Divine Message?

cb7893

10-Year Member
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Dec 6, 2011
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So, I was at the health club yesterday with my 2017 USNA aspirant. I was doing post holiday penance and my son was trying to get his pull-ups into double digits.

While we were refilling our water bottles, up walked our US congressman, wearing of all things, navy colored gym shorts with big gold USNA letters.

This has got to mean something. Right?
 
That's when your DS walks up to him and introduces himself!

GO NAVY!
 
THATS AWESOME!!! :biggrin::thumb::biggrin: I would have been so stoked if I saw my congresswoman at a gym. Guess internet will have to suffice....
 
He did in fact. I'm just glad it wasn't my older, cheekier son. He would have asked, "How does a guy get a pair of those shorts?":wink:

LOL! Followed shortly thereafter by "Sign me up!". Certainly can't hurt that younger son met him in a casual atmosphere. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that conversation. :biggrin:
 
LOL! Followed shortly thereafter by "Sign me up!". Certainly can't hurt that younger son met him in a casual atmosphere. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that conversation. :biggrin:

You mean when I told I was setting up a super PAC.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
My older DS met congressman at a pancake breakfast, only about 20 people there and DS was by far the youngest...and tallest.. He walked right up to congressman and introduced himself, stating he was going to be seeking his nomination.

Congressman got the staff over to get his info, had a flag personally delivered directly to his Eagle Scout ceremony, and DS got the nomination.

(OK there were a few steps involved...but staff remembered older DS when younger DS applied for (and received) nomination)
 
Some might call that a mere stroke of good luck. Some might say coincidence. Some might say a moment of serendipity. Some might say fantastic timing. :confused:

I believe the OP called it precisely what that moment was. Watch for more. When one really believes divinely, Divinity appears.:thumb:

Don't stop Believin'! Gives yours the eternal advantage.:cool:
 
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It is certainly nice to be able to make a positive impression but do not go on overkill.

I recall seeing one post in the lines of parents telling DS/DD to send pictures of him/her doing a flag ceremony where that MOC was at the event in his/her nom nom app package. Result:got a nom from another MOC but that that one.

I believe almost everybody knows somebody close to a MOC.

I got a senatorial nomination without ever meeting nor making contact with my senator.
 
^Navy2016 you hit it right on the head. Nothing can replace taking care of what you control. DD has two MOC noms to USNA and NROTC Scholarship and no one in our family has met or knows them or thier staff. She simply took care of her grades, her ACT/SAT, a few clubs, 4 year letter winner and team captain. She didn't have the hundreds of hours of volunteering or president of a club, just solid academic performance and has great confidence when speaking to people.
 
I disagree, i.e. suggesting this was not in the control of the OP. All depends on what you ... and he believe, doesn't it? In any case I sense this thread is meandering toward debating the merits of managing an unplanned meeting with one who can make or break the deal. I think this is a no-brainer calling for extemporaneous action. When given that opportunity? Give it your best handshake, smile, and moment. No time to be a shrinking violet. Do you think the MOC got elected not pumping every hand in his/her gym? If you believe that one, you've not been paying any attention to Iowa.
 
WP, you are correct about taking advantage of the opportunity. However, if you haven't taken care of the things you control it doesn't matter if you meet the MOC or not. It was just there was an implication from a couple post that becuase they met the MOC they got the nomination. I would guess they met the MOC AND were excellent candidates which is why the MOC (or thier staff) remembered them because lets face it, if you drop the ball when meeting the MOC they would also remember you but for different reasons.
 
No time to be a shrinking violet. Do you think the MOC got elected not pumping every hand in his/her gym? If you believe that one, you've not been paying any attention to Iowa.

Truth be told, we live in a lowkey midwestern place and I don't think anyone recognized him other than my son and me. My son had met him several years ago. It was actually nice because he was there with his family, playing racquetball with his 7 year old daughter. Because on my profession, he asked if I had read Michael Lewis's book, Boomerang. Talked about how he met him Mr. Lewis at the Capital and he couldn't get any of his colleagues interested. He asked my son about his life. We talked about the possibility of a $4-5 trillion tax/entitlement/spending grand bargain this summer. He introduced us to his wife and a few of his daughters. It was just three guys talking.

Where I live (and I'm not a native), people not only have a BS detector, but they really resent people who try to lay it on. It works both ways.

It was just a nice serendipitous thing that happened. Working it would have ruined the moment. My son summed it up perfectly, "Can you believe it, that was so cool."
 
...Where I live (and I'm not a native), people not only have a BS detector, but they really resent people who try to lay it on. It works both ways.

It was just a nice serendipitous thing that happened. Working it would have ruined the moment. My son summed it up perfectly, "Can you believe it, that was so cool."

Just a few final thoughts on this fine opportunity:

1. bs detectors only go off when it is.

2. I've never known a pretty girl nor a politician who did not love romance, the essence of which is being pursued.

3. I'd bet my entire piggy bank you've not run for office nor chaired a fund-raising campaign. I'm confident, recognizing you've a son, that you have pursued a pretty girl and part of the benefit was the bs you fed her who is now hoping USNA will love him. :thumb:

No matter any of this! Best wishes to he who's been blessed to be in the hunt for a USNA Midshiperson slot.:rolleyes: Remember being blessed requires a Blesser! :wink:Go Navy! :thumb:
 
My DS was at a service academy night hosted by our Congresaman a few years ago. The event was very well-attended and we were feeling pretty pessimistic about nomination possibilities. We were among the last to leave the event. The chief aid to the Congressman had a dead battery in the parking lot and DS came to his rescue with jumper cables. They had a nice conversation at the time. My DS got back in the car afterward and said, "Thank you, God." He ended up getting three nominations from that MOC. Don't stop believing!
 
kp, I love it!
Ditto!

A book could and should be written about the many "coincidences," "accidents," "happenstances" that became regular occurences for us during this long walk for ours.

As one then-USNA new acquaintance and now-friend called these mini-miracles, " Divine Appointments kept enroute to his Divine Appointment." :angel:

We got to the point of looking for them regularly, often, and were always such encouragements :thumb:to the confounded and confused. :confused:

The really Good News though is that the appointment process to USNA was simply coincidental to His Divine Appointments. They are there for everyone who seeks them. :wink:
 
A good example

Strange how things do work out. Because of a scheduling conflict earlier in the year, my daughter needed to work out something to do 7th period. Today she got assigned to a work period in the counselor's office for the 2nd semester. That's THE COUNSELOR's OFFICE. Should help tremendously with her recommendation and gathering all her school "stuff" at end of year. I put this one under the divine category.

PS - All other classes are AP (including Calc and Chem) so this period is an outlier.....not slacking
 
This whole thread sums up everything that my sons are just not yet old enough to understand. So many things in life occur by pure happenstance/luck/divine providence. It can be difficult for an adolescent, who puts forth so much effort to presume to apply to a US SA, to believe that there is much beyond their control.

I like to think of occurances as easy teaching moments.
 
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