Thank You, Soldiers

Thank You, Soldiers

Yes, this post is unusually long, but with Armed Forces Day being tomorrow, I thought it would be appropriate to write another tribute as my new post- this time, in honor of our servicemen and women.  Our soldiers and their families sacrifice so much so that we can live in this free country, but I wonder how often we actually stop and reflect upon the cost of the freedoms we enjoy every day.  Freedom is certainly not free.  Our soldiers are truly heroes.  Sure, some would argue that they aren’t all heroes in their morals and character, but isn’t there corruption outside of the military too- right here around us?  And I realize not all of our soldiers enlist for the right motivations, but the way I see it, there's something to be said about them being out there at least.  No matter what drove them to sign their names, it takes courage to keep them out there on the battlefield.

The military isn’t for everyone.  God hasn’t called all of us to enlist into the armed forces, but even in the areas where He has called us to serve Him in our lives, we can still work behind the scenes to support our soldiers and their families.  How many of us, I wonder, have yellow “Support Our Troops” ribbon magnets secured to the trunk of our cars but rarely take the time to carry out their message.  Has that yellow ribbon and the American flag become symbols so familiar to us that we no longer take the time to notice them?  Do we take the time to thank our soldiers and their families often enough- if ever?  I personally know of nine men and women who are serving our country: Courtney, Sammy-Lynne, and Will in the Navy; Josh and John in the Marines; Mike and Jonathan in the Army; Angel in the Air Force; and Taylor in the National Guard.  Please join me in prayer for the above as well as our other soldiers and their loved ones.

Below is a slideshow I have put together in honor of our armed forces.  The slides are arranged to the song Thank You Soldier by Joe Brucato.  I admit, I didn’t like the song the first time I heard it, but it does grow on you.  It is a four-minute and thirty-two-second video, but please take the time to sit back and watch it.  If you are anything like me though, I forewarn you that you will walk away from it somber and reflective.  If you, like me, have no one in your family that is in the armed forces, then it is a brilliant reminder and glimpse of what our soldiers must contend with.  As a clarification for queasy stomachs, there is no blood in the video although a picture of several dead soldiers is shown briefly and may be disturbing to some.

Also below you will find a short fictional scene that I have written.  I love writing, and I’ve found that if you want to really understand a topic, one of the best ways to increase your knowledge on it is to write about it.  Writing encourages research and if you’re writing fiction, it increases your understanding into the human emotions in situations.  When I write, I have to think the thoughts that my characters would be think and feel the emotions that they would feel.  Back in December and then in April, I completed two short novels about a soldier and his family, and through the process of writing these stories, my appreciation and gratitude for our soldiers and military families increased dramatically.  Ten days from this afternoon is Memorial Day.  Throughout this coming week, I will be periodically posting new scenes to allow you to follow two situations through which, by Memorial Day, I hope you will have gained a stronger appreciation for the sacrifices these men and women make for us.  The scenes will follow the lives of two average American soldiers Joe and John and their average American families.  I hope you will log in often to follow these two men’s stories, and that you will view their lives not as individual examples, but as an illustration representing the lives of military families as a whole.

“… This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

The summer afternoon found the Hartsfield International Airport alive with activity.  People milled about, saying their last goodbyes to their loved ones- friends and relatives; others rushed by, hurrying to arrive at their terminal gate on time to catch their flights.  Amidst the chaos of the crowd, however, two men attired in military camouflage stood with their families.

            Setting his duffle bag down upon the floor, John inaudibly drew a deep breath, bracing himself for the goodbye.  Bending down, he placed his hands upon the little shoulders of his seven-year-old son.  “Christopher, you take care of Mommy and your sister for me while I’m gone, all right?” he instructed gently.  “Mommy’s going to need your help with Lily and the new baby, and she’s going to need a lot more hugs now.”

            His little son solemnly nodded his small head.  “Yes, sir.  I’ll help,” he promised.

            John forced smile.  “That’s a good boy.”  He drew him closer into a bear hug, his son’s little arms tightening about his neck as the tears ran silently down his cheeks and onto the shoulder of his father’s camouflage jacket.

            “I wish I could go with you to help, Daddy,” he whispered.

            “You’re helping me best by staying here to take care of Mommy and Lily,” he assured him.  “I’ll be back home before you know it,” he promised.  He gave the little back an encouraging pat as his son straightened again, and rising to his full height, John ruffled his son’s hair affectionately with a supportive smile.

             He turned to his wife standing there beside their son.  “Amy, I will make it back again,” he assured her.

             She nodded slightly, forcing a smile through the tears that threatened to fall at any moment.  “Of course, you will.  You always do,” she agreed.  The tears broke from her control as he drew her closer in a last embrace.  “Honey, please be careful,” she whispered.

            John swallowed hard against the choking knot of emotions in his throat.  “I will.  I promise,” he whispered in reply.  Releasing her, he drew back slightly, and reaching up a hand to her cheek, kissed her other cheek, eliciting a tearful smile from his wife.  He turned his attention to their one-year-old she held on her hip.  Taking his baby girl in his arms, he kissed the head of soft, thin hair and smelled the baby scent that lingered in the folds of the little neck… perhaps for the last time.

           On the other side of the airport, stood a young man having just graduated from high school.  Joe returned his father’s strong embrace.  “Joe, you keep a good head on your shoulders,” his father instructed.

           Joe nodded, stepping back slightly. 

           “And don’t do anything rash or foolish,” his dad went on.  “Make sure you use your head.”

           Joe nodded solemnly again.  “Yes, sir, I will.”  He turned to his mother standing there, the tears running down her cheeks freely.  “Bye, Mom.”  He managed the words as he hugged her. 

           “Joe, be careful now.  Make sure you don’t forget your habit of reading your Bible,” his mother insisted.

            He nodded again, releasing her.  “I won’t,” he promised.  “And I’ll write,” he added.

          “We’ll be praying for you,” his mom assured him.

           Joe reluctantly turned away from his mother.  Seeing the tears his mom was shedding hurt his core with an ache he couldn’t describe.  He shifted his attention to his teenage sister.  “Bye, Lauren… Froggy,” he addressed her with her childhood nickname.  He hugged her.  “Hey, I’ll email you, all right?” he told her, forcing a smile as he stepped back.

           She nodded, offering him a smile in return.  “All right.  I’ll check my inbox every day,” she promised.

          He drew a deep breath, casting a last glance sweeping across the faces of his family, wondering when he would see them again. 

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