The Blessing

I took this picture on a July 4th after the start of the war in Iraq. At that time, the death toll was already in the thousands. The picture has significant meaning to me. It was between rain showers and my family and I were visiting the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina.

My father served in the U.S. Army during Korea and Vietnam. He received numerous combat and peacetime medals and awards. For his heroic actions during a plane crash in the frozen Sea of Japan, he received the Soldier’s Medal. The Soldier’s Medal is awarded to a soldier who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. The same degree of heroism is required as for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. The performance must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy.

After growing up as an Army brat, I too entered the Army (post Vietnam) as a helicopter pilot. I served on active duty as a pilot and instructor pilot and recently retired from the Army Reserves. In the big scheme of things, my sacrifices were not great, only minor.

As I framed the above photograph, I thought of the great sacrifices in the military that many have made and many continue to make (not just soldiers, sailors and airman, but their families and friends). Recently, I saw a show on PBS that was covering (at that time) the most recent deployment (I believe it was their third deployment) of soldiers from the Third Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The “Rock of the Marne” is one of the Army’s most decorated divisions. Since its activation in 1917 it has suffered over 50,000 wartime casualties. Its most famous member was Audie Murphy, America’s most decorated soldier. I only give you this information for background and for you to know of the 3rd Division’s character. While it has a strong lineage and famous background, it is made up of regular American men and women. It was the statement of the wife of one of these regular men that struck me and stayed with me. When she was asked about the war, her reply was that they (the soldiers and families) were at war while the rest of the Country was at the mall. I think the truth of that statement escapes most of us. I know it had escaped me. Sadly, because of politics, the media and us, the people not directly involved with the war, the continuous sacrifices of those at war and their families is not appreciated and rarely thought of.

Finally, as I looked at the American flags, yellow ribbons and the church in the background, I thought of the greatness of our Country, patriotism and that we are “One Nation under God” and it is in “God We Trust.” I was reminded that most of our original colonies were settled by people with strong religious convictions and that our ancestors who rose up against the British in 1776 were, as a group, religious people. I still believe that in America, God and Country are intertwined and that they continue to be the basis for our greatness. I am thankful for the freedoms we have to worship God as we choose and while intertwined, I know that it is the separation of church and state that allows us to keep these freedoms and remain strong.

Recently, the importance of God, sacrifice, our legacy, country, family and life (both earthly and eternal) was brought home to me in a song written by John Waller and Troy Denning and sung by John Waller and Mark Hall of Casting Crowns. The lyrics for “The Blessing” are shown below.

THE BLESSING (Deuteronomy 30:19) J.Waller & Troy
Denning

Let it be said of us / while we walked among the living / let it be said of us / by the ones we leave behind / let it be said of us / that we lived to be a blessing for life / let it be said of us / that we gave to reach the dying / let it be said of us / by the fruit we leave behind / let it be said of us that our legacy is blessing for life / this day / you set life, you set death right before us, this day / every blessing and curse is a choice now / and we will / choose to be a blessing for life / let it be said of us / that our hearts belonged
to Jesus / let it be said of us / that we spoke the words of life / let it be said of us / that our heritage is blessing for life /chorus/ for your Kingdom / for our Children / for the sake of every nation

You can here the song at John’s MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/johnwaller.

Please post your comments and enjoy the song “The Blessing” and God’s blessing. May you witness, sacrifice and be a blessing to life.