A thought or two...

I haven't written anything since the start of this training back at the beginning of December. I was hoping and planning to write at least weekly, however, my training and preoccupation with the people and things going on here seriously limited my thoughts as well as my ability to transfer them from my brain onto this blog or anywhere else for that matter...

I've decided to touch upon a couple of topics I've faced, and issues that have come up because of the new era we are now living in with the promise of everything we know 'changing.'. Because I no longer participate in the same conversations I used to, or take part in the same activities - a lot of my quiet time was spent in prayer, thanking God continuously for His protection and mercy...

He has been faithful and gracious enough to put people in my path who I honestly don't think I would have approached to talk about Christ on the street or at the beach while out witnessing or preaching - and that's simply a result of the intimidation an ex-Marine walks into a room with as they spout blasphemous remarks, all the while professing to believe in God.

I find it ironic that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation is involved in numerous lawsuits against the military alleging that service-members have been forced to participate in religious activities, when my experience has been that I've never been affiliated with a more godless organization than the U.S. Military...

And while you're sitting there agast that I could ever write such a phrase publicly, let alone even think it privately, let me take the opportunity to also write that, with the exception of my church family, I've never been more proud to be a part of another organization than the United States Navy & the U.S. Military.

The greatest irony, in my opinion, is that we are bound by General Order 1 which states that we cannot prostelytize our faith among other things that I'm actually GLAD we are not allowed to do, though we are allowed to speak some of most filthy phrases that anyone might ever imagine in mixed-company without any repurcussions or repremand... General George Washington, while in command of the first Army of the New America made the decree, citing reverence toward God while declaring profanity forbidden in the Military, among it's personnel...

I'd love to touch upon so many other topics, I simply did not have the opportunity I had before I was deployed... I plan on resuming regular posting as I get settled in to my living space 'over there.'

So for those of you who would have appreciated one last call, I'm sorry, and feel free to comment on this posting, and I'll be sure to write/ call as soon as I re-gain access to the web... To talk over the Internet for free, go to and download Skype.

Your thoughts and prayers are definitely appreciated...

May God richly bless you and yours...

-Benjamin