New Uniform

I am away for a few days but my new uniform has arrived by UPS, and as you can see, my kids beat me to it. Pictured are Jimmy and Daniel with field caps on, Sarah Beth with the beret on, and Joshua and John Mark each with one of my new boots. We need to work on the salute, but other than that, they look great!

Time Marches On

The clock is ticking and the hours are marching by. I now have less than five weeks until I report to Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course (CHBOLC). During the last week and a half, I have taken my oath of office, preached my final sermon (at New Life Church), had a great send-off from friends and church members, and gotten ID cards for my entire family. What a week!!!

This past Sunday, my church presented me with a card and a check to buy my first uniforms with. So today, I was able to purchase a couple of complete ACU uniforms with boots and insignias. I was also able to purchase one set of physical training (PT) gear. I will miss this church family dearly. They have been so good to my family and I. Pictured below is a cake they made for me as well.

On Saturday, I will take my family on a three week vacation through Georgia, Florida, South Carolina (for a Basic Training graduation for our friend JR), and finally into North Carolina before returning home on the 22nd. During the trip, I will be speaking at a couple of churches, visiting my father who is still struggling with cancer, and spend some quality time with my wife and "kidlets" before heading out to Ft. Jackson for twelve weeks.

I appreciate your comments and and your prayers. Feel free to stay in touch. I enjoy hearing from each of you.

A Bit of History

My wife and I recently spent the night in Chattanooga Tn. As we checked into our room, we noticed an old arch across the road with the words "Silverdale Confederate Cemetery" written across it. We were intrigued, so we drove over to have a look. We found hidden deep in the woods a fenced in yard with nothing but grass, a few trees, and this marker.



There was one marker with identification as to who the soldier was who was buried there. Every other grave was unmarked.


My wife and I talked for some time about the men that were buried in that yard. 155 men whose names have sense been forgotten in the pages of time. 155 men who died fighting for a belief they held deeply. 155 men who died as heroes to their families but now lay forgotten to all except a few civil war historians.

As of today, 3348 US men and women have given their lives in Iraq and 380 in Afghanistan. They died fighting for something they believed in, the basic right of every human being to have free access to life, liberty, and freedom. I pray that we will never forget them.

So far in the month of April, 61 troops have lost their lives. To see a list of these men and women, click HERE.

Jamaica 2007 Mission Trip Video - Google Video

Jamaica 2007 Mission Trip Video - Google Video

On The Lighter Side - My Princess

Every fathers dream!!!

Army Update Update

I am learning about the importance of being flexible in the Army. Today I called the Brigade Chaplain to reconfirm my assignment and to check on deployment dates. After a long pause and a few words of preparation, I was asked if I like to fly, and was then informed that I was no longer being assigned to the 2-20th of the Fires Brigade, but instead being assigned to the 3rd battalion, 4th Aviation Unit of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th ID. The number one reason for this change has to do with the fact the the 2-20th Field Artillery is being deployed before I even graduate and so the Army wisely decided to move me to a unit that I would have the opportunity to get to know first before being deployed.

What this means for me, is that I will no longer be deploying in September, but instead will be moving my family to Texas to take up residence. This is good news in so many ways, but a let down as well as we had already begun to prepare for a long separation and had planned to keep the family in Tennessee. I have been told however that my new unit will be redeployed by Summer 2008.


Be in prayer for our family as we now readjust to this new direction and begin to make plans for the move to Texas. Pray also that we will be even more prepared to be flexible to the needs of the Army.

Army Update

Last week while I was in Jamaica, I received my official orders for the Army. Tomorrow night I will take my oath of office at which point I will officially be a 1st Lieutenant with the Army. I am officially over the initial excitement about being accepted and I am now beginning to really contemplate the reality of what the next year and a half holds for my family and I. However, I am looking forward to getting started. To all my fellow chaplains who are beginning this adventure with me, I am praying for you all and I am looking forward to June 3rd when we meet for the first time.

I received word this week that our local Tn. National Guard unit is being deployed in September. My brother in law is one of those soldiers, so we will likely find ourselves together in Iraq. Please remember he and his family as they deal with this sudden news. This will be his second trip to Iraq.

Jamaica 2007 Trip

Jamaica is the home of Bob Marley, Regee music, and the Jamaica bob sled team. It is also the home of nearly two million incredible people I have grown to love so much. I have been traveling to Jamaica since Feb. 1995 and have served in the mountains above Lucea, in Frankfield, and in Kingston at Gardner's View Baptist Church and at Hanover Street Baptist Church. To all of you in Jamaica, I love you, and I thank you for many years of friendship and brotherhood.
Last week, I lead a team of mainly young people from First Redeemer Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. We had eleven young adults and five adults. The team had opportunities to speak in public schools, lead Vacation Bible Schools, teach guitar, drums, and keyboard, to give away water, and to play sports against Jamaicans who smoked us. To all of you form the team, you rock!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the trip -

To see more more picture, click here: Jamaica 2007 Pictures