I am so happy and proud to have friends like this:
From the Xanga of my good friend James, currently attending Marine Corps Officer Candidate School:
July 11th. It came fast, and I'm sure glad that it did. But now things have changed. These last three weeks have got me sweatin, for sure. I'll be honest- I"m a little nervous. Of course, God never gives you more than you can handle. Especially when He's there with you.
Most of the phone calls and posts on this site have been upbeat and positive. The reason being was that that's generally how I feel. Still. Excited, willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. That has not changed. However, there is a definite difference in how I look at things. And people. Like these boys running around with their daggone earrings and pants hangin halfway off their @$$es. Drivin around hangin out the window yellin and screamin is OK. I'll do plenty of that when I get back. But dressing like a punk @$$ idiot is not cool, and makes me want to drag them out of the car and ......
Anyhow, my views are changing a little. I think I'm starting to think more like my Dad in those areas. I see guys, and I'm like, hey punk, tuck your shirt in. Iron your clothes. Hey, stand up straight, don't slouch. Speak with authority when you talk. Don't be a WUSS. Oh, is it hot? SHUT UP. You don't know the first thing about hot. Neither do I. But there are some that do. Open the door for that young lady or I'm gonna throw you through the window. Wow, maybe I'm a little violent. Haha. Yep. Bottled aggression. It's a beautiful thing.
On another note...
As I've said many times before, we take things for granted. We take EVERTHING FOR GRANTED. I'm not talking about the things I'm missing out on right now . Those are minor and really insignificant. Except missing my family. Now that is significant. But every single day we get up, eat our breakfast, and go about our daily routine worrying about minor things, and ignoring the great things. Our entire nation has forgotten the meaning of the word "thankful". Believe it or not, we are blessed. We are blessed by the Grace of God when in reality we don't deserve it in the least bit. In America, we are given safety, freedom to choose what is best for our families, and the ability and environment to pursue our aspirations. On Sunday, if we want to worship the Lord, we can do so. America is not the great evil. Certain people in charge of this country in the past have been. I listened to an arguement in the squad bay the other day between one of the candidates who is somewhat Liberal from the Virginia Military Institute( a good guy, I'm dang glad he's in our platoon), and a prior Lance Corporal who was in the middle of Fallujah during the massive sweep of that Iraqi #$%hole. His job, for eight straight hours, was to smash in the door on each house with a sledgehammer. They cleared over 100 houses. He said that behind each door, there could have been someone there, and he would have been toast. Thankfully most of the houses were empty. Anyhow, they were arguing about the state of America. The more Liberal candidate was feeling the whole "America is somewhat responsible for our current situation, due to our stupidity and past actions, and that America is basically a huge hypocrisy. The Lance Corporal said OK. But when you get over there, and see what some of the rest of the world is like, you will love the fact that you have a peaceful place to come home to. And a peaceful place for your families to reside in. I tell you though, I pray war protesters never get in front of that Lance Corporal. LOL. He's not really sympathetic to their cause.
I am gonna have to ask all of you for a huge favor. At any point this week, when you pray, please throw me and all the boys from Charlie Company, 5th Platoon, a good word in there with the Big Man. Week 7 was traditionally the week for the Crucible. Now, however, we have Hell Week. Monday and Tuesday will be the most difficult, painful, physical training days we've had. They are trying to break us. Why do I mention Monday and Tuesday? Because who did they decide to put in charge of the first two days of Hell Week. Yep. Who's the goose. Me. Hey, I'm all about it. Bring it on. Tomorrow morning starts out with a 5-mile individual run at a 7 minute per mile pace. Then that is followed by more upper body workouts than I can describe, plus warm down exercises. I have to stay motivated and control the crew. I'm the Platoon Sergeant from tomorrow at 0400 till Wednesday at the same time. Pray for me to maintain my bearing, my command presence, and my ability to motivate the boys. Some of them are struggling pretty bad. I am struggling with the running. I'm still gaining weight though. 158. Slowly approaching that 160 mark I've always wanted. Although, when I have my shirt off in the squad bay, Gunnery Sergeant Horton always says "Hey McKendree, who are you trying to impress? "No one Gunnery Sergeant!" "That's right, so put that bird back in its cage!" "Aye aye, Gunnery Sergeant!". I laugh, and so does everyone else. It's good for us. Horton always makes us laugh, and he doesn't break us when we do. He's a good man. He'll walk through the squad bay and just teach us randomn things we should know. Some days he'll say "Some of you think you can make it without Jesus. You're wrong. But you'll figure it out. Oh yeah, you will. Ha Ha."
"McKendree, daggone cowboy. Shut yo mouf befoa I bust in you in yo toof."
LOL. God is here. Aint it great. I will be praying for all of you this week, and I pray that the hurricane does not reach yall or your families. Take care, miss yall. And go hug my folks and my sister and Franklin, and Pepa, if you dare.
C-130 rollin down the strip...Charlie 5 gonna take a little trip...stand up, buckle up, and shuffle to the door...jump right out and shout MARINE CORPS...And if my chute don't open wide...I've got a reserve by my side...and if that one should fail me too...St. Peter open up I'm a comin on through........
Semper Fi, do or die, F the other guy.
James
July 11th. It came fast, and I'm sure glad that it did. But now things have changed. These last three weeks have got me sweatin, for sure. I'll be honest- I"m a little nervous. Of course, God never gives you more than you can handle. Especially when He's there with you.
Most of the phone calls and posts on this site have been upbeat and positive. The reason being was that that's generally how I feel. Still. Excited, willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. That has not changed. However, there is a definite difference in how I look at things. And people. Like these boys running around with their daggone earrings and pants hangin halfway off their @$$es. Drivin around hangin out the window yellin and screamin is OK. I'll do plenty of that when I get back. But dressing like a punk @$$ idiot is not cool, and makes me want to drag them out of the car and ......
Anyhow, my views are changing a little. I think I'm starting to think more like my Dad in those areas. I see guys, and I'm like, hey punk, tuck your shirt in. Iron your clothes. Hey, stand up straight, don't slouch. Speak with authority when you talk. Don't be a WUSS. Oh, is it hot? SHUT UP. You don't know the first thing about hot. Neither do I. But there are some that do. Open the door for that young lady or I'm gonna throw you through the window. Wow, maybe I'm a little violent. Haha. Yep. Bottled aggression. It's a beautiful thing.
On another note...
As I've said many times before, we take things for granted. We take EVERTHING FOR GRANTED. I'm not talking about the things I'm missing out on right now . Those are minor and really insignificant. Except missing my family. Now that is significant. But every single day we get up, eat our breakfast, and go about our daily routine worrying about minor things, and ignoring the great things. Our entire nation has forgotten the meaning of the word "thankful". Believe it or not, we are blessed. We are blessed by the Grace of God when in reality we don't deserve it in the least bit. In America, we are given safety, freedom to choose what is best for our families, and the ability and environment to pursue our aspirations. On Sunday, if we want to worship the Lord, we can do so. America is not the great evil. Certain people in charge of this country in the past have been. I listened to an arguement in the squad bay the other day between one of the candidates who is somewhat Liberal from the Virginia Military Institute( a good guy, I'm dang glad he's in our platoon), and a prior Lance Corporal who was in the middle of Fallujah during the massive sweep of that Iraqi #$%hole. His job, for eight straight hours, was to smash in the door on each house with a sledgehammer. They cleared over 100 houses. He said that behind each door, there could have been someone there, and he would have been toast. Thankfully most of the houses were empty. Anyhow, they were arguing about the state of America. The more Liberal candidate was feeling the whole "America is somewhat responsible for our current situation, due to our stupidity and past actions, and that America is basically a huge hypocrisy. The Lance Corporal said OK. But when you get over there, and see what some of the rest of the world is like, you will love the fact that you have a peaceful place to come home to. And a peaceful place for your families to reside in. I tell you though, I pray war protesters never get in front of that Lance Corporal. LOL. He's not really sympathetic to their cause.
I am gonna have to ask all of you for a huge favor. At any point this week, when you pray, please throw me and all the boys from Charlie Company, 5th Platoon, a good word in there with the Big Man. Week 7 was traditionally the week for the Crucible. Now, however, we have Hell Week. Monday and Tuesday will be the most difficult, painful, physical training days we've had. They are trying to break us. Why do I mention Monday and Tuesday? Because who did they decide to put in charge of the first two days of Hell Week. Yep. Who's the goose. Me. Hey, I'm all about it. Bring it on. Tomorrow morning starts out with a 5-mile individual run at a 7 minute per mile pace. Then that is followed by more upper body workouts than I can describe, plus warm down exercises. I have to stay motivated and control the crew. I'm the Platoon Sergeant from tomorrow at 0400 till Wednesday at the same time. Pray for me to maintain my bearing, my command presence, and my ability to motivate the boys. Some of them are struggling pretty bad. I am struggling with the running. I'm still gaining weight though. 158. Slowly approaching that 160 mark I've always wanted. Although, when I have my shirt off in the squad bay, Gunnery Sergeant Horton always says "Hey McKendree, who are you trying to impress? "No one Gunnery Sergeant!" "That's right, so put that bird back in its cage!" "Aye aye, Gunnery Sergeant!". I laugh, and so does everyone else. It's good for us. Horton always makes us laugh, and he doesn't break us when we do. He's a good man. He'll walk through the squad bay and just teach us randomn things we should know. Some days he'll say "Some of you think you can make it without Jesus. You're wrong. But you'll figure it out. Oh yeah, you will. Ha Ha."
"McKendree, daggone cowboy. Shut yo mouf befoa I bust in you in yo toof."
LOL. God is here. Aint it great. I will be praying for all of you this week, and I pray that the hurricane does not reach yall or your families. Take care, miss yall. And go hug my folks and my sister and Franklin, and Pepa, if you dare.
C-130 rollin down the strip...Charlie 5 gonna take a little trip...stand up, buckle up, and shuffle to the door...jump right out and shout MARINE CORPS...And if my chute don't open wide...I've got a reserve by my side...and if that one should fail me too...St. Peter open up I'm a comin on through........
Semper Fi, do or die, F the other guy.
James