"Why We Fight"

If you've ever seen "Band of Brothers" produced by HBO, there is a DVD entitled "Why We Fight." Not to ruin it for you, but in this dvd E Company comes upon a Jewish prison/death camp. During the video, they release the Jews and have the local people bury the dead. The implication of the title suggests that one of the reasons we were over there was to rid the world of the horrific tyranny of Adolf Hitler, eventually freeing the Jews and others that were being killed by the Nazi's.

I think how it is always important to remember why we do what we do. It's easy to lose perspective in the chaos of life. I was listening to "i-tunes" radio tonight. I found a radio station out of southern California, KWVE. The songs were simple worship songs from different eras, but they reminded me of the awesomeness of serving Jesus. I must admit, today was an overwhelming day, but here I am, at 11:44 pm, trying to get some more work done, listening to the great worship on a radio station a couple thousand miles away. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get stressed about trying to accomplish all that's on my plate and tonight Jesus just decided to show up and remind me that it's not about the specific ministry I do or about the grade I get or don't get, it's all about Him. Life is about worshiping and serving Jesus! What an amazing opportunity I have to worship God! I am blessed.


Rob

Distance Learning

With the vast number of distance learning opportunities today, many people take advantage of getting more education through distance learning. This is great in that it allows someone who cannot take the time off of work or does not have the freedom to move to a new location to take classes and gain an education. But it is not so good because you don't have the classroom synergy that takes place in the educational setting, especially in adult education (i.e. graduate school). I was watching a DVD lecture the other day and at the end the professor asked those present if they had any questions. I was certainly not there, but when no one asked anything, I started yelling at the TV trying to tell the good professor that I had a question. Imagine my surprise when he did not recognize my hand and call on me. I miss the interaction I had at Huntington with fellow students as we struggled through understanding new concepts or new ministry ideas. I miss being able to ask the professor a question. I mean, he is the professional and I sometimes just don't get the idea being presented. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the opportunity Liberty provides me. We couldn't move right now, and with me being a stay-at-home dad, this is the best possible solution, but I sure do miss the classroom interaction.


Rob

I Made It!

Well, we are officially in, but not yet. So, I was approved by the Chaplain Boards for the Chaplain Candidate program. I'm not "in" because I still have to take my oath of office officially making me a 2 Lt. in the Army. Even though I'm not "in" yet, I talked with the Chaplain Candidate manager and we are already discussing the fall practicum I would like to do. The Army year starts on the first of October so I wouldn't be able to go out to Fort Carson until the middle of October. That's not bad at all. I would have a month and a half home after Fort Carson and then I would head to Fort Jackson in January! We are really excited and very thankful for this opportunity. If you think about it, please pray for this summer and fall. I have so much to try and accomplish. But I am confident that it can get done!

The crest to the right of this post is the Army Chaplain Crest. Pro Deo et Patria means "For God and Country." What an exciting journey ahead. Thanks for all your prayers so far. We are excited to see God work in our lives this year.

Thanks!

Rob

WWII Museum

In the blog below, I mentioned the WWII Victory Museum. While their website needs some work, according to the Army Times, they are actually going to expand their facility over the next few years.

Rob

Best Job in the World

Many of you know that I have been a stay-at-home dad for the whole of my sons 2+ years of life. To say it has been enjoyable is an understatement. Certainly there have been and continue to be different types of challenges that come up, but that is part of fatherhood.

One thing I really enjoy doing with Nat is taking short trips to various sites and museums. We have visited the Billy Sunday Museum, the Fort Wayne Firefighter Museum, and the campus of Notre Dame, something I had long wanted to do. Today we visited the WWII Victory Museum in Auburn, IN. (They really need to update their website.) I love history, so museums with historical artifacts get me very excited. Nathaniel loved the "big trucks" and the motorcycles. Certainly he is way too young to understand the significance of the museum, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the time together. While I didn't get any pictures, another part of the museum was full of historic cars and cars from TV and movies. So we saw the A-Team van, the Duke's Car and K.I.T.T., to name a few. It was fun, but I must say I enjoyed the Victory Museum much more.

One thing I have learned in being a stay-at-home dad is the importance of taking short day trips like these together. Is it a little challenging to take a tiny baby into the Billy Sunday Museum or take a two year old into a museum with big trucks and signs that say "Do not touch"? Sure it is challenging. Will he remember the museum or experience? Highly unlikely. But in a day and age when people seem "too busy" to have fun with the family, I have pictures and memories of many experiences that I have had the chance to fulfill with my son. And while my wonderful wife has worked hard to provide for these experiences, it will soon be her turn to take the title, "stay-at-home parent." A role she can't wait to fulfill!

So I am blessed. I am the husband of a great woman who has given up her dreams of staying home with our son so I can go to school and fulfill my dreams. I am the father of an amazing little boy with another one on the way. Sometime next week, we'll get the news of the Chaplain Boards. If all works out, I will be away for about five of the next nine months for various training opportunities. That's a long time. If God opens the door to Active Duty Chaplaincy, the likelihood of me being deployed is pretty high. Deployments right now for active duty soldiers are fifteen months. That's a really long time and I will miss a lot of these types of experiences. But what a blessing it has been to be a stay-at-home dad for these past two years. I have pictures and memories that I can refer to when I am away from home this next year. And thanks to skype, I'll be able to see my family when I talk to them.

If you are a parent let me encourage you to do stuff like this. Spend the ten bucks to make a memory, even if your son or daughter won't remember. Take the time to get in the car and go to the zoo for the day or whatever. The time and little money you spend is really insignificant compared to the excitement you get when you get to look back and remember.

Thanks for reading,

Rob

Time is Coming Soon

Next week is the week. My packet goes to the Board of Chaplains. June 18-20, I believe. The only thing I am a little concerned about is my letter from my Graduate School. I have been assured that it won't be a problem, but we'll see. Other than that, this should just be a formality. We'll see what God does.

Rob

Becoming Missional

I'm reading a great book now and have to comment on it. The book is "Breaking the Missional Code." I would highly encourage anyone in the Church of Jesus Christ to read it. I get a little passionate below. Don't take my passion to think that I have this all worked out. I don't. But I recognize that I need to be open to change.

For quite some time now, I have had the opportunity to hang out with different people and groups that are very missional in their philosophy of how the Church must change to impact the world for Christ. And while it may sound like just another seeker or emerging or whatever idea, it is not. Being "missional" is a mindset which drives pastors and leaders to look beyond a specific program for answers. It is the recognition that we live in a post Christian era and therefore realize that we are all missionaries, just like the Saint's and Elliot's of days past. Yes, we have heard that we are missionaries in the church, but we really do not act like missionaries. We are so fearful of our culture that we totally separate ourselves from it instead of seeking to understand it so we can present the Gospel of Christ in a relevant manner. We "do" the same programs our grandparents did, not wanting to truly assess whether or not they are producing the results we want them to produce. One example is the Sunday School program. We want to teach our people the Word and so we have Sunday School. An excellent reason, but is this the best method to accomplish that goal? I would suggest that we probably keep this program because it has been a staple in our programs for years. Most of us don't know the history of the Sunday School movement or how God birthed it. It has a wonderful heritage! But it is only a method. And methods are rarely, if ever sacred. What we fail to recognize is that we may be able to achieve the same results of knowing the Scripture in a setting that would be far more conducive to reaching the lost. A home group or cell group could easily meet both needs and provide a place for true community to take place. As the Church of Jesus Christ we must find ways to be relevant to whatever our local culture is while remaining true to the message and teachings of the Scriptures!

One of the most exciting potentials about military ministry is the opportunity to do this very thing. I will have the opportunity to be a part of a culture that is different from any other in this country. And so, I will have the opportunity to ask my God how he wants to use me to reach this culture in a way that points people to Him while impacting them where they live. But my future ministry is not the only place this can take place. We can do this now! But we must understand our culture. What do our neighbors struggle with? Are they super busy? Are they working through a divorce? Are they religious in heritage? What type of religion? We must be prepared to ask the question, "How can we better understand their problems and issues so that we can point them to the joy and hope of Jesus?" Each of our answers may be a little different, because we all live in different places. But we can do this! We just need to recognize that we don't live in the 1950's anymore. We must be willing to change our method in order to present the truth of Scripture to all people of the 21st Century.


Rob

It Works!

Well, I finally figured out how to "track" where visitors come from when they visit my blog through Google Analytics, (thanks Tannerman!). Of course, I don't know who actually visits unless you post a comment, but I can tell where you are accessing the internet. So, thanks to the residents of New York, North Carolina, California, Illinois, and Utah! It will be fun when I get my first overseas "hit."

Rob

Enjoying the Great Weather

I love summer. (Even though it is not officially summer.) I am getting close to finishing my first distance learning class through Liberty. It has been really interesting. Great in some regards and very poor in others. But, this program will allow me to do a practicum this fall with the Army while taking a class and it will allow me to get nine credit hours for CHOBLC. Who can argue with that?

We had a great family experience this week. Our two year old son Nathaniel made the transition to a "big boy" bed. And he didn't have any problems at all! The bed was a refinished pine bunk bed with drawers underneath that I found in a neighbor's trash a few weeks ago. After my dad refinished it for us, it looks great. And the mattress was a four year old "used" mattress I found at a second hand store for a significant discount. It didn't look hardly used at all. It is so cool to see how God provides for us. We are so blessed! Anyway, we only set up the bottom bunk for now and Nat absolutely loves it! He has gone to bed quite easily for a long time now, but tonight he couldn't wait to get to bed. It's a ton of fun.

Lots going on. But boy it sure is fun!

Rob

A Little Sentimental

The year plus road ahead seems really long and difficult. But then I realize the blessings I have. My wonderful wife and son, our church home, our house, my wife's job just to name a few. I am so thankful for all God has given me. I look forward to being a Chaplain, but as I read some of the Chaplain blogs I am reminded of the challenges that are in the not too distant future. And while I want to be prepared for those challenges, I do not want to rush into them. In do time, Katie and I will be ministering to soldiers and their families. Until then, we are doing the best we can to prepare for the future ministry without wanting to rush through the preparation.

As far as updates, once my packet is approved, I am hoping to sign up for a practicum this fall. There are two options for Chaplain Candidates with non-prior service. Both are 30 days in length providing opportunities to shadow different Chaplains as they fulfill their duties. Although our next little guy will be born in early September, it seems that the best time to go will probably be this October. We are wrestling through this timing and what it means for our transition from our current ministry position to a time where God would have us focus on training for Army ministry. Please pray for wisdom for us. If there is one thing that I have started to realize, it is the importance of needing a prayer team as we get ready to jump into this ministry. Eventually, I will probably be looking for volunteers to be a part of our prayer team. Ask the Lord if this is something he may have you be a part of. I will keep you posted as we get closer to organizing that team. Thanks for reading.

Rob