Memorial Day Heroes
Mustard Seed Chronicles: Story Time with LU Grandma
It is at this time of year that we set aside a special day, Memorial Day, to remember our military. It is important to remember these selfless folks who volunteer to daily put their lives on the line, or have lost their lives, so that we can enjoy our freedom.
Two of my sons have given up years of their young lives to serve in our military. My middle son was in the Navy for 20 years. He served on an aircraft carrier, was on three different deployments to the Middle East Mediterranean Sea and spent three years in Hawaii with his family. He had to undergo a lot of out-at sea training and didn’t get to spend much of his “free” time with his wife and his kids. One of his daughters was born while he was out to sea and he couldn’t be with his wife during that time.
My youngest son was in the Army for eight years and served as an army nurse. He had to go away for a year for his nursing training to two different states where his wife and their family could not go, and then he spent time on deployment to Iraq away from them.
Others, like my sons, have had to spend tremendous amounts of time away from their families and their loved ones to serve our country. Some have been on several deployments to Iraq to Afghanistan to Dubai and other places far from home for long periods of time.
I think we need to include not only those soldiers, sailors, Marines, National Guard, Coast Guard, and Air Force men or women, but also their spouses, their moms, their dads, their children, and their grandparents in this tribute because their sacrifice of family time is as much a hero as their soldier is. Spouses and parents are often the sole person at home to raise the family, take care of all the finances, all the shopping, all the doctors’ visits. Houses need to be sold and bought, moves need to be planned and done, schooling needs to be done. Many stay-at-home moms and dads choose to homeschool their children to minimize the disruption of moving so much and having their children go from school to school.
I remember a few years ago when Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University put together what they called the “Healing Fields.” It was on the 4th of July, but it was a memorial to all of the military who had been killed so far in the wars Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Enduring Freedom. There were 2,500 flags posted in the ground in this display, and a huge flag flew overhead held by two cranes!
This service was particularly moving for our family, because my youngest son’s Staff Sergeant had been killed in a Humvee accident while driving to Bagdad, and we had sponsored a flag for him. As a family, we also volunteered to read names of those who had passed. What a blessing it was. My two sons in their uniforms made this mom’s heart swell with thankfulness.
My Army son, still in his uniform, and I were going back to retrieve his flag so he could put it in his yard, and we passed a little boy and his mom. As was his custom, my son said, “Hi Buddy!” to the little boy and squatted down to talk to him. The little one squatted down, too. It was really such a sweet picture.
When I looked at the mom, she was rather teary. I went over to talk with her, and she told me that her husband was a Marine and that he had been deployed for 18 months. This little boy was not quite a year old when daddy went away and all he had seen were pictures and very intermittent Internet face- to- face chats. When he saw my son, he thought it was his dad!
Seeing her pain, I hugged her and prayed for her and her son. I thanked her for their sacrifice. They were as much heroes in service for our country as her husband and his company.
With your picture of this encounter in your mind now, let’s remember all our heroes: the ones at home, the ones on deployment, the ones that have had to move lots of times to so many different places, and yet continue in their commitment and service. They have done so because they love our country too and are willing to be included in the daily sacrifices. May we never forget!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, soldiers are not new to the 20th century or the 21st century. There have been soldiers in armies as long as there has been a need for them. Whether they were family members in an early Bible story or later when they were drafted by their countries into service.
We pray for all our living military and their families today that You would protect, encourage, encircle them and bless them. I would pray that You comfort all those whose loved ones never came home because their lives were sacrificed on the field of battle, and for the wounded warriors who may never find a way to be physically whole again. Help them to see that their lives were not wasted because we still have our freedom in the United States of America.
You have called all of us to be soldiers of the cross to represent You here on earth. Our weapons are not guns, knives, or tanks. Our only weapon as Christians is the Sword of the Spirit. May we use it well.
In the precious name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Meet the Author
Timi Plyter
“LU Grandma”
Lead Parent Advocate
