Debt of Gratitude

Every year at school, our Middle school holds a special chapel service to honor all veterans.  My oldest was, once again, asked to be a part of the color guard and carry in our country's flag.

He hesitated for just a moment because, let's face it, 8th grade boys aren't always kind or respectful.  They can actually be quite brutal.  Luke felt some of that after last year as part of the color guard.  It seems, in all of his peers' infinite wisdom, that being a Boy Scout, isn't cool.  {He is only ONE rank away from Eagle!}  He is definitely proud of his uniform and what it represents, he just wasn't up for the mocking or teasing that can sometimes come with it.  Not something most middle schoolers would voluntarily subject themselves to.

After a bit of encouragement from Todd and me, and a heaping dose of our wisdom {"rise above the fray, son"..." they have no idea of the importance of an Eagle".... "you'll have the last laugh"..."do you know some of the highest achieving men in our country are Eagle Scouts??"}  And yes, he knows all that - this wasn't the first time he'd heard that 'lecture'.

I wish I had pictures of the flag ceremony but I figured with all that potential teasing on the line, the last thing he needed was his Mama there with her camera, taking pictures for her blog.  That just would have not gone over well.

At all.

So while I have no pictures, I do have this video clip that was shown at the service.  It is wonderful and I wanted you to see it as well.  My eyes were blurry the whole time.

Today, on Veteran's Day, I wanted to show my gratitude and say thank you to all the men and women serving in our Armed Forces.  You are not forgotten, we still remember and are ever thankful for your sacrifice and service.  The only reason we are the land of the free and the home of the brave is because of you and your willingness to see yourself as part of a bigger picture. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  There is no one quite like the American soldier.

And today I want to take a moment to say thank you to all the mamas who have given their sons and daughters over to the service of their country.  I can't even imagine what that is like.  After all the years of caring and feeding and nurturing, teaching, leading and counseling.... to turn that into years of praying, hoping and waiting, knowing that some will come back, whole and healthy.  Others come back forever scarred and changed, some never come back and all we are left with is a folded flag...

My heart goes out to you, no matter which side of the line your son fights for - and I don't say that lightly.

Every mother's heart hurts and breaks for her fighting son. The Korean mamas? The Russians?  Yes, them too.  And the Germans and Japanese and the Afghans.  They cry real tears of grief because their children die too, and we all wonder what this inevitable ugly is for and we shake our heads because a fallen world is an ugly place to live and without God, none of this makes sense. 

Please take a moment today to remember our soldiers, past and present, and lift  prayer for protection, safety, and that God's hand would be over our troops. 

Blessings,
{K}