Springing Up

It has been a busy spring. I had a week of leave during which my family and I visited East Tennessee. Early in the week we hiked part of the Appalachian trail on Roan Mountain making our way through four foot snow drifts. The next day we were in almost 80 degree weather at Dollywood for the festival of nations.

I love going down to Dollywood. These is a centering aspect to the experience, visiting places were old fashioned home town values and religion are still central to people's experiences of life, unlike so many other place I frequent these days. I was blessed to be reminded too, that while where I am faith in Jesus is considered quaint and out of date, that for much of the world the Gospel is still very much alive. There was a group of vocalists from an african nation that in the midst of doing their traditional vocal chants suddenly broke out into very traditional gospel songs - common ground between the simple folk of Tennessee and the surrounding area visiting the park and these wonderful simple people of faith from a land far away. God is good - all the time!

Last week I had a church conference at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The topic of the day concerned the intersection of Just War Theory and pastoral care as well as Constitutional Law and the military chaplaincy. I learned a great deal on both fronts and will say that following a straight forward and clear exposition from a strong legal standpoint on the latter topic that I am much reassured about the future outcome of legal efforts to oppose or even disband the chaplaincy. I even had the blessing of doing my PT run on the beach with the seagulls - had the beach pretty much to myself that afternoon.




Coming home spring has come full bore. All our flowers are in bloom, as well as my neighbors Tulips. I am quite blessed to have a neighbor with such a green thumb.

My funeral schedule is robust and I am starting to complete items for my upcoming move out of the country to my next duty station.

Yesterday our team made history for the Air Force at Arlington. We had our first full honors ceremony for an enlisted member of the Air Force. TSgt Phillip Meyers was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan on the 4th of April. It was incredible to see the huge turn out from Congressmen, to flag officers of several services, to cabinet secretaries, all the works - it was heartening to see so many seek to bring what comfort can be brought to the grieving family. May God bless them today and always.

I've done three active duty services, all from Iraq. Each one was very special to me as I have tread some of the same sand. But each one is unique though the cost is the same - the ultimate price for our nation and for freedom. I go back to those graves from time to time to offer a small prayer that God keep their families in His keeping.


Now that warmer weather is here, (it was hot today) I've been getting up at 5 am and walking or running in our nearby park, what is becoming a time of great refreshment for me. The park is filled with wildlife including a nesting park of some kind of hawk, a nesting pair of Mallards, innumerable turtles, and bunches of wood peckers. For city living - it ain't bad.

Life Renews

It may seem strange for a cemetery, but as spring advances the entire grounds echo with life. The grounds are full of color, the flurry of wildlife, and beauty of deep rain cleared skies. Here are a few of several hundred photos I've taken in the past few weeks. I've decided to share some photos of the columbarium and our primary chapel as I haven't shown much of these here.

Fort Meyer has two chapels. We primarily use the older historic one for our chapel services, as it has a nice parking lot and is in close proximity to the back gate into the cemetery. It is very traditional inside with stained glass windows reflecting many aspects of honorable military service.




One day last week we had huge downpours in the morning that began to clear by early afternoon giving way to huge billowing clouds in a pristine blue sky.



On my way home out of the cemetery I happened by one of the army's caisson teams making their way from a late afternoon ceremony.


This black and white picture reminds me that sixty years ago, when burials of active duty casualties from WWII were conducted, the scene would not have looked that much different.

Here we make our way into one of the columbariums. I had several ceremonies here this week. For military members the ceremony starts under a covered portico where honors are rendered and concludes back in the niche area. For dependents, we do the entire ceremony back at the niche.

































Inside the admin building, where families gather prior to ceremonies, there are two large planters that flank the marble steps going downstairs. The contents change according the season of the year. Now they are filled with Easter Lillies, a silent bright reminder with their trumpet shaped blossoms that the trumpets that ring over the fields of Arlington are not the last trumpets of those we bury, but that a final trumpet will ring that belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ and in Him all will be summoned from the grave on that final last day.



Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't share a close in shot of one of the beautiful cherry blossoms that fill the DC area.