Miscellaneous Update

Alright, the promised update on school and military plans.

This semester is almost done (two more weeks, Huzzah!); I have a 2.5 page Freedom's paper, 8 page Rhetoric paper (I'll be writing a rhetorical criticism of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"), a post-test, and a few finals, and I am done. I'll be done with DL, in fact, after 5 semesters. Hmmm...my thoughts on that will probably constitute another post, so I'll avoid that tangent for the moment.

I've already registered to go on campus in the fall, so, Lord willing, will be on campus August 19th as a technical sophomore, practical junior (61/63 credits). I've preregistered for English Lit. Seminar I (Dr. Libby), Drama (Dr. Hake!!!!), Metaphysics (Dr. Roberts), and Biology/Lab (Dr. Doran). I've been filling out various forms and talking with a couple DL classmates about being roommates. I actually got to talk to one of them on the phone last week, which was great! It is still hard to believe that in 3 months I'll be in Virginia again and on campus with 300-odd other students, but it is slowly becoming more real. I am, of course, excited, in a complex sort of way. That, if it ever ends up on here, will be another post, as well.

Simply put, last time I left Nebraska (when my family PCSed in 2003), I couldn't wait to leave, for several reasons; this time around, while there are certainly some things I will leave gladly, there are even more certainly things and people I shall miss.

But I am excited about meeting my DL friends, and meeting the faculty at PHC, and finally starting my major studies. And I can't wait to go hiking and camping in the Shenandoahs again! It will be nice to be near my grandparents, as well.

Also, God has more than blessed me as far as paying for school. Besides the HSLDA membership grant, PHC gave me a scholarship which will pay a nice chunk of tuition. The American Legion Auxiliary here in Nebraska also gave me a scholarship: that is kind of a funny story, actually. I found out about their program online and called the local ALA representative, and she had no idea what I was talking about. When she called back, she said "No one's asked about that scholarship from us in a long time, and we've never done this before, but we're definitely sending this in to the state department!! I didn't even know about it! This is so cool!" I have a couple more pending, so I'm keeping that in prayer. The Lord has provided, and will provide the means necessary to work His will!

About the military: Many of you know that I am planning to take Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) classes so that I'll be commissioned in the Army after graduation. Since PHC doesn't take the ROTC scholarship because of their no-government-money policy, I have also been planning to contract with the VA National Guard in what is called the Simultaneous Membership Program: basically, I will drill with the Guard one weekend a month, go to the ROTC summer training camps, will be exempt from deploying with the Guard as long as I'm in ROTC, and will draw pay from the Guard, a stipend from ROTC, and will be eligible for assistance via the GI Bill after my first year. The money, naturally, would go to school (and would be quite an assistance). After I graduate, I have the option of staying in the Guard, or going to Reserves, Active Guard Reserves (full-time Guard), or active duty Army. The plan right now is for me to go active duty.

In the meantime, I am registered to go to ROTC's Leadership Training Camp (LTC) at Ft. Knox, KY, from 6 June to 3 July. That camp is basically catch-up for those who haven't taken the first two years of ROTC, and is sort of "officer's boot camp." I'd like to do regular Basic Training, anyway, but it probably won't work out with the other ROTC summer camps, and isn't required for officers commissioned from ROTC.

I went to Creighton University early Friday morning to take my PT test and be fitted for my uniform. I did well on the push-ups and the 2-mile run, but not so well on the sit-ups, so I'll be working on those before LTC. The uniform should be sent out to me, so I can break in the boots before LTC.

Come August, I'll sign with ROTC at George Mason University, take a 3-hour class on Tuesday, and participate in 3 hours of lab (PT and field training) every Thursday. I'm unequivocally excited about that! Those will all build up to Leadership Development Advancement Course (LDAC) next summer, which will pretty much test us on everything we learned our junior year, and will be our time to "showcase" ourselves for the Army.

Now, I talked to MAJ Simms at GMU yesterday, and he said that, despite what he called "PHC's lack of willingness to take money," ROTC was working on a scholarship that could be paid directly to the student. Those scholarships PHC can take. He said that ROTC is planning for it to cover our room and board (about 1/4 of our total costs). The only catch is that it is not for SMP; it is for ROTC folks only. But it's not that much of a catch: since ROTC is my first priority, and I plan to go active duty, and the scholarship would be more than the Guard drill pay, I asked him to definitely keep me updated on that. It would also avoid the potential (unlikely, but possible), that the Guard would not release me to go active duty after graduation, and the more dangerous and likely potential that I could be pulled from school for a domestic Guard call-out.

Speaking of the Army, my older brother will be back from Iraq in June and will have a month-long leave in July (about the time I get back from LTC), so we're all looking forward to that!

Our Father has been very gracious in working all these things together, to His glory. I look forward to seeing what else He has in store! Have a blessed Sabbath and grace be with you all!

Sola Gratia,
Colin

Psalm 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.