Housing

Our family is number 28 on the housing list. I hear these lists move fast, so we are anticipating the home to be available when my sweet man completes his Chaplain Basic Training in South Carolina. This is what our home will look like. The boys are excited about the lack of yard work in their future!

Now...Everyone Knows!

Today was one of
the most difficult days
as a Pastor!
I told both of my congregations
that my family and I will be leaving
by the end of May.

There was a lot of sadness,
but praise be to God
both congregations understood
and supported this new call
as an Army Chaplain!

ipod Touch

My son Aaron received an
ipod Touch
that he bought from ebay.


Thou Shalt Not Covet!

now...I want an iphone

and 

so does my wife.

Helpful to me...

I was blessed with Army Wife Talk Radio's call-in gift one night... and no I will not tell you which one, because I called in, and well, I stunk!  BUT, they did give me this book.  It is well worth the read.  (As you can tell by the condition...and you must know I do most of my reading in the bathtub with tea and a candle) It helped me with questions pertaining to TriCare, DEERS, Military ID's, Space A Travel, Education, MWR events and so much more.  I do recommend it!  Both the radio show and the book!  Thanks ladies!

Oath of Office

We live in the U.P. of Michigan, for now, which makes us pretty remote.  Ed has quickly received paperwork, life is a whirlwind.  The Official Orders arrived, then an email from D.C. explaining the next steps... Taking his Oath, which was not easy to do, being that he had to be sworn in by an officer.  We called recruiting offices, reserve stations, Army, Guard, Coast Guard... and finally in Duluth, Minnesota a Medical Reserve Post was able to provide a super-friendly young man to administer the Oath of Office.  What a memorable day!

It's Official!

Well, it's official. I've received orders from the Department of the Army. I am officially welcomed into the United States Army as Chaplain (1LT) Edward Wright. What a thrill!

Now...the real hard part. Telling my congregations. I DO NOT look forward to that as I know it will be difficult for me and for some members. I have grown to love serving the Lord at Our Redeemer in Bessemer and Trinity in Bergland Michigan. I will miss so many people, yet they are in God's hands and He certainly has another man who will shepherd them.

God has a plan...it's merely our job to seek His plan in our lives and to follow His direction and guidance.

It's time to pack and have a garage sale...to figure out where my wife and kids will be living while I am in CH-BOLC. (May 31-Aug 28). I am grateful my lovely wife is just as excited as I am and that we have older kids (17, 14, 13) who are also excited and willing and able to help in moving.

Since we live in a parsonage we will have to have our things packed and moved to our first post, Fort Bliss TX not long after I am required to report to CH-BOLC. So, my family will be homeless for 3 months.

Our questions yet to be answered:
1. Can my family move into post housing while I am in CH-BOLC?
2. Will we get paid BAH?
3. How long is the wait for post housing?
4. Should I bring a car? Of which we will have to purchase because I totaled our 2nd car and now we only have one.

Oh well, so many unanswered questions, yet to Him, they have already been answered and taken care of so...why worry? Mt. 6:31-34.

A sneak peek...a Past Chaplain Basic Class...

One Extreme to Another

I received a call from the Chaplain assigning us to our first duty station...Fort Bliss TX. Admittedly I didn't expect Texas but this is where the Lord is placing us, so....here we go.

Today we have snow on the ground in Bessemer MI where I am serving two congregations and in Fort Bliss TX the temperature is 84. From the extreme north to the extreme south. God has such a sense of humor.

Also, CH-BOLC is May 31...much sooner than September 13 so we'd better get ready as a family. The wife and kids are soooo excited and so am I.

Again

Still waiting... We thought maybe Monday we would hear... Glad it is Holy Week and we will be busy... 

Confirmation Sunday

Our church has a tradition of instructing young men and women before they become members of the church and so they are able to understand how to examine themselves properly for Communion... it is a two year class process that is really an accomplishment, with memory work, discussion concerning contemporary issues and church history.  

This year our youngest is part of the class that has completed the instruction and sat with the church elders in questioning.  That is pretty scary for 8th graders!  

We will celebrate with a dinner after church and each place setting will have a treat.

  Congratulations Aaron!

If you want instructions on the use of fondant on cookies... look here.  

Family and Pizza Night

Friday night is Family and Pizza night. My favorite night of the week.

My wife is an award winning Chef so any time we are eating anything she is cooking is a great night. Eating out is more a relaxing time for her and I and the kids rather than a night to eat something comparable to home, only no dishes or clean up.

Tonight we are eating Barbecue Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza and cheese bread. Yum! My wonderful wife perfected thin crust, which makes her pizza even that much better. Her cooking makes Pizza night great, even when the movie isn't so great.


As for movies, we rented Seven Pounds from Redbox, which by the way is wonderful. We watch it on our Clearplay DVD player, which cuts out parts of the movies that are inappropriate like language and 'skin' and excessive violence. It allows us to watch even R rated movies with our kids. A great invention and one I highly recommend.

By the way, Seven Pounds...terrible ending! Marley and Me...boring, as our kids relayed to us. My bride and I didn't even bother to watch it if all three kids didn't like it. Oh, there's always next Friday!!!!!

Waiting for orders!

Well, it's not so bad waiting. As my wife posted below, we've received an email from DC that notification on CH-BOLC and first duty station should be forthcoming shortly. How exciting, but we still must wait.

Prior to getting THE CALL that I've been officially accessioned as an Army Chaplain, I was not waiting patiently, but waiting with much anxiety. But now I wait with excitement knowing that the call will change our future, at least our earthly future.

Jesus has taken care of our eternal, spiritual future and as we anticipate Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and of course, Easter I remember His promises to me.

But now, we wait and see how God working for our earthly future and I wait with a new, different heart. One that continues to work at firmly trusting His guidance and His will.

Notifications...

How exciting!  To get emails from D.C.!

So our email looks like we will be going to CH-BOLC in May... well, my sweet man will... we (the family) will plan on visiting friends and relatives for three months!  We are waiting to get the "official" documents and get sworn in. 

 Deep breath.

I can't believe, well, hmmm, I guess I can... how our Father works in our lives, how HE has plans, plans that spread his Holy Grace in Christ through the world.  How HE uses HIS called men to serve HIS purpose in this world.  How this world seems lost, yet HE provides such HOPE.

Now we wait.

Again.