Some Gave All

Some Gave All

            I’d like to begin my post with the last scene in the story I began on May 18^th about the lives of soldiers Joe and John and their families:

           “Joe sent me another email yesterday,” Lauren spoke up as she set the table for dinner that afternoon.  “He sent me another picture too,” she added.  “I saved it to my computer while I was at school so I can show it to you all after dinner.”  The doorbell sounded from the foyer, and she shifted her gaze up from the cutlery and napkins.

           “I wonder who that could be,” her mother remarked.  “I don’t think we’re expecting any packages.”  She laid the knife she held down on the kitchen counter beside the bell pepper she was cutting and started toward the foyer, Lauren following her steps.

             And on the threshold of another front door, a similar messenger stood, bearing the same news, and rang the doorbell.  At the sound, Amy entered the foyer, carrying Lily on her hip.  She halted abruptly in her steps as her gaze fell upon the man standing on the other side of the front door glass pane. 

          “Who is it, Mommy?” Christopher asked, coming up behind her.

           She gave no response.  She couldn’t.  The knot of sickening dread and horror that tightened in her middle rendered any speech impossible.  “Dear God, no,” she silently prayed.  Reluctantly she made her way to the door and unlocking it, swung it open on its hinges to reveal the uniformed man standing there.  One glance at the solemnness of his expression, and she knew her fear was true before he even voiced the grave words of her husband’s mortal fate.  She shook her head against the reality as the tears came quickly.  “John.”  The name faded from her lips in a whisper.  She pressed a hand to her mouth to suppress the sobs while they came more violently as the man began to relay his message.

           

            All right, go ahead and consider me a depressing author.  Everyone likes a happy ending to a story, but in real life, not every story ends with a happy reunion.  We all like to hear stories of soldiers going off to war and returning home, but not every soldier does return to his home and family.  It’s real life, as sad as it may be.

            True, the story I posted this past week was completely fictional, but I cannot help wondering how many of our soldiers’ stories actually do end in such similar ways.  My cousin and her parents drove up from their home in Florida this past week to visit me and my family and on Friday, we took them antique shopping in the city-center of Madison, Georgia.  We stopped to eat lunch at a little restaurant called the Madison Chop House Grille, and inside, the walls were partially decorated with blackboards bearing drawings of patriotic symbols- American flags, eagles, and such- for the upcoming Memorial Day, I suppose.  One saying they had written on one of their boards really struck me, however.  “All gave some, some gave all.”  How true this saying really is.  All of our soldiers make a sacrifice, all of our veterans have made a sacrifice, but some of our soldiers truly sacrifice all… their very lives.  Today is Memorial Day, a day to honor those men and women who have given all for the cause of defending our country and the freedoms we enjoy living in America.  Reflect upon those brave men and women who have died for the cause of freedom.  Memorial Day isn’t only for those soldiers who have fallen in modern wars.  It includes all of our soldiers: from the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, WWI and WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, our most recent War on Terror, etc.  The list of casualties goes on.  Let’s take the time to honor our soldiers who have given their lives for us to live in freedom from fear and political oppression and pay special tribute to the sacrifices they and their families made.  To honor our soldiers who have fallen centuries ago, decades ago, a year, a month, or a week ago, or even yesterday. 

            If you are searching in the way of patriotic songs, below I have listed the soldier songs I have collected on my iPod.  They come from pop, country, and Christian genres.  If you’re looking for something a little more thought-provoking and solemn than your typical happily-ever-after reunion, check out Somebody’s Someone, The Hand Song, and Another Soldier’s Song.

Home by Dierks Bentley

Thank You Soldier by Joe Brucato

God Bless The U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

Somebody’s Someone by Lonestar

Letters From War by Mark Schultz

The Hand Song by Nickel Creek

Another Soldier’s Song by Robert Abernathy

It’s America by Rodney Atkins



Fort Sumter, SC



           On April 12^th, 1861, shots were fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, marking the beginning of the American Civil War.  Brother fought against brother, and our nation was divided for the only time in history.  Men from all races, backgrounds, and walks of life enlisted in the Union and Confederate armies.  It’s conservatively estimated that in this first modern war, the casualties related to the war totaled 1,123,073.  Contrary to what some may think, the war was a conflict over more than only the issue of slavery in the country.  Still slavery was certainly one of the primary motivations in the war.  Although several of the disputes in the War Between the States are still seen today unfortunately, facts are facts.  History doesn’t lie, and the North did win the war and slavery was abolished in the United States.

            In November of the first year of the war, a Boston woman by the name of Julia Ward Howe awoke one night while staying in Washington, D.C., and penned the famous lyrics to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which would become one of the most popular songs of the Union troops as they marched in their campaign for the North.  Most of us are familiar with the song to this day.

            Over the centuries, this anthem of freedom has been preserved for generation after generation.  Still to this day, as every soldier signs his name to enlist into our armed forces, the melody of the song resounds in every stroke of the pen.  Its message of freedom still echoes with every footstep our soldiers take on foreign ground as they set off to liberate the captive and bring freedom to all.  I close with the last verse of the song, and may it become an anthem in our lives politically and spiritually.  May God bless the United States of America.

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;

As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,

While God is marching on.

~We’ve all heard of the phrase “pulling on her/ his heartstrings,” but heart-chords?  I was struggling to decide what to name my blog.  I wanted it to be a name that was both creative and meaningful.  As I pondered, my gaze fell upon my acoustic guitar where it stands in my bedroom, and the Lord reminded me that our hearts- our lives- are instruments.  They are constantly in song, but what melody our heart plays is each of our own decisions.  They can play a melody for praise or for entertainment.  A musician selects his songs according to his audience.  So do we.  Whether our audience is the world or the Lord, our song will be different.  This blog is designed to first, increase my awareness in finding God and His guidance in my every day and second, to share the music lessons He teaches me in tuning my heart to learn the chords of praise He longs to play on my heart-instrument.  Music is a powerful tool.  Use it for His glory.  “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

True Liberty

True Liberty

           July 8, 1776, the deep chimes of bells rang out, reverberating across the miles of the nearby countryside, calling the colonial citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to congregate together for the reading of the newly-composed Declaration of Independence.  Historians disagree upon whether or not the Liberty Bell was rung at this time, but there is a possibility that one of the chimes that rang out that day was the rich tone of the famous American icon.

            Living in the United States of America, I have grown up enjoying and taking full advantage of the freedoms of America.  Being an American citizen is a blessing.  Unfortunately so many people nowadays have adopted a custom of misusing the freedoms of this country though.  Freedom of the press and speech does not give you permission to back-stab and gossip about others.  Words hurt.  And it does not free us from following the Lord’s command to “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men…” (1 Pe 2:13)  That respect pertains not only to verbal speech but to what you choose to say through writing as well.  There is a difference between respecting a person for his character and morals though and respecting him for his position of authority.  The tongue is so powerful.  Use it for God’s glory and the edification and support of others.  Freedom of worship does not mean acceptance of false religions.  Freedom from want is not a pass for laziness and does not give you the right be a loafer and a couch potato.  Work is commendable.   

            Our country has so many symbols of liberty: the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the memorials in Washington, D.C., etc.  The list goes on.  Liberty is a beautiful thing, but without true liberty, the freedoms we enjoy here in America mean nothing.  True freedom can only be found in the Lord.  “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Co 3:17)  I love the song “Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is” by Christ Tomlin, which refers to this verse in its lyrics. 

            Just as people misuse the freedoms we enjoy here in America, some also take advantage of the freedom found in the Lord as well.  Freedom does not exempt us from judgment and excuse our misdeeds.  It is not meant to permit sinfulness and wrong-doing, and it does not release us from restraint.  God is a god of boundaries; just consider how the ocean only goes so far and how the earth and all the planets revolve around the sun in perfect ellipses and you cannot deny the fact that He is a god of order and boundaries.  Rather instead, freedom is a means of delivering us from the bondage of our wrong-doing and sins.  “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” (1 Pe 3:16)  The fifth chapter of Galatians provides for us a passage upon the subject of freedom in Christ.  “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Gal 5:13)

            And remember, as I’ve mentioned before, freedom is not free.  Just as our servicemen and women sacrifice their lives to allow us the freedoms we enjoy here in America, so Christ sacrificed His own life to allow us the freedom from sin that we can enjoy by walking with Him.  Let us not take advantage of liberty.  Our country desperately needs a fresh perspective on the use of our freedoms, but true freedom comes with the Spirit of the Lord.  Don’t pray for politics, pray for revival, and reformation, restoration, and renaissance will follow.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 

And continuation to the story (see May 18^th post):

          As the beep followed his wife’s voice on the other end of the line, John left a voicemail for her.  “Hey, Darling, I guess you must be busy getting the kids ready for bed.  I know it’s hard with the change in the time zones and call period’s almost over, but I’ll call you again tonight and maybe we can catch up.  I’ll talk to you then.  I love you.”

           

__________________________________

           

         Gunshots rang out from the middle of nowhere, splitting the air with the sound of round after round.  Explosions came from nearby, sending a thick cloud of smoke and debris into the air, making it difficult to see ahead.  Joe coughed as the dirt in the air choked his throat.  The squeal of another bomb being launched came along with more gunfire, more screams reaching his ears before the sound of another explosion followed.  The generals’ voices came hoarse as they hollered instructions amidst the chaos and commotion.  From everywhere there came gunshots and screams.

          Another scream rang out from close at his side… too close and the voice too familiar.  Joe shifted his gaze away from the scene before him to cast a quick glance at his side, panic striking his core as he made out through the thick air the form of his comrade’s body lying crumpled and motionless on the ground.  “John.”  His call was lost in the raging commotion of the encounter. 

          Hastily he knelt down beside the man, laying aside his gun, and reaching out, rolled the man onto his back to examine him as best as he could.  Still he was motionless from unconsciousness.  Joe checked his pulse.  It was weak, but still beating.

          His training from boot camp returned to his recollection, and he realized he would either have to move the man from the situation and from harm’s way or leave him to die.  There was no hesitation in the decision.  Joe turned, calling for assistance from a fellow soldier nearby, but his voice was once again lost in the uproar.  Still he took no time to consider the task.  It was instinct and ingrained duty.  Straightening from where he bent over the man, he attempted to move the wounded soldier from the field of warfare, dragging the man heavy in unconsciousness.  Suddenly another bomb launched screeching through the air.  Joe heard the sound near behind.  A single thought of horrified panic flashed through his mind but had no time to react before the explosion followed a second later, leaving his thoughts blank and silenced.       

 ~We’ve all heard of the phrase “pulling on her/ his heartstrings,” but heart-chords?  I was struggling to decide what to name my blog.  I wanted it to be a name that was both creative and meaningful.  As I pondered, my gaze fell upon my acoustic guitar where it stands in my bedroom, and the Lord reminded me that our hearts- our lives- are instruments.  They are constantly in song, but what melody our heart plays is each of our own decisions.  They can play a melody for praise or for entertainment.  A musician selects his songs according to his audience.  So do we.  Whether our audience is the world or the Lord, our song will be different.  This blog is designed to first, increase my awareness in finding God and His guidance in my every day and second, to share the music lessons He teaches me in tuning my heart to learn the chords of praise He longs to play on my heart-instrument.  Music is a powerful tool.  Use it for His glory.  “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

Life Letters

Life Letters

 In a world of emailing, instant messaging, text messaging, and webcams, it’s difficult sometimes to imagine communication without all the latest and greatest technology.  Nevertheless, letters used to be the only method of distant communication.  In fact, before I was introduced to the world of text messaging, letter-writing was my primary way of talking to my best friend living in Florida.  I have an unbelievable stack of letters I received in return from her.

The art of letter-writing has almost disappeared from today as a form of keeping in touch with distant friends and family, but there is one type of letter that has not and never will become outdated- the letter of our lives. 

I was pondering upon the next scene I was going to share in the continuing story I have begun on the lives of Joe and John, and as I decided upon the scene below, I was reminded of the passage in the Bible in which Paul parallels our lives to letters. (2 Co 3:2&3)  Like any letter, however, we have a choice how our letter is going to read, what content we’re going to display for our readers- the world.  The letters of our lives can bear a tone of optimism and joy in all circumstances or it can bear a tone of pessimism and discouragement.  It can tell of the wonderful things the Lord is doing in our lives or it can tell of our let-downs and disappointments. 

What you choose to share in your letter can make and will make an impact on those around you.  When you’re around someone that is always looking on the downside of situations, it’s a little difficult to keep the smile on your own face and continue looking on the bright side, isn’t it?  The sun can be shining, but once the clouds begin to form, it makes it difficult for the sunlight to continue shining through.  It’s easy to allow the things of the world to discourage us and get us down, but such a dark world will never see the light if we’re only pointing them to the rainclouds.  “In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:16)  We live in a world burdened with hopelessness.  If the life letters of believers tell of the same discouragement, why should they want any part of us and our Father in Heaven?  It’s easier to go with the flow than against it, and likewise it’s easier sometimes to join in the pity-party of hopelessness and discouragement in the world, but don’t allow yourself to become entangled in its snare.  Our God is a god of hope and of joy!  Allow Him to purge your mentality from any discouragement and write your life letter again as a message of hope for this dark world. 

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2&3  

 

And continuation to the story (see May 18^th post):

            With a heavy sigh of exhaustion, John took a seat at the table, retrieved a fresh sheet of paper, and picked up his pen in the dim lamplight piercing the darkness.  The pen of black ink slowly made its way across the paper as he began the letter.

My dear Amy,

I received your letter this morning.  Chris’s picture put a smile on my face.  Tell him for me that I loved it and have it on display where I can see it every day.  I’m doing well, holding out.  Our base is well-supplied; there’s nothing I’m lacking except for my family.  I miss you all more than you know and I’m counting down the days until I can come back on leave for a visit…

            And on the other side of the barracks sat a young man…

A few weeks ago I met a man named John Carpenter here on the base.  He’s in my platoon and got here about the same time I did.  He’s been in the military for eleven years already and had to leave his family back home in Atlanta.  Dad, I know you’ll be glad to hear that he’s really strong in his faith and has been a great guy for me to be around.  He’s really been an encouragement to me.

          Mom, I’m still reading my Bible every day.  Thank you for sending me a bag of your cookies.  They’re already gone.  They were so great, I had to hide them from the other guys.

          I thought of you today, Froggy.  I saw a girl here on the base whose hair was naturally as stick-straight as you spend hours to get your hair like.  Of course she can’t do much with it as long as she’s in the military though.  I know I used to make a big deal about the mess you’d leave on the bathroom counter and the fumes from your flat-ironing, but truthfully, I wish I had to clear off all your hair goops and gadgets again.  I guess the novelty of being here’s wearing off a little. 

        I’ll try to call you all tomorrow night, and I’m sending you a picture in an email when I finish here.  I know email’s a lot faster, but it just isn’t the same as writing and getting a letter in the mail.  Thanks for all your prayers.  I think about you guys all the time.

With Love,

Your son and brother Joe

~We’ve all heard of the phrase “pulling on her/ his heartstrings,” but heart-chords?  I was struggling to decide what to name my blog.  I wanted it to be a name that was both creative and meaningful.  As I pondered, my gaze fell upon my acoustic guitar where it stands in my bedroom, and the Lord reminded me that our hearts- our lives- are instruments.  They are constantly in song, but what melody our heart plays is each of our own decisions.  They can play a melody for praise or for entertainment.  A musician selects his songs according to his audience.  So do we.  Whether our audience is the world or the Lord, our song will be different.  This blog is designed to first, increase my awareness in finding God and His guidance in my every day and second, to share the music lessons He teaches me in tuning my heart to learn the chords of praise He longs to play on my heart-instrument.  Music is a powerful tool.  Use it for His glory.  “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

On the Homefront

On the Homefront

            For those of you that know me well, you know that I’m ultra-patriotic.  If you ever want to see my temper riled, mention the Vietnam War, and you’ll be sure to get an earful.  Yes, I admit, the apathy and ingratitude our troops received for their sacrifices in the war angers me greatly.

            As I mentioned in my May 18^th post, I realize that not all of us are called to serve in the armed forces; I could never be a soldier despite the fact that I have the kind of heart that drives a soldier to enlist.  Instead, I try to use that patriotism to work behind the scenes in the background of our military.  Our soldiers need our support, not our apathy.  Their morale needs and depends on us. 

            There are so many ways to support our troops if we’ll only take the time to carry out our good intentions.  As I’ve said before, good intentions are never enough.  Prayer is one of the easiest but also the most important way to support our soldiers and their families.  I encourage you to get off your La-Z-Boy though and go the extra mile.  There’s so much more you can do.  Prayer is important, yes, but as the Bible says in James, “faith without deeds is useless.”  Imagine with me a city.  Its roads need repairing, houses need to be build, crops need to be planted, the children need to be educated… you get the point.  It needs some work.  One man sits down on the curb of the road and prays, “God, please fix our roads,” and sits watching for all the cracks in the road to disappear.  The farmer stares out at his field and prays, “God, please help my crops be planted and grow,” and he sits on his front porch watching for seeds to miraculously fall from Heaven and shoots of corn to start sprouting up from the dirt.  The teacher prays, “God, let these children become brilliant students,” as she looks out at her class staring blankly at the chalkboard where “2+2=?” is written.  The builder looks at his empty lot and prays, “God, let this house be built,” and he turns to the pile of boards lying there, expecting to find them suddenly nailed together in the form of a sturdy house.  If everyone in that city only prayed and never set to work, do you think that city would ever get the improvements it needs?  Of course not!  We all know that kind of reasoning is ridiculous.  Prayer is not an enchanted wand we wave, and the name of God is not some abracadabra we say and then sit back and watch for the rabbit to hop out of the hat.  Nevertheless, the man who has faith without deeds is no different than that city.

            You can accomplish a lot through prayer, and through prayer, you can find the strength you need to serve, the discernment to know how to serve, and the guidance to know where to serve, but you cannot actually perform the act of serving through prayer.  Why?  Because it is an act.  The Lord instructs us in many books of the Bible to serve.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  Serving is not a choice, it is a mandate.  Many people don’t like to think of God ordering them to do anything because, after all, we have a right to make our own choices and He has given us a free will.  Yes, but essentially, as children of God, we have relinquished that right.  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Co 6:19&20)  When we make the commitment to follow Christ, we sign away our right to our own will, just as a soldier becomes property of the United States government when he enlists into the military.  For us to continue to walk in our own will would be like a soldier refusing to execute his commander’s order because he has a right to make his own decisions.  

            As I said, serving is not a choice we have.  Forgive me if I sound harsh, but it’s something we have to do whether we like it or not.  If you like it, congratulations!  You understand the heart of Christ.  If you don’t like it, well, learn to like it.  God is not going to fulfill the mandate of serving for you, and to ask Him to would be like a father telling his child to clean the garage, and when the child turns around and asks his father to do the chore for him instead, the father cleans the garage himself.  I hope you agree with me that there’s something wrong with that picture.  Our bodies are designed for work and mobility.  Don’t ask God to exempt you from serving; an opportunity to serve is a blessing.  Take responsibility for your own task and do it with a cheerful heart, “Serve whole-heartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…” (Eph 6:7)  And remember what Jesus said, “.... I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40)

            In my opinion, supporting our troops by serving them and their families is just one of the many ways that we can serve.  Here are a few examples of ways that you can support our soldiers.  As one soldier testified, our troops love getting care packages.  There are websites online (one being (mygiftbaskets.hubpages.com) that are a great help to giving you tips and ideas of what sorts of things to send to our servicemen and women.  Do some research- type it into Google- and I’m sure with today’s technology, you can easily find an organization that sends care packages to our troops overseas.  Take a few minutes of your day from your schedule and write a letter or a card to a soldier, thanking them for their dedication and sacrifice.  Adopt a soldier at www.adoptaussoldier.org.  Donate to organizations like Folds of Honor Foundation (www.foldsofhonor.org) that support our soldiers’ families.  Contribute to the patriotism in our country by taking responsibility for the morale in your own community.  Work to have an American flag flying outside of every public building in your city and to have every tattered or faded flag replaced with a display of Stars and Stripes that gives its country honor and not disgrace.  Don’t be timid and allow fear of others and their opinions to keep you from doing what you feel led to.  Be bold.  If you’re gifted with creativity and have the ability to sew, make a quilt for a soldier.  I have already begun the project of sewing a quilt to donate to an organization.  There are so many such organizations out there, two being www.qovf.org and www.aquiltnhand.com.  Again, just type it into Google.  It’s as simple as that.  Get creative.  There are so many more ways if you only look for them.

            As a clarification, I have not done much research on the organizations whose websites I have provided links for above, so I advise you to read up on them and make sure they’re on the up-and-up. 

Many people who read this will agree with me on the need to support our troops, but will do nothing about it.  They will leave the responsibility to fall upon others’ shoulders.  I encourage you not to be one of those people.  The Lord has blessed us with life and another day to live for Him and make a difference in our homes, our communities, and our world.  He has called us to serve.  Don’t waste another day marked only by good intentions.  Get up and get active in making a difference and a change.  Somewhere a soldier needs you.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms… If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen.”  1 Peter 4:10&11    

And continuation to the story (see May 18^th post):

          Entering her mother’s sewing room, Lauren took a seat beside where her mom sat at the sewing machine.  “Oh, Mama, it’s turning out beautiful,” she remarked.  Reaching out a hand, she carefully fingered the fabric of the quilt her mother was working on.

          Having stopped the sewing machine, her mother smiled as she surveyed the quilt she spread out across her lap, the heavy folds billowing down.  “Well, it’s certainly turning out nicer than I thought it would,” she agreed.  “After I send this one off, I’ll start another one with a diamond pattern this time.”

          “I know the soldier that gets it will appreciate all the work you’re putting into it,” Lauren assured her with a smile.

__________________________________

          We’re all doing fine here at home.  I wish you could’ve seen Chris’s face when your letter came in the mail.  He was so excited.  Tomorrow I have another doctor’s appointment.  The baby’s fine though.  It’s just a check-up.  Yesterday she had hiccups for the first time.  Lily’s becoming a little steadier on her feet and doesn’t fall as much now.

          I think about you all day, Honey, and you’re always in my prayers.  Every night Chris includes you in his bedtime prayer.  If you only knew how much you’re missed.

          Pausing from her writing as her thoughts drifted to the foreign soil overseas, Amy smiled as she instinctively reached a hand down to her middle, now enlarged in her pregnancy.

         “Mommy, don’t forget to send Daddy my picture,” a little voice piped up from beside her chair.

          She turned her gaze to where her son handed her the picture he had drawn.  “Of course I’ll make sure to send it to him,” she assured him.  “Daddy will love it.”

         “I wanted to make the truck green, but Lily sat on my favorite green crayon by accident and cracked it,” Christopher added, studying the picture his mother admired.  “I didn’t have much of it anyways so there’s wasn’t enough to use afterwards.  That’s why I had to make it blue,” he explained.

         Amy smiled.  “Well, I know Daddy will like it no matter what color you chose to make the truck.  The fact that you drew it for him makes it special.”   

NOTICE:  I’d like to begin a prayer request listing at the end of my posts, so if there’s anything you’d like prayer for, please let me know through a comment box and I will add it to the bottom of my next post.  For privacy purposes, when I share your prayer request, I will include only your first name.  And I encourage you to let me know of updates/ outcomes of the prayer needs you shared and I will publish them in my post for the other Heart-chords readers to view. 

 

~We’ve all heard of the phrase “pulling on her/ his heartstrings,” but heart-chords?  I was struggling to decide what to name my blog.  I wanted it to be a name that was both creative and meaningful.  As I pondered, my gaze fell upon my acoustic guitar where it stands in my bedroom, and the Lord reminded me that our hearts- our lives- are instruments.  They are constantly in song, but what melody our heart plays is each of our own decisions.  They can play a melody for praise or for entertainment.  A musician selects his songs according to his audience.  So do we.  Whether our audience is the world or the Lord, our song will be different.  This blog is designed to first, increase my awareness in finding God and His guidance in my every day and second, to share the music lessons He teaches me in tuning my heart to learn the chords of praise He longs to play on my heart-instrument.  Music is a powerful tool.  Use it for His glory.  “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

  

Comrades in Conquest

Comrades in Conquest

Close your eyes and just try imagining with me what it would be like to be a soldier on a military base somewhere overseas on foreign soil.  Maybe some of you have even been in that situation before in your life.  You’re completely separated from your family, never quite knowing what the next day will bring.  It’d be nice to have someone on the base with you that you could call a friend, wouldn’t it be?

            Waking up, going to work or school, and coming back home again isn’t exactly what we typically envision when we talk about a battlefield, but the Word of God clearly informs us that we do live on a battlefield.  We are in a battle every single day, but “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Co 10: 4&5)  “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.” (2 Co 10:3)

            I don’t know about you, but I so love that chapter in 2 Corinthians.  I encourage you to take the time and read all eighteen verses of the chapter.  The Bible contains so many verses that talk about war and battles- both physical and spiritual.  Ephesians 6 and starting at verse ten gives us the well-known passage about the armor of God.  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand,” it tells us in verses twelve and thirteen.

            A soldier can be the most decorated in the army, but unless he personally knows Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he knows nothing about winning the greatest battle in life- the victory that will matter in the end.  If you are reading this and have not made Jesus lord of your life, then I sincerely pray that you will consider making that decision.  It will change your life in a way you could never have imagined. 

For those of us that have already signed our names in commitment and have enlisted into this battle, I want to emphasize the importance of surrounding ourselves with fellow soldiers.  Just as comrades are appreciated by a soldier in the military, how wonderful it is to have a friend- a brother or sister in Christ- who is also engaged in this battle of life!  A fellow comrade with the same goal and purpose as you; someone to support you, encourage you, be there to cover your back and keep you accountable.  And likewise, I truly believe it is equally important to be that comrade for others.

            You may be thinking right now that you don’t have a good friend or even a potential good friend, but this fellow “soldier” I’m describing doesn’t have to be someone in your circle of acquaintances; I don’t have many friends either.  Family makes some of the best friends and comrades you could find though.  I have been blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life to support me in my journey through life and who have given me an opportunity to support them in turn.  My family has been tremendous- both immediate family and extended family.  My cousin Christian has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and my two cousins living in Pennsylvania are my faithful “email buddies.”  And to top it off, I have a wonderful church family to join in worshipping the Lord together every Sunday morning.  Get creative.  Conquest comrades are out there, you just have to look for them.  And remember, to have friends you have to be a friend. (Pr 18:24)

            At the end of that paragraph in 2 Corinthians that I quoted from earlier, there is a verse that we often overlook.  It reads, “And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”  Nobody likes punishment and discipline, but disobedience requires correction.  A good friend is someone who will keep you accountable for your actions on the battlefield and who will gently point out your mistakes when you stumble in your walk with God.  Note the word gently.  As friends, everything in your relationship needs to be marked with kindness and love, and remember, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Mt 7:1-3)  Don’t be judgmental or hypocritical under the guise of keeping your comrade accountable.

            Also notice the second part of that verse.  “… once your obedience is complete.”  True friends not only keep each other accountable, but are patient in allowing you to make mistakes and learn from them.  People will make mistakes because we are imperfect beings.  The last half of that verse really struck me.  “… once your obedience is complete.”  Are we- am I- the kind of friend that expects my comrades to be perfect without ever giving them a chance to grow and learn how to come under the fold of God in obedience?  That’s not the kind of friendship that David and Jonathan model for us in their classic example in the Old Testament. 

            God’s Word instructs us not to forsake the assembly of believers. (Heb 10:25)  Get together with other brothers and sisters in the Lord; support each other in the battle, build each other up with your words, pray for one another.  Be willing to be used as an instrument of the Lord for Him to speak through you and minister to your friend and likewise, be receptive if God chooses to speak to you through your friend.  A true friend is a rare treasure and a beautiful gift.   

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

And continuation to the story:

            Joe sighed heavily that night as an unpleasant memory returned to his thoughts.  He could still hear the sergeant’s reproach screaming in reverberation through his memory.  Giving another sigh, he shook his head in discouragement, vainly attempting to alter the course of his thoughts to a pleasant diversion- his family.

           “Hey, Watkins,” a voice called out.

           He turned at the sound to see a man approaching to meet him where he stood at the threshold of the barrack door.  As he drew nearer, Joe recognized him as one of the fellow soldiers in his platoon.

           “Listen, I’m sorry for stopping you,” John apologized.  “I just wanted to let you know that you did good work today.  I know the sergeant was pretty hard on you,” he added sympathetically.

           Joe nodded.  “Yeah, I admit, even after boot camp, being out here isn’t what I had expected.”

           With a smile, John gave the younger man’s shoulder an encouraging clap.  “Everyone has to start somewhere… even after boot camp.  You’ll get a feel for it soon,” he assured him.

           “I hope so.”  Joe took a seat on the step leading up to barrack door, his companion taking a seat beside him.  “So you’re married?” he spoke up abruptly, giving an indicating nod toward the wedding band on the man’s left hand.

           John nodded.  “Married, and have a seven-year-old boy, a thirteen-month-old daughter, and a baby girl on the way,” he replied with a proud smile.

           Joe smiled.  “Congratulations.  How far along is she?”

           “Five months.”

           “Well, you won’t be around too much longer before going home on leave then,” Joe remarked.

           The smile faded from John’s countenance as he sighed.  “Maybe not.  I’m hoping to get time off not too far after she’s born.”

           Joe’s brow furrowed in concern.  “You’re not gonna be home for her birth?”

           John shook his head.  “Probably not,” he replied.  He sighed heavily again, his thoughts now miles away, and a brief moment of silence followed.  “Well, how about you?” he finally broke the quiet of the evening.  He turned his gaze to his young companion.  “What about your family?” he questioned in feigned light-heartedness.

          “Well, I just got here a couple weeks ago,” Joe began, “but I was living with my parents still.  And my sister Lauren… Froggy,” he added with a smile.  “When we were growing up, she had a favorite kids’ book about a frog and loved anything that had to do with frogs.  I started calling her “Froggy” and I guess the name just kind of stuck,” he explained.  “She’s fifteen.”  He paused to retrieve his smartphone from his pocket, and after several gestures made on the touchscreen, he held out the phone and pointed to a picture of a man, woman, and a girl.  “That’s her there,” he told John as he pointed to the girl in the picture.  “And that’s my mom and dad.”  He slid the picture to the next photo, one of a golden retriever.  “And that’s our dog Simon.”

          John watched the young man return the cellphone to his pocket, and noting the wistfulness that shadowed Joe’s countenance now, he decided to change the topic of conversation.  “So what are your plans for after you serve your term?” he asked.

          “Truthfully, I haven’t really given it much thought,” Joe confessed.  “I just knew I wanted to come out here to serve and see some action after I graduated.”  

         John nodded with a smile.  “I was the same way when I first enlisted.”

         “Have you been in the military for a while?”

         John nodded again slightly.  “About eleven years.  Now that our family’s growing and our situation in life’s changing though, Amy and I prayed about it, and we decided it’d be best if I don’t reenlist again after this term.”  He paused.  “I only have one more year before I’m a full-time family man,” he added with a smile.  Another moment of silence passed before John finally spoke up.  “Well, come on.  Taps is going to be playing soon.”  He rose to his feet, Joe following his example, and together they disappeared inside the barrack.     

NOTICE:  I’d like to begin a prayer request listing at the end of my posts, so if there’s anything you’d like prayer for, please let me know through a comment box and I will add it to the bottom of my next post.  For privacy purposes, when I share your prayer request, I will include only your first name.  And I encourage you to let me know of updates/ outcomes of the prayer needs you shared and I will publish them in my post for the other Heart-chords readers to view. 

 

~We’ve all heard of the phrase “pulling on her/ his heartstrings,” but heart-chords?  I was struggling to decide what to name my blog.  I wanted it to be a name that was both creative and meaningful.  As I pondered, my gaze fell upon my acoustic guitar where it stands in my bedroom, and the Lord reminded me that our hearts- our lives- are instruments.  They are constantly in song, but what melody our heart plays is each of our own decisions.  They can play a melody for praise or for entertainment.  A musician selects his songs according to his audience.  So do we.  Whether our audience is the world or the Lord, our song will be different.  This blog is designed to first, increase my awareness in finding God and His guidance in my every day and second, to share the music lessons He teaches me in tuning my heart to learn the chords of praise He longs to play on my heart-instrument.  Music is a powerful tool.  Use it for His glory.  “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3