Monday, July 7, 2008

Land of the Free/Home of the Brave


Remember Their Sacrifice

Good Morning! I apologize for not blogging in the last week. It has been very, very busy in my office. I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday weekend. We went to the BCRGC for a 4th of July celebration on Saturday. They had a wonderful dinner and a very beautiful fireworks display. Before the fireworks began, they put a spotlight on the flag that waves above the lake and we all stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. It was very touching to see the men remove their hats and hold them against their hearts and the fact that everyone (probably close to 60 people) participated. During the fireworks display they played music, songs like "God Bless the USA", "American Soldier" and "Only in America". It was a very moving moment especially when they played "American Soldier". The thought of our soldiers over there fighting for what we were celebrating at that very moment, our FREEDOM, was very touching. We are free because they were and are brave.

Heavenly Father, I ask you this morning to bless, honor and protect our troops and their families, I ask Father that you also give strength and comfort to the families of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. In Jesus' Holy and Wonderful Name I pray...Amen.

In honor of our troops, I would like to share a poem I wrote on Christmas Eve 2004...

“A Christmas Miracle”

The airport was full of loved ones saying their goodbyes
They kissed, hugged, and said, “I love you” with tears in their eyes.
She held on to him a little tighter as she begged him not to go
He assured her that he would be home soon and that he loved her so.

He kissed his little girl and told her “Don’t worry about me”
“Take care of Mommy and I’ll be back soon, you’ll see”
The little girl just cried, as she did not understand why her Daddy had to go
Doesn’t Mr. Bush know that now Daddy will miss her in the school talent show?

He held them both in his arms one last time before he boarded the plane
His wife knew he had to go, but she didn’t know there would be so much pain.
How is she going to make it and take care of their little girl with him so far away?
He wiped her tears and told her “just one more mission and I’ll be home to stay”

With tears in his eyes he boarded the plane and was out of sight
His country called and needed him, for his freedom he must fight
He longed to be home with his family as Christmas was just a week away
This year would be the first he didn’t wake up his little girl on Christmas day

She was wrapping presents and baking cookies when she got the dreaded call
It seems her husband had stepped on a land mine and for his country he took the ultimate fall
She could not believe the words the officer was telling her, this could not be true
He promised he would be home and they still had so many things they had planned to do

She had to tell her daughter that daddy went to Heaven on Christmas Eve
Will she understand, will she be strong, will she even believe?
Her daughter looked at her and said, “he’ll be here soon” much to her surprise
“Jesus told me Daddy will be here for Christmas, and Jesus tells no lies”

Late Christmas Eve night after the wife had cried herself to sleep
She heard her husband’s voice say, “Honey I am here, please do not weep”
“For I have little time and had to come see you on this Christmas day”
“I want you to know I will always be here for you, I am only a dream away”

He kissed her gently on her cheek as he handed her his wedding band
“I want you to keep this for our little girl to one day put on her groom’s hand”
She awoke Christmas morning with the dream fresh in her mind and her hand clinched tight,
She opened her hand to find her husband’s ring as she realized that her daughter was right.

She ran into her little girl’s room to tell her everything would be okay
That her dad did come and visit on this special Christmas day
Her daughter was not in her room like she had thought she would be
She was in the living room standing in front of the lit Christmas tree.

“Merry Christmas Mommy” she said with a childish smile
“Daddy woke me up this morning and said he had been here a while”
“He said he had a Christmas gift for me he left with you last night”
“He said you would give it to me when the time was right”

“He said Merry Christmas as he lit up our Christmas tree,
And told me to remind you that in your heart is where he will always be”

Sherri Kaye
December 24, 2004

1 comment:

VictoriousMommy said...

Ihave always loved this one.