Updates

Time has been very full these last six to eight weeks or so. I realize I haven't written much about what I have been about, largely because I've been so much about that I just haven't had time. It is a rare day that I have a day off and a rare day off that I don't have to do something that day. I haven't done much writing of late. Not here and not on my book I am working on either. Nor have I invested a great deal of time into my photography hobby. I've shot some film, digital that is, but haven't worked many shots. But I did work these up.

The first are shots from the retreat center from last week's trip to Seoul for our "Super Retreat" where we offered seminars on pre-marriage dating relationships, divorce recovery, and spirituality for men. My divorce recover group continues to meet each night on Tuesday evenings and is proving to be great ministry.

The retreat was a welcome break from Osan but was back to a steady trot by Sunday afternoon having to make sure I got all the folks back home and then cleaning up and putting away all the stuff we took to make things happen. I shared some Tennessee chili with them Friday night for dinner and some corn bread, though I must admit it the bread didn't turn out good as it normally does. I think it suffered from my trying to do too many things at once mode.

It was very cold up there, but there was still a bit of fall color. Saturday night I traveled with the boss up to Nam Sang mountain where we took a tram up to the tower in the picture to look out over the city. It was blistering cold and I was thankful for the wool hat I borrowed from my boss.

I've also included a picture of our Pearl S. Buck angel tree. This is a big program where we bring a big bunch of Amerasian orphans to the base for a big Christmas party. I'm organizing the program portion, basically the entertainment. I've talked our Red Cross rep into being Santa. Figured it would fit him since he wears red most of the time anyway.

Finally, there is a picture here, now that the event is over, of Air Force One come to Osan. The President held a local photo shoot meet and greet here but I didn't even try to go. I was off the base getting an MRI. That proved quite the non-adventure in fact. My technician could speak English and we had a shuttle driver that took us to the hospital, walked us in, and then walked us back out. You might call it MRI for dummies. I had to rest a bit after the test with all the junk they fill you up with. But I did make it to our Speghetti dinner the chapel sponsors last night.

Look to be full up right through the Thanksgiving holiday. I have an orphanage trip tomorrow, Sunday I have services and our youth ministry. Monday I have regular office hours and some counseling appointments. Tuesday I have PT at O'dark thirty and full office hours with some more counseling appointments until my divorce care group that evening. Wednesday is normally my "CTO"but we are decorating the chapel so I'll be there. Thursday our staffing is putting on a Turkey Fry (literally - one of the chaplains brought a Turkey fryer) but I"ve been asked to be involved in a major Thanksgiving Celebration the Operations Group is doing so I'll likely wind up over there. Friday I've got an invite to another Squadron event. I'm hoping next Saturday all I'll have to do is my sermon prep for Sunday...and my laundry...and my grocery shopping...etc. Need to get that done some time too.

Osan is a steady marathon - in some ways it is like a race that just never ends. There is always another corner to turn. Time management becomes crucial here, not just to get tasks done, because there is always more to do than you can always do... but you also have to manage time to get personal things done, such as laundry and groceries, but also get enough rest to stay productive. But it can be a challenge and there are days where rest becomes the thing that has to be put aside, at least for that day. Osan is great training ground. You learn for the sake of productivity and survival to make the best use of your time and task management skills. I wish I had more time to be out just visiting and network with my airmen, but even here I find that you have to make sure you can hit alot of bang for the buck (or hour in this case). There are a number of things I really want to do and probably should be done, that I just can't because there isn't enough days in the week. Already my typical week looks like this:

Sunday 0730-1700
Church Services (Liturgical & Traditional)
Youth Group
Monday 0730-1630 it is not uncommon to find the chaplains working late at the chapel. I usually PT after work for a hour or so.
Tuesday 0630-2030
PT
Divorce Care
Private Counseling Appointments
Wednesday (possible day off - depends on chapel and unit requirements)I usually PT at least for a hour or so.
Wednesday nights I do have AWANA to attend

Thursday 0630-1630 (except couple times a month when there are even chapel events - then usually out to about 8 to 8:30pm
PT
Staff Meetings
Speghetti dinner (once per month)
other events (like monthly birthday meal, squadron get togethers etc...)

Friday 0730-1630
PT for an hour after work

Saturday - sermon preparation and once per month Orphanage Trip

Sunday - go around again.

I also make sure I PT on M, W, F, Saturday and often on Sunday for at least an hour to stay in shape.

Mondays and Tuesdays I am usually doing a combination of things during office hours. Working on accomplishing short term tasks or tasks associated with major projects or program areas I am responsible for. Also I do many of my counseling appointments on these days. We also tend to have a number of walk-ins on Mondays and Tuesdays for some reason. Tuesday nights I have my divorce group and usually wind up doing a bit of follow up after the session. Wednesday I try to take off as much as possible, as that is my day off, but we often have chapel events that require all hands on on Wednesdays and I find that often I have squadron events I need to be present for or that there are loose ends that need tied up. For example, this week I had to finalize and drop off a conscientious objector's interview package. I often try to do my laundry and grocery shopping on Wednesday as well as hit the weights a bit harder that day. Wednesday nights I pop over to check on the AWANA program and say hi to the kids and the adults. Thursday after early PT is staff meeting day. Lots of meetings. We do a short chapel stand up then the Protestant chaplains meet in the morning, all the chaplains meet for lunch, then the entire staff meets for the afternoon staff meeting followed by chapel training. Hard to get much accomplished on Thursdays.
Friday is another day I try to work projects and front load my networking for the stuff that is coming the next week. I also try to get out to visit as much as possible on Friday.
Saturday I usually spend the morning working my sermon, a portion of the afternoon at the gym, and then relax the rest of the afternoon and evening because I know that Sunday starts another full week. But sometimes, at least once, sometimes twice, a month I have chapel events on Saturday and so wind up busy during the day and doing my sermon prep that night. Those make for long weeks.

The upshot is this -- time management - both of one's tasks, one's network, one's own rest and spiritual life is essential here. Without it, one could easily burn out here. But it is manageable with the right mindset. I just tell myself to remember the many chances to make a difference in someone's life and when I find myself blessed with some unexpected time to myself I relish it and recharge and then push forward.

Happy Day 2

My youngest got her report card. Gotta brag on her too!

Straight A's.

Way to go little bit!

Oh, and my oldest didn't have a 3.7

It was, as she reminded me,
3.714

HAPPY HAPPY!!!!

3.7

So what is so great about the number 3.7? That's my daughter's GPA after tackling a whole load of honors classes. She's been working very hard and this is just to tell the world that I'm proud of her!

ps. I miss her too!

Beaver days

What do these past few days have to do with beavers? Ever heard of "busy as a beaver". These past few days have been busy. Served the past week as duty chaplain and had a whole bunch of calls. This was probably the busiest duty week that I've had since coming in the Air Force. But these are major opportunities to make a difference in the lives of someone.

One of those was to console someone who had a very tragic event in their lifetime which has been characterized by many high ups and low downs. They shared that God must have a purpose. And it occurred to me that maybe the purpose God has for us in tough times, and even in good times, is to live and serve in the moment. Yes, I believe in being goal and future oriented and aiming to achieve things, but there also comes a point in one's life that you realize that just maybe this is where God wanted you to be so that you can bring your gifts and strengths to bear in the lives of others. Maybe the purpose of this moment is not just to prepare you for future moments but rather the purpose of this moment is service in this moment.

So anyway learned some lessons about myself and the value of pacing. Wound up getting very tired over the past few weeks and having some physical issues resurface that I thought were resolved in DC. So, now I will have a new experience -- finding a Korean hospital on my own for an MRI. In a country where I don't speak the language, I expect it may be a bit of an adventure. I did visit our local ER last night and feel much better after a few liters of fluid. Fill me up please.

You know, getting old is a real pain in the backside. I tease people that I have OAS (old age syndrome) but I find that I can't do as much as I used to. Used to I could get up before dawn and go run or lift for a couple of hours, shower, go to work and work 12 hours or more. There were even times when my job pace allowed it that I would spend 3-5 hours working out hard. But I just can't do it anymore, even if I had the time, and a few weeks of 12-15 hours days has exhausted me. My boss even fussed at me and told me to rest. I hate to admit that I'm slowing down. But it will still be a bit before I can take some solid time off as I have pretty full days for at least another week. But I'm going to be certain I get sleep.

Lots of good stuff going on. I have a good group of solid Lutherans here who are attending my services and I met another who just came to Osan today. Good folks. This weekend I will be with two other chaplains conducting a retreat at a local retreat spot near Seoul. I am starting a "Divorce Recovery" support group. I've also been working on a portion of a very large outreach program to Korean children called Pearl S. Buck. I'm looking forward to this in December. And speaking of things I am looking forward to, Tuesday the chaplains are having lunch with some local ministers just to build relationships. Tomorrow I am making chili and good old fashioned Tennessee mountain cornbread for dinner tomorrow night at the Retreat Center.

Spent about three hours today with our team helping make cookies. The Officer Wive's Club here at Osan makes cookies for every military member in Korea. Our shift prepared about 10,000 in a little less than three hours. Hooah! (We only ate the broken ones... really!)

Found out that I didn't get picked up for a school I was hoping for, a counseling degree in PTSD. So I will be waiting to find out my new assignment sometime in early Spring time. I'm looking forward to going home after the first of the year for 30 days to see my family. I'm trying to find ways to stay involved and busy over the holidays since I really don't want to just sit around my room. I'm tossing around trying to go TDY to the outposts attached to us and doing some services down there since those guys don't see a chaplain too often.

Quiet Reflecting

I had been looking forward to this weekend, but I find myself reflecting on the horrible shooting at Fort Hood. Until last night and today I hadn't had a great deal of time to look at the news stories surrounding the event as we were in full exercise (practice for war) mode here at Osan for the week. Yesterday we were done, but I was feeling pretty poor I think due to getting the H1N1 shot. I don't think I have the actual flu as I don't have a fever, but H1N1 is alive and well in Korea according to what I've heard from Korean news.

Anyway, today I looked more closely at the stories regarding Fort Hood. Many dealing with motivations of the shooter from his job history to his family history to his religious beliefs and how all this may have rolled in and impacted his behavior. Being a systems person I believe all these factors form a complex web of influence that shape our behavior, but we are not machines nor just basic animals running on instinct. We are responsible for our own actions and how we choose to respond to and incorporate the influences that we feel. But that said, the primary impression I was left with as I saw this morning that most of the stories are all about a concern that his religious beliefs will be "overstressed" as a source of his behavior -- I saw something missing in the story. There was a bit about the victims. But nothing - couldn't find one story about all the many folks who I know are out there. Where are the stories about these folks?

The first responders who got to the scene and secured the scene and treated the wounded. The soldiers who I know started using self aid and buddy care techniques we are trained in to help save the lives of the injured. The bases crisis response teams from their security forces who immediately rushed into harms way to protect their fellow soldiers to all those who at a moment's notice shifted from normal ops to critical operations. The medical professionals in the local hospitals who even now continue to fight to save lives. The family members who rushed to the sides of those they love. The family members who are likely taking care of homes and children for others back home so that other family members can reach out. The pastors and their flocks who are surrounding the hurting. The people who are in prayer for the families of the victims and for those who still struggle to live. Where are the stories about the soldiers preparing to deploy and take the fight to the enemy so that incidents like this will not be common in our homeland though we know there are those out there who would love the opportunity to walk into a crowded mall and emulate the actions of Hasan. Yet many of these same soldiers now have lost some of their friends and comrads from their very units. But they will go forth and they will serve putting themselves between our nation and those who would seek to make her bleed. There are people out there who are taking donations and doing anything they can to support the hurting. I wish we had some stories about that.

So rarely do we hear this side of the story. We focus on the pathetic and evil person and how powerful force or forces could turn him into such, and that is a legitimate conversation. Then we focus on not over reacting by equating the evil action of the evil person to people who are like him in some way while also trying to see if perhaps we can learn how something can be a problem and indeed does encourage people to act on evil. But we rarely talk about the positive side -- how people are noble and good and the forces that turn them into such -- how people throw themselves into service at moments like this to care for the hurting, in some cases even throwing themselves into harms way to save a life itself. I know it happened because I know the caliber of the American soldier and I know the caliber of the American military family member and I know that America, wounded though we are and in many ways divided against ourselves, still has a heart beat and the blood of liberty and service and nobility still flows through or veins.

I wish we had more stories about that.

Korea is beautiful

My goodness South Korea is beautiful. I had the opportunity to go down to Kwangju with a couple of stops in between for a few days earlier this week. The trees are not fully changing yet, just starting, but the countryside is truly refreshing. I was reminded at times of driving through south east Kentucky, at times up through the Shenandoah valley, and even the drive into Chattanooga from the north. Lots of medium size rugged mountains with plains at their feet. The Koreans don't cut out the mountain side for road, but tunnel through. Every so often you would see a temple or monastery parked right on top of what looked to be an inaccessible tip. Small compact high rise cities/communities would be right up against the mountains surrounded by farming fields or perhaps a small industrial park.

We stopped at a major rest area. Great food courts with both Korean and western food. Tried some new Korean food - a kind of bimbop which is a rice and veggie dish that cooks in a very hot stone bowl. This one had fried seaweed - something that is much better fried by the way - with red pepper paste to flavor. It was fairly good.


The picture below is of Kwangju.









This is Busan.

Over Osan

Here is a photo of some of the pilots from the squadrons for whom I serve as unit chaplain flying over our base. You can also see the surrounding countryside and so get a good feel for what it is like here.

Click the picture to expand.

The link to the high resolution photo is here from the base's public website.

My Two Best Girls

Korean Friends

Great day today. Took our monthly chapel trip to a local orphanage today, where I made many new friends, including the young lady pictured here. She was so cute.

All the kids were great and we had a great deal of fun playing with them for a couple of hours.






























I've also included some shots here a snapped on our trip home. The two distance shots are of the neighborhood right outside the gate, where I frequently go to shop or eat. If you look close at the street images you can see street vendors and markets set up. Everything is very tight here and driving on Korean roads is really a constant game of chicken.































Lastly is a picture of one of my airmen who I recently took through Lutheran confirmation. I was able to push him through and confirm him just before he took off for his next duty assignment. I'm going to miss him. Great guy. His going away was at a local Brazillian steak house. Lots of food - mostly various versions of beef. It was a good thing I worked my legs hard the day before and needed all that protein in my system. Gives entirely new meaning to "beefing up".

Korean Folk Village

Monday was a holiday here as the states celebrated Columbus Day, so I seized the opportunity and tagged on our chapel outing to the Korean Folk village that is about an hour from here. This was a very interesting and refreshing day. We had a guide who shared with us about the village, who was much better at speaking English than understanding English.

Traditional Korean dancing has much percussion and a little tin horn that seems to play in counter cadence to everything that is going on. Partly a focus on rhythm and partly acrobatics, it is something to see.

Lunch was interesting. Tried some new food, and many of you who know me realize, there isn't much food I don't like. And this was good. I had a potato pancake like thing. I was saved by one of the little girls for just as I started to taste these little green vegetables she said, oooh -- little fishes. I looked closer, and.... SHE WAS RIGHT. Let's just say I didn't go the little fishes.

After lunch I wandered up to the temple and took in the sights on top of the hill and to my surprise didn't see anyone for about two hours. Very peaceful and relaxing. The villages were all authentic being composed of sites gathered from across Korea and brought here for preservation. I felt as those I was transported back in time and walking the streets and visiting the homes of folks from hundreds of years ago. I sat here on the edge of this pond for quiet awhile and enjoyed the birds singing, the warm autumn breeze and watch the fish frolic in the water. Was very eastern sort of moment.

This was a nice and needed break because from now on we are full up through the big exercise in November.

One thing I learned just from walking around is how important cultivation was (and remains) to the Korean culture. Everywhere there are indications of how they grew food just about any way they could. Red peppers were everywhere (a foreign plant introduced several hundred years ago from South America). Right outside fairly moderate homes would be found extensive gardens. Many home had plants growing on roofs, walls, in pots along side of the homes, and in small plots of ground just about anywhere. Not unlike when one drives through the cities here and observes gardens everywhere, including on rooftops - literally - dirt thrown on top of metal roofs with plants holding it in place.

Gardens of Stone

My gosh, how surprised I am as I watch this movie -- and see the very places just a few months ago I was walking as I served at Arlington. Especially moving are the scenes inside the chapel itself. And the ceremony looks like it could have happened yesterday. Very insightful into the meaning that is Arlington - even it was a different era and a different war -- service, respect, memory, honor -- these echo across time and if anything of our way of life deserves to be eternal -- perhaps it is this.

Fall Comes to Osan

As here, autumn is coming to the mountains that once were home to the mighty Cherokee.

I read in a blog that I follow that a Cherokee Chief observing the changes and bounty of harvest in the fall, described the season as a season of "hope and memory". Cool mornings and evenings have descended and I am trying to focus on my Cherokee guide to view the time as a season of hope rather than hear the words of Gandalf the Gray, "we face the long dark of Moria". Cold is coming to Korea. I keep remembering those freezing episodes of MASH.

There has been some joy this week. A gentleman I've gotten to know these past few months has completed adult instruction in the Lutheran faith and has requested confirmation which will take place this next Sunday.

Chusok has come to a close. It started off well enough but has ended sadly due to someone close to us experiencing a tragedy back in the states. It reminds me of something I proclaim often in my sermons, that most of the bad things that happen to human beings we either do to ourselves, or as in this case, do to one another. So much tragedy and pain is brought to our lives by the evil that resides in the hearts of fellow human beings. So these last few days have been days of reflection and sadness for me for in the face of some tragedies we find we are so powerless.

As a chaplain I have many opportunities to bring change and even prevent great harm as circumstances or people invite me into their lives. But not always is it possible. Usually one can help a person start to confront the realities they face and begin the road to healing, sometimes one can even play a large role in facilitating that healing, but sometimes one realizes that all one can do is be present and share the pain. Not that it makes the pain less for the person who is hurting, but perhaps it helps to not hurt alone. But moments like these remind oneself as a chaplain that we are only human and not God and no amount of wanting to make it better can make it better.

In our powerlessness one is reminded of how fragile life is. How fragile the good is. How fragile so many things are and we are moved to thankfulness for our many blessings for life should not be taken for granted. We could be moved to fear or despair but...

Then we remember how strong life is. How strong the good can be. How strong so many things like love and family, devotion and duty, truth and promise are. And once again we are moved to thankfulness.

Which fits with Chusok, that while it is not the Korean version of our American thanksgiving, it is certainly a time for these people of hope and memory - celebration of their family and what they have as well as remembering and acknowledging the role of those who have gone before us continue to play in our lives.

May we all look through the grief of our various losses as we face and deal with the mortality of our lives and see hope and remember -- remember to give thanks for those we have shared our lives with -- remember to give thanks for who they have helped us to be -- and push forward -- even if future days around the corner are dark -- for the warm light days of Spring are promised. Let us never forget the enduring strength of promise.

Let us never forget the eternal voice of God that rings through human history loud and clearly proclaiming "death and evil do not get the last word." Out of the deepest evil of the human heart the Christ was murdered by human hands and the hands that were nailed to the tree forgave -- and the body that died defeated death and rose -- and the heart that was stilled by human evil -- beat again with love and promised not only forgiveness but resurrection. Death does not get the final word.

God's peace to you who are remembering and hurting.

Chusok Part II

Thanks to two wonderful Korean members of our staff, we enjoyed a wonderful Chusok meal on Thursday. The food was a bit different. We had something like that to the left only they were dark green (as seen on the far left) and bleached white. At first I didn't know if it was some kind of seafood or a vegitable of some kind -- but it turned out to be a delicious sweet sort of dumpling. Incredible. Also many kinds of fruits and vegitables with the traditional Bulgogi. It was a great lunch.

Learn more about the holiday and the meal associated with it here.