| Author | Message | ||
| Gatororeo7 (Gatororeo7) |
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I'm doing this now bcause I don't know when I'll get a chance to do this later. As some of you already know, I'm going into the Air Force. Well, that time is now upon me. I am leaving home on Monday to fly out of Jacksonville on Tuesday to my basic training and tech school. I'll be away until at least mid-January. This is an exciting, emotional, nervous time for me and my family, but we've been preparing for it ever since I got my ship-out date. I'll be in San Antonio for 6 weeks and then in Missouri for my tech school until about January. With that I am saying goodbye for now, but I can assure you I will be back. I have certainly appreciated all the help, support and wealth of knowledge and encouragement I've received from you all. When I'm online doing battle on CARM, it's nice to be able to come here and find solace. Please pray for me while I'm gone, and for Sara and CJ while they're here at home. I don't leave until early Monday, I can still be reached at jlondon81@yahoo.com. God bless you all. I will return! =) Joel London | ||
| Cindy (Cindy) |
Joel, I don't know your situation at all, so perhaps this is impossible. Do you have to be away from your family till mid-January? Or can they go with you? Except in an emergency situation, I would want and need my husband with me very much with a toddler to care for and a baby on the way... I will pray for you and also Sara with her physical pain. grace always, cindy | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
As a former military person, I assure you Joel will not be having his family with him for the next six weeks. At least during a portion of his technical training, his family will not be with him, but they should be able to join him shortly after he starts. Its not the end of the world. Millions of women have gone the same route before him. I think Joel is making a good decision and a good investment in the future. Sometimes we have to suffer inconveniences for the things that are worthwhile. Sara will do just fine. I pray God's blessings on him and Sara. | ||
| Susan_2 (Susan_2) |
Joel, my best wishes for you and your family. Since you are in the air force is there any chance of you getting out to California? We have an air force base around 30 miles from where I live. It is called Vandenberg AFB. In fact, that is where I spend a lot of my time as I work in the gift shop at the base golf course/country club. Also, Edwards AFB is in California. What is your school? I love being out on the base. My son, age 31, is in the Navy, has been for 12 years now and wants to do another 12 years yet. He was in Greece and his wife was in Germany when he got the call that she had been admitted to the base hospital in labor with the babies. It was the same base and hospital and same week that Jessica Lynch was rescued. My son got to Athens and flew to Germany and made it in time for the births of his children. Then when it was time for them to come back to California his wife and kids were on a different flight and she doesn't know very good English yet and it was a difficult time, especially because the twins were only four months old and then there was the five year old daughter. He also got called to ship duty when the kids were less than two months out and he was out to sea for two months. But, you know what, it is always well worth the inconveinence because it is an important job and wifes have other military wives to help them with the physical needs and emotional support they need. My husband was in the army for 20 years. It' good. Thank-you for your service to this great country so all of us can have the freedoms that we so often take for granted. | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
Joel, my prayers are with you as you go into the military. If your wife lives anywhere near a military base, it would really help her to get involved with the other military wives in the area. An excellent way of doing this would be through the military chapels. The Army has something called Protestant Women of the Chapel. And I've no doubt the Air Force has something similar. You don't have to attend chapel services to be involved in the group. I never got involved with the group when my husband David was in the Army. I've only gotten familiar with the group in the past year (my husband is a civilian who teaches Army helicopter pilots). And it just really makes me aggravated at myself that I never took advantage of this awesome group while we were in the service. I can see that it is an absolutely HUGE sorce of support for the military wives. It isn't just that the wives meet for Bible study, they also really become a family. They mentor the wives who are newer to the military and really help them see how it is possible to cope with the immense emotional and physical challenges they have to face....especially when their spouses are away for long periods of time. I can't stress strongly enough how much help it will be to your wife. So, at least when you finally get to your duty station, PLEASE PLEASE encourage her to get involved. 9Child care is provided for the meetings, by the way.)She will need it! Eventually she will be faced with THE great issue that all military wives have to confront. That being the realization that, by virtue of being in the military, you are in a dangerous occupation. The time WILL come when she is going to get terrifically upset over this. The answer to her fears is this: God is the one who is in control of the length of the life of the believer. And that applies if our husbands are up in the air flying helicopters, under the water in a sub, being shot at....or sitting on the sofa beside us at home. HE IS in control. And He doesn't stop helping us just because things get scary and tough. | ||
| Cindy (Cindy) |
Susan and Lydell, It is good to hear of the support groups available. As you could tell, I'm not familiar with the military... Joel and Sara, I know God will give you both strength and courage in this new phase of your lives... Eight weeks was the longest my husband and I were away from each other. And we definitely enjoyed the reunion at the end of that time period! :-) grace always, cindy | ||
| Another_Carol (Another_Carol) |
Joel, And as I said on Carm I will miss you and uphold you with my love and Prayers for you and your wife and family. Carol | ||
| Dennis (Dennis) |
Joel, We will greatly miss your regular visits here. Hopefully, Sarah will continue to be active on this forum. We look forward to your updates as you serve our great country. Dennis J. Fischer | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Joel, we will truly miss you. I echo Dennis's hope that Sara will continue to post here. I'll continue to pray for both of you. Colleen |
