Goodbye, Enterprise!

The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) will inactivate on December 1, 2012, after 51 years of legendary service. Fair winds and following seas for this gallant ship and her crew!

U.S. DoD Military Casualty Update

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

22 November - 28 November, 2012

Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin R. Ebbert, 32, of Arcata, Calif., died Nov. 24 while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Ebbert was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit in Virginia Beach, Va.

Cpl. Christopher M. Monahan Jr., 25, of Island Heights, N.J., died Nov. 26 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

One month to go!

Here it is, November 25th, and that means it is one month until Christmas!

Here in San Antonio the holiday season got its offical start with the lighting of the San Antonio Riverwalk on Friday evening. We didn't actually go to the parade (we were in San Angelo) so we did the next best thing and watch it this evening on TV!

Ready for Christmas on Toscana Isle

We returned home this afternoon and after resting for a spell got straight to preparing the house for the upcoming festive season!  Our "tree" (made by Charles' mother) is smaller than normal, in fact, it sits on the table, as Wesley is still a kitten and we didn't think he'd do well with a regular tree.  As you may see in the bottom pitcture, he was exhausted by all the activity!

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks our 15th Anniversary!  Some numbers from our winding road to this occasion:

1: Number of homes we've 'owned'
2: Cats we've shared homes with (Nick and Wesley)
3: The number continents we've lived on
          (N. America, Europe, Asia)
5: Number of time zones we've lived in.
10: Places we've lived (for three months or longer).
13: Cars/trucks/vans we've owned.
4,712: Number of buttons Charles has added to his collection!

On the road to San Antonio

As we were returning to San Antonio from our Thanksgiving get-a-way in San Angelo we passed through two small towns that were worth a quick look. 

In the first, Eden, we spotted a sign announcing "The Garden of Eden!"  We will have to make time to stop next time we go to see Belinda's mother.

 35 miles south was the town of Junction where we stopped at Plumley's Country Store for coffee and some of their fresh pecans.  Yum, yum!

 

We're happy to be home and so was Wesley who has made his feelings quite clear about being boarded at the vet's!

Thanksgiving Day in San Angelo

Rio Concho Manor - San Angelo

Leftovers!!!

One of the famous San Angelo sheep

We left the big city of San Antonio behind us last night, after Charles got off work at the VA hospital, after first dropping Wesley (our kitty) off at the cat spa.  We are happy to be spending the holiday at the home of Belinda's mother in San Angelo. 

This morning, we joined the residents and families of the Rio Concho communities for lunch at the Rio Concho Manor, which is located in downtown San Angelo. 

The folks who prepare the meal have it down to a science, and we were stuffed by the time it was all said and done.  We made sure to take a couple of take-out plates, so we'd have the traditional leftovers for the next couple of days!

Thanksgiving Hymn by Charles Wesley

 

1 God of love, who hear’st the prayer

Offered for a guilty land,
Thou dost yet thy wrath forbear,
Hold a while thy lifted hand;
Thou with bowels of compassion
Giv’st us still a longer space:
Turn us then, the sinful nation,
Conquer by thy pard’ning grace.

2 Thee in dreadful indignation

Marching through the land we saw,
Stopped by Israel’s supplication,
Lo! Thou dost the scourge withdraw:
O that all might hear and tremble
At the long-suspended rod,
All in Jesu’s name assemble,
All confess the Son of God!

3 Grant us in this awful crisis,

Hearts thy warning to receive,
Hearts to cast away our vices,
Hearts to sorrow and believe:
Humbly at thy footstool mourning,
Let us groan thy face to see,
Let us all at last returning,
Find our help and rest in thee.

4 Come, the contrite heart’s desire,

Friend of helpless sinners, come!
Hear and answer us by fire,
All our sins forgive—consume,
Humble us, and then deliver
Whom thou dost a while reprove,
save us then, and save forever,god of everlasting love!

- Charles Wesley
Hymns for the Public Thanksgiving Day, Oct. 9, 1746. London: [Strahan], 1746.

DOD Casualty List: November 15 - 20

Military Cemetary - Verdun, France

+ Lance Cpl. Dale W. Means, 23, of Jordan, Minn., died Nov. 18, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. 

+ Sgt. Channing B. Hicks, 24, of Greer, S.C., died Nov. 16, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. 

+ Spc. Joseph A. Richardson, 23, of Booneville, Ark., He died Nov. 16, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. 

+ Staff Sgt. Rayvon Battle Jr., 25, of Rocky Mount, N.C., died Nov. 13, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 38th Engineer Company, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Wash. 

Charles' Doctor of Ministry Thesis

Charles has published a website for his Doctor of Ministry thesis.  Please visit this site today! 

He completed the degree in 2005 and his thesis, "Out of many, one: The formation of a community of faith in the Sea Services" has a lot of information from Charles' years as a Navy chaplain.

Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg National Cemetery was dedicated by President Abraham Lincoln a brief four months after the Battle. Lincoln's speech lasted only two minutes, but it went into history as the immortal Gettysburg Address. Today marks the 149th anniversary of Lincoln's speech:

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . . that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. . . and that government of the people. . .by the people. . .for the people. . . shall not perish from the earth. "

Lunch & a show!

After worship at the First UMC we stayed in Boerne and visited one of the many wonderful eateries available in this Hill Country community.  One of Belinda's favorites is "The Peach Cafe`" where we had a terrific meal, Charles' Baked French Toast was the stuff of legend!



 Next up was the drive to little Ingram, Texas (just past Kerrville) where we were entertained at The Point Indoor Theater and a production of "Dashing Through the Snow." This was an ambitious example of community theater and the efforts of the cast were received very well by the audience

Worship in Boerne, TX

We set out this morning with two thoughts in mind: worship in Boerne (west of San Antonio) and a theater performance in Ingram (just past Kerrville).


We went to church this morning at the First United Methodist Church in Boerne.  We knew two of the pastors from a church they led in San Angelo. Wow, there are a lot of folks doing a lot of good things in that congregation! 

Early Christmas cheer!

We stopped for some essentials at the grocery store after visiting the church fairs and just had to try out some of the fancy hats for sale (we didn't buy any!)

Church Fall Bazaars - again!

San Antonio Christian Church

St. Brigid Catholic Church

St. Brigid Catholic Church

Oxford UMC

Oxford UMC Gobbles & Jingles Craft Fair

We have had a splendid Saturday here in San Antonio!  With slightly warmer weather than during the work week, it was nice to be out and about and enjoying the sights and sounds of San Antonio's west side.

We took in three church events this morning.  The first was at the San Anotnio Chrisitan Church, a small church which is really trying to connect to the community on that busy road.

Next up was St. Brigid Catholic Church which is located not far from our home in the Lincoln Estates neighborhood.  They have a stunning sanctuary and some really friendly people.

Finally, it was off to Oxford UMC's Gobbels & Jingles Holiday Craft Fair.  It was such fun seening all the talented people and the fruit of their creativity!

DOD Casualty list for November 6 -15

American Military Cemetary in Manila

+ Spc. Daniel L. Carlson, 21, of Running Springs, Calif., died Nov. 9, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 3^rd Battalion, 25^th Aviation Regiment, 25^th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25^th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

+ Capt. James D. Nehl, 37, of Gardiner, Ore., died Nov. 9, in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on patrol during combat operations.  He was assigned to 2^nd Battalion, 16^th Infantry Regiment, 4^th Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

+ Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Bennett, 26, of Glendora, Calif., died Nov. 10, in Sperwan Gar, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 53^rd Ordnance Company (EOD), 3^rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Wash. 

+ Sgt. Matthew H. Stiltz, 26, of Spokane, Wash., died Nov. 12, at Zerok, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. 

Belinda and Her Mother!



Photo Taken in San Angelo, Texas

An afternoon at the Witte Museum!

Today was a 'bonus' rest day for us and after a quiet morning, we took advantage of the opportunity to visit one of San Antonio's museums.  Each Tuesday afternoon, the Witte Museum offers free admission, so it was off to the Witte for us!

Veterans Day

Today we visited Belinda's father's grave at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.  It was a fitting thing to do on this day.  May He rest in peace.