Goals

Many people in my unit have made it their goal to earn the Expeditionary Warfare Badge (EXW) by the end of this deployment. A lofty goal indeed, especially for those who, unlike myself, have not yet earned one (I have the Submarine Warfare Badge). I, on the other hand, still remain undecided as to whether or not I will put forth the effort to get it. I just don't know if it'll be worth it especially with my impending retirement.

Not that I have embarked upon this journey with absolutely no goals whatsoever. Far from it. Rather, I feel my goals are not for the temporal but for the eternal, & I believe earning the EXW - while commendable - would serve only to boost my already enormous ego. The EXW would be worth something to me & my Navy career for only as long as I am in the Navy, which is going to be for a mere 11 months after I return from this deployment. I've already mentioned this to one of my esteemed colleagues to which he rebutted: "Yeah, but it'll sure look good in your shadow box." My shadow box?! I could hardly find it in me to stifle my laughter, because he obviously doesn't know me very well.

Goals. Everyone needs them. And not just in times of turmoil & upheaval. I know a guy here who has a goal to become more like a Marine or a Ranger. I know this because he showed me a Ranger manual he recently purchased. I've also talked with him at length on more than one occasion wherein he confided to me that he either wants to experience combat or be involved in some of the more dangerous chores we, as a unit, are often assigned to do. Personally, I think he just wants a weapon & that scares me. What is even more frightening is that he'll get one. We all do.

I hear that some of the most successful people in the world put their goals on paper & then put it somewhere where they will see it at least daily. I confess I've never before done this but maybe this time I will. The only downside I can foresee with doing this is that not only will I be the one seeing my goals daily but also a vast majority of my shipmates will as well. And they are ruthless. Not to hold me accountable but to tease.

So what are my goals? Well, obviously, I want to get to know my Lord & Saviour better. After all, he consigned Moses to the backside of the desert for 40 years, & even Jesus Himself spent some time in the outback for the purpose of "building character" (not that Jesus needed any "character building" but Moses certainly did). I would also like to lift God up in all I do & to give the glory to Him for every success thereby being a witness for Him. On a more aesthetic level I would like to sport a six-pack for my abs & be in much better shape than I am right now. But that goal is more for my wife's pleasure than for God's glory. I figure I'm allowed a little vanity especially if it's for the love of my life.

So there they are. My goals. And they're written down for all to see. Hopefully you all will be merciful.