Content

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  -Philippians 4:6-7, 11b-13

Last Sunday the chaplain spoke on this passage, attempting to connect contentedness to thanksgiving. My notes: The greater the sense of gratitude for what you have, the less you will be tempted to desire something else. Being content is the converse of anxiousness, with prayer as the differentiator. What is Paul's secret?

I think he reveals the secret to his contentedness in verse 13 (from the Message): Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Personally I'm not there yet. The last year at home with Jocelyn was the most content I've ever been. Yet now I swing somewhere between appeased and anxious with the uncertainty that is inherent in a deployment.

The collage below was taken today in our Aviation DFAC (Dining Facility). I had the honor to serve meals to the Soldiers for the first hour, but the real workers are behind the scene. I supervise the Warrant Officer and NCO in charge of the whole operation and was impressed by their efforts. Imagine trying to cook for 1800 Soldiers, all served within 3 hours! Here are some facts on the food imported just for Thanksgiving. Amazing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Top Ten

Now that we are one month into this deployment, I have thought about a number of things that peg me as the wife of someone who is deployed. For those of you who have been through it before, I'm sure you can relate and for those going through it now, I'm sure you could laugh (or cry) right along with me.

TOP TEN INDICATORS YOU KNOW YOUR HUSBAND IS DEPLOYED:

1. You sit at your computer half the night waiting for the Skype icon to turn green, indicating that he is on line and able to talk.
2. You have your cell phone virtually surgically attached to your body for the year. (But, hey, he has a gun attached...so, I would rather have a cell phone.)
3. No matter what you are doing, you will drop everything and talk when that phone rings...because you don't have the option to call when it is convenient.
4. Your dog suddenly becomes the recipient of constant hugs and affection, along with new ownership of Daddy's side of the bed. (And, every day you thank God that at least one member of the family is non-deployable.)
5. The saying, "How are you?" takes on a whole new meaning...Everyone knows that question is supposed to be answered with a "fine," but I have started telling people the truth. Sometimes, it's a tough day, so I say so.
6. The number one thing that drives you crazy: When someone tells you "I could never do what you are doing." The truth is, there is no choice in the matter. You just do it. You just live each day and pray God gives you the grace and strength to live that day without your husband. He always does. And, that applies to other circumstances too. If God has brought you to a situation, you can trust Him to be faithful to carry you through. It's not just me that is 'doing this'...it's God sustaining grace that is sufficient for every trial.
7. The nightly news becomes one of the most stressful parts of the day (even though rule #1 for a spouse is supposed to be: 'Never watch the news.') But, the truth is, if you are conscious and go out of your house, you are going to hear, see, or read news about Afghanistan.
8. Suddenly, you can't bear the thought of sitting at the dinner table to eat by yourself. Dinner now consists of me standing over the sink and eating something small that I made in about 10 minutes max (when I am home by myself).
9. The importance and value of a 'supportive family' takes on a whole new meaning. Praise God for amazing family (and friends) who are caring enough to reach out to you when you need it most. And a special thanks to my dear mom who is able come and keep me company for a month at a time!
10. You know the post office lady on a first name basis and every shopping trip consists of figuring out what to include in the next weekly care package.

Meet Earl

Earl is a Staff Sergeant (E-6) in the Army. He is from Talladega, Alabama and is naturally a NASCAR fanatic. Drinks two Cokes with every meal (yes, even breakfast) and has cut is smoking habit down to two packs per week. Married for 30 years this summer to his high school sweetheart (at age 16...legal at the time?) he has three grown children and two grandchildren. After his initial enlistment, Earl left the Army and worked as an independent trucker for 10 years. After September 11, he rejoined the Reserves and eventually came back on active duty. Why? Probably a combination of duty and money. I've met many Soldiers who decided to serve after the attack on our country, including the military lawyer for our unit.

As the Transportation Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) he was almost single-handedly responsible for moving all 3000 people, all 100 helicopters, and hundreds of containers from Savannah all the way to Afghanistan. Over the last year he has worked longer hours than almost anyone to make sure we didn't lose a single piece of equipment. Never one to complain, he put off knee surgery and ignored his other health issues for the good of our Brigade. He doesn't like to type or make Powerpoints (which is most of my job) but would rather be out on the tarmac with the Soldiers and equipment despite the dehydration and sunburn on his scalp. Earl has taught me volumes about what it means to be a Soldier through his work ethic, prudence, and Git-er-done attitude.

So, when Earl asked me to re-enlist him this week I was honored beyond words. Here is a man nearly twice my age, who still salutes and calls me Sir, and evidently respects me enough to help commit the next 9+ years of his life to the Army.  The picture below is from the small ceremony, in which I said a few kind words about Earl and then administered the Oath of Enlistment. Any officer worth his salt memorizes the oath, which I have copied below. Earl has already made his share of sacrifices and will likely deploy a few more times before he can retire. I'm proud to serve with such a Soldier and am glad to have him as a friend and comrade.

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Neutics

her·me·neu·tic

Pronunciation: \ˌhər-mə-ˈnü-tik, -ˈnyü-\

1 : the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)

2 : a method or principle of interpretation

Neutics became my nickname during freshman year at Bethel College, thanks to a few good friends who found the correlation of my family name to the Biblical term amusing. After that year I moved on to West Point and have stayed in touch with most of those guys, but nicknames never seem to stick to me (i.e. PeeWee, Hermanator etc.) For the pastors/scholars out there I recognize that the spelling is incorrect and I am likely taking the application beyond the context of the definition. So why is this the title of my little blog?

Hermeneutics to me means attempting to interpret the experience of this year in Afghanistan in a meaningful way. Trying to understand why God has placed me in such a desolate place and how He will use me here. To ascertain the purpose of my position when I am not doing the job I was trained for. Most of all how the distance between Jocelyn and I will once again work for good in our marriage. Essentially this is a format to record my thoughts and hopes in lieu of a written journal. Someday this experience will be a foggy memory and I want to be able to recognize the role this year played in my formation and future decisions.

I'm reading a book by my great uncle Gilbert Esau (see him on wikipedia and You Tube!) about his WWII Memories. He lived a remarkable life after the war, yet from what I understand waited decades to relay his incredible war stories to his children and grandchildren. Both of my grandfathers are veterans of the same war, and I always relished their stories because they told them with such a humble candor. In fact, their experiences were often fodder for school history reports and even poetry. Ask my Grandpa Herman how he turned nicotine into a gold ring! My dad has his own share of exploits from his time as a 'chair-born Ranger' at the Pentagon during the Vietnam conflict. Even in this position he probably saved lives through his actions and decisions. These men are my heroes, not only for their service but more so for how they lived their lives and raised their families after the military. Maybe someday I will be able to tell future generations similar stories from my last deployment; so far this one has been non-eventful so I'll do my best not to bore you with the mundane.

THANK YOU to all who have served before me. This flag was flown in your honor on Veterans Day 2006 in Iraq and is with me here in Afghanistan.

About Bagram

Imagine a place with free food, 4 meals a day, including steak/shrimp/lobster every Friday night. If that isn't good enough there's always Burger King, Pizza Hut, and a Green Beans coffee shop. A decent gym is free to use and a game room with billiards and ping-pong are open 24hrs. The showers are usually warm and all of the buildings have heat and A/C. The office floor is so shiny and clean that it is almost slippery. Where there are contractors paid to clean up after you and even do your laundry. The rooms even have wireless Internet and cable (with HBO) available for a nominal fee. Sounds like a pretty nice place, right? I can't complain.

But Bagram is a contradiction. The Port-a-John's are permanent and often disgusting. With only one main paved road on base, everywhere else is covered in uneven rocks which wreak havoc on your ankles. Concrete bunkers are available for cover when the loudspeaker announces incoming enemy rockets. Oh, and thanks to the Soviets there are still active minefields marked around the base which have not yet been cleared.  Compared to my infantry counterparts scattered about the country in small Combat Outposts, Bagram is the promised land. Ensconced by incredible mountain ranges on all sides (see pictures here on the official Air Force website), the scenery is certainly much more visually appealing than Iraq.

Personally my little room is more than sufficient. Keep in mind that the officers and senior non-commissioned officer's rooms are about 50% larger than everyone else. The bed is elevated to make room for more storage. A wardrobe flanks the door with a nightstand, desk and fridge filling up the space. Problem is the walls are made of plywood which has warped through the winter and is weakened by termites in the summer. This also means I can hear every note of guitar hero from across the hall and I'm aware of my neighbor's snoring habit. From the outside they may not look like much, but these 'B-huts' are home, at least for now. I was pretty sick most of this week with what they call the 'Afghani crud' but am now getting in the rythm and feeling better. I'm heading to the evening church service now and will post more about that experience later.