Still Waiting...

My Recruiter said that it is unlikely that I will go to the Chaplain board next Wednesday. Ugh. Patience is a virtue.

Last week I went with my nephew Brandon to visit the Battleship New Jersey (BB-62) at the waterfront in Camden. Very Cool. We took the Firepower tour. We got to climb all over the ship:  along the bow where the anchor chains lay, some members of the tour climbed into a bunk, we toured the bridge, we even got to crawl into the turret of the huge 16 inch guns. Everywhere we went the docent told us to “watch your head” or “watch your shins.”  It is very cool to be in something so metal and strong and to picture the sailors going about their daily jobs especially in war times.

Big 16 inch guns of the Battleship New Jersey

It made me think of the few days I spend aboard the USS Vicksburg (CG-69) guided missile cruiser out of Mayport, Florida when I was an engineer. I had supported the install of an upgrade to the Aegis Weapon System. We steamed from Mayport to off the coast of Virginia for some exercises. Two days travel, five days on station and two days back. It was really hard work; I worked 16 hour days and fought to keep my part of the program running as we did some exercises as part of the John F. Kennedy (CV-67) battle group. I remembered sitting at an operator’s computer, typing away on the keyboard as the ship fired the 5 inch gun and the ship rattled. I also remember being on the side of the ship with earplugs in waiting for the Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) to shoot a target. I was called back inside just as the Gatling gun was fired making a quick roar as it fired 3000 rounds per minute!!

As I walked through the Battleship New Jersey’s hallways and stepped through its bulkhead doors, I smiled as I thought of the possibility of being aboard a ship again….this time as a chaplain. I thought that the sailors would be my family – my brothers and sisters – that I was assigned to care for and work with side-by-side. As we toured the officers quarters, I pictured having a room here as an officer and living aboard for however long we were underway.

List of Chaplains for BB-62

But for now, I wait. Listening for God to lead me step by step…