Service

My lovely wife and I had dinner with a buddy of mine Saturday night. He was home on leave from Iraq in time to be with his mom in the final days leading up to the end of her long battle with cancer. His wife and three daughters were able to come up from Colorado to be with the family for the funeral but they had to go back to Colorado last weekend. Jon obviously was sad that his mom passed but he and his family took comfort in the fact that she was a Christian who lived a very godly life. I've said it before but times like these make you really glad you're a Christian. I can't imagine life without the comfort of God's Sovereignty and Salvation!

After dinner we visited a few friends my buddy hadn't seen in a long time. As we talked about old times (not necessarily better times but certainly fun times) I couldn't help but think about how much I appreciate him. Not because he's my friend and has been for more than 15 years, but because he and his family make sacrifices every day so that I can live my life the way I do. I get to go home each day to see my family. He only gets to come home if something bad happens or he gets leave. My wife has the pleasure of spending time with me almost every day (okay, the statement that it's a pleasure may be a stretch...) but military wives have to spend weeks and months doing everything on their own. Not only do they have to be mom AND dad to their kids, they don't have their best friend in the whole world - the one person who made a covenant to love them unconditionally for the rest of their life. Then I feel for the military personnel who return to a family that's been self-sufficient for so long. Working their way back into the family pattern has got to be a little stressful for everyone. I have so much respect for the men and women of our military - especially career military personnel. They need our prayers and support every day!

Thank you for your service Jon and we're praying for you, your family and your fellow soldiers! I love you man!