A Month in the Life

So-last Thursday was Flag Day, and loving the military as I [Chauntay] do, I thought it appropriate to dedicate a day to them. Alicia wrote an article/interview about a good friend of ours Billy Mullinax. I have personal experience with the military because a very good friend of mine is currently stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. I’m not sure how many people have direct contact with anyone in the military, or how much they having been willing to give you details, so I decided to provide the life and lifestyle. I hope this is a reality check to you and that you see how much you should be grateful for and to always remember our soldiers in your prayers.
I’m writing today about Conrad Guillot. He joined the Army January 5, 2004 and has gone through extensive training since then. He is currently on his third tour to Iraq now, which is a 15-month assignment. He is in Baghdad, Iraq. Now his first deployment he was there and he was a Combat Line Medic, which means he walked the streets and kicked down doors with the grunts.

They do have a little place that has a few computers that they can go and sign on to the internet to chat or check their email. They have one computer at "work" (aidstation / living quarters) that they can check their email on only. This makes it somewhat easier for the guys to stay in contact with their friends and family from home.



As far as their feelings on being there, they wouldn’t leave if you let them. I’ve asked Conrad several times, well if they say you could leave, or you get medical leave, or if you had the chance would you come home? He always says NO! He’s very emphatic about it. He says that if that he would never leave his guys, they need each other; they’re like a family. Secondly he says if they left (pulled out of Iraq), then every guy, friend, that had lost his/her life would be wasted. They are there for a cause and are prepared to stay until it’s resolved. Although it is hard to be away from their families, I think that they love what they do, or the result that it brings. Conrad says that the media has a hidden agenda (which we all know) and that in reality everyone there loves them. These are the first signs of peace and normalcy they’ve ever had. He said many times that they’re on the streets all the kids come up to them; they love them. The soldiers give them food, presents, anything really. But of course to watch the news you’d think that the whole world hated us!!

I think that it’s important to never forget that we wouldn’t be here if someone didn’t give their life to protect our freedom. Any aspect of our life is directly affected by the military. I have the deepest respect for the military and their undying devotion to their homeland. They don’t do it because they have to, not because they were asked to, but because they have a love for their country, their loved ones, and because they simply want too.


OUR soldiers always need things and it doesn’t cost much to give to them. You can send packages at the post office for a flat rate I believe around 7 dollars. Any kind of toiletries, condiments, magazines (they LOVE to read), suckers, candy (I suggest hard candy), and anything really you can think of. One small act on your end could directly affect the life of a soldier on his end. Think about it.


Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Preface
Luck you-you get to hear MY [Chauntay] opinion on myspace now. Let me preface this conversation with stating that I do have a myspace account, therefore I speak from personal experience. Also, I have learned a few things in life, but one of my favorite lessons has been, “IT’S OKAY TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS!!” Alicia is a dear friend of mine and on some issues we are adamantly opposed to one another-and that’s okay with me. How boring would life be if we all shared the exact same opinion about everything? I have not written any of this to offend anyone, so please don’t be.

This whole myspace issue started with me last week when I received an email from a family member bashing myspace as the devil’s advocate. The premise of the email was focused on children looking at pornography. To be quite honest, if children want to look at pornography, or any other graphic material, then they will find a way. I hate to break it to you but myspace is NOT the only avenue to pornography, nor is it going to just disappear simply because we choose to stick our head's in the sand. If they have Internet access they can easily access ANYthing whether they have an account with myspace or not.

Staying Connected
I do think it’s important for our youth to have a connection with one another, i.e. normal kids who are facing some of the same trials and battles daily as they are. If we have raised our kids right, which I think we have/are, then they can and should have the choice of making the right decisions. Pornography doesn't just appear on your myspace home page; you have to seek it out. In my opinion if they are determined enough to seek it out, they will find it regardless if it’s on myspace or not. Granted your account could be hacked, which could incur unwanted Spam mail, pictures, or comments, but this could also happen with your email account, your computer or just about anything else in this technologically advanced era.

I am linked to many people on myspace, high school, college, and church friends. Myspace is an avenue for me to illustrate to the world that, hey I live a Holy life, you best believe I'm proud of it, and I have a FABulous time while I'm at it!! My church youth group has a group on myspace, as do many other UPC/church youth groups. You can hold forums, post important youth information, or just leave notes. It's great to see all the kids bonded together. They are all in each other’s top friends, and they daily, sometimes multiple times, offer words of encouragement, have scriptures, and so many more things. Myspace has also become convenient for me to observe people. I can easily spot when one of my quizzers are having a bad day, week, or maybe even miffed about something. I have been able to pick up the phone and call, or leave them a friendly, encouraging comment.

Where you leave comments:

What your top Friends list looks like, most kids have their youth group (right is top friends, left are slides shows I have created):

We all have imperfections
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that myspace is perfect, or even close to it, but I also believe that you can't take every "fun" thing out of a "Pentecostal" kids life just because it poses a threat. (btw I am UPC) I DO agree with Alicia on this one. To quote her, “, to bury our heads in the sand is not going to make the “problem” go away”. I do realize that myspace could pose a threat, but so does riding in the car.

The devil made me do it
We give the devil to much credit. Everything in life poses a threat, that's why we constantly strive to teach and show kids the right way. It seems as if we (as Pentecostals) constantly ostracize our kids. These days it appears that every new age "fun" (seemingly to kids) thing that comes along we immediately ban it. "It's going to harm our kids". There are other ways to make your kids be separate from the world. News flash, appearance/Holiness is a HUGE start!! I worry that we have painted this negative image of ourselves that we can’t have fun and live under a rock. I couldn’t even count the number of times that people have asked “YOU’RE Pentecostal? How come you don’t look like the normal one? They usually have long jean skirts and big hair. You aren’t allowed to DO anything right?”

Exhibit A: HOLINESS! lol

What have we left our kids to do for entertainment? Some of us have banned movies (theatres), rodeos, bowling alleys, restaurants that serve alcohol, “sinner” friends (aka Philistines), and so much more. What should they do? Play scrabble all night? Why do we think we are losing so many of our young people once they go to college and enter into the "real world"? If we never let them grow up in it, then they are absolutely not prepared for it when they enter into it and one day they will. Everything can't be bad. I believe it's by your own personal conviction, or your Pastor's teaching. We are all under the umbrella of protection of our Pastor, so we should abide by his teachings. I do however think that the more you restrict from kids the more they will rebel.


Hidden agendas
I wish that people could look beyond a few articles with hidden agendas and see that sometimes things can be used for the good. Lets face the facts: these kids are going to be on myspace (or other related social sites), you don't have much control over that. What you can do is preach/teach about it and how you can use it for the good. Teach kids that okay if you are on it, let this be your light you shine. Let this be the lifestyle you want to portray. Let them let their light shine. Teach them that although you can blog about something and vent, that it’s still important to talk to God. Everything in Moderation; Simply put. If you spend more time on ESPN, AOL chatting, Bowling alley, Rodeo, or on myspace than you do with God then that’s wrong.

I don't know how many of you have a direct connection with kids (that aren't your own and aren't afraid to confide in you), but this world is tough. I think our quizzers do an amazing job of being normal and making the right decisions. I grew up in a public school and know all about the "lifestyles" of the world, which today it’s a whole new ball game. I think that my quizzers have done a wonderful job of balancing out their lives. We have tried not to tell them "NO, you can't do that", but instead, teach them to say no themselves. We try to instill in them what’s right from wrong. If we can’t trust our own pupils then how does that reflect us, ME, the teacher? Anyway, at the risk of sounding redundant, I will sign off here.

Oh yeah. If you want to peruse for yourself, feel free to use my myspace. You don’t have to have an account.


Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

We hope that all of our readers who are Fathers had a fantastic Father’s day!! My [Chauntay] Father’s day and weekend passed by fairly uneventful. Thank God. I enjoy my busy lifestyle, but sometimes it’s just nice to spend time with your family do you know what I mean? My aunt and uncle are missionaries (Showalter’s) and they were in town this weekend, and their son and family. So Friday night was spent on the campgrounds at youth camp (14-15 yr old), which btw did you know they were little pranksters? Well, they are. Anyway, Saturday morning I got to meet my mother, future sister in law, her mom and four wedding coordinators at the church to discuss wedding “stuff” and visit the wedding site, what a joy. Then I got to return to church to attend our Azusa Street play meeting, also a joy :). THEN I got to go to my aunt and uncles house to visit with family for the rest of the night. Father’s day was nice, we had church and then as a family we went to my dad’s favorite Mexican restaurant. I love my family, they really are the best!! All in all a great weekend!

My [Alicia] weekend was spent in St. Louis visiting my dad. My brother, Arlen, and I left after work Friday night and had almost made it to the Mississippi River when Arlen hit a ROUS (rodent of unusual size for the Princess Bride fans). This creature came out of nowhere and gave its life to try to cross the interstate. The impact resulting in the car immediately making an abnormal noise and we pulled over. No flat tires and no visible damage but looked like something may be leaking underneath. We continued driving to my parents and I attempted to read his owner’s manual to determine what might be leaking. I started to smell something weird and then thought there was damage. The smell was the plastic on the owner’s manual. Happily, the ROUS had just torn the mud flap which caused the noise and was easily repaired.
The rest of the weekend was fine seeing friends, eating Imo’s Pizza, and hanging out with my parents.

My dad is still battling cancer and is supposed to start a new chemo treatment today. Please say a prayer for my dad, Rudy Becton. Thanks.



Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!