17 June 2013

Pretests

     Completed the required pretests today.  Classes start tomorrow, but already have reading homework!  It will take some getting used to, homework and all! 

     On the Board of Governors exam pre-test, my score was a 69.  It has 100 questions and covers primarily civilian healthcare questions.  Not too bad based on my experience in both civilian and military healthcare.

     Hopefully I will blog, or journal, as much as I can over the next 12 months about my experiences both in class and outside of class.

16 June 2013

Two Weeks- Two Churches

LAST WEEK, I attended a church that I attended back in 1995 when I was here for AMEDD Officer Basic Course.  It is in an old shopping mall- where the main sanctuary is where an anchor store was.  The teaching was good and scriptural.  However, when reading bulletin, I noticed the main 'thought' for the day.  It was from Sara Young's book "Jesus Calling".  Read an excellent review by Tim Challies here.

It does have a Scripture referent below it from Psalm 29:11 "The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace."  Young takes this simple truth from the Word of God and improves upon it!  She spends three very wordy sentences to help explain what Jesus said for her to write.

Her messages 'from Jesus' border on direct revelation.  The last time I checked, Jesus speaks to us directly from His word.  There is NO new revelation.  John and Paul are very clear on this topic in 2 John 1:10 and 2 Cor 11:4 respectively.

Unfortunately, this is what today's emotional-based people want in writing. Someone who can 'fluff up' the Word of God.  What we end up with is a bunch of words that mean absolutely nothing.  It tickles our ears and warms our hearts (ugh!).  Makes us feel so good about ourselves. 

My question to the one who reviewed and approved the bulletin:  Why would you put a wordy paraphrase as the headline, then reference the Scripture?  Why not print the actual Bible verse?  I do not understand that thought process.  What troubles me more is obviously someone in authority is reading this book and thinks highly enough to quote it in the Sunday morning bulletin.  Another slippery slope of discernment in today's church trying to be relevant (read= like the world) rather than salt and light (called out and separate).

THIS WEEK, another church visit.  Attended the contemporary service at 930am rather than the traditional service at 11am.  They have a big 'Save and Serve San Antonio' project going on that works with many different faith-based service programs.  Of course, SA is a large city with a lot of needs.  The promotion is encouraging in that it is not ashamed that those churches that are involved will serve AND evangelize those in need.  Anything a New-Testament church does that does not include the Gospel of Jesus Christ is just a service project. 

The Bible tells us how we (and the Church) is supposed to serve others- Chapter 2 in the book of James spells it out very clearly: 

14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
I will visit again in a couple of weeks as visit a couple of other churches in the area.

       


13 June 2013

A new chapter and a new adventure for the Winslows

     On Wednesday, May 22nd we started on a new adventure.  Sadly for the next year, they are two adventures in two different locations.  Many significant events have taken place over the past couple of weeks.

1.  I started the Army-Baylor Master's of Healthcare Administration/MBA program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  It is year-long didactic program with a follow-on one year residency.  The program is a traditional two-year MHA/MBA program crammed into one year.  For someone who has not sat in a formal classroom in 20 years, it will be a challenge.

2.  We sold (unexpectedly very quick) our house. We did this as a future contingency- there is a chance that my residency would not be at Fort Knox.  This would avoid Rebekah from having to do all the things that would be required for her to sell the house one year from now.  This was a prudent, although strange to some, plan for us.  We moved out of the house and into an apartment in E'Town.  For the next year Rebekah won't have to worry about maintenance, lawn mowing, etc.  We will save a lot of money while I am in San Antonio.

3.  I am living in a 'trailer down by the river' in San Antonio.  We decided that it was less expensive for me to live in our camper at the 'Alamo Kampground of America'.  It is a very nice place so far.  It is exactly 2.1 miles from the 'School House' (Army Medical Department's Center and School) where my classes are located.

It is very difficult to be away from the family.  I miss them terribly, but I am not alone as there are about ten of us who are here without their families.  There is much more to write, but will write more later.