residual spark

Ah... change is in the air.

We finally are getting settled into our new apartment and culture in Harleysville, PA. So after getting married, taking a honeymoon, moving half-way cross country... Sarah and I are going to have a combined blog to make it a little easier for both of us. So, there is a little change in the air. It's not a bad thing. Just changing address's so you can keep tabs on boths of us at the same time... 2 for the price of one... can't beat that!

So see you over there @ www.hansontrek.blogspot.com

Memorial Day

To remember those who went gone on before.

To remember those who gave their utmost.

To remember those who sacrifced more than we would dare to lose.

To remember those who believed in a dream.

To remember those who defended the freedom we so dearly cherish...

To remember...

Father's day. One day is not enough to honor our father's enough. So I thought I would take the time to express my great respect, honor, esteem, and love for my Dad.

My Dad is a soldier. My Dad is a 8-year 4-H alumni. My Dad is up working before the sun rises and often home after it sets. My Dad loves mowing. My Dad loves throwing little kids up in the air. My Dad is quiet and knows how to listen. My Dad is the homes mechanic. My Dad has sacrificed much for his children, more than I think I'll ever know. My Dad admits his mistakes and allows his children to learn from them...

These are just a few of the far from numerable things that my Father is to me. And I just wanted to take a small piece of space to allow my Dad to know he means the world to me.

I love you Dad!

Ah yes... an update... it's been a while as always. I was just thinking that it's been about a year since I placed those first few hesitant steps in the world of online journaling. So... I guess it is simply another way to mark the passing of time.

Anyway... onto whats going on now. I guess the biggest news is that Sarah and I have been making our own invitations, and actually, it's been fun! Completely agreed as we narrowed down options, we both put our ideas together and combined them ever so nicely into a simple yet stylish invitation. How awesome is it to have the same mindset with another person enjoy working through life with them. This was a great chance to experience that.
And even better than the beginning of a thing is it's end... we just mailed them all out yesterday. It's nice to find things slowly being marked off on the to-do list. And that for us was really the most time consuming job we had in front of us. It is nice to know that you can start to take time for other things.
So now we're moving onto nailing down the order of the wedding ceremony and all the little details of who goes where, at what time, with whom... etc., slowly but surely we're making progress. It seems as though life is dragging by, especially when your waiting for something so cool, special, unique... just like having to wait those last few weeks of the school year before summer vacation... seemingly endless. As of yesterday we are down to exactly 8 weeks until the big day! I'm excited and yet still anxious because it seems so far away, even though it really is knocking on the door.

I guess no matter how much time there is, or was, or will be... Sarah would be worth waiting for, for any length of time. So... I'll take my eight weeks, and know that in two months... I'll be married to my closest friend!

This past week has been a physically challenging one. I had the priviledge of being selected to represent my National Guard unit and take part in the first Combatives course held at Camp Ripley, MN.

Army Combatives have been around for quite some time mainly focused with Ranger and Special Forces units. This Modern Army Combatives (MAC) course has within the past decade become a formal training that is being implimented across the Army as a whole.

The MAC has three levels of training with level one focusing on basic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu ground grappling. Level two continuing on with Jiu-Jitsu in more detail and difficulty,building on the basics learned in level one. Level three then moves onto Muay Thai kickboxing, boxing, Karate, and Kali (knife and stick fighting). I have just completed level one and have the ability to move on to level two.

Basically this is what everyone thinks that the soldier should be. A lethal fighting machine with the ability to personally inflict physical force against the enemy and win. I have now been trained to do that. My whole body is sore. A daily schedule consisted of instruction and practice of the technical form of the moves we would learn. Followed by a practical exercise where we would practice them on a fellow student trying to gain the more dominant position with our new found knowledge. Eight hours of full contact wrestling is a little taxing on a body not use to that kind of physcial strain. Our final test was the "clinch drill," which consisted of our instructors and some professional martial artists wearing boxing gloves and punching us as we attempted to close on them and disable their ability to fight. I've never been in a fight or even had a real punch throw at me, so it was quite an eye opener when that first punch landed on my temple. You learn pretty fast to dodge the hard punches to the face... but you also learn to take the punches that come when you are grappling with them and attempting to pin their arms down. The test is to allow you to experience violence in a controlled environment instead of in a combat situation for the first time. By the fourth round of the drill I was able to avoid all but to punches to the ribs and wrap up the martial art instructor in a matter of seconds. Of course they only were going at maybe 40-60% of what they were capable of... but it was more than enough to make you realize the importance of not getting hit while at the same time being confident in taking the offensive to them and disabling their ability to fight.

It is a little weird trying to balance violence with the obvious message of love for all men that God gives to us through His Word. But I have decided that our country has been granted our liberties and freedoms of religion through the defense of our country and will willingly defend those by giving time in Military service for this Nation. I have come to the point where I would not desire to take a man's life without provocation, but know that if I was placed in a situation where my mission was to do so, I would. Thankfully God has not allowed that position to come upon me... and I hope that He doesn't in the future. So that's what I've been up to lately... ;)

I've been reading in Numbers lately and ran across something that struck me, seemingly missing it all the other times I've read this passage. In chapter 25 we have the account of Phinehas the priest (Aaron's grandson) striking a man who was caught in the act of immorality. I guess I never read the text close enough to see that there was more to this story than just a punishment of sin...

Numbers 25:1-13 "...and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods... and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand... And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through... And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy... Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace... because he was zealous for his God.

First, God's children were in direct disobedience to God. They were profaning themselves both physically and spiritually in front of God. This angered God as any Father would be after instructing his children in how they are to conduct themselves. God had a righteous anger because His children had been unfaithful to Him. He had every right to be angry.
The situation which is described in detail is the peak of the whole ordeal when a man of Israel brought a woman who was not his wife in front of the whole nation, and before the House of God. He was so callused to his sin that he didn't try to hide it in the least. It was a sin of great pride and a lack of humility before God. Yet Phinehas the priest saw this great dishonor that was brought to God's name and character.

He jealous for his God's glory... and he zealously pursued it. And God blessed him because of it.

That was a huge conviction for me today... would I see a situation in which God's name was being dragged in the mud and do something to change that in which His name would again be lifted up to the highest of heights? Would/could God say that I was jealous for His honor, and zealous in how I lived for Him???

That specific kind of life style/attitude is not just for when a "situation" arises. But rather it is a daily, continual, passionate pursuit of God's glory as a way of living. And that's where I want to be...

Well... on a really quick note, March 2nd was my birthday. I'm now offically one year shy of a quarter century.

On a little side bar I'd like to point out that
I share this birthday with two people of intrest (to me anyway) writer/author Dr. Suess and pro-football player Ben Rothlisberger. Ben and I are the same age, whereas Dr. Suess was born 78 years before myself.

Well as a quick update I've been gone since the end of January until about a week ago. My Army National Guard Unit was activated for a month to train with the several thousand Guard Soldiers from Minnesota that are being deployed to Iraq towards the end of March 2006. We we're providing support for their JRTC course at Ft. Polk in Louisiana.

My aviation unit was providing air support for simulated medivac and infantry insertions with the units that are being deployed. Our unit was involved in their final phase of training for a 3 week "Simulated-Real" wargame in which there is a simulated enemiy and actual attacks which results in lost vehicles, equipment, and personel which in turn allows the units to evaluate themselves for proper training implementation and prevention of many known enemy tactics in the field to which they will be operating in.

During the training my airfield was attacked and I actually ended up being a casualty. I was rushed to the medic station and my "wounds" were treated and then I was actually transported to the field hospital to go through the procedures and paperwork of being injured. A rather time consuming ordeal, but it was to allow the units being deployed to get used to "real" situations which they have not necessarily been allowed to train for outside of a concept type environment. My favorite part of our training was being selected to be a member of our units Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART). We had several oppertunities to train with several simulated and one real mission in which aircraft were grounded mid-flight. Our job was to take a team and repair the aircraft to a point in which it we would be able to give it enough fly time to return it to a hanger for higher level maintenance work to be done.

It was good training not only for our soldiers being deployed, but also the units that supported them which will remain here in the States. Our unit benifited tremendously by maintain 24 hour operations and preforming serveral downed aircraft recoveries. I enjoy my job in the military, since I've been doing it almost 7 years... I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

So that was a quick "What I've been up to" update... more to come at 11. ;)

Happy New Year to all who will frequent this blog of mine. I have to say that I do apologize for not updating my posts in a timely fashion... I've been kind of preoccupied ;)

So... its a couple days past but it does not detract from the importance of the event any less. On the first day of this New Year, within it's very first waking hour... I asked my beautiful girlfriend... Sarah Jean Borth... to be my wife.

There is so much that could/should be said about this life-changing moment in time. I have asked one woman to embark along a journey, a trek of life... no longer as a single entity but as a unified whole with another person. And can you believe it? She said yes! That one simple fact still amazes me... (Ok, it�s only like a couple weeks after the fact)... and I think that it will continue to amaze me as long as God plans for our lives to continue together.

So the basic run down of the events:
I picked Sarah up from work so we could go to a mutual friends wedding. Then I gave her a huge "I Love You" card I had made out of cardboard and to start things off. Wrote a letter with dozens of reasons why I love her. I gave her that a little while later. We both attended our friends (Liz and Nate) wedding and helped serve cake at the reception. Afterwards Jonny and Jess (more college friends) invited us over for games, movie, and dinner.
After dinner I took Sarah up to the Twin Cities to go ice skating at the only place I found to be open late at night. We skated until about 11:30 p.m. I was hoping to propose in the Cities, but the sky was cloudy, she had to work in the morning so we moved on. So while we were driving back I asked God to clear the skies so that I could do it under the stars before the heaven which declares His glory. By the time we got to Owatonna, MN... the sky was completely clear and I decided that my alma mater would be a perfect place since everyone was on Christmas break; it is the highest point in town and has a beautiful open view of the sky. And because it is where most of my life-changing has happened... I decided to add one more (the biggest one in my book).
I had made a fleece blanket for her since she is always borrowing mine. I had her close her eyes and walked her to the middle of campus and presented the blanket to her. I had a heart made into the middle of the blanket and tied into the point at the top of the heart... I had tied the engagement ring. It took her awhile to notice it... but as soon as she did she gasped a little... I untied it and bent on one knee and asked her to be my wife. She paused for what seemed like an eternity... and then fell to her knees in front of me and said yes.

That�s the basic order of events... reaching that happy ending of my becoming engaged to the sweetest, most beautiful girl in the world (and yes of course I'm biased). For the really good rendering of the story I'll leave my fiance to fill in the nice details with her smiling eyes... and I know she'll be more than happy to share! So... now you can know... planning a wedding late summer... July 22nd. God is so good... what wonderful gifts He gives in His time! And I think (know) I got the best one!

"A Bible and a newspaper in every house,a good school in every district -all
studied and appreciated as they merit -are the principle support of virtue,
morality, and civil liberty."

-- Benjamin Franklin -- (1706-1790)

You have to stop and wonder how this nation would be different if this simple application was made to life. However, just because every home might lack these things to some extent... it does not give us an excuse to lack them in our own homes. We have the right to choose. And Basically along those lines knowledge is power. But Mr. Franklin tied in not only the human/physical but also the spiritual/immaterial... and that by far empowers one on such a larger basis. One in which "It is not I, but Christ who lives within me..." What great immeasurable strength, power, and wisdom... seldom used to the fullness that God could bestow upon us, if only we see our need and our weakness within ourselves and trust/rely/depend on God and God alone.

If "WE"... would do that... this nation would be different, way different... it would be so much more hostile to "US"... because we are not like "THEM"...

May Christ be seen in me... and may I reflect Him in the way He intends, deserves, requires... so that others might know Him... and Mr. Franklin was right on... that begins at home.

I ran across this and it... it is more than appaling. It is completely disgusting to think that people who would claim to be Christian (even though they never use the word) could preform something in this sort of realm, attracting people not to the Bible... but to gratify the lust of the flesh and "moralizing" it by taking the Bible just as a name rather than as what it is... God's Word.

A German Protestant youth group has put together a 2006 calendar with 12 staged photos depicting erotic scenes from the Bible, including (an uncovered) Delilah cutting Samson’s hair and (an undressed) Eve offering an apple... Anne Rohmer, 21, said... “We wanted to represent the Bible in a different way and to interest young people,... anyway, it doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible that you are forbidden to show yourself...” Bernd Grasser, pastor of the church in Nuremberg where the calendar is being sold, was enthusiastic about the project... “It’s just wonderful when teenagers commit themselves with their hair and their skin to the Bible,” he said.

When people take God's Holy Word and twist a concept striaght from Satan "Has God indeed said...?" (Gen. 3:1), and use it as a method of reasoning an action into exsistence. Prove to me that it is what God wants us to do! Provide the precepts and principle which God commands to us that allows such actions. You won't find it in the Bible. That is not representitive of the God I serve... the God I serve is set apart from that kind of worldly attitude. He is perfect and Holy... He asks us to set aside our bodies as temples for His Spirit. That one fact should make us seriously consider what our bodies are for. Are they even for ourselves? No... they were created to serve God... and that alone should be enough of a concept to dictate our actions to be different than this world which promotes "skin" as a method of attracting people to whatever we want them to pay attention to. God never used that as a method of spreading the Gospel. God is so... not like this. It breaks my heart for Him thinking of Him viewing people who would claim to be children of God acting like this.

So how do you read God's Word? With the seriousness one should with a letter written to man kind from the Creator of the universe? Or do you treat it lightly? Do you read it... or read into it... oh how God's heart aches for those who change His Word for their own agenda's rather than focusing their time on glorifying the One True God.

I have so many emotions, there is not enough time or space to attempt to place them in readable thoughts. To few Americans really understand what they have. Our culture is slowly moving away from understanding what "real" war is. When we fought the WWII there were people that protested then saying that it was "just that war over there...". It is never "just" a war. Being in the Armed Forces currently (while not actively fighting yet) gives me a different perspective then the "anti-war" media.

I am willing to die for my country. I am willing to protect, sacrificing my life for the freedoms of this country. I fight for what this country was founded upon, the oppertunity to worship God. THE GOD... without fear of government interferance. Even though that happens more and more frequently today, I am still fighting for that right. The sad thing is that many people think of it as merely a priviledge, which can be taken away. That was not the original intention of the establishment of what this nation was founded upon. I even fight for the freedom of the people who dissagree with me... it would be interesting to see if they would fight for mine. I greatly respect all men who have taken the risk of placing their lives on the line for this country. The ones who have passed on doing their duty have my highest respect and honor. And I show that by honoring and respecting those men who are still alive today.

So in conclusion I leave these thoughts of two great military men...

"Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."
-- General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) WWII Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific, Supreme United Nations Commander

"It is certain that the two World Wars in which I have participated would not have occurred had we been prepared. It is my belief that adequate preparation on our part would have prevented or materially shortened all our other wars beginning with that of 1812. Yet, after each of our wars, there has always been a great hue and cry to the effect that there will be no more wars, that disarmament is the sure road to health, happiness, and peace; and that by removing the fire department, we will remove fires. These ideas spring from wishful thinking and from the erroneous belief that wars result from logical processes. There is no logic in wars. They are produced by madmen. No man can say when future madmen will reappear. I do not say that there will be no more wars; I devoutly hope that there will not, but I do say that the chances of avoiding future wars will be greatly enhanced if we are ready."
-- General George S. Patton, Jr. (1885-1945)

To ride abroad redressing human wrongs,
To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it,
To honor his own word as if his god's,
To lead sweet lives in purest chastity,
To love one maiden only...
And worship her by years of noble deeds....

-- creed of the Knights of the Round Table
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Idylls of the King