That's Mob, as in "Mobe", not Mawb; short for "mobilization."
Mob stress has many facets. The greatest is the unknown: What will happen during the year I'm gone? How will my kids do without me around? Will my family be safe? Will my wife find someone else? (I don't worry about that one at all - Cheri is awesome! Some, however, do not leave behind a happy home.) Will I make it home? Will my friends and family keep me in mind while I'm gone? These and dozens of other concerns haunt the deploying soldier as he goes through the myriad tasks and classes necessary to prepare for the war zone. They are questions with no immediate answers. They will hang, partially submerged in the sub-conscious, for a year.
Other stressors come in to play, including the organizational and administrative pressures, the long hours, the fears about rushing into the lion's teeth, etc. Having been through it before, I find I am quite a bit less stressed about these things. It may surprise many friends to find out that I am not impatient in the process. No, seriously! The guy who hates waiting at red lights and can't do snail mail because he enjoys the instant gratification of email (and now Facebook) is fine with just sitting at each station and enduring the uncertainties of Army paperwork.
I see the administrative difficulties weighing on the troops. By themselves, as you know, such pains can create enough stress. Now add to it the aforementioned additional stressors, some of which include danger to life and limb, and you have hyper-stress. I thank God that I feel less wound up by these "little things" this time and more focused on reminding others of the wisdom of patient endurance. (My wife must be chuckling reading this, wondering where her husband went!)
We have a year in front of us. There will be stressors aplenty - some quite solemn. I will take the current ones philosophically, with a greater awareness of those around me. Perhaps this is the meaning of the prayer, "God grant me the serenity..." Or, better, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done..."
Let's see...a year of not seeing another fellow brother in Christ. Chris you will be missed. What a better prayer than the Lord's own:
ReplyDeleteOur Father who is in heaven, hallowed be YOUR NAME. YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For YOURS is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, AMEN. As much as we will be with you in prayer and in spirit, the physical is always nicer. But the Lord does his own work in all of our lives for His will to be accomplished.
Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." This scripture has helped me see more of the light of marriage and what I have gone through. Marriage is my ministry and calling. God given that I might be more conformed to the image of Jesus. Boy is it tough. Am I willing to do anything to be conformed to the image of His Son? OUCH!!! I've learned that I must be full of grace, mercy, and unconditional love. Mercy being not giving somebody what they deserve. Grace being giving somebody what they don't deserve. Unconditional love being loving somebody who doesn't meet all the conditions. Who knew that marriage was so hard!?! Praise God that He has given me the grace to learn all this and for forgiving me of my sin in the process of learning this. Praise the Lord for He is worthy to be praised. Blessed be Your name Jesus, in whom I place my trust and life. Lord, give Chris your blessing as he is getting ready to deploy. Protect and Watch over his family. Help Cheri with this task to watch over the household now while Chris is gone. Be with his kids that they continue to grow in the saving knowledge of Jesus. Bless Chris and I know that you will go with Him and be with Him as he proclaims your Gospel. The truth of you who has reconciled us back to a relationship with you even though we don't deserve it. Thank you Lord and Praise your Holy Name that is above everything. God be praised and your name be proclaimed that the heathen will know that you are God. Bless you Jesus. Let God's peace, blessing, and love be with you always brother. God bless! In our saviour Jesus' name. AMEN!!!