Light in the darkness

On a cold Christmas Eve in an ancient land in a cold stone building, built many hundreds of years ago one small candle shown out to light the surrounding darkness. It was Christmas Eve. And thousands packed the magnificent cathedral of Ely to join with the gifted voices of the choirs of this Christian community to praise that vital event of the birth of the Messiah. Here was no generic holiday celebration. Thousands brave the cold of this unheated but beautiful building to join in worship, thanksgiving, and reflection of the beginning of the most significant event to shape human destiny: the birth of a redeemer. It was humbling to be a small part of that assembly.

Thankful

God has not promised riches but I am thankful for all that He has enriched me with including my family, my friends, and the privilege of serving as a chaplain to some of the finest people I've ever known.

God has not promised health and vitality but I am thankful that for being 45 years old and slightly broken from an old injury that I am in good health and able to do what I need to do.

God has not promised justice nor liberty but I am thankful that I am a citizen of a nation that holds liberty as its greatest virtue.

God has not promised the faithful of His church will have it easy in this world but I am thankful that I can gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ and worship in freedom and teach my daughters the great wonders of the grace of God.

What God has promised is to be with us. And so as we draw from Thanksgiving into advent, the time of expectant waiting, and into the celebration of Christmas I am most thankful for Emmanuel -- God with us -- for in the infant child of Jesus, God became flesh and opened salvation for all who would receive Him.

And I am thankful for the service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London this past Thanksgiving that reminded me of what God has promised and to be thankful for the bounty when it comes but to be more thankful for the presence of God for bounty if all too often temporary and trouble may arrive on the morrow.

Encouraged

President Abraham Lincoln was a great man. A visionary. A leader. A humble servant of our nation. It is most encouraging to know he was also a great man of faith in God. In an age when I often here from some that the Christian faith is about "fairy tales" it is worth remembering that the Christian faith was at the core of this great man. His faith defined and shaped how he viewed himself and how he viewed his fellow human beings. His faith in God gave him strength to endure through the great struggle that was the Civil War. As we draw near to Thanksgiving it is fitting to remember his proclamation of thanksgiving and not be blind to the role his faith played in his life and through him in the life of our nation:

By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth. By the President: Abraham Lincoln William H. Seward, Secretary of State

Wishing

There have been some beautiful days here in England. The locals have told me that the weather has been more temperate than it normally would be for this time of year. It is 0530 and in an hour I'll be forming up for unit PT. I wish this morning was a beautiful day.

But it isn't. It is cold -- 43 degrees...and rainy. And windy, blustery actually. So, PT this morning probably won't be much fun.

I wish it were different. But wishing doesn't make it so.

It is amazing though how often we live as though wishing did make it so. I am a called and ordained Christian minister (of the Lutheran confession). I say that upfront because I believe in integrity. I believe folks have a right to know where someone is coming from. So getting back to my point about wishing something were so doesn't make it so.

Now sometimes having a dream is good. When I was 24 and weighed 320 I dreamed about not weighing 320 -- and that helped motivate me to do something about it.

But there are some things I know that can't change. Sometimes I think it would have been cool to live in a different place and time and I daydream about this or maybe write about it (yes, I am one of many who are working on a book). But that doesn't make it so. I live here in 2010.

There have been times I wished my bank account had something else to say. But wishing didn't make it so.

There were times I wish I had a day off, but again truth is truth.

Sometimes I have read things in the Scripture and thought boy I wish that were different. If I were God I might have done things differently. But in spite of our wishes (and often our actions and presumptions) we are not God nor gods. God is our creator. And the Bible says what it says. And I believe that the Bible says what God has to say to us. And I believe he means what He says.

Yes, sometimes I don't fully understand. I was having a discussion with a fellow minister last night about a particular item on which the church is divided. If left up to me I would side with that individual. But it isn't left up to me. Wishing something were different doesn't make it so. There are times when dealing with God and reality that you have to accept what is given and trust. God is our Creator. I figure since He made us He knows something about how we are designed to fit together.

But the world is fallen and things aren't goign as designed. Sickness was not part of the original design. I have family who are fighting cancer. As I get older there are days I feel mortality in my bones. I've lost friends. I've seen first hand the damage that sin does to the lives of people from those who were sexually assaulted or fallen victim to substance abuse, and it goes on and on. Not part of the original design. Flawed. Fallen. Sinful. I remember talking to one alcoholic who has what is probably an inherited (as it runs in his family) predisposition to an overwhelming desire for alcohol who wavered between feeling worthless one minute to blaming God for creating him that way. Neither is true. The truth is that sin has effected us all - to some it has a much bigger impact and to some lesser -- but it effects us all (and it is fatal as we all die). Not part of the original design but true. Wishing it were different doesn't make it different. Pretending sin isn't sin doesn't make it not sin. Blaming God for creating us this way and using that as an excuse to live it out rather than recognizing it for what it is doesn't change it.

Truth is truth. God's Word says truth and I believe God knows what He is talking about.

But there is reason to dream and to hope. Because that same Word offers hope in the gift of Jesus and the promise of everlasting life. Yes it is faith. Yes it is hope. Yes is a dream I hope and believe will come true. Dreams can come true -- I did loose 160 pounds. Things can change. Miracles do happen. But in the case of everlasting life it is not just an empty hope that runs against all evidence - it is a hope that clings to God's Word. God's Word speak truth and I believe God knows what He is talking about.

So in the fall of life -- with winter ahead -- I believe spring is around the corner. So what are a few colder dreary days. The truth of "now" cannot overcome the promise of spring.

Excited

After two months we are settling in well into our new home and our new chapel community. I am very pleased to discover a large enough group to begin having a Lutheran based liturgical service on Sunday mornings as well as having a number of folks who need junior confirmation. So October 31st, Reformation I'll hold my first service and confirmation will start on the 25th.

There truly are a great bunch of folks in our chapel community here. Caring, devoted, gifted and giving. Last night our ladies hosted a big chili dinner for all our dorm residents, single airmen, sailors, soldiers and marines who live in dormitory type housing. Great food, well attended and much appreciated.

Alconbury is looking like it is going to be one great place to do ministry.

10 years

Ten years is not such a long time. Ten years ago I was serving as a parish pastor in Cincinnati and working as a hospital chaplain part-time at the University of Cincinnati Trauma Center. Ten years ago today I felt a renewed kinship with my fellow sailors as I had served in the United States Naval Reserve until just a few years before. For ten years ago today was the cowardly evil attack by Islamic terrorists on the USS Cole that resulted in 17 deaths, numerous injuries, grieving families and friends and signaled what we now know was the opening salvo in what has been called the Long War and the War on Terror. Ten years ago today Bin Laden followed through on his threats and our lives have not been the same.

I remember. Before 9/11 was the USS Cole. I remain resolved.

Ten years now and counting. I claim only to speak for myself, but I remain resolved. Against evil there can be no quarter given. Against evil their can be no retreat and no surrender for evil is without mercy. Evil knows not one shred of compassion. It knows only desire for domination and destruction. Evil has one goal: to deliver slavery or death. Sad is the necessary day when free men of courage and honor must unsheathe the sword and go to war, but what else can a free society do when to sit idly by is to invite slavery or slaughter.

There is always a cost. A dark, dreadful, painful cost to action that can only be superseded by the cost of inaction.

Today I pray for the families: the parents, the wives and husbands, the children, all family and friends whose lives were torn by the loss of loved ones because evil reached out to destroy. Today I pray a prayer of thanksgiving for those honorable men and women who stand the line against the onslaught of evil knowing their blood may be the next to be shed. Today I pray for victory and for peace -- but real peace, not the peace that might momentarily come from hiding averting one's eyes until it is too late.

Today I remember these words:

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.
Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?
Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good.
But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.
For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
(Romans 13:3-4)

And so I pray too for our leaders and our forces that we may never forget why we must fight, though necessary it is, we take no pleasure in unsheathing the sword and we are ready to fight and die if necessary not for dominion but for freedom, for the good.

First Month

A beautiful sunrise welcomed my family to the United Kingdom as we approached Heathrow International Airport.

We have been in the UK a bit over a month now. We have learned the art of navigating round abouts and the British banking system. I've been out to our large sister base at Lakenheath and also Mildenhall. We've wondered around Cambridge. Just this morning I had some great spicey Indian food with some a good friend and his wife who I know from Iraq. The last of my personal possessions arrive tomorrow. Ministries are starting to spin up and I'm getting into the groove of ministry here.
It took us about two weeks to find our home of the next few years - a quite cozy place tucked away in the community not terribly far from base.

One key highlight of the past month, I was honored to be invited to attend the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain commemoration held here. A sunset retreat with flyover by a Spitfire, it was memorable and solemn. It reminded me that here on this land the battle for liberty and indeed one might argue civilization itself, hung in the balance in those days.

Transitions

Very busy month during my transition from Korea to my next duty station in the UK. This morning I awake after the first full night of sleep I've had in a while, due in part to jet lag and due in part to just plain having a lot of stuff to do. July was very busy in Korea with a full up exercise, that was actually fun looking back on it, but with moments of not so fun. That was followed by lots of hoops to jump through to get cleared from Korea and make sure the new team was fully briefed to insure continuity of our mission. Was also working to make sure VBS was ready to go (and thanks to some incredible volunteers it was going gang busters when I departed).

So last Thursday I stepped on board the Patriot Express (I miss Korean Air) and started the long flight to Seattle, with a stop over in Japan. It was a beautiful day in Japan. I was one of the first to check in for the flight so I had an incredible seat (very much appreciated on such a long flight) right up on the exit row. Lots of room to stretch out. The plane was old and no frills but the service was very good. They gave us enough food to feed us for a week, which came in handy given that my flight out of Seattle on Alaskan Air was very bare bones -- they had everything if you wanted to purchase it. First time I've ever been asked to "rent" a movie to watch on the plane. They wanted to sell me beef jerky, which I found amusing because I had had a bag of beef jerky on me but customs took it at the agricultural center because I brought it in from oversees. But I did manage to keep my other packaged snacks so I was good. I wasn't about to pay 2 prices for beef jerky or cheese and crackers just because I was at 30,000 feet.

The flight was on time, but somehow they goofed up our gate assignment and we had to sit on the ramp for an hour waiting for the gate. Then they lost 1/2 of my luggage. (It finally turned up two days later. I had just given up when they finally admitted to being mystified and that it might never be found and so I was preparing to go spend the day replacing uniforms when they suddenly said they might have a hint of it -- and going to look they found it - in the airport the whole time. It's tag had come off. So a great relief to have my gear back.)

July was also PT month as it is my birthday month. Pushed hard but still missed maxing the test by 30 seconds on the run but a 99 gets me and entire year before I test again.

So this morning finds me in temporary lodging in DC with my family as we spend a few days saying hello/good bye to our friends and our puppy (who is too old to make the trip to the UK) getting ready to go look for a cup of coffee then to the gym to work out and then church and dinner this evening with friends. UK here we come.

The Cost of Liberty

I awoke in an early morning in Korea reading over the news to find that a friend I worked with at Arlington National Cemetery was killed in Afghanistan. The cost of liberty remains high.

Specialist Louis (Lou) Fastuca was killed in Abdulhamid Kalay in Afghanistan on 5 July when his vehicle was attacked with an IED. He was 24. He was from West Chester Pennsylvania.

He was a great kid. I always loved his sense of humor. He was always in good humor himself and loved to banter around in the office. Truly a great loss.

I ask my readers to keep his family in their prayers. And pray for victory and for peace.

Read more here

Still Celebrating Liberty

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness

Happy 4th of July

The Star Spangled Banner (Verse 4)

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

AF Chaplains in the News

Worth the read. Hits the big rocks with what we as AF chaplains do, and talks about the issues surrounding our current draw down.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=70025

My last deployment -- waiting for the medivac chopper to come in with wounded.