God bless those who serve

Last week, another local unit left Brazil, Indiana bound for Iraq. I bid farewell to a new Marine Corps recruit the other day, headed to basic training at Camp Pendleton, California. Today I’m told another local unit already serving in Iraq has had their stay “indefinitely extended.” The news came from a distressed and worried mother:

“Well it is confirmed, and was on CNN. Our soldier Spc Tracee ______ (last name withheld) is in the __________ (unit name withheld) held over for at least four months. Prayers are needed. This is Jeanne The MOM, Diane.
Words of comfort please, our family and his friends are so worried. Thank you” Here’s what I told her…

When something happens that I don't want to happen, when I'm frustrated or out of patience, when my daughter is distressed and I’m searching for the words to help there's a prayer that always comes to mind. I receive it here every once in a while because people know I'm faithful and send prayers often.

This one is so powerful to me that it will soothe my heart and mind every time...but you have to have FAITH to feel the comfort offered within the words.

St. Theresa's Prayer
"May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the love that
has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the
freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one."

Please trust in your faith and in the fact that so MANY AMERICANS ARE PRAYING FOR TRACEE and every other man and woman serving. I don't believe our military has ever been so staunchly supported and hope you know how much this sacrifice your family is making means to so many individuals out there who would love to hug you and thank you personally, but wouldn't know how.

I want you to know this because I take phone calls from grateful Americans almost every day. And I talk to servicemen and women who are deeply touched that for the first time in DECADES, this country's citizens truly are appreciative and aware of the sacrifices made in the name of freedom.

Think about your wonderful soldier and read that prayer again. Every word is true. He is where he is meant to be and he will be home as soon as he possibly can. What he needs (and I'm sure is getting) is a supportive family, not a wailing, worried, freaked out family. ;-) So be as strong for him as he is for you and you'll help each other through this.

Being deployed to the Middle East is, unfortunately, a common thing now. If you saw a list of names you'd probably be stunned at how many local people are, will be or have been over there. That list of willing men and women is VASTLY LARGER than the list of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in our global war on terrorism. The media focuses on loss....I focus on SERVICE. And I pray every day for your soldier's safety on the fields of battle until he is home again and in the bosom of his family.

I think I'll share a favorite quote in closing. I don't know who wrote it, but find it comforting and inspiring:

"When we come to the edge of the light we know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, of this we can be sure - Either God will provide something solid to stand on or we will be taught to fly."

God bless those who serve.

Heroes and Humanity

Drew Slater will be the first to tell you he’s no hero. At 23, he will leave soon for basic training in the United States Marine Corps in San Diego. By military standards, he’s getting up there in years. And up to now I hear he’s led a life remarkable mostly in its chain of bad choices, poor decisions and moral uncertainties. I'm not telling tales, that's just about a direct quote from Drew himself. So why choose to join the military?

Drew says, “I want them to break me…and rebuild me into a better man.” I was surprised he was aware of the psychological goals of boot camp and was still anxious to go, given how much I’d heard about the past he was trying to overcome. I would have thought such a young man would fear the discipline and authority he had mostly rejected in his civilian life. I would have been wrong.

The true measure of a man is in his actions and everything about this young man speaks to his future, not his past; from the way his arm slips almost subconsciously around his worried mother’s shoulder to the way he affectionately roughhouses with his young son. He has set perhaps the most important goal of his life and judging by his eager attitude, it doesn’t seem like he’ll have much trouble attaining it.

No, in today’s world the word “hero” is bandied about far too frequently when talking about our troops. I imagine it’s the public’s attempt to turn a brave face toward this global war on terror. Unfortunately, reality has reared its ugly head more than once under scrutiny, and some have not stood up well in the glare of its light. It doesn’t help that many media outlets turn a blind eye to the good being done in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to feed the insatiable appetite of the public.

But that won’t stop me from looking for the good stuff, whether it be a small campaign to generate school supplies for the Iraqi children one of our local units adopted or simply stopping to shake the hand of a man wearing a Vietnam Veterans hat at our annual car show. And sometimes I find the good stuff in the most unlikely of candidates, like Drew Slater, future U.S. Marine.

I’ll keep you posted.