When I joined the Air Force, there were things about Basic Military Training (BMT) that my recruiter forgot to share. To be fair, I didn’t know what I should ask, so I’ll give my recruiter the benefit of the doubt in that he shared only what I needed to know. I wonder if I still would’ve joined if he’d had shared I would need to run? Things that make you go hmmm.
The first morning on BMT my flight was called to the day room. They referred all the trainees assigned to a particular group a flight. The temporary flight Technical Instructor (TI) had us all sit down around him and he led the “getting to know you” session.
All I remembered was my step-father saying before I left: “Don’t volunteer for anything”. I was cool with those instructions.
Question by question was answered by the raising of hands with no ramifications. Sneaky. Then the TI asked this question: “How many of you were ever in a marching band”? My hand shot up along with a few others and he pointed at each raised hand and said: “1,2,3,4,5.” you’re my squad leaders and my flag bearer”. He also pointed to another gal and dubbed her “flight chief”.
Wait! What? Seriously, what just happened? My mind screamed, I didn’t volunteer, I didn’t volunteer! Yet, there I found myself out on the “pad” standing in the front of the fourth squad. Awesome.
The pad was the slab of concrete where we formed up in the mornings or any other time we were called to form up.
The flag bearer was the shortest of us voluntold trainees. The flag bearer stood in front of the fourth squad. That would be me. Let me paint a picture. I’m 5’8. She was maybe 5’2′. The gal who stood directly behind me, well she was a giant. Okay, not a giant but she was at least 6 foot tall.
This gal who stood behind me came prepared for BMT. Her recruiter must’ve shared everything with her. Her hair was super short. She’d be training for months for the running portion of our government paid for “vacation”. She was tall, lanky, and had a bit of a southern drawl. I can still see and hear her as I type this. Crazy how some things stick with you.
The first time our flight showed up to the track we were told we would have to run in formation and go no faster than our tiny flag bearer. I was totally ok with that as running was in no way my thing.
Thank the Lord our flag bearer was a bit older and like me, didn’t consider herself a runner. Whew!
Tall gal behind me let it be know with every step she was not happy. She barked things at us, like, “move it,” and “go faster,” over and over. All her training, and all her barking could not make the flag bearer go any faster. But she got a lot of lip from me telling her to knock it off that she wasn’t helping.
Guess the recruiter didn’t share with tall gal that no amount of preparation could totally prepare her for the reality of BMT.
We eventually found our groove and tall gal stopped barking at us and most of us graduated BMT. In 6 weeks we went from a motely ragtag crew to a polished team. During those weeks, there was a lot of laying our former selves down. We had to learn to get along with many different personalities.
It’s not always easy following the rules and looking our for each other. Such was the case for those that got sent home. BMT was all about learning to become a team.
Back to my barking friend and the point of this story. While we were running the flag bearer had “control”. But, she wanted control. Hence the barking out of her demands.
I have to admit. I’ve done the same thing when it comes to the things I think are taking longer in my life that I’d like. So, I “bark” at God. It’s my way of telling Him, He needs to “move it” or “go faster”. It’s my way of trying to take control.
Just like the flag bearer wasn’t on my friend’s time table. God is not on mine. In fact, let’s look at what the Bible has to say about God’s timing:
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.“
2 Peter 3:8 (NIV)
God’s time table is not the same as ours. His time table is infinitely more bigger than we could ever imagine. His time table is all about ALL people coming to Christ. However that looks like.
So, I can “bark” at God all I like, but in the end, He’ll still move at His pace and His timing. He’s my flag bearer and keeping pace with Him, will keep the peace within me.
Have an amazing day my friends. Please say a prayer for my Moose, he’s got something going on with his eye and while he’s still being all barky, he’s not himself. Much love to you!
Blessed to be Broken 
Leave a Reply