Steady as She Goes...

Good Afternoon, Everyone,

It is 1:30 am and I am on call. I just finished sewing a soldiers finger back together. He sliced it open with a knife. So, I have returned to my room and decided to update the blog. The internet has been unreliable over the last 10 days or so and as a result I haven't updated as I would like.
Well, clinic business is going well. Our medics are really doing well. It is amazing to watch as a young person, who maybe a carpenter, or plumber, or office worker in the civilian world, comes over here and starts to mature as a medic. It is a great opportunity for us to teach and a great opportunity for the medics to increase their knowledge base and improve their skills. We are blessed with some really talented people. So as far as clinic business it is 'Steady as She Goes.'

As many of you know, Bryan and I go to the gym almost daily, so we have been feeling pretty proud of our fitness level...that was until we decided to go to the indoor pool and go swimming. We decided we were going to swim laps. So, we dove in and flapped our arms and kicked our legs and about 5 minutes later we had only went 25 meters. It was at this point were Bryan started shouting for the life guard to throw him a line. I too was out of breath and energy so I dove straight down and put my legs up in the air so that my shorts could trap air and then I flopped back over hoping that my new balloon shorts would allow me to float. Bryan was floundering and he started to go under. He would come up for a breath and scream for his life and then he would go under. The life guard walked over to the edge of the pool and as Bryan's head came back up, the life guard shouted, "STAND UP!!" Bryan looked around and then realized that he was only in three feet of water. So, thank goodness for his quick thinking.
I was o.k. as my balloon shorts allowed me to float for two hours.

O.k. it is flu shot time. Please go see your doctor and get vaccinated. We have about 20,000 troops here at Balad and everyone of them will be getting a flu vaccination. Our immunization section is doing a bang up job in accomplishing this mission.

On a sad note, Karen's father died yesterday. He was 83 years old and suffered from dementia. It is hard to see a loved one go through that process. Her father, Grant, was once a strapping farmer and a preacher. He was strong and vital and intelligence. Towards the end his life was reduced to a bed and bedside table. I believe that he is now in a much better place. He loved the Lord and he was a good father. He was from a different era where dads worked hard and weren't able to spend time with the family, but Grant made sure that his children knew he loved them and was the true leader of the family. I also want to recognize Karen's mother, Reva, she spent the last ten years caring for her husband. When she could no longer care for him in the home, she had him placed in residential care. She visited him everyday. She is an example of loving unconditionally. She has been a blessing to our family and her example of Christian devotion has done more to bring people to Christ then words could ever accomplish.

The weather here in Balad has been great. We are in the 70's during the day and down into the 50's at night. Hard to complain about weather like that.

Before I go, I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. Some of you have sent care packages and I am most appreciative of your gifts. All care packages get shared with the unit. It is funny but whenever a soldier receives a package, the room becomes like a bee hive with everyone crowding around to see what treat that they can have. So your thoughts and efforts go along way to boosting our morale, so again, thank you.

Well, I will close for now. Remember to let love be the strength in your legs and let mercy lead you. Forgive those who have done wrong esp. if they are seeking forgiveness, encourage those who are poor in Spirit, and rejoice with those who have been blessed by our Lord. How you treat others, by that standard you shall be measured. So do right by those in your life and show love and mercy.

God bless you all,

Jeff