Back to God's Country

I know it has been two weeks since I posted. So, I'll skip the normal apologies and empty promises to keep up the blog in the future. The most exciting thing that happened in the meant time was surprising the family when I showed up about 6 hours earlier than they expected me. You see, they released us from CH-BOLC early in the morning on 13 JUL but I told Dacia that I didn't get on the road until 15:30 or so. I then continued the lie by telling her that I was spending the night in Birmingham, AL when I was actually staying the night in Conway, AR. So when I walked up the drive around 10:45 on Saturday, the family was quite surprised. It was an awesome reunion. I had put my ACU's on that morning so that my kids would see their dad truly coming home from the Army.

So now, I'm back to the bank and the church. I love the people at both places. They are making the transition back to the routine very easy. Now the trick is to get back into a civilian routine that includes running, push-ups, and sit-ups. I don't want to lose the progress I made at Ft. Jackson. I also am trying to keep up with the folks from 3rd Squad/4th Platoon to make sure they don't forget who they are missing. Seriously, I truly miss those folks. When you spend 12-14 a day for 6 weeks, you can get pretty close. We are all very different in our backgrounds and denominations, but we fit together because all have an intense desire to serve soldiers. Plus, we like to pound down huge burritos from Moe's every Monday night. That seems to do the trick!!

That's all for now.

Random video

This is some video shot during one of our breaks between power point presentations. The first soldier you see is our platoon leader, CH Brian. You then see one our new arrivals, LT Jenny. Then you also get to see yours truly (like that's a big treat). Enjoy a clip that at least seemed funny at the time.

Beret Pics

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I would try to get a pic or two of me wearing my beret with my uniform. This is a photo of me in my daily duty uniform. That means that this is what we wear to class every day. I still have some fine tuning to do to make the beret look a little better, but this should give you an idea.

CH-BOLC Picnic

We had a great time at our class, 4th of July picnic. With some good food, football, basketball, a talent show, we managed to have a great time. Several of us also had the privilege of meeting Amy Maxwell. She is one of the tireless bloggers in the chaplain world and for that many of us are grateful. Thanks Amy!

Here is a video of our very own Chaplain May giving a 5 minute devotion before our lunch today. That's right...5 minutes from a Southern Baptist preacher! That's got to be some kind of a record. Actually he did an OUTSHHSTANDING job! See for yourself!

CIMT is in the Books!!!!

As of 29 June 07, I (and the rest of the class) am now a beret wearing soldier. No longer are wearing our Patrol Cap (the baseball style cap worn by recruits in training and other soldiers while in the field). We graduated from the introductory military training and have now move into Phase I of CH-BOLC. To prepare for the event we had to do the infamous duty of preparing the beret by shaping and shaving it. That's right, you actually have to shave the excess wool off of the beret. I've included a few photos to show me diligently trying to make my beret presentable. I'll try to get a snapshot or two of me actually wearing with my uniform in the next day or so. I'll keep this short for now. Don't forget to leave comments, or I'll get paranoid and think that nobody is actually reading this thing.

P.S. Our squad is not the same since our resident rabbi, 2LT Moshe, left after CIMT. We miss you, Mo! Stay in touch!

FTX-Training Exercise

I know it has been almost two weeks since I posted and for that I should be grounded or something. But here we are on a nice, sunny Saturday at Ft. Jackson, still recovering from a three day trip to the field. Actually I'm feeling pretty good despite the lack of showers, the thick brush, and the stinkin' humidity. Plus, there is never any wind in this area! I can't believe that I actually wish for some good ole' Oklahoma wind to come through and make the sweat feel good. Here in SC you hope for a 5 mile per hour breeze to come by...and it doesn't come by that often. But the FTX was a great time and here are some photos from our time there.

Here is one of the few meals that wasn't an MRE. It either tasted really good or I was just really hungry.

This is one of the chaplains in our cadre performing a field service. This was an amazing time of worship. We took communion at the end of the service. I agreed with Chaplain Ken when he said "I don't think communion has ever meant so much." It was awesome to participate in this ordinance in such a beautiful and meaningful place.

This is a picture of our camp site. The tent on the left is 4th Platoon's (Chaplain Ken's and my tent). The one on the right is the overflow tent since for the soldiers who couldn't fit into their platoon's tent. This is Chaplain Kay and I during one of our "hurry up and wait" times.
Here is Chaplain Ken dispensing water for his canteen at a "water buffalo". This is me trying steal a few winks on my luxurious cot. I think I could have slept on a bed of nails if need be.

Another Ruck March

Well today we went on another ruck march to something they call the Confidence Course. It was much more challenging than yesterday for two reasons. First, I volunteered (which many prior service folks say you should never do) to be a road guard which means you have to run up ahead of your platoon to relieve the road guard from the platoon ahead of us. So while everybody else gets to walk the whole way, I get to do a series of mad dashes with most of our gear. The crazy thing was that I enjoyed it. It was good to test my body in that way. For almost being 32, it responded really well. The second reason the day was more challenging was due to the fact that the Confidence Course consisted of several very high obstacles. And while I am not as scared of heights as my mother, the obstacles forced me to rely on God in a very real way to overcome the fear.

Anyway, I thought that I would also include a photo of the rest of 3rd Squad, 4th Platoon so you can see the guys I stand with every day in formation.

Also, make sure that you folks make sure to let the Aydelotte family know this web address and that they can email me by going to david.f.jordan@us.army.mil if they wish.

More First Week Stuff

I'll post again to try and make up for lost time. I wanted to show this photo to demonstrate how we are suffering for the Lord here at Ft. Jackson. As you may have read in Chaplain Ken's blog, we took the APFT or the Army Physical Fitness Test on Friday and I did about what I expected to do, more or less

Push-ups - 52

Sit-ups - 57

2-mile run - 14:27

The only frustrating part is that I am being graded as a 31 year old. If we would have taken the test after June 16th, my score would have automatically been several points better based on my age. But my goal of easily passing my first APFT was met and for that I am truly grateful to the Lord.

I ask for you prayers for my wife and children as they are having technical issues with the home computer which keeps me from being able to see them on the web cam. My son and I have been making it a habit to pray every time we use the web cam and it makes me feel not so far away. I also love hearing my sweet little daughter say "Hi, Daddy" and "I lub you" over and over. And then, of course, my wife and I don't have to say much because I just like looking at her. She's pretty easy on the eyes. Like most of the guys here at CH-BOLC, I know I "married up". Don't forget to leave comments. I love everybody's feedback.

Where did I go?

To quote a Bugs Bunny cartoon from yesteryear, "I've been a bad, bad boy." I'm finally posting for the first time in almost a week. But what a week it has been! Since our schedule has been so full, we have actually been awake for most of this week! We have covered so much ground from showing up in civilian clothes to rappelling down a 40 foot tower in uniform! It has also been a week of a thousand HOOAH's as we respond to our cadre and each other when necessary. To begin to feel like a soldier is the culmination of a lot work and waiting that has, at times, been agonizing and tedious. But here I am in hot South Carolina marching, saluting, and drinking from a green canteen and all I can think of is "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"

I'm heading to a chapel service for now. I'll try to post again later today.

Love you all back home. Talk to you soon.

2LT David

Culture Shock

Well it's official...I have reported for duty and have done a bunch of Army things the past few days, but we are not in our uniforms, yet. We have done a ton of paperwork for in-processing and I know we are scheduled for more of the same the next couple of days. Today was a day that started at 0525 in formation and didn't end until after 1730 or so. That's alright because I learned a ton of info today and it's one more step in feeling more and more like a soldier.

It was also unusual for me to attend a church service where I wasn't the worship leader. I really enjoyed our visit to the church. While it was several, several, several times larger than mine, the people seemed quite warm and welcoming.

I'll get some pics uploaded in the next couple of days to show some details of our daily routine here at Ft. Jackson. I'm about to fall asleep at the keyboard, so I'll keep this blog short. Pray for endurance for us as the days can be unusually long.

My Last Sunday...For Awhile

Yesterday, the wonderful folks at Aydelotte Baptist Church held a fellowship (that's Southern Baptist for "food") Sunday night in my honor since it was my last Sunday for awhile. Like I have said many times already, this was just one more giant reality check. All of the wonderful people telling me to "hurry back" was amazingly comforting. At least they didn't say "don't let the door hit you..." My brother even drove in from 60 plus miles away to the fellowship. Thanks bro!

On a side note, it seemed quite fitting that my last Sunday was on Memorial weekend. When our guest preacher, recognized those who have served or are serving, I had the privilege to stand for the first time in my life. I remember all those times watching my father stand and be recognized and wishing that I had served and now I was standing right next to him when the preacher asked for those who have served or are serving in the Army. While I certainly haven't put in the years of blood, sweat, and tears that my father has, I did gain a new perspective on the appreciation that others feel for the armed forces. It was the first time that I was the recipient of the appreciation. The preacher was quite emotional as he expressed his intense gratitude for us.

So now I have rounded the turn and headed down the home stretch of CH-BOLC preparation. I only have three days left at my job at the bank. I wanted to use this day for my son and I to go fishing, but the rain has thwarted the trip. Instead I am currently trying to call around to find a Spider Man Wall Crawl Race game for him. If I can find it, then we'll be heading out to pick one up. I know this is a riveting post, but it is the little things like running errands with my son that I am going to miss the most. I love just killing time with my little buddy. Even if we are just walking around or playing catch or just sitting in the back of my SUV with the tail gate up, the time is never wasted.

Well...I successfully located one of the games at Target! Off to OKC I go!

A 5 year old's faith

Mark 10:14-15 says "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (NIV)

Today, as we sat on our kitchen floor by the sink and dishwasher, my 5 year old son asked the Lord of the universe to come and live inside his heart! I can't begin to describe the sheer joy and excitement of the moment. To hear that sweet, little voice gently ask our Jesus to save him is a moment that I will cherish like no other. As I finished leading him in that prayer, I was overwhelmed with emotion. As my wife looked on with camcorder in hand, she too was soaking up this tremendous "eternal moment".

I had been praying that if God so chose, that he would allow me to have the chance to lead my son to Christ before CH-BOLC. To be totally honest, I don't even know what I really expected from that prayer. It was just a tug at the heart that kept popping up. But Jesus, in His Godly timing answered that prayer in a way that became one more miraculous confirmation of the path He has for my family.

Finally, when it is all said and done, one more name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life today. I proudly get to say that it is MY SON!!!!

Running Log

This isn't really one of those thought provoking posts. I just wanted to show you the cool, little feature to your right and a photo of me about a week before the Lord cemented His calling for me to pursue the chaplaincy. If you go to the website runningahead.com you can actually create a free running log that tracks everything from shoe wear to calories burned in addition to your running times. I know that these stats are nothing to write home or even on this blog about, but I thought it was a cool, little feature. This feature will always keep my 5 most recent workouts posted. Then you can click on the link to see stats for that particular workout. Just thought I'd pass that on for you CH-BOLC attendees!

Hey Ken! We hit the road in two weeks from this date!!

Who is this "Butter Bar"?

Well...

No pressure here. I mean it's not like there are a bunch of chaplain blogs from a bunch of Godly folks!!! (sarcasm is an undervalued tool)

Hi...I'm David to most of my family; Bro. Dave or David to the folks at Aydelotte Baptist Church; daddy to a 5 yr. old boy and 21 month old girl; and husband to my amazing wife.

I'm also beginning this blog thing as a 2LT in the U.S. Army as a Chaplain Candidate, and with your votes this November, I hope to be the elected to full-fledge chaplain status! (that's not really how it works though)

God changed my plans last July when he directed a 265 pound lazy guy, with a reconstructed left knee, to serve him in the chaplaincy. I hadn't even taken one seminary class and the last time I had run a mile, it had to be done in three or four installments. However, I now stare at six weeks of CH-BOLC in total amazement that the Army and my God have found me worthy to serve! I now weigh around 205 (max for my height at 6'1" but hope to be around 200 or so come the first of June) and actually enjoy running!

Another crazy thing happened....
He also called my pastor and awesome friend, Ken, to active duty! What was truly amazing was that God worked out the calling in our hearts in completely separate ways, yet the timing was uncanny. I get to go to CH-BOLC with an amazing man of God and one of my dearest friend...but now I have to salute him! But it's more than worth it.

The Maiden Post

Well...

Let's get this blog thing started! They call me Dave, David, Bro. David, Daddy, and Lieutenant. I'll explain most of these titles in the upcoming posts.

Pro Deo et Patria!