:: Saturday, January 13, 2007 ::

What a POGUE

Mac, if you are reading this, I just want you to know that you are a big giant pogue.

Because of the big ice storm in Oklahoma, Mac is getting his leave extended. Why? Because he doesn't want to drive to Dallas (three hours away) and instead wants to drive to Tulsa after the ice melts.

Do I blame him? Absolutely not! That's definately what I would do. So for those of you at home, pray for snow around the beginning of February. Somewhere around the 7th or 8th. That would be a good time for a giant snowstorm to blanket Oklahoma.

In other news, things here in Afghanistan are still going ok. My sickness is wearing off slowly. My legs still ache so I am taking my tylenol, but my nose is unstuffed and my coughing is dwindling away. Thank the Lord, too. I was afraid I was going to be sick on leave again. For those of you that don't know, the last two days of my leave from Shelby were haunted by a stomach virus. I'm drinking my milk and eating my vitamins this time round though. I won't be felled by a sickness on leave this time.

Nothing new in the world of the 4 shop. A few more statements of charges, a few more FLIPLs, and more slapstick comedy that seems to ferver in our office. I guess that's what happens when you get a nerdy white guy and a giant, zealous black man together. Andy helped out a bit today with his "rascist" comments and derogatory remarks to a warrant officer. Its honestly one of those "you had to have been there" moments. But oh boy was it good.

There are rumblings within our battalion again, but that shouldn't be anything new to those that know how things roll with the 1-180th. I can't divulge what's going down because of OPSEC, but its some good stuff. I'll explain when I get home. Its a long story that will never end.

I'm excited, though. I only have [OPSEC] days left until I leave camp. Then when I get back, we'll be preparing to come home. We'll start packing and beginning our move back home. Well, we won't start moving actually, but we'll start coming up with a plan. It's some exciting stuff. There is light at the end of the tunnel. My seven months here haven't been the best in the world, but I have made a million friends and seen a million things I won't forget.

And I have definately got a new look on life. When I look through the pictures I have taken, I am humbled (or umbled as one ole boy might say). I see how these peopel live here and I remember all that I am fighting for. I remember all that I love and I hold dear to me. If only I can come home and share a smidge of my experience. If I could come home and show everyone what I have seen. If only everyone in the world could know what the soldier sees in war.

Then there is the good Lord. He shows me what I really need to see. He shows me through my experiences and through the experiences in the good Book and how they tie together what I should really be seeing. We, Americans, are in the land of milk and honey. We are in the land of freedom and liberty. Don't forget that. The Israelites longed for, died for, searched for their milk and honey for years upon years. And you have it handed it to you when you are born.

Remember what all the fighting is for.

We, the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, are here to make sure that you back at home are safe. We are here so that terrorism isn't there anymore. Don't forget that. Don't focus on the fact that 3000 great warriors, great fighters, great men have died to set you free. Millions of men have died so that you can live in peace. So that you can leave your door unlocked at night. Don't forget that.

We are all these Afghan people have. We are giving them a new life. We are giving them freedom and liberty. They can only taste what you are living everyday. The kids go to school by choice, the men work so they can feed their family because they are proud of their family, the women walk around uncovered with their faces glowing because they are proud of who they are: a person. Just like you.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Just please pray for these people. This is a struggling country, full of violence and hatred. But there are still millions of people just living their life like us.

God is good. All the time.
Peace

:: Ben 11:57 AM [+] ::
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