Beautiful evening here in Paktya! Its been quite warm lately - throughout the day - but cools nicely in the evening. You know, there are a lot more stars in the sky than I used to notice in the lands of ambient light (lower 48 states). Surely there are a few remote places (probably all in Kansas) where you can see the Milky Way - but it sure is distinct out here.
Almost all of the COPs / FOBs out here are "blacked-out" at night. In fact, other than those in the big cities - Bagram, Kandahar, Jalalabad - I suspect that all are blacked-out. Makes for some interesting scenarios - and some very looong walks to your B-hut, when you have forgotten your light. About a week ago I stepped off the side of a walkway and over about a five foot drop! No damage done - but glad no one else was there to witness the event. One of our COPs had to begin marking air-conditioning units with chem-lights, after about the third set of stitches sewn into the heads and faces of soldiers 'finding' the units in the dark! Anyway, it has been a beautiful evening - cool, clear, stunning.
Short entry tonight - just wanted to drop a line and especially let all of you Cav families know that we will be hosting several marriage enrichment retreats on return to Anchorage. We will look for some great locations, nice accomodations - and you have my personal guarantee that the focus will be on "retreat." Plenty of free time for couples, families - our BDE Chaplain is committed to that concept and I am a glad passenger on that bandwagon.
So, anyway - he (BDE Chaplain) wrote today asking that all us Chaplain types report back our particular marriage enrichment training certifications. Among them, I included a few that are not on the Army approved list - such as, "Fly Fish Your Way to a Better Marriage" - my personal favorite; and - "Love at 200 or More Yards: a Guide to Communication and Restraining Orders." Ok - so maybe the last one isn't so funny. Some comments that sound humorous at midnight fail to impress the next day . . . this is probably one of those.
Alright enough nonsense I suppose. Hope you are all well.
May the grace and the peace of Christ be yours.
matthew
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey uncle matt. this is brian mitchell. im Jonathan's older son. i think wat your doing overseas is really great! we miss you a lot and i cant wait to see you again. (p.s. wut is ur email address. i'd like to email you sumthing that is pretty cool. My email is military11@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Brian Mitchell
Good to hear from you tonight! Been thinking of you today (Memorial Day) and the many who have paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Two pieces of news....Ray's house in Wasilla is sold! PTL And Col. Preston is being transferred from Germany to the Pentagon. Big hugs and many prayers!
ReplyDeleteAlice
Hey there Brian Mitchell! Yep - I'm pretty sure I remember you! :-) Give jamie a call and she will give you a good email address for me. Can't wait to hear from you Neph!
ReplyDeletematt
Hey Alice! Thank you for your constant prayers - you are a gift of God to so many folks. I am blessed to be included on that list! Glad for the house sale . . . wish I was the one that bought it! Please tell COL Preston I said hello!
Te amo hermano,
ReplyDeleteThe NYI will remember you fondly as we head to camp in a few weeks. Lots of funny memories come to mind when I think of you and the summer camps we attended. Keep honing you ultimate frisbee skills- as a CVNazer you have a reputation to maintain. With Tyler G., Austin G., and Patrick now in the NYI, keep me in your prayers as I try to keep casualties to a minimum.
I love you and will continue to pray for your ministry; may God strengthen you as an example, give you discernment in your many choices, and grant you the boldness and humility required in anyone who seeks to walk as Jesus Christ did.
We have just spent a week with "spotty" internet at best. Glad to check in and see you are well. I like the fact that you are already placing your dreams and the dreams of your men on the homecoming. Smart. Very smart.
ReplyDeleteWe are now in the throes of packing, cleaning and preparing to move out June 28. Never fun. But it's what we signed up for - so we salute and go.
More another time, just wanted to let you know that you are all in our constant thoughts and frequent prayers.
Okay I thought your marriage seminars were pretty funny. I am thinking the "Flyfish your way to a better marriage" will fill up in 30 seconds flat, and have a waiting list a mile long! I am so excited that there will be marriage retreats. Preston joked after our first deployment that we learned to communicate really good through instant messaging. Whenever we would have trouble communicating after he got home from that deployment he would say....maybe i should just set up a computer in the garage so we can communicate via instant message :)
ReplyDelete