Safely arrived

Once I get a few more pictures of the base, I will try and describe the environment here.  I've been here about 42 hours, and have [I think] adjusted to the time change pretty well.  Below are some of the pictures leading up to my departure.

Fortunately, there are ample WiFi hotspots around here, so I am able to text my family and Skype daily.  I think that will help the separation from them, especially the little ones.  

My best friend and the strongest woman I know.  And beautiful, too.

So I pack like a woman.  I don't want to forget anything.

The Boogs.

6 months without HUGS???  My recruiter didn't tell me that!

Sweetest boy in this world.

More to come.  I will try to include some pics to give an idea of my setting here.  Sorry this is so brief.  Will make up for it next time!

"But you will not leave in haste or go in flight;  For the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard."  Isaiah 52:12

Hasta Luego, Estados Unidos!

I’m currently in the Baltimore airport awaiting my overseas military flight that will ultimately take me to my final destination in Southwest Asia. I'm officially not permitted to disclose the location, and since I've always been a stickler for the rules, Southwest Asia it is. Unfortunately, I have to wait at the airport for about 7 more hours until I can board the plane. Thankfully, there is a nicely equipped, well-staffed USO here that offers a quiet, comfortable place to relax, watch some TV, access the internet, and get some free snacks. With our federal government entangled in a serious debt crisis, President Obama has recently unveiled his plan for a balanced budget: Ramen noodles at all USOs. They are definitely worth the 20 cents of taxpayer money, I assure you.

One of my favorites since grade school!

This flight is SCHEDULED to take me to Germany, Italy, and finally to Southwest Asia over the next day-and-a-half. I will post in a few days of what actually transpires. These flights are well-known to experience delays and unanticipated “character-building” events. At this point, my time is not my own, and I’m not really in a hurry to get anywhere. We’ll see what happens.

Another INCREDIBLE service the USO offers is called United Through Reading, in which a deploying parent is recorded reading a child's book for his kids, and this is then mailed to the kids. Check out this link below on this program.

http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/

I’ve met a few people here heading to the same place as me, each in different career fields. It’s interesting to hear their perspectives and expectations of the upcoming deployment. None of them have kids, and none are married, so I think we approach this experience from different places. One airman I met who is headed to the same place as I was reading a book entitled “Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough,” by Elmer Tombs. This caught my eye, and we talked a bit about the book and the powerful implications of the title. I’m excited to know we will be at the same base for the next six months, and I’m hoping we can study God’s word together.

More to come. Thanks for following along. I’ll try to have some interesting pictures for the next post. I’ve always preferred books with pictures, and I’m guessing some of you do, too.

Intro

I've been tasked by the military, my current employer, to serve in Southwest Asia for the next 6 months or so as a general surgeon. I figured I would probably keep a journal, but since I don't really write much anymore, my right hand started cramping up halfway down the first page. Additionally, I figured a blog would save me from repeating the same e-mail updates to a bunch of people. So, I guess you could say I'm blogging because I'm weak and lazy. I say I'm practical.

I am a follower of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of the Living God, and I sincerely feel that He has something extraordinary planned for me during my deployment. I don't know exactly what it is, but I feel it has more to do with growing in my understanding of Him and His holy word, the Bible, than it does growing in my skill as a surgeon. Hopefully both, but I'm learning to let him call the shots. My prayer is that I will be productive in my time deployed, sensitive to the voice and direction of the Holy Spirit, disciplined in my behavior, and diligent in my study of God's word. I pray that my words, actions and attitude are fitting of a disciple of Jesus, the Messiah.

This is my first deployment. I am married, I have three children under the age of six, and a 4 year-old on the way (I'll explain that one more later). I have some expectations of what this will be like, but know that I'm likely naive. (Does knowing one is naive make him less so?) My many military friends have probably prepared me well. At least a couple of them have been deployed to the same location as I am. Below is a list of things I expect I will likely miss. I plan on updating the list throughout my journey, and comparing it with what I actually missed once I get home.

Things I expect to miss:

1. My Wife, my kids

2. My church (www.crossbridgecommunitychurch.com)

3. Indian food, Mexican food, Italian food, my mom's chicken fried steak, my wife's Italian cream cake (okay, GOOD FOOD!)

4. Bird-watching with my kids

5. My backyard

6. The support and encouragement of my Life Group at church

7. My Taylor acoustic guitar (Cory- I hope you enjoy it!) The one I brought will suffice

8. Long, hot showers (3-minute combat showers are not going to be the same)

9. Toilets that flush

10. H-E-B

11. Starbuck's

12. Operating in my own ORs

13. My son's coy smile when I answer his "Dad, are you going to work today?" with "Nope."

14. My oldest daughter's suffocating hugs

15. My youngest daughter's "I MISSED YOU" yell when I get home.

16. Muffin night

17. Fresh produce

I'm sure there are some I forgot, and there are a few obvious ones I omitted. But that's a pretty reasonable list to start with.

Acts 4:11-13 Jesus is " ' the stone you builders rejected which has become the cornerstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Hoping to make others take note that I have been with Jesus.