by khurst2@gmail.com | Oct 1, 2024 | Memoriam, News
Memorial Notice
Phillipa Howard (Lipa)
Mother of Admiral Michelle Howard (Retired)
The National Naval Officers Association mourns the loss of Phillipa Howard (Lipa), the beloved mother of Admiral Michelle Howard (Retired). Lipa passed peacefully on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at the age of 91.
Lipa will be remembered as a radiant soul whose presence brought joy to all who knew her. She spent the last seven years of Admiral Howard’s career living with her daughter and Wayne, considering it her final adventure. The Navy spouses who embraced Lipa as their own made her an integral part of the Navy family.
Lipa’s memory will live on in the hearts of her loved ones and the countless individuals who were fortunate enough to have known her.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Oct 1, 2024 | Chaplain, News
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though you may stumble, you will not fall, for the Lord upholds you with his hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
I’m tired. I’m more than tired. I’m worn out. I don’t drink or smoke, but I have strongly considered taking up both vices these past few days because I feel burdened, like a heavy weight is on my shoulders.
It feels like when you do back squats. The weight sits on your shoulders and pushes you down, and it is a struggle to stand up. To do it correctly, you can’t rely on momentum to get up. You must control the weight, which means your legs, core, and back must be strong. If you want to make it a full-body workout, then you do an overhead squat, which entails holding the barbell over your head and then going into the squat. That means your arms must become stronger. Typically, you do a couple of rounds, gradually increasing the weight of each round until you reach your max. When you reach your max, your next goal is to surpass that.
This workout hurts. You wake up the next day thinking you need to be in traction. But the interesting thing is, if you consistently work out, it only hurts for a few days. The pain is a sign that you are getting stronger. And the stronger you get, the easier it becomes to get up.
The same is true for tests and trials. They come to make us stronger. But the only way we can get stronger is to keep getting up. Each time we pass a level, we become stronger. When we feel stuck on a level that requires more training to build up our muscles. The more you train at that level, the stronger you become until you can stand back up without straining.
Keep standing up because that’s the only way to get that weight off your shoulders.