Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Its been awhile since...

Day 31. I apologize to those who faithfully check back again and again to see if I have posted anything. Ha ha who am I kidding. Anyway, believe me I have started to post a few times over the last couple of weeks but they all sounded lame. This post may be lame, but I just wanted you to know that I was still here. So excuse me if I ramble a little, it is what I have been wanting to do but I haven't given myself the room to so far. Maybe I have been trying to be to serious lately.

For all of you with an AKO account, I have just discovered AKO IM chat. It is nice to be able to chat with the few of you on my list. The internet service I am able to use here blocks all other chat software. Got to maintain some positive control on the information that goes out there. I even had to register this blogsite so that someone can make sure I am not giving away any sensitive information. I am still not clear on what counts exactly, I just steer away from writing anything specific.

Well I am getting into some form of a schedule now. It seems like everyone else is as well. It is certainly a stress reliever to be somewhat familiar with the place where you live. It still seems strange to me to wake up here every morning. Usually I get up from some nice dream land and then remember that I am far from home. I have 2 room mates and one of them usually wakes me up even though he tries to be quiet.

Some days, just like at home, I wake up and have to hurry off to whatever I have planned. Today was no different, woke up late and rushed out the door on to my first appointment. I went to visit the gravel pit today. Interestingly enough it is completely outside of our base. Today was the first time I have been more than a few steps off the base since I arrived here. Anyway at the gravel pit they check truck going in and out filled with gravel, dirt, sand etc...

It doesn't sound like an exciting job, but it is. There is a lot of contact with LNs(Local Nationals) and TCNs (Third Country Nationals) there at the gravel pit. Our guys make sure these guys are who they say they are. The soldiers I talked to were glad to be "out doing something" as opposed to sitting in the base and watching a computer screen or something like that. One interesting thing I noticed is that most of the population is armed with AK-47s. Not all of them are very nice but still its a machine gun. Got to love that huh.

Well I started my bible study last week and it has gone well so far. There has been a lot of good response to the group. We are using a book from one of my Sem teachers Sinclair Ferguson, Lets Study Mark. I like his books because they are easy to understand and that is exactly what I want for these guys. I thought that we would start out with the Gospel seeing as it is the focus of scripture and what more action packed Gospel to start out with than Mark. I have a syllabus and everything, I feel like a real teacher.

I am doing 2 services on Sundays. I started in Genesis back in Camp Shelby and we have made it up to Numbers. I plan on going through each book and building upon a theme of God's relationship with man. We started with Abraham's covenant in Gen 15. I do not really have this whole thing planned out, but I trust that it will work out OK. For services I have a really great worship leader. His name is SPC Walton, he is one of those guys that just loves to play worship. You can see it on his face whenever he plays. I thank God every day that he is here to help me.

I have been working on my guitar playing. I am no Jimi Hendrix but doing well I think. I can already play a couple of songs, and my fingers hurt everyday. It has also had an effect on my typing, my fingers just do not type like they used to cause I can't feel the keys as well. It might be the keyboard to my laptop or a combination of both I don't know.

Lets see what else. I have become addicted to energy drinks. Yes I know they are mostly just sugar and caffeine but I like. I should write a song about them I think. Hmmm that gives me an idea. More later.

Well think I have rambled enough, promise to write sooner next time.

Chaplain Todd

4 Comments:

Blogger Roland said...

Thanks for the update.

And keep picking the strings with your teeth and do Jimi proud!

10:43 PM  
Blogger Living Dees Life said...

Happy to hear your doing good.

I use to beable to play guitar, but I lost my motivation along time ago. *sigh* I should try and pick it up again.

10:54 PM  
Blogger Judy Schletty said...

Hi Todd. Thanks for this blog site puts all of us a little more at ease to know about what you do. Just starting our day here. The plan was to go out to Grandma's house with a new, used computer monitor for her from one of my co-workers, but Randy caught hayfever, and it's raining and cold, so will have to be another day. Wish Anne a happy Mother's Day for us and hope all is well with her and Connor. We're all going to celebrate at my brother's house in Chisago City. They just started the paperwork to adopt two older children from the Ukraine this fall, so hope all goes through without a hitch. On our way back from Chisago on Sunday, we'll stop at Grandma's house. Randy was really happy that he was able to talk to you last Saturday when he was out at Grandma's house. God bless you in your work. Our pastor wove in the readings from the Good Shepherd last weekend to Mother's Day and a recent rally for immigrants (his words of prayer at the conclusion of their cross carrying march). Said the readings should help us become more aware that Jesus walks with us. He gave his life for us, just as the shepherd does for his sheep. This love helps us to grow, encourages us to be free and adult, brothers and sisters to one another and we celebrate that. All of us have people who give us hope and encouragement (especially our mothers). Their values keep us going and show us that we all have human dignity. Have a good evening. Love, Judy and Randy

9:39 AM  
Blogger Judy Schletty said...

Hi Todd, Randy and I are both sneezing now. Today was the first day without rain in about 10 days! Now that would be nice if we had a new roofless Twins stadium. Hope baby child is doing good. The owner of our store babysits her two granddaughters, so I am constantly amazed at how fast they learn. The youngest isn't even 2 yrs. old, yet somehow she seems able to remind me what to do! And then the other day I was feeling down and I think she must have sensed that, because all of a sudden she patted me on my back -- just like the way a doctor re-assures his patients. You must post some notes about baby Connor for those of us who don't get to see him too often. We have our Christian League for the Handicapped banquet this Friday night and maybe next year at this time, you and Anne could join us, too.
Godspeed. Love, Judy and Randy

11:12 PM  

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