Worthy Video

2008 NOV 05 @ 0200

It's already 8am on Tuesday, back in Virginia. Except for 2 hrs in Germany and about the same inside a hangar in Aviano, Italy--this seat has been my existence for 31 hours. I've met a friend, a LTC DB. He's a U2 pilot come to OIF to work in FMS. We met at the airport and are almost of an age.

At the airport in Baltimore, the Girl Scouts came to give us cookies. They were so cute. i was able to get the email of one of the leaders. i intend to send them my thanks.

--break--

I supposed I was wrong about being over the Med--as we began to land in Qatar soon after. I must have been seeing the fires of oil production in SAU. I wish the flight had been during the day. I saw nothing of the Med, north Africa or the Hijaz.

I'm in Qatar now, at Camp al Salayiah. i sit in a warehouse, at a picnic table--under sodium lights at a picnic table. Most of the building is divided into small rooms, each having two sets of bunks, four wall lockers and a couple of chairs. It is a quiet place. The people staying here are coming and going to Iraq. This is a place of temporary lodging.

Well, OK... I'm back

Life is being very hectic. I have experienced much suffering. I've to face it with equanimity.
I'm going to start recording parts of my journaling, kept during my time in Iraq.

I'm Back from my deployment to Iraq.

I will begin posting some journal entries, as part of the therapy of readjusting.
You prayers have been helpful.
David

Joshua Custer Freeman

My son and I visited Fort Washington National Park, on the shores of the Potomac River, in Maryland.

One of the things we found was the following inscription, carved into the outer wall.

Joshua Custer Freeman, born Sept 18, 1878, Kokomo, Ind.

Here are photos of the inscription.

Thank goodness for Doodling

I was in class all week--Pre-deployment training. The "law of war", combat first-aid, handling stress... all kinds of fun stuff. I was issued my gear--helmet, body armor, uniforms, protective mask... etc. etc. etc.

But the teachers did an great job. We students all succumbed to powerpoint somnambulism from time to time but the personalities of the instructors made the classes worthwhile.

I took all my notes in and about a multitude of doodles, which helped considerably when it comes to staying awake.

I talk at church on Sunday. I've accepted the job of leading the ward's (i.e. "congregation") family history ("genealogy") program. I love the job.

More later.

New ideas for cooking with food storage

I received this booklet from the LDS Bishop's Storehouse for the Washington, D.C. area. I was given reproduction rights in exchange for an electronic copy.

http://brainman57.0catch.com/Cooking_with_food_storage.pdf

Howson Kenner Gravesite

Howson Kenner's grave is in a woods 1/2 mile north and 300 yards west of Somerville, Fauquier Co, VA, off State Route 616. The epitaph reads: This Drery Vault Stranger Contains the Bod of Capt Howson Kenner Who Descinded To the Dust In A Good Old Age for He Saw from His Loins the third Genrat. He depated hence 24 may 1778 age 66. This stone from a sece of his goodness is humbly dedicated to his memory by his youngst son Rodham Kenner." The grave is on land he purchased from Willlam Hackney, 28 mar-1763. Only a few stones and bricks remain from the house which stood a few hundred feet from the grave. Only the one grave is now in evidence. His grave was dedicated to him by his son Rodham and it says: "This dreary vault, stranger, contains the body of Catain Howson Kenner who descended to the dust on a good old age, for he saw from his lions the third generation. He departed hence 24th of May 1778 age 64. This stone form a sense of his goodness is humbly dedicated to his memory by his youngest son, Rodham Kenner." (THE KENNER FAMILY HISTORY: compiled by Lois Colleen Hindman Kenner)

Update September, 2007. I recently visited the gravesite. The actual distance north of of Summerville (the intersection of Bristerburg Road (VA 616) and Midland Road (VA 610)) is just over 0.8 miles. It's about 3.5 miles south of the intersection of Bristerburg Road and Elk Run Road (VA 806). The land has been developed and the road is now marked "Kenner Lane". Several homes have been built in the pasture. The grove of trees containing the gravesite is now in the front yard of the second house off of VA 616. Google Earth/Maps places the grave in the small grove of trees located at 38°32'3.15"N 77°36'51.96"W. The first house is already shown in the picture. The second house, located immediately to the northwest of the trees, is not.

I am related to Howson Kenner as follows:

1. David Terrell
2. Mary A. Holloman (1923-1998)
3. Robert N. Holloman (1901-1981)
4. Annette K. McMordie (1874-1906)
5. Abraham J. McMordie (1838-1913)
6. Martha E. Kenner (1810-1849)
7. Rodham Kenner (1763-1842)
8. George T. Kenner (1736-1810)
9. Howson F. Kenner (1712-1778)

I am relocating

A change is coming. I am moving to Virginia. So long, Texas!
I'll be joining Section 31, working in the Heart of Darkness for a few months before going on a 6-month safari.

I get to teach one more time.

Chapter 13 (page 135) – Obedience Born of Faith in God
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church – Spencer W. Kimball

Obedience—being obedient (complying with the demands or requests of one in authority); docile (being predisposed to submit readily to control or guidance); tractable (having a character that permits easy handling or managing); amenable (a willingness to yield or to cooperate either because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open mindedness)—is a prerequisite for civilization and a mainstay of all religions.

What do we call the condition wherein people do not obey the customs, rules, laws and statutes of the various political bodies: home, work, homeowner’s associations, churches, cities, states, nations in which they reside—anarchy?

So obedience is necessary to organization, yes?

Here is matter unorganized—let us go down?

The key to our discussion today are answering three questions:

· Whom to obey?

· What to obey?

· Why obey?

As we are here today, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holders of the priesthood—covenanted men—the answer to the first question should be fairly straightforward. God.

How about the second question? I think we may be rightly guided by the Articles of Faith.

· “…obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

· The Bible (when translated correctly).

· The Book of Mormon.

· “…all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal…” (this includes the temple ordinances)

· “being subject to…” (secular authority)

The crux of today’s discussion is the “why”. Why do we obey the will of the lord? One of the reasons is to exercise our faith.

(TPC, p 137, two para below the line going on to p 137) The exercising of faith is a willingness to accept without total regular proof and to move forward and perform works. “Faith without works is dead” [James 2:26] and a dead faith will not lead one to move forward to adjust a life or to serve valiantly. A real faith pushes one forward to constructive and beneficial acts as though he knew in absoluteness. (P) One may enjoy the benefits of the miracles in the physical world without a complete knowledge of the underlying principles involved. He may turn darkness into light by pushing a button and read in the darkest night. He need not be able to develop the electricity, nor to have the knowledge to wire the home. But he must have the faith sufficient to secure lamps and faith to turn the switch. He then may receive the light. . . . He may turn a dial and enjoy sweet music from afar without being able to fashion a radio or understand fully its workings, but the blessing will never be his unless he connects his set with the power, and turns the dial correctly. In like manner, one may receive spiritual blessings and manifestations, by establishing contact turning the dial. Faith manifested by prayer and works is that key.

I love these analogies. The technology mankind has imposed on the physical world and our abject faith in it has often given me food for thought. How many of you have heard the wails of betrayed faith that follow the failure of a car to start; the electricity going out in the house; finding oneself outside cell phone coverage—no air conditioning? Technology permits faith without works. We don’t have to build the car, drill the oil, distill the gas, string the power lines or build the cell towers—except indirectly though payment.

How many people have applied the same paradigm to God—and when God didn’t behave as expected, took “their business somewhere else”?

What does it mean to manifest faith “by prayer and works”?

(TPC, p 138, the next paragraph) We pray for enlightenment, then go to with all our might and our books and our thoughts and righteousness to get the inspiration. We ask for judgment, then use all our powers to act wisely and develop wisdom. We pray for success in our work and then study hard and strive with all our might to help answer our prayers. When we pray for health we must live the laws of health and do all in our power to keep our bodies well and vigorous. We pray for protection and then take reasonable precaution to avoid danger. There must be works with faith.

To what end do we obey? What are we trying to accomplish?

(TPC, p 138, very bottom continuing on to 139) There must be a faith in God that will cause men to cleanse their lives; to forget themselves in the service of their fellow men and to overcome all weaknesses of the flesh; a faith that will bring about a repentance which is total, continuing and which will bring them to baptism, the priesthood, and temple ordinances.

What do we call someone who has been successful in these endeavors? Or, perhaps more importantly, what will God call such a person?

· “…a good and faithful servant…”

· “…my child…”

· “…a joint heir with Jesus Christ…”

Let’s turn our attention to our motivations regarding obedience. The natural man is an enemy to God—but I believe it true that the natural man is an enemy to any authority outside himself.

(TPC, p 139, 2nd para below the line) To obey! To hearken! What a difficult requirement! Often we hear: “Nobody can tell me what clothes to wear, what I shall eat or drink. No one can outline my Sabbaths, appropriate my earnings, nor in any way limit my personal freedoms! I do as I please! I give no blind obedience!”

When is obedience blind? Is there any such thing as “blind obedience”? The natural man obeys to either obtain favorable consequences or to avoid unfavorable consequences. How do they evaluate the possibilities? Through knowledge of the past and faith in the future behaviors of those in authority.

I submit that “consequences” are the drivers of a natural man’s obedience.

What then, should be our driving force?

(TPC, p 139, sentence just below the line) We render intelligent, constructive obedience when we voluntarily, humbly, and happily obey the commands of our Lord.

Voluntarily—I will do what the Lord commands, though I do not know the reason and the immediate, worldly consequences may be daunting.

Humbly—I am not wise enough to know all God’s plan. He’ll see me through.

Happily—Father, I appreciate having a part in your program.

Remember Adam offering sacrifice in the wilderness, Noah building the Ark, and the Saints departing into the wilderness.

(TPC, p142, below the line to page’s end) In faith we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming. Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the process. They would have the harvest before the planting, the reward before the service, the miracle before the faith. . . . Many of us would have the vigor without the observance of the health laws, prosperity through the opened windows of heaven without the payment of our tithes. We would have the close communion with our Father without fasting and praying; we would have rain in due season and peace in the land without observing the Sabbath and keeping the other commandments of the Lord. We would pluck the rose before planting the roots; we would harvest the grain before its planting and cultivating. (P) If we could only realize as Moroni writes: “For if there be no faith among the children of men, God can do no miracle among them. . . . “And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.” (Ether 12:12, 18.)

Brothers, I testify that if we can now walk by faith; voluntarily, humbly and happily striving to conform our nature to that of God; if we can believe the rich promises of God; if we can obey and patiently wait, the Lord will fulfill all his promises to us. It takes faith to pay tithes, to fast, to have family prayer, to observe the Word of Wisdom, to do home teaching, to bear testimony to your coworker—to be obedient. I have learned—I continue to learn—the blessings of obedience through faith. The contrary is also true—me being an Aggie and all. Faith can help us live the commandments with a willing heart. If we do, we shall be blessed.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

OPSEC

It's always been interesting to work in a sensitive environment. People in the "real world" around you, once they find out about your profession, want to know what you know, where you are going, what is happening. I try to be nice, most of the time. Sometimes you just have to walk by.

Looking at Barack Obama's Foriegn Policy

I'm deeply interested in the essays that are beginning to appear in Foreign Policy that allow the presidential candidates to discuss their Foreign Policy views. I'm planning on posting my comments here, on the blog.

First: Barack Obama.

He invokes 3 Democratic party presidents...

• FDR, who grew government in a time of financial crisis, tried to stack the supreme court to get his way, fought a world war and built the first nuclear bomb.
• Truman, who used the nuke.
• JFK, who threatened to use the nuke and was willing to go toe-to-toe with the "Rooskies".

I'm down with that.

• FDR - building a larger military
• Truman - A reference to the Marshall Plan... I'll bet he's going to increase direct government foreign aid.
• JFK - indirect reference to SPEC OPS and the creation of the JCS. Non military assistance organizations. He's going to spend the money to send more assistance abroad-will he find the people to fill the positions, seeing how they are easy targets for terrorism.

I read "from global terrorists who respond to alienation or perceived injustice with murderous nihilism" and realize he fails to acknowledge religious determination as a cause of terrorism. See Reliance of the Traveler, sections o9.8 and o9.9; "The Objectives of Jihad".

Terrorists come from rogue states (check), rising powers (check - perceptive), weak states (check) and "a warming planet" (Woah! Global warming causes terrorism! Ahhh - turning the page - natural disasters and diseases are a result of global warming and spawn terrorism.) I find fault with this last assertion. But, more importantly, I'm seeing a "county-centric" view of terrorism that refuses to address the role of Salafi and Shia Islamic violence in our current world. We don't seem to see many non-Salafi and non-Shia poor peoples attacking innocents - even folks like the ETA and the Earth Firsters seem to have figured out that American society can be turned - albeit with glacial slowness - by education and emotional appeal.

"outdated thinking" ... like "viewing problems as state-based" (see the outdated thinking above) So what is the opposite of state-based? Warmed planet-based. Regional-based. Ethnically-based. Religiously-based.

Ahhh... being "principally amenable to military solutions" is "outdated thinking". I'll tentatively accept this but, the willingness to swing back tends to keep the Bullies away.

"The mission of the United States is to provide global leadership grounded in the understanding that the world shares a common security and a common humanity." Assuming, of course, that the global community wants to provide global subordination to the United States, is he saying that America should modify its views on security and human issues to fit that of the community so it can stay comfortably in charge? It sounds like if America can't beat, convert, convince, or sanction them to our way of thinking, we should join them. Global morality by majority vote? This bothers me.

"great promise"?? "historic purpose"??

First priority: bring Iraq war to an end.

"we cannot impose a military solution on a civil war between Sunni and Shiite factions." Doesn't this ignore the foreign involvement of AQ and Iran? Or, are they just factions? If the "AQI" faction wins, we have a new Talibanesque state. If the Iran/Shia faction wins, we have the stage set for a Iraq/Saudi war over the holy sites. Does anyone who has read Patai's The Arab Mind really believe they will collaborate?

"We should leave behind only a minimal over-the-horizon military force in the region to protect American personnel and facilities, continue training Iraqi security forces, and root out al Qaeda." I'm sorry, but I doubt any "minimal over-the-horizon military force" would be capable of rooting out anyone. Only "boots on the ground" can do that. And what kind of leadership example does an "over-the-horizon military force" set? I can hear the comments now. "Rather than demonstrating loyalty, strength and commitment by risking troops on the ground; those not-so-heroic Americans are sending their cruise missiles again. I hear Osama fed the wedding information of Ahmad ibn Shia to the infidel's HUMINT sources. Now THAT'S going to be an exciting reception!" -- and this still sees the Iraq "problem" in terms of "state politics" and assumes a measure of reasonableness in the parties I do not assume.

Bush has neglected the Israelis and Palestinians... this sounds very patronizing--sort of like the scene in the movie "Independence Day" when the Americans send out their attack plan via ham-fisted morse-code operators and when the British squadron commander hears the news, he says essentially, "it's about bloody time the Americans figured out how To save our behinds. We were significantly at a disadvantage and had no clue as to how to proceed."

IMHO, the Palestinians have no intention of making any lasting settlement with JEWS. "There must be some interest served in making a truce [a peace treaty with those hostile to Islam] other than mere preservation of the status quo. Allah Most High says, 'So do not be fainthearted and call for peace, when it is you who are the uppermost.' (Koran 47:35) ... If the Muslims are weak, a truce may be made for ten years if necessary ... It is not permissible to stipulate longer than that, sane by means of new truces, each of which does not exceed ten years." (Reliance of the Traveler, o9.16) Any agreement made now is only temporary appeasement... see Kashmir.

One one hand:

• "Our policy of issuing threats and relying on intermediaries to curb Iran's nuclear program, sponsorship of terrorism, and regional aggression is failing."

and on the other:

• "The world must work to stop Iran's uranium-enrichment program and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

So, if the "world" was to issue threats--I mean use "tough-minded diplomacy, backed by the whole range of instruments of American power -- political, economic, and military" and rely on intermediaries--I mean allow a multinational force representative of like-minded members of a global coalition to employ military power after over a dozen global political and economic "initiatives" fail for more than a decade--it would be OK? Oh, and "Who's" on first. I'm sorry. I think this was just disingenuous.

"We must use this moment both to rebuild our military and to prepare it for the missions of the future. We must retain the capacity to swiftly defeat any conventional threat to our country and our vital interests. But we must also become better prepared to put boots on the ground in order to take on foes that fight asymmetrical and highly adaptive campaigns on a global scale." this was good! However, it seems to contradict the "over the horizon" military spoken of earlier--unless, he's expecting the Marines, SOF, or Airborne to conduct massive invasions at the drop of a hat. I suggest a review of Operation Market Garden and throwing out the Navy Seals DVD . I guess we could establish a new doctrine for Raid Warfare... and start recruiting every High School football team in America.

"National Guard" should be a state militia (period) and not a federal military reserve. In the technological battlefield, mixing the two for anything but Homeland Security is a bogus use of forces.

"I will not hesitate to use force, unilaterally if necessary, to protect the American people or our vital interests whenever we are attacked or imminently threatened." This sounds to me like you just took military forces off of the table for anything except responding to a military threat. I thought was was "diplomacy by other means." So much for the "tough-minded diplomacy, backed by the whole range of instruments of American power." Just ignore our diplomats, refrain from overt threats, and employ--oh, yeah--intermediaries to snipe at us and you will be OK.

But then you flip... "We must also consider using military force in circumstances beyond self-defense in order to provide for the common security that underpins global stability"... first you're against aggressive use of military force--then, you're for it. Can you tell I'm beginning to form a view of your foreign policy advisers?

I'm wearing out...

Let me jump ahead a bit.

"As president, I will work with other nations to secure, destroy, and stop the spread of these weapons in order to dramatically reduce the nuclear dangers for our nation and the world. America must lead a global effort to secure all nuclear weapons and material at vulnerable sites within four years -- the most effective way to prevent terrorists from acquiring a bomb."

• Are you going to "lead" or "work with"? I see this as two different concepts. One sets the agenda and, if need be, executes the plan while the other reminds me of Buzzie, Ziggy, Dizzy and Flaps. "Wadda you wanna do? I dunno, whadda youuu wanna do?"

Query: how can one "de-emphasize the role of nuclear weapons" when they guarantee a key to the global dominance wash room at the United Nations?

Query: what "technological advances" build "bipartisan consensus"? Better computer modeling of new warhead design? What stuff! If you think I would support placing the ultimate, last-ditch, do-or-die survival of my country and constitution on an untested weapon... refer back to the afore-mentioned Independence Day movie and play out an alternate ending where the nuke fizzles. KISS!

One more... then I have to get to Mitt's essay. I hope he does better.

"Here at home, we must strengthen our homeland security and protect the critical infrastructure on which the entire world depends. We can start by spending homeland security dollars on the basis of risk. This means investing more resources to defend mass transit, closing the gaps in our aviation security by screening all cargo on passenger airliners and checking all passengers against a comprehensive watch list, and upgrading port security by ensuring that cargo is screened for radiation."

• Internal infrastructure--present!
• Air frontiers--here!
• Sea frontiers--arrr, matey!
• Land frontiers... land frontiers... land frontiers... pass the word for land frontiers!
  

Sir, the list of frontiers has been called and "land frontiers" are nowhere to be found. Hoisted on your immigration petard, are you?

I believe that foreign policy is the most important issue of the day... sir, yours seemed based entirely on getting out of Iraq and then telling the world that "as long as you leave us alone, you can do as you wish. We will only intervene when a consensus forms. We will not dismiss anyones reservations about using tough-minded diplomacy." That sir, invited Darfur.

I have plenty more marked up but have to work for a living--and sleep sometime.

Oh, and here's where I hang my hat in the evenings

I know, tough duty.

Gotcha...

What a hugely busy time it has been. Even being in Hawaii has been tough. But we got some bad un's over the weekend. That makes it all worth while.

Well, I'm back in paradise.

Another business trip to Hawaii! Same hotel. Almost the same room. YAWN! Dinner at a great Chinese place. Checked out the gym.

The weather was perfect tonight. I sat out on the lanai (read: patio) and ate my roasted duck and plum sauce--bok choi in garlic sauce--steamed rice--coconut ice cram... I had to roll myself to the gym. I can only eat like that once a day.

Tomorrow, to work.