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sipping on coffee

This past week has been very interesting. Our class finally finished our Sound and Script portion of our curriculum with the culmination of our test this past Friday. So it is official: I can read and write Arabic. I don't know what the words are, but I can read it and write it. One of the many hurdles I must cross while here has finally been completed.

I had an interesting encounter at the Del Monte Shopping Center a couple of days ago. I was there with my friend Randy and for some reason I turned around in the middle of the store and started to stare at these three men. I wasn't even sure why I was staring. One of them came up and asked me why I was staring at them and I told him I wasn't sure. I then asked them where they were from, to which they replied, "Saudi Arabia". So that was it! I was staring at them because they were speaking Arabic to each other. My mind must have subconsiously picked it up. We quickly became friends once they found out Randy and I were students of Arabic. Each of them are Colonels in the Saudi Army, one of which is an F-16 pilot. All of them are studying at the Naval Post-Graduate School, located just down the street from the DLI. Before we departed, they gave us an open invitation to visit them at the NPS for some Arabic speaking practice. They told us their room number and building and we parted ways.

The next morning (Saturday) Randy and I were driving around doing errands when he suggested we visit our Arabic friends at NPS. I agreed, although neither of us remembered the building or room number. All we could remember was that it was on the third floor. We went to the front gate and asked where they put the foreign students and the guard told us the building. However, when we got to the building, we realized that it would be impossible to find them because there were too many rooms on the third floor. We searched, but no one was around to ask for help. As we were about to give up, we noticed the door to one room propped open. So we knocked and peaked inside. And wouldn't you guess? It was our friends we met the night before! We had a great time talking Arabic with them while sipping on coffee and munching on snacks. It almost reminded me of when my team would meet with the Mayor of Tikrit in Iraq. Well, except for the part where we had to wear body armor, things would explode, or people would shoot at you.

Wow, that was a long story for what it was worth. I just thought it was an interesting encounter.

Some of us went out to an Afghanistan Restaurant tonight in Pacific Grove (picture above). The food was great, but it was much more enjoyable getting to know my fellow servicemen. They are all professionals and motivated to accomplishing the mission of learning Arabic.

I don't really have a lot of energy right now. I can see that my writing is getting worse by the minute, so I'm going to have to write more at another time!

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or it he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
~Luke 11:11-13

smacked in the face with a 2x4

I think there are only two constants in life. Two things that never change no matter what comes their way. The first is the love and grace of Yahweh, and the second is the beautiful weather in Monterey. Wow. What a gorgeous day (view insert of our parade field on base).

I have finally broken down and bought a cell phone. I am back in the loop (view insert).

I visited a new church today called Shoreline Community Church. It's located within Monterey, about ten minutes from base, and it reminds me a lot of GCC. They have core classes 101 through 401, they have parking lot ministry, a great children's ministry, a praise band that rocks, and the message presented by the pastor is amazing. I feel extremely blessed to have found this church because there were no ads for it in the yellow pages (weird huh?). Someone told me about it on Friday night and I researched it online.

Class has been going very well, considering I study all the time just to get by. I have never (literally, NEVER) studied this hard for anything in my life. That includes when I came through DLI four years ago for Serbian-Croatian. The Lord has been faithful though. I have an increased energy during class and I find that I can concentrate at night when I need to study.

Speaking of class, I have also been blessed to have a great section. There are ten of us in the same class from all areas of the military (Navy, Air Force, etc) and we have grown close just over these past few weeks. Eight of the ten went with me to the Joneses house last night for some dinner and a study session (surprised?). It was a blast. They are great to have in class and bounce Arabic off of.

Happy Birthday Laurakaga.

I had a mandatory APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) this past week. The way it's set up on this base is, if you score high enough you are exempt from the mandatory company PT (which is every Mon, Wed, and Fri). Well, the mandatory company PT was getting really old because it wasn't really working me and it was taking up a lot of my time. This only motivated me more to get a good score on the APFT. And YES! I achieved a high enough score to be exempt from company PT and do my own physical training during the week. I figure it will save me about four to five hours a week.

I have been praying, for over a month, for someone who I can consistantly pray with. About a week and a half ago one of the guys in my class just walked up and asked me if I wanted to pray with him three times a week before school. Have you ever been smacked in the face with a 2x4 from God? I am excited just writing about it! What an answer to prayer!

I don't think I will be able to keep my five a month Starbucks commitment. I'm sorry to those of you who will now take me off of your top 8. I'm at four and it's only Feb 5th.

Tomorrow on base there is a DIA briefing. I think I'll go just to see what they offer. I'll let you know what I find out.

I was running through downtown Monterey (view insert if you forgot how beautiful it looks) and listening to Blessed Be Your Name. What an awesome song. It gets me pumped up everytime I hear it. Especially on warm beautiful days. "Blessed be Your name, when the sun's shining down on me..." Oh, and it's cool that I can amaze the Lord with my faith.

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed...
~Matthew 8:10a