Ever since I was in the Fourth Grade and got my first G.I. Joe action figure, I have had a high respect and admiration for our armed forces. Growing up I always wanted to be a Navy pilot, land F-14s on aircraft carriers and go head to head against foreign threats, and eventually become an astronaut. When I started needing glasses to see, my dream of flying fighters came to a halt.
Years later, I went to college and turned down all those recruiters who sought to enlist me. I didn’t give any more thought to the military until September 11, 2001. By that time, I was newly married and working for an awesome manufacturing company. I strongly considered joining the Army or the Air Force, but could not leave my wife.
I highly honor those who have made great personal sacrifices to serve our country in the military. Part of me will always wish I had joined. My dad served 4 years in the Navy during the Viet Nam War. My father-in-law served 4 years in the Army and 17 years in the Air Force for a 21 year military career. I have a brother-in-law who has been in the Air Force for 11 years. I have many friends and co-workers who have served or are serving in the military in the various branches. I respect them all. I thank the Lord that He has put in the hearts of men and women to serve our great nation in our armed forces. Without them where would we be?
I am glad to see that our nation respects and honors our veterans. It hasn’t always been that way. During the Viet Nam War and the years following, many of our veterans were treated shamefully. I’m thankful we’ve returned once again to showing honor and respect to our veterans.
I suppose I will always be proud of my dad because he served in the U.S. Navy. He spent months at a time at sea aboard aircraft carriers keeping many of our A4 and A7 attack aircraft in tip top shape. Though I am definitely proud of him for that and honor him for his service, my greatest respect for him comes from his service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not only did he fulfill Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in that he taught us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls and might, but also kept the word of God before us. He took us to church. As time permitted, he led us in family devotional times at home. If that’s not enough, he has faithfully served the Lord as a pastor for 31 years.
A man or woman may serve our nation valiantly in the military, but nothing could be worthy of higher honor than a man or woman being faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and raising up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Thank you, Dad, for your service to our nation, but more importantly, thank you for your faithfulness to my soul in sharing with me the Gospel of Jesus Christ and loving me and raising me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As long as I live you will hold a position of high honor in my heart. The same goes for my father-in-law. Greg, thank you for your dedicated service to our country and though you didn’t raise me, you did raise my beloved bride in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In my opinion both my dad and father-in-law deserve to wear the Medal of Honor.
wow!! excellent
ReplyDelete