God In Basic Training!

Humorous story of my first day in boot camp.

Sister on another blog said to me the other day that life is like bootcamp for Jesus. It got me thinking of a my first day in basic training for the U.S.A.F. But before I can tell the story I have to back up a little to what was going on in my life before basic training.

Life was what seemed like a standstill. I was working 2 jobs, broke up the my boyfriend *again*, no car, could not go to college because I had no money. My job in the house was to clean the bathroom every Saturday morning. This one particular day while cleaning the bathroom, my dad came in to do his weekly white glove check. Seriously he did do this. Then he told me to put the toilet seat up in the bathroom because I was complaining about the boys (my brothers) peeing on the seats and floor. So I did something really stupid.... I argued with my dad. I took some toilet paper from the toilet paper holder and wiped off the pee on the floor and threw it at my dad; and told him that I am not going to lift the seat for those lazy boys. Now if you knew my dad you would realize that I am in for a beating of my life. But this time my dad stood there in amazement or something and tears came from his eyes. Oh No, I am in big trouble now, so I did the next best thing..... I ran out of the house for dear life.

So now what am I going to do? I can't go home because I will be dead. I jump on the city bus which I never took before and headed downtown Providence. I had no clue what I was going to do there and it was not a good place to be going at only 17 and alone. I saw a Dunkin Donuts and grabbed a coffee and went for a walk. There was this amazing world that I never knew. Then I start to think about and pray to God what am I going to do? I pass this sign in a window that says, Aim High the Air Force! God is this where you want me? But I felt courageous and free at this moment, peace filled my heart, so I walked in. It was so easy, sign a few papers and left.

Then I realize and fear came upon me.... I still have to go home. I walk through the door with my head down trying to avoid eye contact with my dad. Nothing happened when I got home; all was quiet and then I give my parents the good news!

Now let us go forward to my first day in Basic Training. So many feelings come over you when you realize that you are now owned by the Government. You are only a Social Security number and you don't know what is going to happen next. We meet our Training Instructors and they show us around, get our teeth checked, etc. etc. Finally back to the barracks and our TI's give us our new chores to do and get settled.

So here I am headed with a few other woman and the TI who enters the Latrine. My job you ask for the next 6 weeks you may ask? You guessed it; clean the bathrooms! This gets even better if you are still with me here.....
drum roll please.......... *Put the toilet seats up at Attention*. You are reading correctly we had to put the toilet seats up after each use. Call it what you will, but I burst out laughing so loud and I could not hold it in, tears are running down my face, everyone is looking at me; and I look up to God and think, "God DOES have a sense of humor" and he answered me back interiorly, He said, "Next time listen to your father". O my gosh! I was so paying for my sins that day but also God was telling me that he was with me then, he is with me now and will be all my days.

I have so many stories of God with me in basic training. But one thing is for sure, I learned obedience and discipline from the service; we also have to work together as a team!