Course Complete!

Today, at approximately 0800Hrs, I successfully tested out of Course E3AZR3C251-01RA: Network Management Infrastructure (all 176 hrs worth!). After one month, I am definitely ready to go back to my home in Japan. I have learned a lot technically, made some new acquaintances, reunited with a friend, and even learned more about my self-discipline (good and bad).

So yeah, Saturday night I was walking home from the base mini-mall when I was stopped by the Pizza Hut delivery man. I looked in his direction as he pointed at me with perplexity. I quickly turned away and started to walk off, but stopped as I realized that he was not driving away. I turned back and stared intently at this dude for about a minute before I realized it was my buddy Heath Fidler! Fid and I were stationed together at my first base in Idaho and also at my second base in Alaska. What a trip! We made a arrangements to meet up later that night at the Beau Rivage - unfortunately, it didn't happen. At the least, he and I chatted for a bit to catch up with one another. He's now married and he's here performing instructor duty for tech schoolers of Ground Radio Maintenance. The last time I saw Fid was back in early 2001, before I left on deployment to Vicenza, Italy.

Lastly, about my self-discipline. For the many of you, thank you for your prayers. You may have already read in my previous posts about my struggle with being here in Biloxi. I have learned that, just as scripture reads, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And how very true it is when I don't put myself first. On the whole, I believe idolatry runs ramped today under the guise of aggressive-individuality. Not fully developing the topic, my belief is that we have a great tendency to indulge in ourselves (our image, worth/validity, our service, etc.) to the point we become our own idols. Idolatry, in short, is putting a "god" before the God. When we become our own idols, we put ourselves (in priority) above the one and only God.

This past weekend, I made a very poor choice and put my desire for drunken pleasure above all things. For those that are not familiar with scripture, it is very clear that drunkenness (not drinking), that is sinful. There are few instances in clerical positions (among others) where alcohol consumption is forbidden. My intent this past Saturday was nothing short of getting drunk. That I did, and I'm always startled and afraid of how much alcohol I can consume (even after long periods of no consumption whatsoever).

After some thought, I believe my primary motivation was to "fit" in with rest of the guys from class. I've always had a need to "fit" in. A lot of it has to do with things like my past obsession with popularity. I can't tell how often I used to compromise myself for the sake of popularity and clicking with everyone -- I digress.

In any case, I made a very poor decision and I now have to deal with its consequence. Honestly speaking, what I have done is no different from what Ted Haggard has done. I don't believe in degrees of sin - sin is sin. He and I both made poor decisions to sin and he and I both disgraced the image to the body of believers. What are our choices? We can continue to choose poorly, or we can choose to repent, ask for forgiveness (from God first, and then from those whom we have hurt along the way), and re-acquire our spiritual focus.