Day 30...Just Another Manic Monday...

Hi Family and Friends,

Christina arrived safely in Colorado after a day of false starts. (Bad weather in Atlanta.) We made the best of a tough situation and she got to spend an extra night with me here in Columbia. Her luggage had gone on without her so we made do with what I had here at Ft. Jackson. Sgt. Lopez had mercy on me and allowed me to skip PT this morning so I could drive her to the airport at 5 a.m.

After taking her to the airport early this morning our day at the Chaplain school was spent in hour after hour of "death by PowerPoint." I would much rather be out in the field doing physical work but we are learning important material so....keep smiling!

PT tonight was a 2 mile run up and down hills on a road next to a beautiful forest. I never look forward to PT but I felt great after the run was over...

Another 43 soldiers joined our class for the next phase of the class today. We are a huge class right now...175!!!! In two weeks, when many of us come home, the class will be much smaller.

Mail call was a lot of fun today. Mom and dad sent a big red box (which everyone laughed at!) full of beef jerky, Wyoming Cowboy gear, and chocolate waffle cookies (just like when I was a kid!) I got several other cards full of encouragement, newspaper clippings, and pictures. You all are the best. I feel so overwhelmed with the love and support...

In chapel today one of the students (Chaplain Mason) spoke about the Cross of Jesus Christ and the power of God's work there...He told how Christ Jesus gave this world purpose and meaning. There is no need to chase the wind. There is no need to pursue pleasure, money, position... It was such a powerful message...I could feel the Holy Spirit in the room as he spoke. He closed his message by telling about how he and his older brother had sat on the porch last year drinking coffee, sharing their love for God and their peace with death if it came...(Chaplain Mason's older brother was on a three week break from his tour in Iraq as they rocked in their chairs on the porch.) Shortly after returning to Iraq his brother was killed by a roadside bomb. Chaplain Mason said: "I miss my brother so much......so much...but now my brother sees in full what I can only see by faith, he is home with God."

I was so touched and it makes me tear up to think about his testimony and willingness to serve his country as a Chaplain. As I finished my run in the middle of the pack I saw Chaplain Mason up ahead. He was there tonight running the extra PT. He didn't need to be. He passed his test and only came to encourage the rest of us. I grabbed him after our run and told him how honored I was to be around men like him...

God be with you...