I am not merely trying to impress you with my scripture recollection. I only know this one by heart because I have heard it many times on a CD entitled "Sing the Word from A to Z." (A selection that we Ismerts highly recommend.) Thus, my story begins...
About 2 hours ago, at dinner time, our three year old Gid led us in prayer. "Thank you that we could have a nice day, thank you that we get to eat noodles... (he looks at the table) and bread, thank you that we get to have (long pause, Daddy helps) Parmesan cheese. Thank you that I throwed up, thank you for we get to eat. In Jesus' name, Amen." I stole a glance at Michael and stifled a laugh when Gid mentioned that he was thankful that he had "throwed up." Then I pondered if that was a good thing for Gideon to be thankful for. Then this verse came to mind. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I truely have no idea why Gid was thankful for throwing up, but I like that he was thankful for all the things that had happened to him. I know that we are supposed to give thanks in all circumstances. This is very difficult to do. I have a friend...
I (Sunshine) am 17 weeks pregnant with our seventh child. A dear friend of mine (whose due date was close to mine) is no longer expecting their eighth child. She is a dear mommy, I admire her patience and faith. Several weeks ago she experienced some bleeding and went to see a doctor for an untrasound. They found out that their baby had died and that there was also something wrong in her womb. After a few tests they determined that the cells that used to be their dear, growing baby had become cancerous. After a D & C failed to remove all of the cancer, she underwent an emergency hysterectomy. The surgery has been followed by chemo treatments to attempt to eliminate any other cancer cells. Two days before Christmas, my sweet friend was again rushed to the hospital. Doctors feared that the cancer had spread into her lungs. At the bottom of her husband's email he wrote:
Please continue to pray for ____ that her heart and mind would stay on Christ and that He would comfort her during this time. Please pray for the doctors that God would give them wisdom as they determine their next cause of action towards ____. Please pray for healing for____. all of this we know the Lord is Good, His mercy is Everlasting and His Truth endureth through all generations. God is our hope, in Him do we place our Trust. Thank you in advance dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ for all your prayers! I will try to keep you updated when we find out more.
All day, I struggled to keep my mind on Christ. I agonized that the thought of my friend dying, of seven children without a mom, and a husband offering a broken heart to God. I cried and prayed. And the children prayed with me.
Our relief and joy was great when the doctors determined that my friend's struggle was not with a spreading cancer, but with a bad reaction to the chemo drug! Praise God. She is not out of the woods yet, they are hving to change medications and give her steroids to help heal her lungs.
The moral of this story (I think) is this. We do not have to fake thanksgiving, or to put on a tough face. As beleivers, God consistantly supplies us with all that we need to obey His word. His grace is always sufficient and timely. I was struggling to give thanks in all circumstances for the life and death struggle in my friends life. However, God supplied abundantly to them when they needed it. Those of you who know my friend Tina have seen that first hand these last few years. I remeber during that time she told me, "I am His (God's) servant. I trust Him. If this (brain tumor) is what He is using to show His glory, I want Him to have His way in my life."
To close, another scripture...
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Psalm 34:4-5 (the whole chapter is great)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Ismert Family Camping- easy style
On Saturday, I (dad) thought it would be a great idea if we camped out in the backyard. I asked the kids and they were really excited too. I set up the tent and got the campfire ready. The main creature comfort we use is: Two (2) full sized mattresses.
It may not be "roughing it" in the middle of nowhere but it works for us! Plus, as I was grabbing mattresses from upstairs I noticed how hot is was. We slept a lot cooler outside. My plan is to leave the tent in the same place for two nights and then move it to another spot in the lawn. If the rains come it only takes a few minutes to "break camp".
If you're interested in coming over to the Ismert Family Camp we'd love to have you. You could bring a tent or use one of our extras. We supply food, indoor plumbing, chickens, trampoline, pool and other fun. We'd love to have you.
Whew!
It is good news indeed. I'm not pregnant. I suppose that my tiredness is due to other issues.
Cheers
Michael
Cheers
Michael
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
You know you're pregnant when...
Yesterday the family and I were leaving the house when Sunshine said to me, "You know you're pregnant when you feel like shutting down the house and going to bed at 4:30 in the afternoon".
I was immediately alarmed and considered my own tiredness and wondered if I might be pregnant too.
Indeed. I'll keep you updated if I find out any "good news".
Michael
I was immediately alarmed and considered my own tiredness and wondered if I might be pregnant too.
Indeed. I'll keep you updated if I find out any "good news".
Michael
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
In the swing
We are living out the "happily ever after" in our story. I want to take a minute to fill in some of the gaps that Hollywood usually leaves out. The dramatic climax was our arrival home as a family. God delivered us home safely from Germany, and most important, we were together. Truly, this was and is a mighty answer to very fervent prayer. Unlike in the movies, however, the story does not stop there.
I mentioned in a previous post that we were very jet-lagged when we came home. It took about ten days for our bodies to adjust. Then I (sunshine) came down with a horrendous cold. After feeling so poorly (and even grumpy) for over two weeks, I was really praying for relief. Had God answered my huge prayer, only to watch me struggle in overwhelming circumstances at home? Just about that time, I was feeling very depressed. Why you ask? I should have been on top of the world. Had I forgotten Gods provision for our family. The answer is no, I had not forgotten. The only thing that I can say to explain is that I crashed. My body and mind had been working on overtime for months, and my little mind and emotions finally was able to feel the release. I am so thankful for a very understanding and patient husband. I am sure that it made no sense to him. "God answers yes to prayer, wife falls apart. Ah, yes, that makes perfect sense!"
Thankfully, before I came home from Germany, a friend back home had some foresight into this issue. Melinda reminded me of a time in Elijah's life... Just after the showdown on Mount Carmel, Elijah experienced those same feelings. For three years Elijah had prayed that it would not rain. A very angry King Ahab and 450 prophets of Baal, and all of the people of Israel went to the mountain. Elijah challenged the people to worship the true God. Then he issued a challenge to the prophets of Baal, build and alter and offer a sacrifice to Baal, then call on Baal to set fire to the sacrifice. As you can expect, after several hours of prayer, no fire. Then Elijah repeated the process with a twist. Around the alter he dug a ditch. Then he ordered the people to pour water on the sacrifice. They did this four times. The alter, wood, and sacrifice were soaked, and the ditch was full too.
Then Elijah prayed. Only God can answer by fire, and He did! The sacrifice, the alter (rocks), the water, and even the dust was consumed. That was quite an answer to prayer. The people cried out in praise to God. Next, the rains came, the drought was over. This was a true mountain-top experience. But, then, just a short while later, Elijah prays again, but his prayer sounds very different. "God, I am the only one left." I think that Elijah crashed too.
I am reminded of another wise thing that Melinda told me not to long ago. Don't think with your feelings. Just because I feel overwhelmed does not mean that God is hanging out and watching me fail. I don't need to assume that every thing that I feel is true. Sometimes, I just need to cling to God and ride out the feelings. I am a finite being. Even bliss can feel overwhelming. Isn't that why we cry when something amazing happens? Someday soon, we will experience the inexpressible and there will be no tear to wipe away. Until then, I will probablycry a lot.
Back to the "happily ever after." We will try to remember the mighty things that God has already done when we face those things that make us cower and shrink back. When God is for us, who can be against us? This is more than just positive thinking. My positive thinking fails me a hundred times a day. True hope in God is steadfast and it only comes through refining trials. Romans 5:3-5 says "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Praise God, this is way better than Hollywood.
By God's grace, we are getting back into the swing of things.
I mentioned in a previous post that we were very jet-lagged when we came home. It took about ten days for our bodies to adjust. Then I (sunshine) came down with a horrendous cold. After feeling so poorly (and even grumpy) for over two weeks, I was really praying for relief. Had God answered my huge prayer, only to watch me struggle in overwhelming circumstances at home? Just about that time, I was feeling very depressed. Why you ask? I should have been on top of the world. Had I forgotten Gods provision for our family. The answer is no, I had not forgotten. The only thing that I can say to explain is that I crashed. My body and mind had been working on overtime for months, and my little mind and emotions finally was able to feel the release. I am so thankful for a very understanding and patient husband. I am sure that it made no sense to him. "God answers yes to prayer, wife falls apart. Ah, yes, that makes perfect sense!"
Thankfully, before I came home from Germany, a friend back home had some foresight into this issue. Melinda reminded me of a time in Elijah's life... Just after the showdown on Mount Carmel, Elijah experienced those same feelings. For three years Elijah had prayed that it would not rain. A very angry King Ahab and 450 prophets of Baal, and all of the people of Israel went to the mountain. Elijah challenged the people to worship the true God. Then he issued a challenge to the prophets of Baal, build and alter and offer a sacrifice to Baal, then call on Baal to set fire to the sacrifice. As you can expect, after several hours of prayer, no fire. Then Elijah repeated the process with a twist. Around the alter he dug a ditch. Then he ordered the people to pour water on the sacrifice. They did this four times. The alter, wood, and sacrifice were soaked, and the ditch was full too.
Then Elijah prayed. Only God can answer by fire, and He did! The sacrifice, the alter (rocks), the water, and even the dust was consumed. That was quite an answer to prayer. The people cried out in praise to God. Next, the rains came, the drought was over. This was a true mountain-top experience. But, then, just a short while later, Elijah prays again, but his prayer sounds very different. "God, I am the only one left." I think that Elijah crashed too.
I am reminded of another wise thing that Melinda told me not to long ago. Don't think with your feelings. Just because I feel overwhelmed does not mean that God is hanging out and watching me fail. I don't need to assume that every thing that I feel is true. Sometimes, I just need to cling to God and ride out the feelings. I am a finite being. Even bliss can feel overwhelming. Isn't that why we cry when something amazing happens? Someday soon, we will experience the inexpressible and there will be no tear to wipe away. Until then, I will probablycry a lot.
Back to the "happily ever after." We will try to remember the mighty things that God has already done when we face those things that make us cower and shrink back. When God is for us, who can be against us? This is more than just positive thinking. My positive thinking fails me a hundred times a day. True hope in God is steadfast and it only comes through refining trials. Romans 5:3-5 says "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Praise God, this is way better than Hollywood.
By God's grace, we are getting back into the swing of things.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
GOOD NEWS!
The Lord has chosen to bless the Ismert family once again! We are so excited. Here's the proof...We don't feel that we deserve such blessings from the Lord. We recognize that it is only by God's grace that we will train up the children that He has blessed us with. Thank you Lord!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Where no oxen are...
by Michael
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox" Proverbs 14:4
When you have children it is easy to become frustrated at the seemingly endless cycle of messes and cleanup. This is especially true as you start to have more children and the children are still relatively little. Sunshine and I (mostly Sunshine) spend a great deal of time each day just combating the little messes that rapidly morph into gigantic disaster zones. Sometimes I'm convinced that our home should be declared a federal disaster zone and that we should be eligible for FEMA relief! Wait a sec... do I really want the federal government involved? Ok, the answer is NO on that point.
In the spirit of truthfulness I'll confess that I get a vacation (meaning: work outside the home) for approximately 40 hours a week while Sunshine is the true heroine that is always on the frontlines. She faithfully oversees the troops and manages our AO or area of operations (home). It is all too easy for me to come home and see the most recent mess and improperly assume that it has been there all day long without realizing that it was probably made within the last 5 to 30 minutes. My assumptions regarding the "mess" are improper for so many reasons.
First, my improper assumptions imply that I don't really think my wife is faithful in managing our home and children. Of course, I am rarely cognizant of this implication but it is implied nonetheless. This thought is formulated into the cognizant when I either ask or think in my head "Hi honey. What have you been doing today?" That question can be very sincere and have genuine concern for Sunshine's day. However, when that question is proceeded by thoughts of "Why is the house [always so messy] or [messy right now], then my asking Sunshine how her day went is probably disinginous and a smokescreen for how I really think.
Second, I improperly assume that my children are liabilities instead of assets. I can also get frustrated at them and react instead of seeing the opportunity for training in righteousness. As I start to think of my children as liabilities it becomes a challenge for me to remember that my children are a blessing from God and not a punishment.
The third improper assumption (but probably not the last) is that a clean house is more important than simply having a house that can be made messy. For our family, having a house also means having children since that is what God has given us. I would do well to give more grace and love. Yes, the house does need to be cleaned and the children do need to be trained in stewardship for the glory of God, but how much relationship with Sunshine and the children am I willing to destroy for cleanliness by having improper assumptions and improper training. I am quite certain that at the end of my days I won't look back and long to have had a cleaner house. If I fall into the trap of placing clean over relationship I will indeed look back and long, but it won't be for the house, it will be for the relationships.
As I was reading Proverbs 14 this morning I came across the verse mentioned above. In the past, my Titus 2 wife has lovingly (as opposed to naggingly) used that verse to remind me that "Where no children are, the home is clean: but much strength, joy and blessing come from the strength and presence of the children." How true. I'm thankful for all of my little "oxen" and my Titus 2 wife that continues to love and serve me.
In Christ
Michael
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox" Proverbs 14:4
When you have children it is easy to become frustrated at the seemingly endless cycle of messes and cleanup. This is especially true as you start to have more children and the children are still relatively little. Sunshine and I (mostly Sunshine) spend a great deal of time each day just combating the little messes that rapidly morph into gigantic disaster zones. Sometimes I'm convinced that our home should be declared a federal disaster zone and that we should be eligible for FEMA relief! Wait a sec... do I really want the federal government involved? Ok, the answer is NO on that point.
In the spirit of truthfulness I'll confess that I get a vacation (meaning: work outside the home) for approximately 40 hours a week while Sunshine is the true heroine that is always on the frontlines. She faithfully oversees the troops and manages our AO or area of operations (home). It is all too easy for me to come home and see the most recent mess and improperly assume that it has been there all day long without realizing that it was probably made within the last 5 to 30 minutes. My assumptions regarding the "mess" are improper for so many reasons.
First, my improper assumptions imply that I don't really think my wife is faithful in managing our home and children. Of course, I am rarely cognizant of this implication but it is implied nonetheless. This thought is formulated into the cognizant when I either ask or think in my head "Hi honey. What have you been doing today?" That question can be very sincere and have genuine concern for Sunshine's day. However, when that question is proceeded by thoughts of "Why is the house [always so messy] or [messy right now], then my asking Sunshine how her day went is probably disinginous and a smokescreen for how I really think.
Second, I improperly assume that my children are liabilities instead of assets. I can also get frustrated at them and react instead of seeing the opportunity for training in righteousness. As I start to think of my children as liabilities it becomes a challenge for me to remember that my children are a blessing from God and not a punishment.
The third improper assumption (but probably not the last) is that a clean house is more important than simply having a house that can be made messy. For our family, having a house also means having children since that is what God has given us. I would do well to give more grace and love. Yes, the house does need to be cleaned and the children do need to be trained in stewardship for the glory of God, but how much relationship with Sunshine and the children am I willing to destroy for cleanliness by having improper assumptions and improper training. I am quite certain that at the end of my days I won't look back and long to have had a cleaner house. If I fall into the trap of placing clean over relationship I will indeed look back and long, but it won't be for the house, it will be for the relationships.
As I was reading Proverbs 14 this morning I came across the verse mentioned above. In the past, my Titus 2 wife has lovingly (as opposed to naggingly) used that verse to remind me that "Where no children are, the home is clean: but much strength, joy and blessing come from the strength and presence of the children." How true. I'm thankful for all of my little "oxen" and my Titus 2 wife that continues to love and serve me.
In Christ
Michael
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
There is no place like home
Very late into the evening on Wednesday March 27th, eight drowsy Ismerts emerged from an airplane and walked toward baggage claim. Our path took us to a waiting group of friends welcoming us home. After several minutes of hugs and getting reacquainted, we again embarked toward the baggage claim. Our six checked bags were off of the belt waiting for us. The other passengers were long gone. The Ismerts are usually the last to leave most exciting events.
Most of us are still suffering jet-lag symptoms. My brain feels rather foggy. My thoughts seem slow and sticky. Brain problems aside, it feels great to be home, together! We are looking forward to spending time with friends and family. A month in Germany was a wonderful and providental blessing from God. We had a "honeymoon" as a family. We are amazed at God's great mercy and love to us.
Getting back into the swing of things is slow and steady. Stop by for a visit or give us a call, if we don't get to you first. Thanks for the prayers. We'll be adding postings to the blog as we have time. God bless.
Sunshine
Most of us are still suffering jet-lag symptoms. My brain feels rather foggy. My thoughts seem slow and sticky. Brain problems aside, it feels great to be home, together! We are looking forward to spending time with friends and family. A month in Germany was a wonderful and providental blessing from God. We had a "honeymoon" as a family. We are amazed at God's great mercy and love to us.
Getting back into the swing of things is slow and steady. Stop by for a visit or give us a call, if we don't get to you first. Thanks for the prayers. We'll be adding postings to the blog as we have time. God bless.
Sunshine
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
"Going Downrange"
In Just a little over a week, most of the men in Baumholder are being deployed to Iraq. Please keep these many families in your prayers. This is a very hard life. I will be adding more info to this post as I am able.
A quick visit to the Internet Cafe
The weather here is very unpredictable. Depending on when you looked out the window today, it may have been overcast, or sunny, or hailing, or snowing! I saw it snow twice and hail three times. Currently it is sunny and very cold.
Michaelyn, Chloe and I are on post at the Internet Cafe/Java Cafe (that proudly brews Starbucks) located inside the Post Office. I imagined oodles of coffee shops with wifi on every corner would line the streets in Germany. This is not so. You can get beer on every corner. They are not so much into coffee. They don't seem so much into the internet either. I am sure that German's use the internet, but I am not sure where.
Our travels here are slow. The countries are small, and we are rather close to everything. Traveling at Ismert speed, though, is not very fast. Recently we took scenic roads to view several castles. There are castles and ruins visible quite often as you survey the landscape along the highways and roads. We visited Sankt Goar, the site of the Rheinefels Castle (I am sure that is the wrong name. I will set myself straight later). Well, the rest of the family visited it. I am afraid of heights and I decided to stay closer to sea level. Later, we crossed to the Mosel River and took the winding road to take in the scenes. It was all very picturesque.
We plan on visiting a rock and mineral museum in Idar-Oberstein. We also hope to see Heidelberg, Koln (Cologne), and possibly a more robust trip to France and Switzerland. Besides just seeing the sites, we plan on simply enjoying one another and praying that God will open our eyes to see Him in all that he has made.
Please pray for our health and safety. God bless you. Sunshine
Michaelyn, Chloe and I are on post at the Internet Cafe/Java Cafe (that proudly brews Starbucks) located inside the Post Office. I imagined oodles of coffee shops with wifi on every corner would line the streets in Germany. This is not so. You can get beer on every corner. They are not so much into coffee. They don't seem so much into the internet either. I am sure that German's use the internet, but I am not sure where.
Our travels here are slow. The countries are small, and we are rather close to everything. Traveling at Ismert speed, though, is not very fast. Recently we took scenic roads to view several castles. There are castles and ruins visible quite often as you survey the landscape along the highways and roads. We visited Sankt Goar, the site of the Rheinefels Castle (I am sure that is the wrong name. I will set myself straight later). Well, the rest of the family visited it. I am afraid of heights and I decided to stay closer to sea level. Later, we crossed to the Mosel River and took the winding road to take in the scenes. It was all very picturesque.
We plan on visiting a rock and mineral museum in Idar-Oberstein. We also hope to see Heidelberg, Koln (Cologne), and possibly a more robust trip to France and Switzerland. Besides just seeing the sites, we plan on simply enjoying one another and praying that God will open our eyes to see Him in all that he has made.
Please pray for our health and safety. God bless you. Sunshine
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
My German is not so gut! Ja, you betcha!
Guten Tag!
My Deustche (what the German's call their language) is very bad. The locals don’t seem to mind. The rumor is, from some Americans in the know, many German folks speak at least a little English, but they will not always use the English that they know. Cricket Grey told me that an American has to at least attempt the German language or the local folks will pretend that they can’t speak any English. I suppose this is true, Cricket is a pretty reliable lady. I have tried some attempt at German, even if it is only “Sprecken ze English?". All the local folks have been very gracious to my lame attempts. However, not everyone speaks English. The communication issue adds a little extra spice to our adventures.
We are thoroughly enjoying our stay here in Deustchland. The scenery is lovely. Rolling hills, quaint villages, narrow cobblestone streets, a church steeple peeking out on the horizon in every town, well groomed landscaping, tiny cars, red colored roofs, are all typical of the towns that we have seen. Castles can be seen occasionally spotting the silhouette of the landscape. Giant, elegant, windmills appear over the tree line and around corners. We have been sunned, rained, hailed, and snowed on. What an amazing feast for the eyes! God did not spare any beauty or creativity on this Rhine region in Germany.
Trinity Baptist Church has been our home for our stay here. One of the members, Gearhart, told us some of the history of the building were are crashing in. It started as a hotel and is believed that Adolf Hitler stayed here at one time. The first floor has a kitchen, fellowship area, sanctuary, foyer, and a couple of class rooms. We are hanging out on the second and third floors, except for meal times. Having so much room has been an amazing blessing. I think that we would have been very crowded in a hotel. God has really blessed us.
A few days after we arrived, Michael and I went to the commissary to shop for some food. The prices are like shopping at Winco back home. We have been eating here at the Gasthaus mostly, we save money in the long run, but we haven’t experienced much of the local cuisine. Except… The sausages that we picked up at the local grocery store were fantastic. The Brat factories (bakeries) are our supply of tasty carbohydrate delights! The French are not the only people who know how to make bread and pastries. This evening we feasted on Turkish kebab sandwiches. Delicious is an understatement. I think that I would not be exaggerating to say that I could eat one everyday.
For a variety of reasons, our travels have not taken us very far from Baumholder. When we first arrived, Vivian and I were completely wore out. The plane rides, although mostly smooth-going, did not allow us much more than a few hours rest. We barely functioned. We spent most of the next day getting oriented around the church, and doing some errands around post. We have been able to adapt to the local time, but some other issues have come up. Michael was heavily involved in completing the Army’s requirements for completing the Discharge until Friday. Praise God, he is completely released from his contract! We have all either been fighting colds, or having colds. Michael spent two days suffering with intestinal problems. Despite some physical trials, God have given us tremendous grace to endure.
We haven’t always had to stay at the Kirchen (church). We have visited Trier, the oldest city in Germany. We ate Lasagna at an Italian restaurant and then enjoyed some gelato. The pedestrian only section in the Haupmarket was great for picture taking and working out the wiggles. When we realized that we were only a few minutes from the border of Luxembourg we were committed to going there too! I can’t tell you the name of the towns that we visited in Luxembourg; we pretty much took a driving tour. There is a scenic highway that curves alongside the Mosel River that serves as the border between Germany and Lux. At many points, you could throw a rock from one country to the other. We even spotted a pedestrian bridge connecting the sister countries at one point! What a delight to the eyes those sights were.
Today we visited Worms (pronounced vurms), the city famous for Martin Luther’s trial known as the Diet of Worms. I can assure you, this has nothing to do with eating crawling insects. There is so much interesting history wherever we go. We visited statues of the Reformers at a site called Lutherdenkmal, gawked a two gargantuan (and polar opposite in style) churches. Most of the buildings around here seem to have something in common. They are all old. Really. In the states, if you find a building 150 years old, we think “Wow, that is so old!” here (that is, in the states), we have seen buildings that claimed to be nearly 1000 years old!
We have met some lovely folks. Many wonderful families are stationed here with the military. Some folks are here working for the DOD, but not enlisted or commissioned, just as employees. There are people here from the states as missionaries to either military personnel and families or the the native folk. On a sad note, the majority of the men in these military families will be “going down-range” in a little over two weeks. Just about the entire base, here at Baumholder, will be deployed to Iraq. I am feeling tinges of “survivor’s guilt”. I am very humbled that God would answer our prayer and send Michael home. I feel a little awkward to tell these wives that I am bringing my husband home, just as they are saying good-bye to their husband for 18 months. I know that God will provide for their needs. Just as He provided for the children and I here at home. However, when I heard one of the ladies explain that enduring a deployment was like having her heart ripped from her chest, I cried. I remember saying those words myself, not so long ago...
Sorry this post has been so long in coming. This is our first opportunity to use the internet. Hope to hear from all of you soon. Also, keep your calendars open. You are invited to a Coming Home Party TBA.
Sunshine
PS. I checked a german-english dictionary and corrected my misspellings. Sorry! Foreign languages are not my major.
My Deustche (what the German's call their language) is very bad. The locals don’t seem to mind. The rumor is, from some Americans in the know, many German folks speak at least a little English, but they will not always use the English that they know. Cricket Grey told me that an American has to at least attempt the German language or the local folks will pretend that they can’t speak any English. I suppose this is true, Cricket is a pretty reliable lady. I have tried some attempt at German, even if it is only “Sprecken ze English?". All the local folks have been very gracious to my lame attempts. However, not everyone speaks English. The communication issue adds a little extra spice to our adventures.
We are thoroughly enjoying our stay here in Deustchland. The scenery is lovely. Rolling hills, quaint villages, narrow cobblestone streets, a church steeple peeking out on the horizon in every town, well groomed landscaping, tiny cars, red colored roofs, are all typical of the towns that we have seen. Castles can be seen occasionally spotting the silhouette of the landscape. Giant, elegant, windmills appear over the tree line and around corners. We have been sunned, rained, hailed, and snowed on. What an amazing feast for the eyes! God did not spare any beauty or creativity on this Rhine region in Germany.
Trinity Baptist Church has been our home for our stay here. One of the members, Gearhart, told us some of the history of the building were are crashing in. It started as a hotel and is believed that Adolf Hitler stayed here at one time. The first floor has a kitchen, fellowship area, sanctuary, foyer, and a couple of class rooms. We are hanging out on the second and third floors, except for meal times. Having so much room has been an amazing blessing. I think that we would have been very crowded in a hotel. God has really blessed us.
A few days after we arrived, Michael and I went to the commissary to shop for some food. The prices are like shopping at Winco back home. We have been eating here at the Gasthaus mostly, we save money in the long run, but we haven’t experienced much of the local cuisine. Except… The sausages that we picked up at the local grocery store were fantastic. The Brat factories (bakeries) are our supply of tasty carbohydrate delights! The French are not the only people who know how to make bread and pastries. This evening we feasted on Turkish kebab sandwiches. Delicious is an understatement. I think that I would not be exaggerating to say that I could eat one everyday.
For a variety of reasons, our travels have not taken us very far from Baumholder. When we first arrived, Vivian and I were completely wore out. The plane rides, although mostly smooth-going, did not allow us much more than a few hours rest. We barely functioned. We spent most of the next day getting oriented around the church, and doing some errands around post. We have been able to adapt to the local time, but some other issues have come up. Michael was heavily involved in completing the Army’s requirements for completing the Discharge until Friday. Praise God, he is completely released from his contract! We have all either been fighting colds, or having colds. Michael spent two days suffering with intestinal problems. Despite some physical trials, God have given us tremendous grace to endure.
We haven’t always had to stay at the Kirchen (church). We have visited Trier, the oldest city in Germany. We ate Lasagna at an Italian restaurant and then enjoyed some gelato. The pedestrian only section in the Haupmarket was great for picture taking and working out the wiggles. When we realized that we were only a few minutes from the border of Luxembourg we were committed to going there too! I can’t tell you the name of the towns that we visited in Luxembourg; we pretty much took a driving tour. There is a scenic highway that curves alongside the Mosel River that serves as the border between Germany and Lux. At many points, you could throw a rock from one country to the other. We even spotted a pedestrian bridge connecting the sister countries at one point! What a delight to the eyes those sights were.
Today we visited Worms (pronounced vurms), the city famous for Martin Luther’s trial known as the Diet of Worms. I can assure you, this has nothing to do with eating crawling insects. There is so much interesting history wherever we go. We visited statues of the Reformers at a site called Lutherdenkmal, gawked a two gargantuan (and polar opposite in style) churches. Most of the buildings around here seem to have something in common. They are all old. Really. In the states, if you find a building 150 years old, we think “Wow, that is so old!” here (that is, in the states), we have seen buildings that claimed to be nearly 1000 years old!
We have met some lovely folks. Many wonderful families are stationed here with the military. Some folks are here working for the DOD, but not enlisted or commissioned, just as employees. There are people here from the states as missionaries to either military personnel and families or the the native folk. On a sad note, the majority of the men in these military families will be “going down-range” in a little over two weeks. Just about the entire base, here at Baumholder, will be deployed to Iraq. I am feeling tinges of “survivor’s guilt”. I am very humbled that God would answer our prayer and send Michael home. I feel a little awkward to tell these wives that I am bringing my husband home, just as they are saying good-bye to their husband for 18 months. I know that God will provide for their needs. Just as He provided for the children and I here at home. However, when I heard one of the ladies explain that enduring a deployment was like having her heart ripped from her chest, I cried. I remember saying those words myself, not so long ago...
Sorry this post has been so long in coming. This is our first opportunity to use the internet. Hope to hear from all of you soon. Also, keep your calendars open. You are invited to a Coming Home Party TBA.
Sunshine
PS. I checked a german-english dictionary and corrected my misspellings. Sorry! Foreign languages are not my major.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Praise God! Request for Hardship Discharge Approved!
At a little after 2:00am February 25th, 2008, I received a call from Germany. Michael apologized for calling so late. He even offered to call in a few hours when it would be more convenient for me. (I don't suppose that he would have let me sleep without knowing the joyful news?) I assured him that I was interested in visiting with him. This is what I remember about our conversation...
Michael: I can call you back later so that you can get some sleep.
Sunshine: Oh no, honey. That's ok. What's up?
Michael: Well, I have four days to vacate the Post.
Sunshine: (really groggy) That will be fun.
Michael: (tentatively) Do you understand what that means?
Sunshine: (I thought a minute, I had assumed that it meant he had a four day pass (4 day vacation) to spend some time with us while we were visiting Germany. Puzzled, I admited) I guess not.?
Michael: They told me earlier today to make sure that I had my bags packed, and then they called me in and told me that my Hardship Discharge was approved. I have four days to vacate the Post.
Sunshine: (silence....) (tears) (sobs) Thank you, Jesus... (more tears and sobs) God heard our prayers, He said yes! (more sobbing, tears, etc... repeat)
Michael and Sunshine rejoice together and recount God's goodness!
When we ended our call, I sent a quick text message on my phone to as many cell phone numbers as I had programmed into my phonebook. Then, I tried to sleep some more.
Today has been a whirlwind. I have enjoyed recounting the very few details that I have with whoever will linger long enough to listen.
I am so grateful to know first hand that God will never leave me (or Michael, or our children) or forsake me. I more intimately understand that although I am unfaithful, that He is always faithful. I have doubted, and I have had faith, I have been weak and I have felt strong, I have failed and by God's grace, ocassionally I have held fast. God is not to blame for my weakness, but I pray that He receives all the glory for any strength that He has supplied to me.
It is the Lord who gives, and the Lord who takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
I look forward to rejoicing with you at a celebration soon...
For now, if the Lord wills, off we go to a familly vacation in Germany. (tears welling up in eyes)
Praise God!
Michael: I can call you back later so that you can get some sleep.
Sunshine: Oh no, honey. That's ok. What's up?
Michael: Well, I have four days to vacate the Post.
Sunshine: (really groggy) That will be fun.
Michael: (tentatively) Do you understand what that means?
Sunshine: (I thought a minute, I had assumed that it meant he had a four day pass (4 day vacation) to spend some time with us while we were visiting Germany. Puzzled, I admited) I guess not.?
Michael: They told me earlier today to make sure that I had my bags packed, and then they called me in and told me that my Hardship Discharge was approved. I have four days to vacate the Post.
Sunshine: (silence....) (tears) (sobs) Thank you, Jesus... (more tears and sobs) God heard our prayers, He said yes! (more sobbing, tears, etc... repeat)
Michael and Sunshine rejoice together and recount God's goodness!
When we ended our call, I sent a quick text message on my phone to as many cell phone numbers as I had programmed into my phonebook. Then, I tried to sleep some more.
Today has been a whirlwind. I have enjoyed recounting the very few details that I have with whoever will linger long enough to listen.
I am so grateful to know first hand that God will never leave me (or Michael, or our children) or forsake me. I more intimately understand that although I am unfaithful, that He is always faithful. I have doubted, and I have had faith, I have been weak and I have felt strong, I have failed and by God's grace, ocassionally I have held fast. God is not to blame for my weakness, but I pray that He receives all the glory for any strength that He has supplied to me.
It is the Lord who gives, and the Lord who takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
I look forward to rejoicing with you at a celebration soon...
For now, if the Lord wills, off we go to a familly vacation in Germany. (tears welling up in eyes)
Praise God!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
That's worth writing home about!
We have noticed that the mail communications between here and Germany have different speeds. When we send something to Michael, I ship it priority and it usually takes about one week. When Michael sends something home, I think it takes the slow boat from China (I don't know how it gets to China before it gets here.) We have waited weeks for postcards and letters... Currently, I am checking the mailbox impatiently for a phantom package that must get here soon, I hope. It would be good if it arrived before we leave.
So I haven't blogged much lately. There are a whole list of reasons. I won't bore you. Today, I am: at least partially emotionally sound, awake (I have fallen asleep twice this week while putting the little-merts to bed), near the computer, and I finally have some news that is noteworthy. After long deliberation, and many trips over the fence and back again, we went ahead and booked the flights. The children and I (and Grandma Vivian too) are flying to Germany for a visit with Michael.
Now that the tickets have been booked and the dates are settled, we are all getting more excited by the minute. I am even letting myself get a little emotional about the whole thing. For a while, when I said "It will be wonderful to be together again", I meant it. I just couldn't let myself really feel it. Now, even typing that brings tears to my eyes.
We fly out on Feb 26th and return March 11th. We'll be two weeks in Germany. Michael will be working during the day, but we will be with him at night (he will stay with us) and on the weekends! The airline tickets were a really great deal, but we knew that the hotel and van rental could be really ugly. Jesus to the rescue! God lavishly blessed us by allowing us to stay at the church that Michael has been attending in Germany. Also, we will be able to borrow a van from some folks there in exchange for renting them a replacement car for those two weeks. Thank you Lord for your provision.
Another update or two:
Laptop back in business! Mr Dictson was able to save my laptop, just not any of the info on the hard-drive. It appears that I had a virus. I am still working on getting some of the info from the back-up drive onto the computer. Thanks Mr D!
Dr appointments... Michael arrived at his Feb 11th appointment and the Dr was a no-show! Ok, it he wasn't a no-show. The Dr was called away for some reason and will not return until Feb 26. Michael's appointment is for the 27th (the day we arrive!). I might get to tag along for the appointment. We are praying for a good report. As it is today, Michael still doesn't feel very well.
No new Discharge news. We're pretty sure that it is not in the "round file" though. Also, we heard some news that Michael may be added to the Rear-Detachement (guys and gals that get assigned to stay at the base while the rest of the group is deployed to the front.) We are hopeful!
I wish that I had more time and that I posted more often. If you post any questions on the comments, we will try to answer them quickly with a new post.
God's blessings to you. We will (maybe) send some postcards! We will probably beat them home. We are not planning any travel via China!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
"Somedays"...
This post will consist of two random things that I have had it in my mind to mention.
I took the T.V. out of the entertainment center and unhooked the cable (not that we had any channels, but we like the superfast internet) and the DVD and VCR. I took most of these items to the garage. The t.v. was too heavy, so it is still living on the floor at the border of Dining and Living rooms.
It appears to Dr Mom that too much T.V. causes quarrels, laziness, zoning out (me included), dependency (Mom says, "who wants to watch a show?" when she can't take it anymore), and there is always a two year old that pushes the power button to be followed by a chorus of screams. Yes, this was my house. Something had to go. I had to stay, the kiddos are pretty nice too, so it was the electronic device.
I dont' think the absence of the T.V. has cured us. We still have bad attitudes that rear their ugly heads, but at least mom and children aren't addicted anymore. Yea!
The "when Daddy comes home"s... Ismert like to do things, we like to learn things, we like to eat things, we like to touch things. Here is a partial list of some things that we are planning to doing together (cause it would all be better with Daddy) when Daddy comes home.
Visit the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals. Really fun place, more fun than the name implys. We saw some great exhibits, including the rocks that glow!
Go swimming together at an indoor pool. I will even don a bathing suit!
Eat Calamari. Mom and kids tried some for the first time not too long ago. Daddy loves it!
Take a really long walk on the logging road.
Clean the chicken pen (they can't all be fun things to do!)
Eat some yummy grilled food. Not long ago, I made dinner. It didn't turn out as good as I would have liked. No one complaind (maybe me) but Michaelyn did say, "I really miss when Daddy would cook outside. All the food that he made on the BBQ was sooooo good."
Take a short drive south to the Enchanted Forest. This is the Ismert disneyland.
Jump on the jumpoline (ismert for trampoline). Daddy is a great jumper. Mommy not so much.
This list is truely endless. I have to stop somewhere. Also, I should mention. If the Lord wills...
I took the T.V. out of the entertainment center and unhooked the cable (not that we had any channels, but we like the superfast internet) and the DVD and VCR. I took most of these items to the garage. The t.v. was too heavy, so it is still living on the floor at the border of Dining and Living rooms.
It appears to Dr Mom that too much T.V. causes quarrels, laziness, zoning out (me included), dependency (Mom says, "who wants to watch a show?" when she can't take it anymore), and there is always a two year old that pushes the power button to be followed by a chorus of screams. Yes, this was my house. Something had to go. I had to stay, the kiddos are pretty nice too, so it was the electronic device.
I dont' think the absence of the T.V. has cured us. We still have bad attitudes that rear their ugly heads, but at least mom and children aren't addicted anymore. Yea!
The "when Daddy comes home"s... Ismert like to do things, we like to learn things, we like to eat things, we like to touch things. Here is a partial list of some things that we are planning to doing together (cause it would all be better with Daddy) when Daddy comes home.
Visit the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals. Really fun place, more fun than the name implys. We saw some great exhibits, including the rocks that glow!
Go swimming together at an indoor pool. I will even don a bathing suit!
Eat Calamari. Mom and kids tried some for the first time not too long ago. Daddy loves it!
Take a really long walk on the logging road.
Clean the chicken pen (they can't all be fun things to do!)
Eat some yummy grilled food. Not long ago, I made dinner. It didn't turn out as good as I would have liked. No one complaind (maybe me) but Michaelyn did say, "I really miss when Daddy would cook outside. All the food that he made on the BBQ was sooooo good."
Take a short drive south to the Enchanted Forest. This is the Ismert disneyland.
Jump on the jumpoline (ismert for trampoline). Daddy is a great jumper. Mommy not so much.
This list is truely endless. I have to stop somewhere. Also, I should mention. If the Lord wills...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Birthdays
Next week Michaelyn and Michael will both be celebrating a birthday. February 3rd and 7th, respectively. During this separation, these special days are difficult to maneuver. We are excited to be celebrating these lives that are so precious to us, but it highlights our sorrow of being apart.
Eight years aqo... we welcomed our first child into the world. God opened our womb and bestowed the blessing and responsibility of a human life. She is a delight. We have been so personally challenged by this task. God calls us to give up our lives for our children. We realize these truths usually after a few difficult lessons. Thanks be to God that he makes first born children so resilient! She has been patient with her first time parents.
Michaelyn is a delightful daughter. This year she has shown maturity (appropriate for her age) in the development of her responsibilities and as a helpful and devoted big sister. She knows that God has made her the oldest and she embraces the benefits and usually the trials that come with her position. We are all learning as a family that God knows what is best in our family structure and order within our home. We all function best when we show our faith in God by submitting to his loving commands. Thank you God for this blessing of experiencing your Grace in our family through these wonderful relationships. Please strengthen us to resists the temptation to put ourselves first, and trust you to love our neighbor (or our sister) as our self.
We surely miss Daddy at the house. The Bible teaches that an evidence of new birth in Christ is that our affections change. We no longer desire (simply) to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, we desire to serve and to please and to glorify Jesus Christ. Although missing Daddy is very painful, it is an evidence of a great love that God has birthed in our hearts. He has given us the ability to love. We are thankful that God has done this work in us. We miss Michael's leadership and his affection (he is rather snuggley). We miss Daddy's light-heartedness and his spirit. Michael always does whatever he is doing with Passion! We miss his passionate presence at home. Dear Father, please comfort Daddy's heart as he is away from home on his birthday. Let him enjoy deep fellowship with You. May he know you as his Daddy, and as Your beloved son.
A few updates:
Discharge - As of this week, the paperwork for the discharge was recommended by the Battalion Commander (Woo hoo! God changed his heart! The Battalion Commander had originally been unfavorable to our request) and passed the packet on to Brigade. It is still waiting at Brigade.
Michael's health - The cat scan was completed last Thursday and Michael will meet with the Pulmonary Specialist on February 11th. Michael is very tired and has recently been administered many immunizations. Please pray for his body to be strengthened and healed and that he will be protected from adverse side-effects.
On the home front - My laptop is fritzing out. A friend's techie geek husband (I can't mention his name because I just called him a techie geek) is working on a solution. I am hoping for an inexpensive and quick solution. I appreciate my laptop's many practical and impractical benefits.
By God's Grace we are hanging in there. Some days feel like we are steeped in the riches of His Grace and some days feels more like a slow leak. Our current focus is showing our Love for God by loving one another. I think we will probably not ever master this. We would all be greatly rejoicing when Momma gets a working grasp of the eleventh commandment. (No this is not a "weird new legalistic pseudo spiritual rule") Jesus said, a new commandment I give you. Love one another. (Ten plus one equals eleven. My homeschool math is really paying off!)
Eight years aqo... we welcomed our first child into the world. God opened our womb and bestowed the blessing and responsibility of a human life. She is a delight. We have been so personally challenged by this task. God calls us to give up our lives for our children. We realize these truths usually after a few difficult lessons. Thanks be to God that he makes first born children so resilient! She has been patient with her first time parents.
Michaelyn is a delightful daughter. This year she has shown maturity (appropriate for her age) in the development of her responsibilities and as a helpful and devoted big sister. She knows that God has made her the oldest and she embraces the benefits and usually the trials that come with her position. We are all learning as a family that God knows what is best in our family structure and order within our home. We all function best when we show our faith in God by submitting to his loving commands. Thank you God for this blessing of experiencing your Grace in our family through these wonderful relationships. Please strengthen us to resists the temptation to put ourselves first, and trust you to love our neighbor (or our sister) as our self.
We surely miss Daddy at the house. The Bible teaches that an evidence of new birth in Christ is that our affections change. We no longer desire (simply) to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, we desire to serve and to please and to glorify Jesus Christ. Although missing Daddy is very painful, it is an evidence of a great love that God has birthed in our hearts. He has given us the ability to love. We are thankful that God has done this work in us. We miss Michael's leadership and his affection (he is rather snuggley). We miss Daddy's light-heartedness and his spirit. Michael always does whatever he is doing with Passion! We miss his passionate presence at home. Dear Father, please comfort Daddy's heart as he is away from home on his birthday. Let him enjoy deep fellowship with You. May he know you as his Daddy, and as Your beloved son.
A few updates:
Discharge - As of this week, the paperwork for the discharge was recommended by the Battalion Commander (Woo hoo! God changed his heart! The Battalion Commander had originally been unfavorable to our request) and passed the packet on to Brigade. It is still waiting at Brigade.
Michael's health - The cat scan was completed last Thursday and Michael will meet with the Pulmonary Specialist on February 11th. Michael is very tired and has recently been administered many immunizations. Please pray for his body to be strengthened and healed and that he will be protected from adverse side-effects.
On the home front - My laptop is fritzing out. A friend's techie geek husband (I can't mention his name because I just called him a techie geek) is working on a solution. I am hoping for an inexpensive and quick solution. I appreciate my laptop's many practical and impractical benefits.
By God's Grace we are hanging in there. Some days feel like we are steeped in the riches of His Grace and some days feels more like a slow leak. Our current focus is showing our Love for God by loving one another. I think we will probably not ever master this. We would all be greatly rejoicing when Momma gets a working grasp of the eleventh commandment. (No this is not a "weird new legalistic pseudo spiritual rule") Jesus said, a new commandment I give you. Love one another. (Ten plus one equals eleven. My homeschool math is really paying off!)
Friday, January 18, 2008
What a God we serve
I've had a frustrating last few days. I've felt like I have been miles from God and his grace upon me. This morning I woke up and decided that I would reflect on the goodness of God and I read 1 Cor 15 which was very encouraging. What a great nutshell of the gospel message.
Even though I feel really sick today I'm encouraged in the Lord. My you be encouraged too in your quite times with the Lord.
Even though I feel really sick today I'm encouraged in the Lord. My you be encouraged too in your quite times with the Lord.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Some health concerns
On Monday, I went to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, which is part of the Kaiserslautern/Ramstein military bases, to meet with a pulmonary specialist for some breathing problems that I've had. After talking with him for a bit he told me that I may have Bronchiectasis, which is similar to Cystic Fibrosis. For anyone like me that is a non-medical type what this means is that my lungs (may) tend to trap mucus, which provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Consequently, my body is always fighting infection and with each lung infection, my lungs lose some elasticity and trap more mucus, which provides a breeding ground for more bacteria, which... The doc did not specifically provide mortality data for Bronchiectasis but did say that for those diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis the average adult mortality age is 40ish.
-Considering that I'm 32 it makes 40ish sound not that far away -
He said that he won't know for sure if I have this condition until after a high resolution CT scan. Additionally, he ordered a lot of blood work to check for other issues. Ultimately, he said that for my sake, he hopes this is simply asthma since that is easily treatable.
I’m scheduled for the CT later this month. On February 11th, I’m scheduled to go back to the pulmonary specialist to have my CT results and blood work results read to me.
In my prayers, I'm praying that it's not Bronchiectasis. I'm praying that it's not asthma either. I'm hopeful that it's simply aftereffects from having pneumonia in mid 2007. By the way, the doc said that if I have Bronchiectasis, it was probably a result from having pneumonia that was untreated for three months. That will teach me to not go to the doctor!
I would sure welcome prayers for healing, negative results on Bronchiectasis, asthma and other diseases. As always, I pray that the Lord’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Strange Army news
Ok. Today I went to ACS (Army Community Services) and met with the budget counselor. We started out by talking briefly about why I was there in which I replied "I need documentation from you showing that I can support my family P.A. (post Army - my humor since the Army is full of acronyms). She said that would be fine but first she would like to show me how my family could live on Army pay. So, I handed her the detailed budget that I had already submitted for my hardship consideration...
She looked at it briefly and stated "You're spending too much on groceries". For the record, I'll state that our grocery budget is approx $1,100 per month which includes diaper expense. I estimate that our true grocery expense per month without diapers is $800 to $900 per month.
After having her look at my budget a little more and talking with her she exclaimed that "Your wife is bankrupting your family" and "She is the cause of your financial problems". It wouldn't be proper to tell anyone what was going through my mind at this point. My thoughts only worsened when she further exclaimed that "For a family your size, if you're spending more than $500 per month on groceries (without diapers) you're spending too much". I laughed hoping that would hide the true thoughts in my mind. However, I did say "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO LIVE ON??? MACARONI AND CHEESE!!! (I think I said it using that same tone of voice) She said "No, but you're living too extravagantly". I fervently tried to explain to her that my wife was a very frugal shopper and that we use warehouse clubs and buy in bulk. I also explained that we do like to eat healthily and buy fresh fruit and vegetables instead of hamburger helper (which we possibly eat 4 times per year) and macaroni (that we eat more often but usually for lunch and really not that often).
In her defense, the budget counselor did say we could use WIC which would provide approximately $200 per month towards our grocery bill. Her opinion that our grocery budget should not be more than $500 per month was without regard to WIC or no WIC.
The icing on the cake of this meeting was probably when she told me "I'm not here to judge anyone and if that's how you choose to live, it's fine". Ha, I thought! You've already convicted my wife of bankrupting the family and further disparaged my experience as a financial planner
(which she knew from the papers I had given to her). The cherry was when she said that "If she were my financial planner she would call baloney (not the word she actually used) on my whole budget and that I purposefully inflated it". She then proceeded to question my integrity and ability as a financial planner and said she "worried for my clients".
It's all ok because she kept stating "I'm not here to judge anyone..."
Now the good news. She ultimately did write a recommendation for discharge based on financial reasons as she acknowledged that overall we probably could not live on Army pay. If everything I mentioned above (and more) is the price I have to pay, it's worth it.
Now for the meeting with my battalion Chaplain. He is a nice enough fellow and as I stated in earlier conversations but...
I had to get a memorandum of support from him which I did. However, after getting the statement but before I left his office I asked him if he knew how the hardship discharge process works. He replied that he didn't but proceeded to tell me that "There was a battalion training meeting yesterday and that my name really didn't come up". He further told me that "In these meetings they usually deal with important stuff like war and death, things that are important to the military". I looked at the man and said that "My family is important to me". We shook hands and I left.
For the record I want to tell my wife and everyone else that I KNOW my wife is a wise and frugal shopper. I'm sure we could possibly shave some money on groceries but not enough to make up the $1,400 per month income shortfall from the Army. Honey - you're not bankrupting the family and I think you're doing a great job. Keep up the good work! I love you.
I want to add that I'm trying to not be frustrated at the budget counselor and that not all of our conversation when badly. At one point she said that she thinks any women taking care of six little children is a "goddess" and that she regrets only having one child. She also said she would not have more since she is in her early forties. I tried to encourage her by saying that I know a family that had a surprise son in their mid forties and they also adopted a daughter. I'm not sure that she was encouraged.
Another highlight is when she said that she admires the licenses that I hold for securities and insurance along with my experience and that she would like to become more proficient in those areas. She told me she would love to have me stay in the Army if only to help counsel soldiers on savings and investments. I thought those things were very nice. I think that I'll pray for her.
With the last words I want to challenge my wife. If you could cut our core grocery budget from $850 (my best guess of the average without diapers) to only $500 per month, I'll take you on a great vacation to Puerto Rico, Cancun or anywhere else you'd like to go after 4 months of coming close to the mark. Remember though, we can't eat hamburger helper and macaroni three times a day!
Heck, why shouldn't I take my wife on a vacation? She has certainly earned it and I would reap the benefit too.
She looked at it briefly and stated "You're spending too much on groceries". For the record, I'll state that our grocery budget is approx $1,100 per month which includes diaper expense. I estimate that our true grocery expense per month without diapers is $800 to $900 per month.
After having her look at my budget a little more and talking with her she exclaimed that "Your wife is bankrupting your family" and "She is the cause of your financial problems". It wouldn't be proper to tell anyone what was going through my mind at this point. My thoughts only worsened when she further exclaimed that "For a family your size, if you're spending more than $500 per month on groceries (without diapers) you're spending too much". I laughed hoping that would hide the true thoughts in my mind. However, I did say "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO LIVE ON??? MACARONI AND CHEESE!!! (I think I said it using that same tone of voice) She said "No, but you're living too extravagantly". I fervently tried to explain to her that my wife was a very frugal shopper and that we use warehouse clubs and buy in bulk. I also explained that we do like to eat healthily and buy fresh fruit and vegetables instead of hamburger helper (which we possibly eat 4 times per year) and macaroni (that we eat more often but usually for lunch and really not that often).
In her defense, the budget counselor did say we could use WIC which would provide approximately $200 per month towards our grocery bill. Her opinion that our grocery budget should not be more than $500 per month was without regard to WIC or no WIC.
The icing on the cake of this meeting was probably when she told me "I'm not here to judge anyone and if that's how you choose to live, it's fine". Ha, I thought! You've already convicted my wife of bankrupting the family and further disparaged my experience as a financial planner
(which she knew from the papers I had given to her). The cherry was when she said that "If she were my financial planner she would call baloney (not the word she actually used) on my whole budget and that I purposefully inflated it". She then proceeded to question my integrity and ability as a financial planner and said she "worried for my clients".
It's all ok because she kept stating "I'm not here to judge anyone..."
Now the good news. She ultimately did write a recommendation for discharge based on financial reasons as she acknowledged that overall we probably could not live on Army pay. If everything I mentioned above (and more) is the price I have to pay, it's worth it.
Now for the meeting with my battalion Chaplain. He is a nice enough fellow and as I stated in earlier conversations but...
I had to get a memorandum of support from him which I did. However, after getting the statement but before I left his office I asked him if he knew how the hardship discharge process works. He replied that he didn't but proceeded to tell me that "There was a battalion training meeting yesterday and that my name really didn't come up". He further told me that "In these meetings they usually deal with important stuff like war and death, things that are important to the military". I looked at the man and said that "My family is important to me". We shook hands and I left.
For the record I want to tell my wife and everyone else that I KNOW my wife is a wise and frugal shopper. I'm sure we could possibly shave some money on groceries but not enough to make up the $1,400 per month income shortfall from the Army. Honey - you're not bankrupting the family and I think you're doing a great job. Keep up the good work! I love you.
I want to add that I'm trying to not be frustrated at the budget counselor and that not all of our conversation when badly. At one point she said that she thinks any women taking care of six little children is a "goddess" and that she regrets only having one child. She also said she would not have more since she is in her early forties. I tried to encourage her by saying that I know a family that had a surprise son in their mid forties and they also adopted a daughter. I'm not sure that she was encouraged.
Another highlight is when she said that she admires the licenses that I hold for securities and insurance along with my experience and that she would like to become more proficient in those areas. She told me she would love to have me stay in the Army if only to help counsel soldiers on savings and investments. I thought those things were very nice. I think that I'll pray for her.
With the last words I want to challenge my wife. If you could cut our core grocery budget from $850 (my best guess of the average without diapers) to only $500 per month, I'll take you on a great vacation to Puerto Rico, Cancun or anywhere else you'd like to go after 4 months of coming close to the mark. Remember though, we can't eat hamburger helper and macaroni three times a day!
Heck, why shouldn't I take my wife on a vacation? She has certainly earned it and I would reap the benefit too.
More exciting Army news
My company commander informed me that my hardship request is being sent higher because the battalion commander has reconsidered his recommendation and is now recommending for approval. I was told that he spoke to his superior (the brigade commander), the legal offices and other folks and they have determined that would be best overall for me to be discharged. What exciting news! The isn't a slamdunk yet as there are at least two more levels of approval but I'm very optimistic at this point.
I've been told that the hardship discharge can take quite a while to process. However, I'm prayerful and hopeful that the Army recognizes the need for my family and moves quickly. It would be great to be home before Michaelyn's birthday on February 3rd. I know that God can speed up the process if he chooses.
God has certainly shown me that he has not forgotten me in my distress and in the distress of my family. He is faithful to those that are his.
I've been told that the hardship discharge can take quite a while to process. However, I'm prayerful and hopeful that the Army recognizes the need for my family and moves quickly. It would be great to be home before Michaelyn's birthday on February 3rd. I know that God can speed up the process if he chooses.
God has certainly shown me that he has not forgotten me in my distress and in the distress of my family. He is faithful to those that are his.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Discharge update from Germany
Hey folks! I hope that everyone reading this is doing well. I'm a little pressed for time but I wanted to send a quick update.
Last Friday, January 4th, my unit notified me that my hardship discharge was being considered by levels above my battalion commander (he reject my hardship case). As such they are requiring a statement from me regarding how I would support my family without income from the Army. So, I completed a detailed document explaining exactly how I hope to accomplish this. Additionally, I was told that I need to visit with my battalion chaplain and the garrison budget counseling office. Both of those are odd requests since they are usually only required when the discharge has been approved. However, at this point I'm only aware that this discharge is being considered.
I cannot express in written form how elated and thankful I am that something I considered dead and finished is actually still in process. I guess this only proves the scripture from Provers 21:1 that says "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases".
Last Friday, January 4th, my unit notified me that my hardship discharge was being considered by levels above my battalion commander (he reject my hardship case). As such they are requiring a statement from me regarding how I would support my family without income from the Army. So, I completed a detailed document explaining exactly how I hope to accomplish this. Additionally, I was told that I need to visit with my battalion chaplain and the garrison budget counseling office. Both of those are odd requests since they are usually only required when the discharge has been approved. However, at this point I'm only aware that this discharge is being considered.
I cannot express in written form how elated and thankful I am that something I considered dead and finished is actually still in process. I guess this only proves the scripture from Provers 21:1 that says "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases".
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