Sermon Notes

I will be preaching my first sermon tomorrow (Sunday, November 22, 2009) in the Marine Corps Air Station Chapel as the Station Protestant Chaplain. My text will be Colossians 3:1-11. My sermon title will be Live Holy, No Matter What. Below are my main points:
I. Seek the Heavenly (vv. 1-4)
A. Set your minds on things above
B. Reasons to seek things above
II. Slay the Earthly (5-9)
A. We must "put to death" the sensual sins
B. We must "put off" the social sins
III. Strengthen our Christ-Likeness (vv. 10-11)
A. For we have put on the new man
B. For the goal is "Christ is all and in all"

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Born to Run

Book to read.
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Just got back from playing three mean games of racquetball. It has been a few years since I have played and things did not turn out the way I wanted. Hopefully I can get my game dialed in and have more success on the court in the future.

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I have much to be grateful for. After a difficult 2008, God has blessed our family with the adventures of active duty Navy Chaplaincy.

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Graduation Day

After five long weeks, my graduation day has arrived. Thanks all for your prayers.
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End of ODS

We are in the midst of our last day of ODS. This prospective is ready to be graduated & settled in South Carolina. We have our gradation reception tonight, graduation tomorrow at 0900, and then in the evening, I fly out for Columbia. Thanks all for your prayers. Part one almost done, ready to start part two and then on to Yuma and part three.
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Heritage Run & Drill

Image by Tolka Rover via Flickr

Great last formation run this morning. We called it the Heritage Run and we ran to a pier where two aircraft carriers are docked. We then stepped out individually and shared our knowledge of the Forestall & Saratoga.
Later this morning we did drill practice getting ready for graduation. All the while our chief petty officers barked at us - a sure sign that we are doing OK and almost ready for graduation on Friday, 9/18.
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Newport, RI Cliff Walk - Atlantic Ocean

Just finished Newport Cliff Walk. Now waiting in line to have lunch at Fl0's Crab Shack in Middleport (update: well worth the wait for fried clam strips!).

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Navy Whites - Getting Ready for a Night Out in Newport, RI

Finally in whites!
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How Did I Get Here?

Just finished an early duty and am now sitting enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. I am contemplating how I arrived at this place in my life where I stepped back on to active duty nearly 20 years after leaving the Marine Corps. God moves in mysterious ways. Each morning when I wake up at 3:45, I remind myself that I am here in Newport, RI for the sake of the call to serve the fine men & women who have answered the call to serve their country.
Thanks for all of your continuing prayers during this time of separation from my family.
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Liberty

Just granted liberty. As the class leader (and a chaplain), I hope everyone returns and that no one screws up.
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Colors

Just had the privilege of being part of the color detail we raised the graduation flag. It is a large flag that took six of us to raise. All went well and the ensign went up without a hitch.
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Coffee

Coffee never tasted so good. We passed some test & had coffee privileges restored.
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Early

There is nothing like waking up at 3:30 in the morning for physical training under the stars - with no coffee. Scary thing is I am waking up before my alarm clock.
We might get liberty this weekend. Depends on Hurricane Danny.
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Uniform

Here I am in uniform.
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Tired

Learning what the meaning of sleep deprivation is. I have averaged about 4 hours of sleep. I am excited that I have passed the swim equal.
I was honored to have been selected as the Division Officer. It will be a privilege to lead Echo Company, Class 09100 through the remainder of our time at ODS.
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First Day Done

First day is in the books. Welcome to hurry up and wait. Tomorrow should be fun with an early wake up courtesy of the senior chief.
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Made it to Newport

Made it to Newport Naval Station. This & the picture are picture of my half of the room I am staying.
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Newport, Pt. 2

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Providence

I have now landed in Providence, RI. Tonight I report for officer training - Monday the fun begins.
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Thanks

From: greg.woodard@gmail.com

Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:52:59 To: Posterous .com
Subject: Thanks

As I make my way to my gate, I wanted to send a note of thanks to all of you who supported Vicki & I with your thoughts & prayers. I can never adequately repay you. I can promise to be the best Navy chaplain I can be. Blessings to all of you.
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Detroit

Just landed in Detroit. Pulling into gate now. This journey became real when I walked away from my family & boarded the plane.
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Certificate of Commission

Here is a picture of my Commissioning certificate. Navy Recruiting District, Minneapolis gave me this certificate already very nicely framed.

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Now a Navy Officer!

Here are a couple of pictures of my swearing in as a Lieutentant Junior Grade, United States Navy Chaplain Corps on Wednesday, July 22. I am honored to have been selected and am looking forward to ministering to the brave men and women (and their families) of the Navy as a chaplain.

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Master the Shift Workouts

I'll have to try this out:
http://www.mastertheshift.com/masters/hall/workouts/index.shtml

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One of Those Days

Below is a link to an important post for anyone who would be a military chaplain. I have enjoyed reading posts from Army Chaplain Brad Lewis who is serving in Afghanistan.
Training for Eternity: One of Those Days

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A Bodyweight Workout for Busy Men

A good workout without the gym can be found here:
Bodyweight Workout for Busy Men

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Continuing to Believe

I have been told that a friend whose scroll went out the second week of June has been informed that his scroll and his commissioning documents are back - and that he is in August.
My scroll when in on 18 May, a week later, so hopefully I will hear that mine are back this week. I would really like to speak with the detailer tomorrow (or today)!

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Colossians 3:1-11 - Live Holy, No Matter What

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In a few minutes, I am leaving to go preach at a church up in Isanti County. I am preaching from Colossians 3:1-11 and the title comes from a posting a friend of mine who is a chaplain to the Navy SEAL community.

My three main points are:

• Seek the Heavenly
• Slay the Earthly
• Strengthen the Christ-Likeness
  

I love to preach, and this morning should be fun!

After service update:
As I thought, it was great fun to present my sermon. The church was a little hard to find (don't always trust Google maps), but I made it in plenty of time, and we had a great time of worship.

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Navy PRT

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I had another Navy PRT on my agenda for today. Not much difference from my last one (linked here).

• Curl Ups: 83 (82: Excellent Medium)
  
• Push Ups: 39 (63: Good Low)
  
• 1.5 Mile Run: 14:45 (55: Satisfactory High)
  

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• Results: 200: Satisfactory High

BTW - the picture here is of an Air Force PFT - I could not find an image of a Navy PFT!!

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Countdown

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According to my Google counter, I have 53 days until the life changing experience of entering the active duty Navy Chaplain's Corps!

(No orders yet - I am speaking 53 days in faith!!)

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Waiting, Pt. 2

And this from my recruiter this afternoon:

Not ruling out August yet, but...

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Waiting

A friend of mine who will likely be in the same chaplain school class as me emailed me this morning. He wrote this:

FYI....I totally believe that you and I will be in the August class. There is plenty of time for this to happen. Two months allows for the scroll list, comm docs, and detailer assignment according to my recruiter. He has not guaranteed me in the class; however, he has said strongly to plan accordingly.

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Psalm 37:4

Image by Steve Webel via Flickr

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Earlier, I wrote the following in my journal:

It does not follow from this verse that the Lord will give me whatever I ask for as long as I desire the Lord. Rather, I believe that this verse means that as I grow in delighting in the Lord, my desires will change and what I ask for will be in alignment with what he wants for me. I think this includes his understanding of the right time for things to happen.

There are stepping stones of faith that are part of the process of trusting in God to give us the desires of our heart in his time.

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Waiting

Times of waiting are never easy. I have a sense of what God would have us to do in the future, but there is a time of waiting that is part of the process. I am trying to ensure that I learn the lesson that God wants for me as I wait for the next move in my journey toward the chaplaincy.

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Running Well

Image by brixton via Flickr

Though I have run off and on for several years, I haven't been a consistent runner in a long time. Now that I am selected to the Navy Chaplain Corps, I have found some consistency. I am able to comfortably run three miles on a mixture of road & trail, and a mixture of decline and incline at a consistent 10 minutes per mile pace, three or four times per week.
I am hoping that when I have to run the shorter distance of 1.5 miles for my PRT, the extra endurance will help me to keep up an acceptable pace. I'll know on the 20th when I have a Navy PRT on my agenda again.

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Scroll

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As of today, I continue to wait for my scroll approval (prospective commissioned officers are listed on a document (often called a scroll) which has to go through congress and then be signed off on by the Secretary of Defense).
I found out today that my DC hotel mate's scroll is back and that he is slated for the August ODS. Also a new friend from Florida whose chaplain application and scroll dates are very similar to mine is being told to continue to plan for a 6/19 commissioning ceremony.
In the words of my processor:

You never know. The scroll approval could come through tomorrow or it could be August. I have seen scroll approved in as little as 4 weeks and as long as 16 weeks (that was a one time deal when the scrolls ended up sitting on someone's desk - hasn't happened since).

The journey has been long and waiting is hard. God has seen us through up to this point, and I know he will in the weeks ahead - even if I have to wait for January before going to ODS.

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Navy ODS

Ah the fun of a journey back into military "basic training." It will be interesting to go through this training with members of several other Navy communities (medical, dental, legal, etc.). And I take comfort knowing that I will not be the oldest student in my ODS class.

Navy ODS Tips and Insights

Navy ODS Tips and Insights

Hey Ya'll! I just got out of Navy ODS and I'm here with some tips for you guys.

Things to bring:
unscented baby wipes (unless you like to smell like baby): you don't always have time to take a proper shower
those facial cleansing clothes that don't require water (see above)

iPod. They never specifially say you can use them, but they're fair game on weekends and evenings (well, evenings after the second week)

computer. Yeah, they say you can bring on on the website. There is PLENTY of storage space in YOUR room, locked up with YOUR lock. Bring it. You won't get internet access unless you're in wing 6, but it comes in handy, nonetheless.

watch. You won't be allowed to wear it until week 4 or 5, but you'll be glad you have it then.

Crappy glasses (if you wear them). You'll need crappy ones.

Contact lenses. At the very least, you'll want them for fire fighting and abaondon ship. They also make PT better. Nobody likes to run/do pushups with their glasses sliding down their noses!

Notebook. Scrap paper comes in very handy, and the last few weeks, you'll be allowed to carry it to class. Taking notes is a handy way to stay awake in power point hell. You'll understand when you get there.

Blanket. If you are in RI during anything except July and August, you'll want a blanket. They turn the heat off in the building because of the smell (remember the lack of proper showers?). The blankets you'll be issued are crap, plus you can't actually use them. You won't be sleeping in your bed. On it, maybe, but not in it. Bring a blanket, or buy a cheap on at the NEX when you get there.

Civilian clothes. Yeah. The website says to bring as few civvies as possible. Ignore that. Figure you'll have three weekends of liberty while you're there. That's Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday for three weekends. Pack accordingly.

Gel insoles. You'll be standing and walking pretty much 18 hours a day the first week or two. Then you'll be drilling for grad practice for HOURS at a time. Bring insoles. They'll save you.

Air freshener. Your room will need it.

Swiffer, and all swiffer-related items. You'll need them to clean your room. They place is ALWAYS dusty. You'll need them. There is a gear locker where you can check out items. These are at a premium, and you won't always have time to go all the way to the gear locker.

Books, if you like to read. I read more at ODS than I had in years. Bring reading material.

Playing cards. You'll have spare time, especially the last two weeks. Playing cards are a GREAT passtime, plus you get to socialize with your division. Use that iPod and the cool thing that turns it into a stereo. Good times.

Okay. I'll post more items to bring as I remember them. Here is the lowdown on what to expect the first few days.

You'll check in Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Enjoy these days. No one will yell at you. Leave the building. Use this opportunity to get to know your division. Go off base. You won't leave base again for three weeks. Enjoy it.

Monday: no one will yell at you this day, either. It's admin day. You'll be bored. Enjoy the boredom. Relish the boredom. You won't be bored again for a while.

Tuesday: it's go-time. They will tell you to be up and ready at 5am. It's really 4am. Be ready to go, IN YOUR ROOM by 0345. You won't regret it.

Make sure the people near the hall doors are comfortable with rank and recognition. Also, make sure somebody is posted there watching to see who's coming through the doors. You'll have to call "attention on deck," "chief on deck," ect all the time. You'll get dropped (pushups, punitive PT, etc) if somebody walks in and nobody calls it.

You'll be issued a water bottle. It will be with you AT ALL TIMES. They will try to trick you with this the first REAL day of training. They'll tell you to ground your bottle. Tell you it goes with you everywhere, then send you to your rooms to get something. TAKE YOUR BOTTLE WITH YOU!!! This is a trick. You may not get YOUR water bottle back if you don't take it to your room with you.

Know your left from your right. This is invaluable.

Learn how to iron.

Know how to do your own laundry.

Practice taking REALLY quick, REALLY cold showers.

Get used to having no privacy. The shower curtains...not large enough to cover most of...anything.

When you check into your room on the day you arrive, you'll notice a little green notebook on your desk. Take this notebook, and write in it:
you chain of command (located on one of the bulletin boards in your hallway)
11 general orders of a sentry
Sailor's creed
Anchor's aweigh (all verses)
Navy/USMC rank and recognition
This is your knowledge. Memorize it. You'll be expected to recite from memory at will ANY and ALL of this. Especially during uniform inspections.

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Congratulations

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A letter arrived in the mail today from the Navy Recruiting Command:

Congratulations on your selection to the Chaplain Corps Direct Appointment Program. Competition has been keen and you should be proud of your selection.

I guess that means I am mostly in. All that remains are the commissioning documents and orders to school (hopefully for August).

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Navy PRT

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I had a Navy PRT on my agenda for today. This morning I did the strength portions (curl ups and push ups) in my living room, and this afternoon, I finally decided to brave the rain to go out to do the 1.5 mile run. Here are my results:

• Curl Ups: 82 (84: Excellent Medium)
  
• Push Ups: 38 (64: Good Low)
  
• 1.5 Mile Run: 14:40 (59: Satisfactory High)
  

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• Results: 207: Satisfactory High
  

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Memorize Anything

How to Memorize Anything

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Memorization

How to Memorize Verbatim Text : Productivity501

With the volume of information I need to memorize over the coming weeks, this could be a great tool!

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Professionally Recommended

GW has been "professionally recommended" by the Navy CARE board. This means that I am considered fully qualified to be a chaplain. Now I have to wait for my commissioning documents before everything will be finalized.
We are hoping for a slot in the August school. If we don't make that school, then I would have to wait for January (which would be a difficult journey). I am of the mindset that since I am going to do this, I want to do it sooner rather than later. Please continue to pray with us.

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Calisthenics

Daily 16

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Health & Lifestyle Books daily 16 physical training

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To Washington DC and Back

On Wednesday, May 20, I was informed that I had been invited to Washington D.C. to interview with the Navy CARE (Chaplain Accession Retention & Evaluation) board. This is the final step in the application process for active duty Navy chaplaincy (those that are selected for chaplaincy are generally offered a final selection in the form of a commission).
The interview itself went fine (after getting over a case of the nerves on the first two questions). Not sure where the board will land regarding my application (along with four more that were interviewed). It is now in God's hands (and those of this group of distinguished senior chaplains).

Friday (5/29) addition: From my hotel mate: "He [our chaplain recruiter] told me at the airport that he felt pretty good about the both of us and that when he talked to the board after each of our interviews they seemed very pleased. His impression from them was favorable."

Blessings,
G

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