on the whole, the United States military has been a force for good in the world. Obviously, as a military power, we have blundered at times, both individually and corporately. But on the whole, the men and women of our armed services have fought and are fighting for causes that promote freedom, defend the rights of human beings, and reject tyranny. War is still hell and a tragic result of the fall. Praise God for his promise to one day end all human conflict. But in a world where people are evil by nature and leaders are not always reasonable and countries do not always have good intentions, war is sometimes the way to peace–at least the best peace we can hope for between peoples and nations this side of heaven.
So thank God for a day to remember God’s common grace to America and his special grace in enlisting us, poor weak soldiers that we are, in service to Christ our Captain and conquering King."
Read the whole thing.
"This may be controversial to some, but I believe the facts of history will demonstrate that on the whole, the United States military has been a force for good in the world. Obviously, as a military power, we have blundered at times, both individually and corporately. But on the whole, the men and women of our armed services have fought and are fighting for causes that promote freedom, defend the rights of human beings, and reject tyranny. War is still hell and a tragic result of the fall. Praise God for his promise to one day end all human conflict. But in a world where people are evil by nature and leaders are not always reasonable and countries do not always have good intentions, war is sometimes the way to peace–at least the best peace we can hope for between peoples and nations this side of heaven.
So thank God for a day to remember God’s common grace to America and his special grace in enlisting us, poor weak soldiers that we are, in service to Christ our Captain and conquering King."
Read the whole thing.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Speaking words of life and death
Our home phone rang just after 6 a.m. Sunday morning and I was told to put on my service dress and report to the military personnel flight as soon as possible. It was the casualty notification assistant and I was to inform the next of kin of the death of a loved one.
I was awake when he called, preparing to lead worship at church that morning. I made different plans, spoke to Kristin, got ready, and was just about to leave the house when the phone rang again. There had been a miscommunication and another officer was already en route; I wasn't needed after all.
As I dressed down, I remembered sketchy details about the last time I was involved with casualty notification. It's been about 10 years since I drove out to a farm in Pennsylvania to inform the parents of the death of a young airmen. As you can imagine it is heart-wrenching duty. As soon as the vehicle pulls in front of the house and men in service dress step out, the family knows exactly why you're there and intense emotions of grief begin.
After putting away my uniform I tried to return to what I was doing before the phone call this morning--I found this impossible. It will be good to go to the Lord's house in a couple of hours and hear his word of grace. How stark is the difference between the good news I will deliver during worship today and the bad news that I was to deliver to that poor family! But isn't this the message of the Bible? We are dead in our sins, cut off from our Father; but there is new, eternal life for all who repent and trust in Jesus. May this family and all of us know and be thankful for the comforting words of God.
I was awake when he called, preparing to lead worship at church that morning. I made different plans, spoke to Kristin, got ready, and was just about to leave the house when the phone rang again. There had been a miscommunication and another officer was already en route; I wasn't needed after all.
As I dressed down, I remembered sketchy details about the last time I was involved with casualty notification. It's been about 10 years since I drove out to a farm in Pennsylvania to inform the parents of the death of a young airmen. As you can imagine it is heart-wrenching duty. As soon as the vehicle pulls in front of the house and men in service dress step out, the family knows exactly why you're there and intense emotions of grief begin.
After putting away my uniform I tried to return to what I was doing before the phone call this morning--I found this impossible. It will be good to go to the Lord's house in a couple of hours and hear his word of grace. How stark is the difference between the good news I will deliver during worship today and the bad news that I was to deliver to that poor family! But isn't this the message of the Bible? We are dead in our sins, cut off from our Father; but there is new, eternal life for all who repent and trust in Jesus. May this family and all of us know and be thankful for the comforting words of God.
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