One year

It seems fitting.

One year ago today was one year since I wrote on this blog. Since I even opened the blogger page, as a matter of fact.

There are many, many reasons behind this. One, that I've talked about before, is Facebook. That's my outlet now.

But that's not the biggest reason. The biggest reason is that, contrary to what I thought on June 12, 2010, CPE experiences are, many times, not something to be shared. It is such an intense, personal, unique-to-every-person, challenging experience, that a public blog isn't really the place to write about it. (That said, if you found my blog because you are a chaplain/ spouse and are headed to CPE, contact me. I will share. :-)

On June 12, 2010, I had no.idea. what was about to hit. I think someone could have even told me about what CPE was like for them, and I still would have been unprepared.

Enough on that.

On to other news. Thankfully (though that word seems immensely inadequate), CPE is OVER! Next week we are on to Ft. Leavenworth, KS, where Jon will be utilizing the CPE training at the prison. He will do well in that environment... and I will do well back in the midwest and within a day's drive of family! :-)

Speaking of family... #3 will be here in September! I might just break my "once a year blogging" routine and tell you a little more about that. Maybe.

Anyway. Last night, I got a Facebook message from Meredith telling me she found a comment I left on her blog a couple years ago - long before we ever imagined we'd meet, let alone knew our husbands would go through CPE together! It gave me some motivation to sign back in, and here I am. Will I come back any time soon? Probably not. Maybe. We'll see...

New Again

We're here!

We made it to Fort Lewis, Washington a couple weeks ago. Jon took some leave, so we've had time to get settled in - that was great! The trek from Alabama to Seattle was long, but not nearly as bad as we had dreaded - the kids were troopers!

So now begins a whole new chapter. Up until this point, Jon has, with one exception, been a battalion chaplain, serving 700-1000 Soldiers. Ministry in that environment had become normalized and a way of life for both of us.

Now, however, he has shifted into "Student Status" - his primary job this next year is completing the CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) training and working on his Doctorate of Ministry. We met yesterday with the supervisor, the outgoing class, Jon's incoming classmates (he's one of 5), and all their families. That took some of the mystery out of it. It seems it will be a challenging year, but I think we'll really enjoy it.

One of my original purposes for this blog was to share my experience as an Army chaplain's wife. But, like I said, there were fewer & fewer new things worth sharing! :-) And, the older Sophie gets, the less comfortable I am putting up pictures on here. I know Facebook has its own privacy issues, but at least I have some sort of control over that. So, no more pictures here, and little family updates. If you want to be my FB friend, look me up!

All that to say, now that we ARE having new experiences, I hope to write more about those. When we found out Jon would be headed to CPE we both tried to find stories online to get an idea what it would be like, and came up with nothing.

Have a great day!

Black Hawk Down

Last week we went to the Garrison Prayer Luncheon. These things are all basically the same - a bunch of people go to the Officer's Club to nicely decorated tables, there are some prayers, some Scripture passages read, special music, a buffet dinner, and a speaker. I've probably been to a dozen of them.

Last week's was pretty cool though. Sometimes the speakers are interesting, sometimes not so much. Mike Durant happened to be the speaker at this one. You've not heard of him? Yeah, me either...

But what I had heard of was Black Hawk Down (though I've never actually seen it... I don't tend to enjoy war movies...). He was the real pilot that movie was based on. He didn't have anything extraordinary to say, but I appreciated the fact that he's willing to talk about his experiences. He spoke of how he dealt with the aftermath of what had happened in Somalia, and that, in addition to physical, emotional, and mental well-being, he had to focus on the spiritual.

On another note, when we first got there, the chaplain in charge mentioned he needed to find someone to read scripture, as the lady who was going to couldn't make it. I said, "Oh, I'll do it." Totally not a big deal. Jon & I were talking later about how, as pastors' kids, we're used to jumping in. I have played more than one offertory on a moment's notice!

In other news, we're crossing things off our to-do list for the move - we even sold the boat a couple weeks ago! It will be here before we know it!

Thoughts on a Rainy Sunday

Several people have asked me why I've stopped blogging, or at least writing so much. There are many reasons for this. One, admittedly, is Facebook. I post a lot of thoughts there, so the blog gets pretty much ignored. Then there's the fact that I completely and utterly decompress to Jon, so by the time I think to write about a given topic, I've probably already talked about it to death! Oh, then there's the small matter of being in school full time right now (should have my BA next spring!!!), and trying to do what I can to get ready for a new baby next month. (NEXT month? What??? When did THAT happen?)

The other reason is actually similar to why Jon stopped blogging. I started this out to chronicle being a Chaplain's wife, and I have few new experiences anymore. It's just life. Redstone is different from Hunter, which was different from Stewart, but at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same.

And, honestly, many of the things I would write about, I'm not really comfortable putting out there in cyberspace for anyone to read.

After listening to a story yesterday on NPR, Jon and I had a conversation about what it would look like to move "back home." I'll admit, there are times moving back to Cedar Springs seems appealing. My parents now live 4 hours away from there, so it's not "home" in that sense, but it is where I grew up. Every time I visit, I wish I could stay longer. Most of our siblings live within a 45 minute drive of there, and what I consider my home church - the one I went to and worked at in my early 20s - is just 10 minutes away.

But could I do it?

When Jon was in Iraq the first time, our plan was to go Active Duty. Long story short, that didn't work out. He came home in May of 2006, and we weren't sure where life would take us. We ended up moving back to Atlanta to work. I remember being completely terrified of this. Away from Michigan? Away from my family? Away from home?

But you know, home isn't Cedar Springs anymore. Home is not Savannah nor Huntsville. We often say that home is wherever we both are, but when he is deployed, I certainly don't consider THAT home! Many people use the phrase "Home is where the Army sends you" - and I think that right now, I tend to agree.

I feel more at home with other spouses than I do with friends from Michigan. I feel like I could walk onto any Army post and be integrated quite quickly.

A couple weeks ago I was on the phone with a good friend from high school. We used to do everything together. She got married a year after me, had a girl 7 weeks after Sophie was born, and had a baby boy in March. In that way, our lives have remained similar.

But really, they couldn't be more different. She lives in the next town over from our high school, in a small community. She is happy with her life, and I'm happy for her.

But it's not for me.

My life is the Army now. Jon and I have talked recently about how intimidated I used to be by it all. The first few social functions I went to I was scared to death. I didn't know when to stand, when to sit, how to interact with people. It was all so unknown.

Not anymore. Changes of Command, Hail & Farewells, Coffees, FRGs, even Memorial Services - they're all a part of life. I can tell rank by glancing at a Soldier's chest (though I'll admit, I still have to mentally count rockers), Taps playing at the end of the day has become common, and all my friends know exactly what it's like to have a husband overseas. I am more comfortable here than I would be anywhere else. I appreciate the diversity of people I meet, and I realize that, regardless of rank and position, that's all they all are - just people. People who introduce me to worlds quite unlike mine, people who might look at things differently.

I'm not done blogging. You'll still get your Sophie updates :-) - and I'm sure many more once Baby Boy arrives! And I'll still fill you in about what's going on now and then - but as far as the "Army firsts" - I think those are getting fewer & further between. And I'm realizing that what it means to be a "Chaplain's wife" is different with every person, every post, every year. I have other Chaplains' wives as friends who view this ministry vastly different than we do, so their experience looks different. So, I'll keep telling my story - just don't be surprised if I continue to not update very frequently. (If you DO want to know what's going on in my life, though, add me as a Facebook friend - that's a better way! :-)

Life at Redstone

If you've read my blog for long, you have heard me "wax an elephant" about how a military Chaplain has a very unique roll - that of a religious Government employee. Each Chaplain has a different take on what exactly that means, but regardless of your personal view, what the job looks like on a day to day basis is different with each unit. And not only does the kind of unit/ mission affect the day-to-day work, but so does the Commander and his/her expectations.

Contrary to what many people think, the main function of a Chaplain is (typically) not pastoral ministry in the "church" sense. There is a large amount of counseling, plus meetings, staff work, training, etc. While there are some Chaplains who fill the pastor role, those jobs are few and far between - and even then, he probably shares the pulpit with all the others stationed there.

All that background is to say that this job is very different than what he's done, in a lot of ways - more on that in the future...

To make a long story not quite as long, Jon has started a contemporary service here! We have only met for two weeks and are about to undergo some changes (moving to a bigger chapel and meeting on Sunday evenings instead of mornings), but it has been refreshing for us to be in this kind of ministry. At this point, he's doing it all - leading worship, preaching, presiding over communion - everything. On top of that, he's doing a Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Though it's very different from his other roles, we are really enjoying this aspect of the Chaplaincy.

On a personal level, I'm loving it! I get to do a lot of those things that pastors' wives do that I never have. Or, things I did as a church secretary and miss! (Seriously, I get a ridiculous amount of pleasure from building Power Points for the service...) I am just beginning to build relationships with a couple female Soldiers and look forward to doing that more.

Jon and I have always made it a point to function as a team - "whatever we do, we do together" - but here, more than ever before, I feel like a part of his ministry and what he's doing. Of course, he still has the Soldier aspect to his job - and he can keep that! As for me, I will continue to lay in bed while he gets up to run every morning! :)

Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

In the Army, when a person leaves, it is officially a "Farewell" - it's used as a noun, a verb, and an adjective. (Conversely, the same is true of "Hailing" someone new...) Anyway, we've had several of these over the past week, and this week will bring even more...

~ Thursday morning we did our official transition of leadership at PWOC. It was, of course, emotional. We used the same script I used last year installing Misty at Ft. Stewart when we thought we were moving in December. They gave me a plate they had all signed, I gave my speech, then I quietly slipped out while they started the study time. I have to admit, the advent of Facebook in my life has dramatically decreased the need for goodbyes!

~ Yesterday morning they recognized us at Chapel. As a wife, it was very honoring to be recognized individually, apart from Jon, for the energy I have put in there, specifically through PWOC. We are a team in everything we do; my involvement in the Chapel I look at as an extension of his ministry. Even still, it is nice that people see me as Sara, not just as Chaplain Fisher's wife.

The best part, though, was when Chaplain Godfrey talked about how much he'll miss Sophie! He pointed out that she took some of her first steps in that Chapel and is part of that community. It's true - she's more comfortable in the Chapel fellowship hall or nursery than she is anywhere other than home. Stands to reason - she spends the most time there.

~ Last night we went to Jon's Battalion Commander's house for dinner, along with one of the Company Commanders and First Sergeants who are also both leaving. 1SG Davis is retiring, and CPT Whittacre is actually leaving for Kuwait this week! I remember meeting both their wives at a get-together at that very same house just about a year ago (it is the 603d Commander's house, so it's the same building, just with different furniture!). A lot has happened since then, both in all our lives and in the unit.


Like always, those things will shape who I become; each experience I have had at Hunter Army Airfield will in some way affect who I am in the future. That makes it easier for me, as I have a ridiculous need for closure. The knowledge that I am not leaving this place unchanged in itself adds closure to this chapter in my life.

And for that, I am thankful.

Come again no more...

It's been a long couple of weeks.

I've been putting off writing about this, for various reasons. One is that I've been too unfiltered and wouldn't trust my judgment in writing. Another is that I wasn't sure that I even should write... but you know, one of the purposes of this blog is to tell the story of a military Chaplain's family... so here goes...

Two weeks ago, Sunday morning, 6:00am. I heard my phone ring, and sprang out of bed to the other room to get it. If there's one thing that's certain in this world, it's that 6am phone calls rarely contain good news...

I missed the call, but it was the Commander's wife. Jon hadn't heard his phone ring just before, so they tried mine.

There had been a suicide.

Jon spoke with the Colonel and took off... I barely saw him over the next couple weeks. He came home exhausted every night, working seven-day weeks.

More details have unfolded since that morning, but the one big question has remained unanswered: Why?

It was actually a good friend of Jon's. Tragic situation, difficult for everyone involved. And because it was a staff officer, the people making decisions and handling the situation (the other staff officers) were all his friends.

The Memorial Service was Wednesday. The sculpture of the helmet, dog tags, weapon, and boots adorned the front of the chapel, next to a large picture of the deceased. Jon sat on the stage, stole around his neck, friends by his side.

His wife was out of town at the time (with their five-month-old daughter). I went with the Commander's wife and another Soldier to meet her at the airport. That made it more real, to see her standing in front of me. She's my age. She left a wife, and came home a widow.

A few nights ago Jon went with the Commander to visit her. At one point she turned to Jon and said, "How could a merciful God do this?"

The fact is, our merciful God did not do this. Living in a sinful and fallen world did this.

A couple weeks ago I wrote that the 60-90 day window after a deployment is statistically the hardest. It's true.

I have had this blog post sitting in my drafts folder for over a week now. Somehow, I haven't been able to bring myself to post it. I haven't wanted to write about anything else until I published this, but I just couldn't do it. One of the reasons is that I have no idea how to end it.

Sometimes I think we have to add that "but" disclaimer to everything - "but it's okay" "but God's in control, so it will all work out" ...

Unfortunately, there is no happy disclaimer for this post. No "On the bright side...", no "it'll all work out". Not knowing the state of his heart (do we ever?), I can't even confidently say "he's in a better place"...

Sometimes there aren't answers.

Sometimes there aren't bright sides.

Sometimes we just pray and have faith that our God loves us, even when the world doesn't look the way we think it should.

This is one of those times.

Updates via Crayon Box

We had a great time away last weekend! Jon got a 4-day weekend (thanks to Columbus Day), so we headed up to the mountains of North Carolina with some friends from Fayetteville, Rocky & Carolyn. It was so good to get away for a couple days and be with friends. I was a little concerned about how Sophie would do with the two golden retrievers, but she fell in love with them! If only they would have stayed still long enough, I think she would have "loved" their eyes out!

We went out on the boat, and Jon & Rocky found an area with really thick mud... we had fun! Carolyn and Sophie stayed clean on the boat!

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Those pics were taken with Rocky's phone. Remember when we were kids (well, at least when I was a kid) and we had toy cameras? We'd hold them up and have everyone say "cheese" and pretend to take their picture. If only we actually had all the pretend pictures taken with the toy camera at my grandparents' house, I think we'd have some stories to tell!

Anyway... a couple weeks ago we were at a friend's birthday party, and this little boy had a toy cell phone. I thought it was hilarious when he held it up and said, "Say cheese! I'm gonna take your picture!"

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Yes, I have entered that stage of life. The stage where things like goldfish and Cheerios are bought in bulk. I officially feel like a mom.





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I have also entered the stage where I go to sleep on a Friday night with snare drums playing in the distance. (read: I went to bed before the high school football game was over.) And that was AFTER sleeping on the couch for a half hour. And when I did go to bed, can you guess what was competing with the snare drums for playing time in my mind? "Super why, Super why, with the Super Readers, we're gonna fly..." If you have never heard those words, you are apparently not presently in that stage.

Ah yes, how the mighty have fallen. Some of you know how ardently I have kept Soph from the TV. Well, she still watches very very little. But what can I say, at 6:30 in the morning when she thinks it's playtime, a lap tray full of Cheerios and PBS Kids allow me that few extra minutes of sleep on the couch...

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Sophie is pulling up! Of course, the first place she did it was her crib... Jon went in to get her and found her standing up at the end! Time to take out the bumper... Since then, she has started pulling up on pretty much everything. She gets such a look of accomplishment on her face when she stands up!

She loves to watch the rain from the slider. She also loves to play with the blinds.



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Jon has been super busy. A lot of marital and PTSD issues come out in the 60-90 day window after redeployment... which we're currently right in the middle of. So, his counseling load is incredible. He really is glad he is able to help so many Soldiers, but we're both looking forward to things calming down a bit.

Every couple of months, he has EOC (Emergency On-Call) duty. There is a certain cell phone that all the Chaplains take turns with. That way, if anyone needs a Chaplain after-hours, they don't have to track down their unit Chaplain... which also means no one needs to give out their personal numbers. It really is a great thing - a lot of problems that happen happen at night and on the weekends. Jon has it right now and was up from 2-4am on the phone. Again, it's so great to help people - and great to pass the phone off to someone else! :-)

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I start a new class on Monday. Blah. I took Classical Social Theory last term (which I loved, by the way) and am starting Contemporary Social Theory now. I am really not looking forward to it. I love the actual subject matter - it's the reading and writing I hate. More so the writing than the reading. From the syllabus, this class looks like less work than the last one, though, so hopefully it will go ok.

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All for now - have a great weekend!

At least I have a pumpkin candle.

Fall is finally here!

Though you wouldn't know it. Yesterday the high was 93, with a heat index of 97. *sigh*

On the upside, fall being here also means that everything is kicking back into gear... most groups on post take the summer off, so now I have a life again! :-) You know, OTHER than being a wife and mother and college student...

Tuesday evening we had a Chaplain Spouse Coffee. I really enjoyed being a part of this group last year, and I think I will even more so this year. The new Installation Chaplain's wife is dedicated to creating more of a group atmosphere, so it is already more organized. There were 21 ladies there Tuesday night, when last year we averaged around 10. It seemed like a reunion in a lot of ways- several women from Stewart were there whom I haven't seen since we moved- but SO MANY of them are brand new! Two of them had only been on post for a few days. I look forward to getting to know them!

Actually, one of them came up to me and said she's been reading my blog for a couple years! I'm so glad I've been able to be an encouragement to her as she and her husband have begun their journey. The internet really does bring people together! :-)

PWOC is going great. We have our Kick-Off next week, but we've spent the last 6 weeks getting ready for it! We have had three new women just in that time who have kept coming. We're going to spend the few weeks after Kick-Off doing a survey of the Bible, then we'll start our study on marriage (as soon as the books come in...)

I missed the Hunter Spouses Club Super Sign-Up last week because of Sophie's fever (don't you love how everything has such exciting names? Kick-Off, Super Sign-Up... does that somehow make it more fun? Still not sure...)- the monthly meetings for that start up soon.

Add to that Classical Social Theory (MUCH more interesting than it sounds, trust me!) and chasing Sophie around (how is it they make a b-line for anything they're NOT supposed to get into?), and I stay pretty busy!

So, though it's not quite hoodie weather yet (and won't be until, oh, Christmas or so...), I'm glad "fall" is upon us. Apple crisp, here I come!! :-)

My View on the Chaplaincy

Last week, this question was posed via an anonymous comment on Laura's blog:

Hi, there, My husband is currently a pastor and has been looking into the military chaplaincy. My question is, how did you and your spouse, and others on this blog, decide to go this path? We have thoroughly enjoyed the pastorate, yet, at the same time, been deeply hurt as well. My husband always has been interested in the military chaplaincy, yet, at the same time, I am wondering if we are just running away from something because it is so stressful or is God leading us this way. I hope this makes sense. This is just a very difficult time for us right now.

First of all, you can read our story of how we ended up in the Army here.

When I met Jon, he was already in the chaplaincy, so that wasn't a decision we made together. However, the decision to transition from National Guard to Active Duty was. Before he joined the Army, he taught Bible at a Christian school and I was a church secretary. I love the chaplaincy & the ministry that it is- and to be honest, Jon & I have a different perspective on it than many people I've met. Here are some of my thoughts...

Pastors go through times of hurt, times of questioning, times of grief. Jonathan and I are both pastors' kids and have also been involved in church settings on our own- this is not a new idea to us. However, if you're looking to the chaplaincy to get away from problems- be they personal OR interpersonal, I would ask you to seriously consider your motives. Jon and I have noted about a few guys we have met- "Hurt pastors make hurt chaplains." The Chaplaincy is different from the pastorate- but that doesn't mean it's easier- or harder- just different. People are people, regardless of where you are.

I don't know what your situation is at all; you have probably been trying to make it work at this church, and it just isn't. You possibly are considering leaving the ministry because of hurts it has caused, but you just love the Lord and people way too much to do that. The chaplaincy seems like a way to stay in the ministry but get out of the church. (I could be completely off...)

Now, mind you, please don't get the impression that I think making a life change when you're unhappy is wrong- quite the opposite! I fully believe in our free will, and I also don't believe God has called us to be miserable! If you're unhappy with your life and can reasonably change it, by all means, do! Trying to reconcile is the first option- if that doesn't work, staying in a mentally, emotionally, and spiritually abusive church (I think that corollary can be drawn) isn't healthy- for anyone.

I suppose, what I'm saying is that, before entering the chaplaincy, make sure you do your research and KNOW what you're getting yourself into. I think that's the way to keep from getting hurt- having realistic expectations. The worst possible thing you can do is enter it without doing your research. (To be honest, probably the day I hated the Army the most was when I realized what exactly the current deployment tempo is- when we first got engaged/ entered the Army- happened near the same time- I thought a 20 year career might entail about 3 years gone- one year gone, 6 or 7 at home... man, was I wrong!!)

Here's a start- the chaplaincy is NOT the pastorate. The chaplain's job is not to be a pastor- or a missionary- it is to provide religious support. This will mean working with people who are not Christians- and working with other Chaplains who are not Christians, or who are Christians but have different beliefs. It means vocalizing your personal beliefs when it is appropriate, as an individual- and knowing when it's not appropriate. That means that if one of your soldiers wants a Koran, you get one for him. The Army doesn't pay pastors and missionaries. The Army pays for religious and ethical support.

There are a lot of pastoral functions of the chaplaincy, specifically in the context of the chapel ministry itself and in counseling. Those are the areas that you and I would consider the best "ministry"- and what great opportunities they are! This is where, as a wife, you can have a big impact.

On that note, I would add that you sometimes have to seek out these opportunities. In the pastorate, as soon as you get to a church, everyone knows you as the pastor's wife. That brings with it a connotation all on its own, and you will probably fall into activities. That's not how it is in the chaplaincy. Many chaplains' wives aren't involved- it's not expected. So, you have to make yourself known. I have had wonderful opportunities- I directed Kids Church, was PWOC President & Vice President, have counseled with various young wives, have assisted my husband in planning events for his unit, have been involved with my FRG (and am getting involved in the new one), and recently joined our spouses club. There are a wide variety of opportunities- you just have to get yourself out there! There are many things on post I'm not a part of- the ones I listed are the areas I have chosen to invest in. If you wait for an invitation- it may come, or it may not.

Also, the Army is a very unique venture- and will impact your marriage profoundly. Jon and I have spent our entire marriage in the Army- but in speaking with other wives, there are many adjustments to be made. You will spend quite literally YEARS away from each other. There is no way to be adequately prepared for such a thing, but you need to be ready for your marriage to undergo that stress- specifically in the chaplaincy. As the chaplain, my husband hears all sorts of horrible marital problems from soldiers; you have probably dealt with that to some extent in the pastorate, but it happening while he's on the other side of the world is difficult. As a wife, you need to accept that there will be times you will run the house by yourself, that life goes on whether he's here or not.

I also must make a note here about the "call" of God. What is a call, what does it look and sound like? I have no idea. Here's what I would ask- What are your gifts? What are your desires? Where is your heart? That's probably where God has called you. I don't personally believe He calls most of us to a specific place- rather, we have His word to guide us. James does tell us that if we ask for wisdom, God will grant it, so I suppose that might be considered a call. I spent many years of my life trying to "figure out" the will of God- that one perfect will He had for my life. You know what His will is for my life- and yours? To follow Him through our actions. To love Him and others through Him. You can do that as a pastor, a chaplain, or a mechanic. If it works for you and your family, and you consider it to be wise after praying about it, I don't think it's a matter of a "right" or "wrong" place for you to be. Trying to figure out what is "right" will probably leave you doubting.

I certainly don't mean to discourage you- I hope you don't take it that way. I just know the disappointment and heartache that can come from being unaware of what this life will be like. The Army life isn't for everyone- but if it is for you- it's great! I think that, as long as you come in prepared and seek to serve God in this setting, you can have a great life and ministry!

Maundy Thursday

I went to a Maundy Thursday service tonight.

Do you not know what that is, though you vaguely remember hearing of it?

Me too.

So, I went. Of course, I had wikipedied it, hoping to learn more.

What I gather is that many traditions celebrate it similarly to Good Friday. It commemorates the Last Supper and Jesus' experience at Gethsemane. Oftentimes, I read, foot washing is a part of the service, though it wasn't at ours tonight.

You know, I don't think I had even been to a Good Friday service until a few years ago. Maybe once growing up, I don't remember. I will say that I think celebrating Easter is so much more meaningful after recognizing Good Friday (or Maundy Thursday). Something about hailing a resurrection without reflecting on the solemness of his death just doesn't seem right... I think we sometimes brush over what actually happened between the joyous Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. One week we're singing Hosanna!, and the next, He's Alive!!... and, ohbytheway, he died a couple days ago...

One thing I have really appreciated about the chapel community is the ability to experience other traditions. The variety of ways of administering communion alone is amazing! Never before have I gone to a Maundy Thursday service, and I enjoy being exposed to such things.

Even elements like reciting The Lord's Prayer or The Apostle's Creed as a community seem so refreshing to me. I suppose that whatever is unlike what you grew up with seems fresh; I'm sure that it does become rote and dull. I would argue that the liturgy of any church can become rote- even if that liturgy is more "contemporary." Don't get me wrong, I love the contemporary service style (though, I have found, many claiming to be "contemporary" haven't changed a thing in the past 10 or 15 years since they first began...). At the same time, things such as communal recitations, the singing of the doxology, and the observance of the liturgical calendar are quite meaningful to me. I'll admit to even having a fondness for ministerial vestments.

Of course, general protestant services present their own set of challenges, but I'll address that another time... I will also add that I have had experiences that I have appreciated, but not particularly enjoyed. Or, I might enjoy it once, but wouldn't want it every week. It's still nice to expand my horizons a little.

Tonight I shall leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns- it was actually sung at our wedding. It is a Welsh song, from the revival that took place in Wales a century ago. Heaven's peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love...

Here is love vast as the ocean
Loving kindness as the flood
When the Prince of life, our ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven's eternal days

On the Mount of Crucifixion
Fountains opened, deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And Heaven's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love

Let us all Thy love accepting
Love Thee ever, all our days
Let us seek Thy Kingdom only
And our lives be to Thy praise
Thou alone shalt be our glory
Nothing in the world we see
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified us
Thou Thyself has set us free...

At long last...

Today stinks.

Quite literally. There is a paper mill about a half hour away, and depending on the direction of the wind, its stench reaches our house. It seems to be this way especially after it rains, which it did all night. I'm sitting in the living room- not even outside- and it stinks. Blech.

On a much happier note, Jon was promoted this week! I have been waiting for him to post, but if you frequent his blog, well, you know there's not much reason to frequent his blog. Maybe tonight. We'll be sure to get some pictures up.

If you have talked to him about his rank, you understand the frustration... chaplains in the Active world (or Reserve, for that matter) are promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain within a few weeks to a few months (at the most) of graduating CHOBC (Chaplain School). This is because, in order to be an officer, you have to have a Bachelor's- but in order to be a chaplain, you have to have a Master's- since chaplains come into the Army with that education, they are quickly promoted... unless, of course, you are in the Georgia National Guard, in which case it takes a minimum of two years. Yes, I said a MINIMUM. Regardless of whether those two years are spent in drill time (working your civilian job and drilling with the Guard once a month) or in Active time (as in Jon's case), it's two years. This is particularly frustrating when you're activated, because people see you are a 1LT chaplain and assume you have JUST graduated CHOBC...

So, finally. FINALLY. He was up for promotion in March, but like everything in the Army, it takes a few months for it to work through the system. Tuesday morning, he called and said he had received a phone call that his promotion orders were in. Two hours later, we were pinning him! (well, with the new uniforms, it's more "velcroing" than "pinning"...) Yes, it is the wife's privilege to actually pin the new rank, while all the soldiers are standing at attention. There were probably about 25 people there (not bad considering it was so last minute- and DURING lunch...). His Brigade XO (who happened to also be his Battalion Commander in Iraq) gave a speech basically about how Jon is the best chaplain ever (what? biased? me?), which was actually quite moving.

I pinned him from 2LT to 1LT the day before he graduated CHOBC, which was 3 days before our wedding. Hopefully in a few years, we'll get rid of the Captain bars and put on the Major's golden maple leaf!

Happy Birthday, Chaplaincy!

This month happens to be the 232nd anniversary of the Chaplain corp. That means that, as a corp, it has been in existence since before the signing of the Declaration of Independence... isn't that cool?

I mean, seriously. Before you knew "Chaplain Fisher," what was the image of chaplains in your mind? Yep. Me too. Father Mulcahy from M*A*S*H*. (There have been quite a few times when I tell people Jon is an Army Chaplain, and their response is, "Oh, like that guy from MASH!")

In actuality, in its 232 years of existence, many Chaplains have gone way above and beyond the call of duty, winning Congressional Medals of Honor. And if you're not familiar with the heroic story of The Four Chaplains, I would recommend taking the three minutes to read it.

Anyway, to "celebrate," we went bowling yesterday with all the Chaplains & Assistants here at Ft. Stewart. It was "mandatory fun" for the soldiers, so the wives came along for moral support! :-)

Wow, it's been a long time since I've bowled! I think the last time was the summer I was a cabin leader at Pine Ridge, right after I graduated from high school! And... my scores showed it... I got a 78 my first game, and a 37 the second... yeah... lots o' gutters that round...

In other news, I have a doctor's appointment on Monday to check out how my curvy back will affect the pregnancy and what we should do about it... I'll let you know how it goes!

First of many, I'm sure...

I had another military first yesterday: the Spiritual Fitness Luncheon (formerly the Prayer Breakfast)

Jon described it as a "military potluck"- except, instead of endless (delicious) pasta dishes, green bean casserole, and jello desserts as far as the eye can see, it was catered: roasted chicken, vegetables, and beef stroganoff. The head table was full of area pastors and leaders. Anyone there who wasn't garbed in ACUs (the new digital cammo) was quite dressed up (boy, was I glad I decided last minute to wear a casual skirt instead of jeans!)

There were about 500 people attending, mostly soldiers. The special speaker was Mark Richt, the University of Georgia head football coach. He spoke of going into battle- whether on the football field or the sandbox- and the things necessary for success- the biggest of which is spiritual readiness. I thought he did a good job of emphasizing that football doesn't come close to being the same as the Army, while drawing in the comparisons.

I think the most moving part of the ceremony was when a young soldier sang "It is Well." The 6 people sitting at the table with Jon and me are all deploying next week... as are many of the other soldiers who were there (nothing makes you want to be "spiritually fit" like an imminent trip to a combat zone...). Keep these men and women in your prayer.

On a lighter note, my personal favorite part of the ceremony was right before the benediction, when all the soldiers joined together to sing the Ft. Stewart song- "Dogface Soldier" (lyrics follow, click here to hear Ft. Stewart soldiers sing it!). I think it's because my first encounter with soldiers singing was at my brother's boot camp graduation- ever since then, it just cracks me up... probably because my brother isn't one who exactly sings for fun, yet there he was in chorus with all of his fellow graduates. Soldiers singing is always fun for me.

I wouldn't give a bean
To be a fancy-pants Marine;
I'd rather be a Dogface Soldier like I am.
I wouldn't trade my old O.D.'s
For all the Navy's dungarees,
For I'm the walking pride of Uncle Sam.
On all the posters that I read it says,
"Be all that you can!"
So they're tearing me down to build me over again.
I'm just a Dogface Soldier
With a rifle on my shoulder,
And I eat raw meat for breakfast every day.
So feed me ammunition,
Keep me in the Third Division,
Your Dogfaced Soldier's A-Okay!

Kids' Church

I began a new ministry today. Well... the ministry isn't new... I'm just new to it.

Anyway, I'm helping out with Kids'Church at Ft. Stewart.

With so many of the chaplains deployed, these ministries are severely lacking in volunteers... and with the surge and accelerated deployments, it is all happening quite quickly... as in... last week.

There are about 80 kids Kg-5th grade who come on a Sunday morning- this is one of those ministries that is all the chapels on post, plus unchurched kids that the bus picks up or whose parents drop them off. In that way, it's more like an AWANA program than a Children's Church. It only lasts about an hour, though, so there's barely enough time to realize what's going on before it's over! This morning they took a count of how many kids have a parent deployed right now- about 75% of them do. As you can see, it's vital that we keep reaching out to these families right now.

There is actually a possibility that I could be hired as a contract worker for the children's ministry. There's a bit of a process that has to happen, but it would allow me full reign of the ministry- and get paid for it!! From what I know of the position so far, it seems perfect for me! I won't know anything for a few weeks, but it looks promising!

Since the gospel service continues well after Kids' Church, I was able to go and be with Jon for the last half hour or so of the service. And... I didn't have the urge to cry AT ALL! Improvement... (funny sidenote... I was talking to one of the other KC volunteers who attends the gospel service, and she comes from an Anglican background- she said she was entirely caught off guard her first time!)

Anyway... I'll keep y'all posted... happy Sunday!

armyspeak

i have realized that, in spite of my valiant efforts to make what i say make sense to civilians, there are some things that need to be explained. keep in mind that everything i'm about to say brings with it about 5 other things that should be explained, and if you have military experience, you'll look at this and will want to add several exceptions and specifications- this is not an exhaustive explanation, but hopefully it will help this life we now lead make more sense for most of you!

each installation (for our sake, an installation is a fort- like fort stewart- it is the geographical location) has a chaplain that stays there and runs the chapel ministries at the installation. each brigade has a chaplain, and each battalion has a chaplain. there are typically several battalions in a brigade. in the active duty world, the first several years of your career are spent as a battalion chaplain. (this is what jon was in iraq and will be after this year of being a trainer.) battalion chaplains serve their unit (battalion) AND usually a post chapel.

ft. stewart currently has 5 post chapels. these are basically church buildings and are run similar to a large church that has different campuses across town. each faith group (protestant, catholic, islam, wiccan, etc) has access to these chapels. for example, at ft. stewart, there is catholic mass; protestant traditional, contemporary, liturgical, and gospel; as well as other meetings for varying faith groups.

when we say that jon is the "associate pastor" at the gospel service, that is not his full-time job- he is still a chaplain trainer. however, he also has responsibilities at this church service. the gospel service has about 300 people who regularly attend and has its own small groups and ministries- just like any other church. the difference is that some of the ministries are post-wide- for example, the youth group is the post youth group- regardless of what service you go to on sunday morning (or if you go at all), the youth group meets at one of the chapels on sunday nights. ladies Bible study (pwoc), single soldier ministry, and kids' church are other examples of this.

i've also had the question- "what is the gospel service- aren't all services gospel?" a post gospel service is predominantly african-american; the music is the style of gospel music you may hear on the radio (NOT southern gospel, mind you!).

i hope that clears things up a bit!

comfort zone? what comfort zone?

i'm drained.

if you read my husband's blog, you know that he was assigned (and gladly accepted) the associate pastorate at the gospel service here on post. if you know anything about me, you know that i am not exactly "gospel service" material.

in my background, "expressive worship" means you smile. and... that's about it. during songs, you probably fell into one of four categories:
1) stood there and looked grumpy
2) stood there and looked pleasant, sometimes mouthing the words
3) sang (most people were in this category)
4) smiled while you sang
those in the fourth category were the charismatic expressive folks. they may have even raised their hands on occasion, but you brushed it off because, well, they came from a different background.

if you are like me, you also attended a service that ended by the designated time (either noon, or possibly 12:15) to allow for the lunch crowd to get to their favorite restaurant- and if you weren't out by that designated time, the pastor probably heard about it. you may have even had a burnt roast on those sundays because the longevity wasn't expected.

fast forward to february 18, 2007. picture me, with the afforementioned religo-cultural background (i may have made that word up), standing (even swaying sometimes!) in a service, a quite expressive (putting it mildly) service... for two and a half hours... suffice it to say it was a different experience.

i have to admit, i enjoyed it. the people were loving and friendly, welcoming us into their congregation with open arms. i am quite excited to get involved in the group and get to know these dear folks better. the senior pastor (a chaplain) and his wife seem like really neat people that we will benefit greatly from working with.

there were times during the service that i just wasn't quite sure what to do. each tradition of worship has its own mores and norms... and this was not my tradition. i'm sure that the more i attend there, the more comfortable i will become with it. in "prepping" me, jon had encouraged me to just do whatever i felt like doing, and not try to make myself be someone i wasn't. on the other hand, i didn't want to look disapproving (my resting facial position, i have been told, looks "mad" or "stern"). so, this morning, i decided to stretch myself... i smiled.