Independence Day . . . Thank You For Your Service

This subject nearly overwhelms me to think about. The emotions that arise when I think of the men and women of our armed forces clog my throat, overflow my eyes with tears, and fill my heart with pride. You see I'm from a military family. I had Grandfathers in WWII and the Korean War, my father and uncles were in the Vietnam War, my brother in Desert Storm, my future son-in-law did 2 tours in Iraq - suffering a horrible injury in 2006, my son and future daughter-in-law are in the USCG and have been deployed for one 6 month time, and are looking at another deployment next year. Those are just a few. Many more of my family past and present have served our country. My life is surrounded and filled with these brave men and women who serve our nation, and keep us the independent nation that we are.

My future son-in-law was shot in the face in 2006, he lost his right eye, has had numerous surgeries to repair the shattered bone structure, now has a prosthetic eye, has permanent traumatic brain damage, suffers grand mal seizures, memory loss, etc. but you know what his fondest wish is? To go back, to serve his country again. He is a hero. He saved his men, even AFTER being shot, continuing to do what he was trained to do, even though he was so traumatically injured. God Bless Him. And to this wonderful young man, thank you. Thank you for being in our lives, for serving our country and for being the man you are. Thank you.

My son, my handsome wonderful son, serves our country in the US Coast Guard. He is prepared at any moment to serve both here, and abroad. Daily I pray for his safety, and that of his fiancee who also serves, and that any duty they undertake is done under the hand of God. Thank you son, thank you A. for your service. I love you both with all my heart.

Take some time to pray for our troops. Without them we would be under the rule of Britain to this day. Without them we would not have the freedoms, the choices, the voice to be heard, that we have. They are the backbone of this nation, may God allow them to continue to be in spite of those both within our government and outside of it, who would have it be otherwise.