Half-Way Home

Welp, I just realized that its been about 4 months since I touched my blog, but upon encouragement from a fellow 56M, I've decided to make the effort to get back into posting. Who knows, maybe this will help me relieve a little stress and get through the rest of our deployment. We are just past the half-way mark, actually, we're almost to the 2/3 mark :), but I'm going to start my new posts with some of the articles I've written for/published in our Battalion newsletter, so those on my email list have probably already read most of these, except the ones that haven't been published, but for those who haven't, here they are, beginning with the second one since I don't currently have access to the first on this computer.

Chaplain’s Message
TFTB Newsletter #6 March 8, 2009
From the earliest of times, having a place to gather has been critical to members of any faith community. In Genesis, Jacob recognized the presence of God in the place where he was, saying, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” He set up a memorial at the place, saying, “this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshipping God” (Genesis 28:17,22). In the Gospel, we read of the time Jesus was separated from Mary and Joseph and they finally found him in the Temple speaking with the elders. He responded to their cries of joy at finding him, “Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s House?” (Luke 2:49) Even as we have come to this place, the Sappers before us recognized the need for a gathering place. They decided to build a multipurpose hall with a pri-mary purpose in mind for it: to house a Chapel for themselves and those that would follow them to use as a place of worship, a place for joyful praises and thanksgiving, and a place for quiet refuge amidst the storms of war. This hall is known as Lahmann Hall, named for one of the Sapper Eagles’ own, CPL Johnathan Lahmann, a combat engineer who was killed in action in December 2007. It is military tradition to name build-ings, ships, hospitals and posts after a service member who has made the ultimate sacrifice for their country to honor them and as a reminder of who and what we are fighting for. 326th Engineer Battalion saw fit to honor their brother in the naming of this hall, so that CPL Lahmann’s memory will live on here even as they have gone home to their loved ones. As we gather together in Lahmann Hall each Sunday for worship, and bible studies during the week, we honor his memory while rejoicing in knowing that this truly is the House of God, and His Presence is known to all who seek it here.