Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
New Hampshire
New Hampshire was great. I got the pleasure of meeting some great people, Andy and Christine and their 3 kids, made a quick trip to Boston to meet Fenway (the press box is really an awesome view), and had a great hike in the NH woods. I also learned I am really good at tickling kids and playing like a camel. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Million Dollar Wreck
via news.yahoo.com
La Marque, Texas: DRIVING FAIL. The driver of this $1,000,000 Bugatti drove his ride into a river because of what he described as “low flying pelicans and a dropped cell phone.”
Hate it when that happens.
Lesson Learned: This goes to show that the combination of pelicans and cell phones only result in disaster.
Stanford Fools
via espn.go.com
Really guys?? I mean, i am all for being a fan of your team and all, but really?? Because you all look like fools. I am just sayin…
Overcast @ Highbridge
M and I at Highbridge. November 2009. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Song of the Day
Ben Folds – 'Not the Same' – It's fantastic. Check it.
Caffeine, instruments, music, et al.
I used to think that caffeine didn’t have an effect on me. However, i am beginning to think that it does all of a sudden – hence why i am awake at this hour.
One of the most awesome, yet underrated, instruments is the Lap Steel Guitar. Me and M went to see The Decemberists here in Lexington, and they utilized the aforementioned instrument to perfection. It’s one of those instruments that can make a good song a truly great song. It adds an element of emotion and depth to a song that a lot of instruments just can’t do. I’ve always thought this of the cello, harmonica, and Hammond B-3 organ as well. By the by, the Decemberists were incredible this time around. They did the entire Hazards of Love set, without stopping. It was truly amazing. I had seen them once before, on their last tour in Louisville, and that was awesome. This one, however, was fantastic. I recommend it. It’s been quite a year, it’ll be interesting to see how it wraps up. I am sure it’ll be better going out than it was coming in… Other music that i have been listening to quite a bit, other than the Decemberists, is Neko Case…a fantastic vocalist whose songs are deep and layered and almost mysterious, yet fun. Lupe Fiasco, my favorite rap artist right now. Here’s a great lyric From ‘Hip hop Saved My Life’: “He turns down the beat writers’ block impedes, crying from the next room a baby in need, of some pampers and some food and a place to sleep, that plus a black Cadillac in D’s is what pushes him to be a great MC.” He’s the best on the stage right now, arguably. Katie Herzig – a great singer/songwriter – “I want to feel your hands, i want to feel your fire burnin from where i stand…” David Gray – British singer/songwriter – brilliant – “I’m the bottom line of the joke, i am ecstasy spilling like bright egg yolk, I’m the thoughts you’re too ashamed to ever share, i am the smell of it you’re trying to wash out of your hair…” from the song ‘Nemesis’ – really deep and fascinating. A Fine Frenzy – Good band, front woman Allison, has a beautiful voice – “is there a chance you’ll change your mind? Or are we ashes and wine?” From the song Ashes and Wine. Great song. And finally Modest Mouse – great band, different, rocking, fantastic: “The truth had stopped and the skyline rose Exchanging comfort for more fashionable clothes. I’d left the hills at this point in time To run on treadmills in a perfect line” from the sweet song Guilty Cocker Spaniels. This is just to name a few… I think the caffeine finally wore off.
Thoughts on the Atlantic
The rain and thunder rolled across the Floridian Atlantic coast today. The lightening bolts flashed out of the sky like electric javelins that at once appeared, then disappeared into the stirring ocean. And as i was sitting on my balcony while the rain was coming down in waves, i realized how beautiful life really is. I realized, as the lightening flashed across the sky and the horizon, that i have such a peace. And as the hot air and the cold air clashed in the sky above, making the thunder that would shake the building, i was amazed that everything has really worked out for the good (Rom 8:28).
People will always make choices. And those choices, many times, will be hurtful, confusing, and frustrating. They will not make sense. What can you do about it? You can keep living. You can trust that Yahweh does have you in his hand. You can keep making choices, keep moving forward with Him. Don’t let what others do affect what you know to do. Don’t give power to the choices others make.
It is then, after a period of time, when you will see that he does work things out, that he does see the big picture, that he will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4). You will see that he can make the situation better than you ever imagined. I have realized this this year.
So, i’ll be here in Cocoa Beach for another 5 days – and then off to Charleston! It’ll be a great week. Here’s a few shots from what we have done.
From Georgia to Florida
Me and my flight (FALCONS) at Andersonville National Cemetary
So it’s been a good time here at Robins AFB. We have been able to do a lot of amazing things.
We went to a flight line and saw some F-15’s. We toured a J-STAR aircraft. We checked out the honor guard and saw what they do…and they do incredible work. We went to Anderson, GA and toured the Civil War prison site and museum there. I was able to follow a chaplain around and get a lot of good stories and advice from him – which was extremely helpful.
One of my favorite moments was hearing from a former POW in the Vietnam war. He was a retired One-Star General and he was an amazing guy. He told us how he got shot down, captured, and then tortured and interrogated. He told us how he was able to stay focused and determined to make it out of there. He told us how it was when he turned to God and put the burdens he was carrying on Him that he was able to make it. His story was a lot better and more detailed than what i just relayed, but it brought tears to my eyes.
So many have sacrificed so much for our country.
Later that day we went to a Mennonite restaurant and ate there, which was incredible, and also heard their beliefs on Pacifism. That was hard to hear given that we just heard from a POW and all. But no matter how i feel about pacifism, it’s important to know and consider it.
So today we’re jumping on a C-130 and flying to Coco Beach, FL where we’ll be for a full week. It’ll be pretty nice. We’ll be busy, but it’ll be a lot of fun i am sure. The more i am getting familiar with chaplaincy the more i am both excited and daunted by it. I am looking forward to getting into it completely, despite how intimidating it is. Here’s to another week!
Victory, Not Loot
This is a new venue for me to post my goings-on,* thoughts, musings, etc. I have an old one that has been around for years (www.xanga.com/gabe1983), but i figured it was time to move on. So here i am.
The Latin** phrase Victoria Non Praeda means ‘victory, not loot.’ I heard it a long time ago and thought it a really interesting phrase. For isn’t that what we, as Christians are here for? Victory? Aren’t we told not to waste our time saving treasures for ourselves here (Matt 6; Luke 18)?
And haven’t we been promised victory through Christ (1 Cor 15:57; 1 Jn 5:4)? And in fact, we know that there is no victory in death – only in the salvation of Christ. So thus is one of my new life’s mottos: Victoria, Non Praeda.
In other news, it has been a wild and crazy and hot summer. For the past 8 weeks i have been in training for the Air Force.*** I am a commissioned officer in the Chaplain Candidate program. It’s something i am excited about, as is the rest of this summer. Right now i am in Warner Robbins, GA at the AF base here, and i’ll be traveling to Coco Beach, FL; Charleston, SC****; Ft. Worth, TX; San Antonio, TX; and back here to GA. And it’s going to be awesome.
More pictures and thoughts to come.
*I try not to say the word “blog” when i absolutely don’t have to. I don’t like the way it rolls off the tongue. And it looks weird. But mainly i hate the way it feels to say it, or anything that rhymes with it (e.g. grog, smog, tog, sog, etc.) So i’ll try to avoid saying this word whenever possible. Perhaps it’s nit-picky, perhaps it’s odd, perhaps i should get over it. But, honestly i’d rather not.
**I love Latin phrases. Greek and Hebrew phrases are great too. They are so cool and mysterious. You know they are. I took 2 years of Latin in high school. I thought the language was cool then, but my teachers were either a kooky older lady who probably had a lot of cats and a young seminary student who was a power monger. And most considered him an Albino as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
***Into the blue baby. 2d Lt all the way.
****I have always wanted to go here. History is my friend…nay, all of our friends.
