What I learned from the Air Force

Yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of when I arrived in San Antonio, TX for the Air Force's Basic Military Training. (B.M.T.) Which means seven years ago today was my first full day at Basic. I don't remember anything about the first day, in fact all of the things I remember about BMT are a little out of order. (For example, I remember my T.I. falling into a giant flower pot while marching us, I just don't remember what week it was.) :)

Really though it doesn't matter because what I gained from the Air Force wasn't a skill, (What civilian employer wants someone who can build bombs and missiles?) but experience. I'll carry the things I did and saw in the Air Force with me the rest of my life. From doing a lot of things I didn't want to (and a few that I did) I learned time management, perseverance, and how to think clearly and quickly in stressful situations.

What I value most was what I learned about myself and the world around me. One of the most important things I learned was that I really am smart. I know this sounds slightly cocky but you have to understand that I grew up with friends who were/are incredibly smart. (One of them has their PhD in mathematics and another graduated from the I.U. Med school.) Because all my friends excelled in school I always felt less intelligent then I actually am. When I got interact with a larger part of the population I realized that I'm a lot smarter then I was giving myself credit for. I also learned more about the world at large though. By getting bounced around the U.S. for various parts of my training I got to see how different one part of the country is from another, not just geographical but in the way people think, act, and process the world around them. Of course the biggest learning experience for me was being stationed overseas. I learned how to assimilate to various cultures and got to see first hand how vastly different my American view on things was from a Korean or Italian view on the same thing. These are the things that Air Force gave me that will continue to aid me the rest of my life.

School daze

Now that I've got into a bit of a routine for school I'm hoping to be able to post on here a little more often. I'm going to have to drop my chemistry class because it was more coursework then I could haddle right now. Which leaves me with philosophy of religion, art history, and math. I'm enjoying all my classes for the most part, art history is pretty demanding as it has a lot of projects that have to be completed. (Right now I'm working on a collage of Van Gough's self portrait.) I doing a lot better in my math class then I expected which is encouraging and philosophy has been fairly easy so far. (Which is good because I'm planing on majoring in it.) Right now it looks like I'll be transferring to the University of North Texas in August to finish my degree as well as getting involved the church planter training that the Village church provides. Once the new G.I. Bill comes into effect it should cover all my school costs.

Right now I'm recovering from practicing MMA ground control tactics with some guys from church last night. It was fun but exhausting, and I'm paying the price for it today. :)

I have to grab some food now and then head off for art history, happy day! :)

Of taxes and the Lord's Supper

You have to love our government; I got a letter today from the IRS saying that their records show that I served in a combat zone. I haven’t been in a combat zone (Korea) since 2003; I think they might be just a little bit late on this one. :)

We celebrated the Lord’s Supper yesterday at church and that got me thinking about the differences between the Old and New Testaments and what Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished. In the Old Testament the blood of the sacrifices’ could only wash the outside, but during communion we symbolically drink Jesus blood showing that his sacrifice did something the Old Testament sacrifices could never do, He cleanses our inside. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection allowed for our lives to be freed from the grip of Satan, Hell, and death; something no animal sacrifice could ever achieve. I know this isn’t a groundbreaking revelation but as I sat there with the grape juice in my hand yesterday it just hit me in a very strong way and made me appreciate my salvation and what an amazing, supernatural act Jesus’ sacrifice is.

Merry Christmas

I got home this morning while it was still dark out, there was a beautiful clear sky and as I looked up into it I couldn't help thinking of those shepherds thousands of years ago. Can you imagine what that must have been like? You're lying there watching your sheep graze in the same pastures your ancestors have been using for generations and then all of the sudden…….., BAM!!! An angel shows up out of nowhere. It doesn’t say how big the angel was so it could have been huge, imagine something the size of the Sears building popping up out of thin air. No wonder they were scared, who wouldn’t be? And then to be told the greatest message ever shared with mankind, you, a lowly shepherd the first to be told of the birth of your country’s long awaited Savior. Not only your nations Savior but the One who came to save the entire human race from sin, death, and eternal torment in Hell, there’s nothing in the world that could prepare you for that moment. Two thousand years later there’s still nothing that compares to the moment you come face to face with Jesus and His Gospel of grace. So as we celebrate the baby in the manger let’s not forget that it was the life, death, and resurrection that followed that makes it a moment worth making much of.

Columbus and back again

A couple of weeks ago I visited Veritas Community Church, an Acts 29 church in Columbus,OH that had recently launched. It was a good experience all the way around. Nick, the lead planter, was on staff at Sojourn in Louisville for several years while he was in seminary so Veritas has a lot of similarities. I had a good talk with him before and after the service (one of the benefits of a small church)that helped with some of my decision making about seminary. Veritas is only two months removed from it's launch and the night I was there there were about 50 people. (I counted, but I've forgotten what the exact count was now, not that it matters.) Mostly it was just interesting to me to be at a church that close to it's launch, it was an encouraging time for me and I'm truly glad I went.

It's Thanksgiving today which means it's a good time to look back at the past year (and life in general) and give thanks for what's happened. (and sometimes what hasn't.) :)Obviously I most thankful for my salvation, the more I think about it the more overwhelmed by it I become. The amount of grace, love, and mercy that's been bestowed on me is far beyond my comprehension but I know it's far more then I, or any of us, deserve. I'm also incredibly grateful for my friends. I've been reminded of that a lot over the past week, especially as I was sitting in the middle of several of them last night at a basketball game. I really have been blessed to be surrounded by these people. I know I have countless more things I could put here but those are the ones that have pressed on my mind lately.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Overdue

I realize it's been awhile since I posted anything, I wish there was a good reason for that but really there isn't. I've just been bored and lazy.

One of the biggest changes in the last couple of weeks has been finding out that it's going to take about three years to finish my degree at Ball State as opposed to a year and a half or two. (needless to say, I'm not altogether thrilled by this.) I've decided to double major in history and religious studies. (mostly to help me make BSU's requirement of 126 credits to graduate.) But before I go back to Ball State I'll be headed back to Ivy Tech for a semester because t he new G.I. Bill doesn't go into affect until August of '09 which means it's not practical to attend BSU during the spring semester.

Since I'm going back to school full time December 27 will be my last day at Sallie Mae. It's been a perfect job for me the last year and a half but there's no way I can work there (especially on thirds) and go to school full time.

The one truly exciting thing that's happened recently is I bought tickets to see Oasis in Detroit December 13th! That's all for now, ciao!

Way overdue

Here's a quick run down of my life right now: My gradma's in the hospital with a shatered hip and wound that won't heal, mom's been going out to Indy every day for almost two weeks now to be with her, and I just spent a half hour in the E.R. last night with an infected gland. (YAY.) In fact I'm so stressed out right now I can't even remeber what all's happened lately I just wanted to write this so I could check it off my list. :)