For Those Who Are Now Finished

References:
• Memorial Day meaning
• Use of ‘memorial’ in Scripture (NKJV)
• Ebenezer meaning
• Trace Adkins “Arlington”
• Documentary on a friend, Kyu Chay

If you look up the word ‘memorial’ in the Bible (I used the New King James version), you will see that it occurs 25 different times. That is a pretty significant word. In one particular case, ‘Ebenezer’ is used in 1 Samuel 7:12 concerning a site that was dedicated to God for when He had helped them during a time of great need. Sometimes a memorial was made (either worn) or as a specific place to remind the Hebrew people of what God had done for them in the past. Many of the feasts, especially the Passover, was exactly just that. It was a solemn remembrance of how God had delivered the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt.

Here in America, we have several days set aside for remembrance of the military. We have Armed Forces Day (http://afd.defense.gov/) to celebrate those who are currently serving in the Armed Forces, whether they have deployed to a combat zone or not. We also have Veteran’s Day (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day), which is when we recognize those who have served in a Combat Zone. We also have a specific day, Memorial Day, set aside to pay our respects to those who have died in defense of our freedom, in defense of this country.

About a week or so ago, I reached 16 years of service in the US Army, whether Active Duty or National Guard. I am over 40 years old, so that is about 1/3 of my life. Quite a long time, huh? And, considering the fact that I am writing this blog entry, that means that only two of those holidays are about me and what I have done. Those are Armed Forces Day and Veteran’s Day. Today, Memorial Day, is not about me and what I have done. Though I have served in three combat tours, all of them in Iraq, this day is not about me.

Let me introduce you to a friend of mine, Staff Sergeant Kyu H. Chay (http://arlingtoncemetery.net/khchay.htm). He was a friend of mine while I served with Bravo Company 313 Military Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. Though I wasn’t as close to Kyu as some of the others in my unit were, I did know him and I did spend some time with him, I did deploy with him at one point, and I am proud to have known him.

Kyu always strove to be a positive person, joking around when we it was appropriate. But, he was also a very hard worker and was very good at what he did. Kyu and I were just two of B CO 313 MI who deployed together to Iraq in 2003 and 2004. We first stayed at a base in Kuwait while we got ready to ‘go north’ into Iraq. Because we were in different sections, Kyu and I did not do a lot of things together. But, we all experienced some of the same things. We all learned how to give each other an IV, just in case… We all learned to put our NBC masks on very, very quickly. It’s one thing to train to put them on. It is something else entirely to hear the siren go off, indicating that a SCUD missile was heading towards our location and could potentially have chemical/biological agents in it.

We all endured some very hot temperatures, we all experienced some insane sandstorms, we all experienced some heavy down pours. Though we were in different sections, we still traveled north into Iraq together. We all had to pull some very long hours doing our respective jobs, pulling security, driving vehicles, etc. It was a very, very challenging time for all of us.

I left active duty in April of 2005. The following year, while a member of the Nebraska National Guard, I found out about a deployment opportunity to Iraq. That summer I deployed to Iraq with the 867th Quartermaster Battalion, and stationed at Camp Taji, which is just north of Baghdad. It was not an easy deployment for several reasons. But, I prayerfully did the best that I could.

Because those of us in B CO 313 MI were a close-nit group, we kept in contact via an E-mail group. (Remember, this is before Facebook and other social network things that we have today.) It was nice exchanging information about major (and sometimes minor) life events with those who had ‘been through hell and back with you.’ Not only did we serve together, but we also deployed together. Even if we didn’t really like or associated with everyone in the group, we were still a family. It was through this family E-mail group that I first learned of Chay’s passing.
I can still picture many of the events in my mind of that day. I was checking my E-mail before going to my ‘night shift’ when I got the notice. I must have reread that E-mail four or five times, trying to get it to sink in. For most of that evening/night, I just felt numb. I probably shot my girlfriend (wife now for almost 9 years) a quick message about it before I left for work, though I don’t remember for sure. It was quite the blur for me.

There is not a whole lot about that shift that I remember well, because I was numb. Here was someone that I knew, had served with, had laughed with, etc. I had met his wife and children at least once during a celebratory cookout in celebration of us returning from deployment together. I can’t remember if I could recall his face or voice that day. (Being an INFJ, I am gifted with such vivid memories.) Probably not. That was probably one of the hardest shifts I had ever worked.

Some time later, one of the Blacksheep family members let all of us know that the Special Forces Group that Chay had been attached to had been part of a documentary on the SF. Of course, I let the family know that I wanted a copy. I received it some time later. But, I couldn’t watch it for some time. Several years later, really. After Sharon and I were married and had moved to our new house, I came across the DVD. We watched that night, I think. It was a very solemn occasion for me. I had hoped to see Kyu actually interact with the other soldiers. But, they did not. They just showed a recent picture of him from during that deployment. I guess they decided that, since Kyu gave his life during that deployment, that was the best way to do it. They did show how his death impacted the lives of those with whom he had served.

It was very touching to see how each of these incredible ‘hard core’ men dealt with this loss. Each had their own way of mourning their loss, just like each of us in the Blacksheep family did. Many of them knew Kyu for much less time than those of us in the 313th MI. But, Kyu’s love for life, sense of humor, dedication to duty, etc., had touched each of these men deeply, and their loss was very evident.

Many of us today have served with wonderful and honorable people, risking our health, even our very lives, in service to this country. Though we often don’t agree, we often step on each others’ toes, and we can passionately dislike each other. But yet, because of our shared training, shared deployment, shared service, and potential shared sacrifice, we are a family. Some we love, some we like/tolerate, some we don’t like much at all. But, we are family indeed.

For those who have never experienced this yourselves, be thankful. Even if you have lost a loved one during a deployment, it is different with how you experience it compared to those of us who actually served with them. The loss is no less painful, it’s just different. Just trust me with this.

As we observe Memorial Day now and in the future, please do not thank me for my service. Save that for Armed Forces Day, Veteran’s Day, or the Army Birthday. Memorial Day is when we take time to remember those who laid down their lives to protect our freedoms. It is not a ‘happy day.’ to any of use who have lost a loved one. It can be a sad day, or an extremely painful one. Sure, we have our happy memories of the individual(s). But, that chair is now empty in our lives. For some of us, being ‘thanked for our service’ or being wished ‘Happy Memorial Day’ can be painful, even insulting.

Each of us mourn our losses in our own ways. Tonight I will introduce my kids to my good friend and brother, Kyu Chay. Like myself and many, many others, we signed up to serve our country up to and including our very lives. We all gave some. Like many others over the decades, centuries even, Kyu Chay gave his very all. Today, Memorial Day, as all about them. Kyu, feet and knees together brother. Feet and knees together.

A Dark and Stormy Night

References:
• Matthew 27:33-54 NAS
• Mark 15:22-39 NAS
• Luke 23:33-49 NAS

For those who don’t know me, there are some things that I really enjoy that others may not like at all. For example, I enjoy a good thunderstorm. Having grown up in northeastern Kansas (almost 10 whole years), I came to enjoy ‘God’s light show,’ the patter of rain on the windows, looking for rainbows, etc. No, I have not met Dorothy or Toto.

Something else that I really enjoy is a good suspense thriller or horror movie. Now, I do not care for the ‘slasher films’ that are so popular. For me to enjoy the movie, there has to be an intelligent plot, good character development, and unexpected plot twists are always a plus. One example would be the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful” that is on Netflix. I found the series to be a very interesting and unique retelling of various horror stories like Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, etc. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure.

I do know that some Christians believe that it is evil to watch horror movies because of their portrayal of witchcraft, promotion of evil deeds, etc. There have been a number of movies that I stopped watching because of reasons similar to these. But, for the most part, just like science fiction, I know that they are fictitious, not real, and that they are not (normally) based on Scripture but on myths, pagan beliefs, etc. And, having experience real spiritual warfare myself over the years, I find myself often laughing at how things are portrayed.

Quite frankly, my wife and I will sometimes watch a poorly based horror movie and entertain ourselves with making fun of it. Her experiences are very different than mine when it comes to spiritual warfare. Because of this, there are times where I will seek her thoughts on something, or she will ask me for my input. Our different experiences, personalities (I am an INFJ and she is the polar opposite, an ESTP), training, etc., help us to become better together.

The thunderstorms that we have been experiencing the last few days, including today, helped inspire this blog entry. That, and the fact that I have been watching a number of pretty good horror/thriller movies lately. That, and it’s the night before Easter.

Why am I making these connections? It’s something that I, as an INFJ, do very easily. It’s how my mind works. But, there is a real logic to all of this, if you will just bare with me a little more. Spiritual warfare is essentially the legions of Satan fighting against God and trying to keep each of us away from God’s love and mercy. Whether it is more subtle attacks against our faith in God through friends and family concerning our faith in Christ and belief in Scripture, or they are made manifest in attacks on our character or even our bodies. It all has roots in the spiritual world. It is not something that we see (unless God grants us the ability to see into the spiritual realm), but it’s something that we feel the effects of.

Think about it. Christ’s crucifixion was greatest battle in the eternal war between God and Lucifer (now known as Satan). Up until Jesus’ death and resurrection, we were all spiritually dead, eternally separated from God because of our sinful nature. We belonged to Satan, the ruler of this world. On Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified, Satan genuinely believed that he had won the battle, and the war. It wasn’t until Sunday morning, when Jesus rose again from the dead, that Satan realized that he not only lost that battle, but he also lost the war.

I work for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, have been there for almost 10 whole years now. Because of the evil within a lot of the Inmates, every day is intense emotionally and spiritually for me. Not every Inmate is ‘evil-incarnate,’ but quite a few are. Also, because of the sin that many have lived in, demonic forces dwell around, and sometimes within. It’s an environment that I walk within almost daily. Because I have spent about half of my career working within the segregation unit, dealing with people who tend to do evil things on a regular basis, often ‘just of kicks’ or for pure enjoyment, it is sometimes very, very intense.

Although this job can be very dark and morbid, a lot, God does touch lives through me, both staff and inmates. God has used me to encourage those who do follow Him in their individual walks, and He has used me to point others to Him. Both staff and Inmates. God’s love, grace, and peace do indeed shine in the life of several staff members and a number of Inmates. Though they may be just as guilty as the two thieves that hung on either side of Jesus (just as all of us are), some have turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42)

Scripture testifies to the evil within our hearts. Scripture testifies to the incredible holiness of God. Scripture also testifies to God’s ‘steadfast love’ for each of us. On that dark, dark day, when Jesus was crucified, the veil in the Temple (a very thick and heavy curtain) was torn in two from top to bottom, the eternal separation between a holy God and sinful human race, was torn open. Two thieves died along with that Glorious Savior. One mocking Him, when acknowledging his sinfulness and seeking His mercy. Which are you?

Spring Thoughts

References:
• 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 NAS
• Galatians 6:10-18 NAS

The other day, my wife went outside to work in our yard. It is something that she really loves to do. In fact, if the weather is decent and there are not other pressing things to do, she will often work outside when given the chance. Although I enjoy being outside and enjoying nature, doing yard work, gardening, etc., are things that I do not enjoy at all. It is something that I really appreciate about my wife.

It is interesting to me that Easter is in the Spring. Interesting and awesome, in my opinion. Think about it. In Spring, we celebrate plants seemingly ‘come back to life.’ Grass becomes green again, deciduous trees start budding and new leaves come out, the days become warmer, the days become longer, flowers start to appear and bloom, etc. It can almost be like the world is ‘coming back to life!’

During Easter, we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who was fully Man and fully Divine, so that our sins could be forgiven and we could have a new life. As Christians, we believe that so that a sinful person could have a personal relationship with a holy and righteous God, something had to atone for our sins. Because of God’s great and unfathomable love for us, He chose to take our place on that cross.

Think about it… A holy and righteous God cared so much for a fallen and rebellious people that He took our place! Here is a way to put it into context. Imagine a person who lives an abundant life, caring and loving others, lives with integrity, is always honest and speaks in a compassionate manner. Does this not sound like someone who you would want to emulate?

Now, say an evil man or woman, who has tortured and killed many people is finally arrested. This particular person is accused of torturing and killing more than 30 people who did noting wrong. In fact, this evil person went out of their way to find people who sought to live a good life to murder in very painful, even excruciating ways, making it last days if possible. This person is tried and found guilty and has earned the death penalty because of the horrendous crimes that he/she has committed. And, let’s assume that there is absolutely no question of his/her guilt because this person was so evil at heart that he/she videotaped many of their ‘sessions,’ DNA evidence clearly links this person to the numerous crimes, etc. You probably expect, even hope, that such a person would be “thrown in prison and that they throw away the key” at the very least, if not publicly execute him/her for all of the evil that he/she did.

Now, let’s say that the ‘righteous man,’ the outstanding citizen mentioned above, chooses to have compassion on this evil person, who is now pleading for mercy and swearing that he/she will totally change their ways. This ‘righteous person’ not only pleads with the judge for clemency for the wicked person, but voluntarily will take their place with the death sentence. If you were the judge, would you accept this man’s offer? If you were one of the victims of this ‘monster,’ would you be willing to accept the ‘righteous man’s offer’ to take place of the man or woman who was, without question, found guilty of torturing and killing your loved one?!

If this sounds to horrendous to consider, that’s the point. Because, whether or not we want to believe it, we are all like that ‘horrendous and evil killer.’ Why? Because in thought, word, and deed, we rebel against God’s authority in our lives and ‘murder’ others in our hearts by hating others. We all break each and every one of God’s 10 Commandments in thought, word, and deed, each and every day of our lives. Each of us.

As a holy and righteous God, when Adam and Eve first sinned, God would have been justified in permanently ending our existence right then and there. Or God could have chosen to have done nothing and allow us to perpetually live separated from Him in this life and in eternity. Instead, God allowed us to endure the consequences of our sins by being physically alive and spiritual dead until He could, at the right time, remove the consequences of our sins for those who trust in Him and His forgiving love. There is a cost for us, though. In exchange for receiving His free grace, God expects us to repent of our sins and to turn away from them. We are not alone in doing this, though. Upon repenting of our wickedness and receiving God’s love and grace, He in turn dwells within us via His Holy Spirit. In living through us, God helps us to change, learn and grow in faith and become more like Him.

Imagine that… Though we are broken, have wicked hearts with evil intentions, and by nature do not want to obey God, He wants to change us. That is what we celebrate this Easter. It’s not about colorfully decorated eggs, it’s not about a bunny delivering baskets (Hasenpfeffer, anyone?!), it’s about God taking our sins upon Himself so that we could live with Him for eternity.

Lenten and Easter Thoughts

References:
• Psalm 102:8-28
• Isaiah 55:1-13
• John 15:1-17

I can’t remember if I have mentioned this or not, but the Bible Study that I have been leading has been going through the Heidelberg Catechism for the last several months. It has been a very interesting journey together, studying this catechism in order to better understand our own faith. Not only do these questions and answers, with their Scripture references, challenge us with our own relationship with Christ, they also give us tools to better articulate what we believe and why.

While we were going through the several pages of Scripture references for Question and Answer #31, I was struck with how appropriate three of them were for this Season of Lent. One is a Psalm, one is a passage from Isaiah, and the third is from the Gospel of John. Let’s take a short look at each of them.

Psalm 102 is a psalm of distress where everything feels helpless. It is almost like that author has hit rock bottom in his/her life, that he/she has to “look up to see the bottom of the well.” Not only does the author feel like his/her enemies have surrounded them and closing in, but the author also feels like God Himself has “lifted me up and cast me away.” Deeply troubling, wouldn’t you say?
In all honesty, how often do we feel like evil people are closing in on us and that we have no hope? How often does it feel like no amount of praying is solving the problem? How often does the darkness that we are currently walking through feel like it is all consuming? Once in a while? Often? Daily?

We all go through seasons like this, where there seems like there is absolutely no home left. We often wonder why God is so ‘quiet’ in our lives, all the while we go through darkness and pain. There are, unfortunately, no easy answer. Although we all endure times like this in our lives, we often don’t understand why. For me, it is so very frustrating to be experiencing these things, know that God loves me and will take care of me, but yet the “valley of the shadow of death” is all too consuming.

All we can prayerfully do is keep our focus on Christ and remind ourselves that He has a purpose for us. In the Psalm 102:12-28, the author reminds him/herself of this. That since God has founded the heavens and the earth, that though they all will perish, He will still endure. And, since God is a loving and faithful to those who call on Him.

Along this line of thought, let’s turn to the Isaiah passage. Here Isaiah dictates as God speaks, come to Him for free grace. God contrasts our need for physical food and drink, that is only temporary, to the free spiritual nourishment that He gives those who will receive it.
When Isaiah writes, “everlasting covenant,” he is referring to the kind of one-sided covenant that God made with Abram in Genesis. During ancient times, people would make a blood covenant with each other by walking through the blood of animals much like what Abram (later Abraham). The idea was, whom ever would break the covenant (like a peace treaty) with the other, then the person who broke the covenant should be killed like the beasts that they walked between. Both people making the covenant would walk through after agreeing what each had to do in order to uphold their part of the bargain. However, in verses 12-21, God makes the covenant with Abram, as a ‘flaming torch (v. 17) and God alone walks through the blood covenant. It is understood that the ‘flaming torch’ then consumes everything as He goes through it so that Abram cannot go through. The meaning? It is all dependent on God, not us. All we are required is to ‘trust and obey’ within our ability. God will take care of everything else.

One other thing that really stood out to me are verses 8-11. For me, these are very comforting in that, though I do not understand all that God calls me to do or why I experience all that I do, God has a plan. God calls me to obedience and to trust Him with the results. Since I do not have the “eternal perspective” that He has, I do not understand all that He is doing through me. But, God’s promise to me is that what I do in faith, He will honor and bless. If He calls me to do something, there is a reason and that God will accomplish something through it.
Fast forward several hundred years from Isaiah to when John wrote his Gospel…. Starting in John 13, we see that Jesus is celebrating the Last Supper with His Disciples. In John 13:31-38, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. Then in John 14:1-15, Jesus states that He is the only way to come onto God (receive salvation). After this, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to all believers in verses 16-31. Then in John 15:1-17, Jesus teaches them about Him being the Vine and everyone else being the branches. When we are connected/grafted into Him, we receive our spiritual nourishment and grow, even thrive. Cut off from Him, we wither and die.

But, what I want to focus on most is John 15:15-16. During this last, intimate meal between Jesus and His Disciples, Jesus now calls the Disciples (and us as well) His friends. Though Jesus is Lord of all creation, He calls each and everyone of us who believe in Him and His grace, His friend. Not only are we chosen by God to be His friend, but we are also chosen by Him to “bear fruit.”
This Season of Lent and Easter, let us choose to remember that God has called each of us out of our deepest pain and despair to receive His free grace. Not just that, but even more! Through the finished work of Jesus Christ, God calls us to be His friend and to ‘bear much fruit!’ Though we may understand little of what we go through, God has a purpose for each and everyone of us. Though Jesus is our Lord and Savior, our Holy and Righteous Creator, He also wants to be our close and trusted friend. How awesome is that?!

Idols in Our Lives

References:References:
• Song “Take Me to Church” w/ lyrics by Hozier
• Exodus 20:1-6 NAS
• Idol – definition, especially 4 (object of extreme devotion)

What comes to your mind when you think of the word ‘idol?’ For a lot of people, what usually comes to their mind is people kneeling and/or bowing before some sort of statue. This is a mental picture that often comes to my mind as well. However, as I am grown in my faith, I have come to realize that such a mental picture is not the only thing that an idol can be.

When I first heard the song, “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, the line that I really focused on was “I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife.” I remember thinking, “What the heck?! That sounds like a very sick congregation!” It reminded me of several congregations that I had been to where God was worshiped in name only. In reality, the people met to worship other things. No, they did not have statues that they bowed down to, nor did they read from other holy books. The pastor read Scripture and preached on it (though, at times, it was very loosely based on Scripture and based more on things that pleased people). Though the Word of God was read and (though sometimes loosely) proclaimed, the hearts of the people where elsewhere.

Instead of wanting to be devoted to God, their devotion was to many other things. Just some of the more common examples would be social status, their jobs, how much money they had, the ‘toys’ that they had, their influence in the community, they clothes that they wore, etc. Along with these idols, I have encountered many churches with the idol of “thank god we are not like those (fill in the blank)!!

“Why are these idols?” you may ask. Although many people would picture people bowing down in front of a statue ‘idol worship,’ that is not the most complete definition. An idol, in reality, is anything that a person has as more important than their relationship with God. Whether it be a relationship, a job, a favorite hobby, etc., anything that hinders our relationship with God (and in turn, with others), is an idol.

Do these attitudes sound familiar? If we are honest with ourselves, we find such attitudes in ourselves every day, to some extent. Some days more so than others. But, each and every one of us has such attitudes. To what extent will depend on the person and the day. But, if we are honest with ourselves, we hold things more important than our devotion to God each and every day.

Many years ago, I heard a saying of, “If you want to know what is important to a person, look at their checkbook.” That is, what they spend the most money on is an indicator as to what is more important. In my opinion, though this idea has its merits, it is not totally accurate. This is because important things like housing and food cost a lot of money. So do essentials like clothing, gas for a car, vehicle and house maintenance, etc. I believe that a much better indicator would be taking a daily planner and plotting out how much time you spend on things each day. Be it work, cooking, cleaning, watching tv, reading, etc. I am sure that a lot of people would be surprised with what they would discover.

The ideal that I have often heard concerning priorities is: God first, then family, then everything else. And, it is definitely a real struggle to maintain one’s priorities in that order. Favorite hobbies, one’s work, basic chores around the house (or apartment or even barracks), quiet time of reflection or reading to recharge, time with friends, etc., all strive for our attention. Have you ever thought about how different things in your life strive for your attention, your time, and your energy?
Eventually, I was able to read all of the lyrics and watch a video that had the lyrics posted while I listened to the music. While the lyrics are fairly dark, I am glad that I read them. Many times, things in our lives become such idols that they truly take over our lives. Think for a moment about a parent who becomes so devoted to their work and ‘climbing the cooperate ladder’ that they sacrifice their family, their friends, and probably even their health. That ‘idol’ becomes so ‘all consuming’ that everything else are ‘sacrificed’ to it. Sacrificed to satisfy that ‘intense need,’ what ever that may be.

I believe that, while God calls us to be fully devoted to Him, it is not to be at the sacrifice of everything else, especially friends and family. Let’s take the Apostle Paul as an example. Throughout the New Testament, we see in his letters to various communities and people the importance of being singularly devoted to God. However, we are also called to be devoted to each other, to the work that we do to earn a living, and to gathering together to worship God. Each of these things are part of a whole, a whole life lived in dedication to serving God and others. We are to live out the ideal as “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself,” (Luke 10:27), then we must consciously and purposely use our time wisely. How that will work will vary from person to person, and on the season of their lives.

And balance in how we serve God can be very difficult! For me, being very introverted and high sensing, being around people can be very draining. Even people that I love! To maintain my emotional health, I have to have quiet time to recharge, process my experiences, etc. However, there are times where I have to set aside my immediate felt needs in order to take care of my family, things are work, etc. Because of the riot in May of 2015 and being short with staffing at the prison where I work, we work 12 hour shifts. And, since I work the day shift, I am constantly around people, being bombarded with various job requirements and addressing the needs of others. Needless to say, I often come home extremely drained. Taking care of my wife and two young children is sometimes extremely difficult for me because I already feel emotionally and physically drained. There are times where I can do things by myself for a while and then come back and take care of my family. However, that is not always the case.

God’s call in our lives to be fully devoted to Him and to love others as we want to be loved is, quite honestly, impossible. We are sinful beings who want to focus on our immediate felt needs. And, God wants us to genuinely worship Him (in spirit and in truth, John 4:23, 24). Not empty phrases and actions, devoid of genuine desire to love and serve Him. Apart from God’s help and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for us. But, the good news is, God wants to enable us to faithfully serve Him and worship Him. Though it may take a long time to prune those things that hinder your love and passion for God (and, in turn, to love and serve others), God wants to help you to do so. Are you courageous enough to ask God to help you?

For What Cost

References:
• John 11:25-26 NAS
• Luke 24:1-12 NAS
• Open Doors: Pakistan
• FoxNews Article on the terrorist attack in Pakistan

It is Easter Sunday evening for me. My family and I spent Easter at church this morning and then we had lunch with my parents. All of us are Christians and wanted to spend time together celebrating our faith. Celebrating the fact that God not only entered into our world to teach us, but to take our sins upon Himself and died a criminal’s death so that we might be dead to sin. But, not just that, but that Jesus rose from the dead so that all who have been called to believe in His death and resurrection would have eternal life. It was a very pleasant time together.

Unfortunately, though, church, had some real low points this morning. Most of the service was very good and focused on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Many families had visitors, which was a real blessing! But, thing things hit a very sour note. Though the service did end on a positive note, I could not help but walk away from the service angry because of some things that had been brought up. Some issues that we as a local congregation have been wrestling with for some time. Instead of our focus on the New Life that we have in Christ, certain issues gained the spotlight.

After the service, I felt led to talk with our pastor about some things. As some of you might know, I have a strong interest the persecuted Church throughout the world. I have done a few sermons and Bible studies on the topic over the last few years, especially around All Saints Day, which is the first November first, and celebrated on the first Sunday in November. On that day, we are encouraged to take time to reflect on those who have died (were martyred) for the Gospel of Christ. Reading some of their stories helps to put my issues into perspective. Living in a country like America where we are allowed to be Disciples of Christ with little fear had dulled us to what the cost of Discipleship can be.

Throughout the day, my wife and I had briefly talked about the terrorist attack at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, Pakistan. We were saddened by it, due to the fact that so many people had been killed or injured. But, it wasn’t until our drive home that reality slapped my very hard in the face.

During our drive home, my wife was reading some updated articles about the terrorist attack, like the one that I linked above. After a little time of silent reflection, she asked, “Doesn’t your friend from seminary live in Lahore, Pakistan?” That was a real slap of reality for me. That made it very personal to me, realizing that someone I know, is a dear brother in Christ, and a good friend, was very likely directly impacted by that attack.

I met my friend, Majid, in 1996 when we both attended Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He was there to finish studying for a Doctorate in Ministry, while I was there to get a Masters of Divinity (MDiv). He, several Christians for Africa, and other Christians from America became close friends. After he graduated with his Doctorate and returned to Pakistan, we still kept in touch occasionally via E-mail. After Facebook came around, we connected on that. Around Christmas of last year, I found out that he had been elected as moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. I was extremely happy to hear that and eager to hear of the things that God would do through him in such an awesome position.

Majid and I share the same hope in Christ. That hope is that Christ Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead for our justification and that we might have a New Life in Him. Over the years, I have experienced prejudice for my conservative Christian beliefs in various forms. But, I have never been threatened with imprisonment and/or death for trust Christ as my Lord and Savior. I am sure that all of what I have experienced pales in comparison to what Majid and the other Christians in Pakistan experience on a daily basis. Really puts things into perspective.

My wife read that Christians make up approximately 2% of the population of Pakistan (OpenDoorUSA.org lists 199 million overall population and approximately 4 million Christians). And, since Majid holds a senior position within the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, it is very likely that he has friends and/or family members that were directly affected by this attack. I can only imagine how all of this has affected him, his family, his congregation, let alone the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan and other Christians in that country.

On Easter, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection so that we can have a New Life in Him. We celebrate this hope while still living in this broken world where suffering and death are still a real threat. But yet, those of us who are Christians in such countries as the United States, Canada, various countries throughout Europe, etc., live a very protected life. The challenges that we face on a daily basis grossly pale to what other Brothers and Sisters in Christ experience regularly, even daily. Let us take time remember those who are now experiencing eternal life in Christ in the fullest sense. Whether they died of natural causes, were a victim of crime, are were martyred for their faith, they are now experiencing what we are currently hoping for. That Jesus’ words, “I am the Resurrection and the Life…” (John 11:25) We walk by faith, their faith has been made a reality. Let us pray that those who are persecuted maintain their courage and faith. May we also pray that we do not take our peaceful lives (compared to what they endure) for granted. May we have the same courage to follow Christ like they do. With courage, zeal, compassion, and hope.

Asking The Right Questions

This morning after church, we had a congregational meeting to discuss some important future plans. Two years ago last January, our church burned down. There was, praise God, no loss of life. Just the loss of the church. Almost from the start, some people were already talking about how soon we could start rebuilding.

At this time, some plans have been drawn up and a lot of money has been set aside for building the new church. It isnot fully funded yet. But we have some moeny set aside already. We have a good start; but, I am concerned that our focus is not where it should be. My greatest concern is that there is too much of a focus on the physical building, a physical church, but not much thought on being the church to our community.

What do I mean by "being the church?" Much, actually. Being a Christian is more than just making verbal confessions, carrying a Bible, with you all of the time, more than just memorizing Scripture, and attending worship worship at a church. It is much more than that. It is, first and foremost, a personal relationship with God throughthe life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. But, it doesn't end there. Not by a long shot.

Being a Christian means being a Follower of Christ. It means living a life of obedience to not just how God wants us to live morally, but also with how He wants us to serve Him and others. I think that my current life is an excellent example.

As many of you might already know, I work at a State prison here in Nebraska as Custody Staff. It is not a job that I actively sought out. In fact, when I have been job hunting, I have sought out a ministry position. Working in a church or a Christian organization is my heart's desire. I attended seminary ad got a Master's of Divinity (2000 at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) because that is where I felt God was calling me. But yet, I am working someplace totally different.

Not just that, but personality wise I am in a very challenging place. As an INFJ, I excell in theological study, teaching, and ministering to people. But yet, God is choosing to use me in a place very much outside of what come to me naturally. The last few weeks have been even more vividly so. Over the last year, as I have learned more about the personality that God has given me, I have begun to better understand why I have always been sensitive to my emotional surroundings. Keeping that in mind, it might come to a shock to you that God has been keeping meposted in visiting. My job in visiting, as Custody Staff, is to enforce rules with Inmates and the visitors.  On top of all that, during the visiting periods are a huge, volital mix of emotions. Just a few of them are anger over bad d3cisions, grief over damaged and destroyed relationships, grief over shattered dreams, anger over not being in contol of one's life, etc. The more people who are together, the greater the intensity of these feelings. Yesterday, I had three big groups to deal with, with one being an almost to compacity of the large room. By the end of the day, I felt like I was a 110 volt motor that had been plugged into a 220 volt outlet. Being "very exhausted"was a gross understatement. One might logically ask, why would a loving God put someone like me in an environment that was so draining?! I wrestle with that a lot.

God has given me a few glimpses here and there. Over the 7+ years that I havemworked at this particular prison, God hasnused me to greatimpact many lives there. Both staff and inmates. It doesn't always appear like I do. But, I doget glimpses at times. For example, as I was getting ready do do my searches on a group of Inmates before their visiting session, they were already grumbling about how long it would take. Then one Inmate said, "Hey, I know Underwood... He's cool..." That is all he said. Might not seem like much, but I felt a large amount of the building anger and frustration drop. They all chose to cooperate and, when another staff member arrived to help, things ran very smoothly.

Why did I share this story? Over the last 7+ years, I have had to live in utter dependence to God for strength and with guidance for doing my job. A lot that I do as Custody Staff does not come naturally as an INFJ. It has been a huge struggle on many ocassions. But, from time-to-time, God gives me glimpses of how He has touched lives through me. But, tnis is only because I prayerfylly choose to be God's instrument.

For us as a church, I see us at a crossroads. Will we focus on our physical needs of having our own church building now,; or, will we prayerfully seek to learn how to be The Church to our community? One is a road of easy decisions. One is a road of very difficult introspection and decisions. And, the worst th8ng of all, living uncomforably.

I do not know why God has me where I am at. Working at the prison has been a growing experience, but also a painful one. It is definitely not what I want and would have chose on my own. But, my desire to be obedient to God has beenthe reason why I have stayed so far. And, I believe that we, as a local church, is facing a similar kind of decision. We greatly need God's help in making the right decisions for doing His will. It is a great strugglento be obedient as an individual. The more people who gather to seek His Will, the more conflict and confusion can arise. Especially if each is seeking what makes them, as an individual, feel safe. But, since when has God called us to do things that make us feel safe? I think that Abraham, Moses, Dietrich Bohnhoffer, Frederich Douglas, Maartin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., etc., would argue that our comfort is not God's greatest concern.it is our obedience. Let us prayerfully contemplate that.

Religious Corruption

Scripture to Read:
- John 2:12-25 NAS
- Jeremiah 7:1-15 NAS
- Matthew 21:12-13 NAS
- Mark 11:15-17 NAS
- Luke 19:45-47 NAS

In a Bible Study that I help lead, we have been studying the Gospel of John. We just recently finished talking about Chapter 2 and thought I would share a couple of things that really stood out to me. I hope that there are something that can help you in your walk with God.

In the John passage, we Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Passover. This is a celebration of the miraculous way that God lead the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 20 NAS). It is a very significant celebration for the Hebrew people. Not only was it a miraculous leading out of bondage of slavery, but God used it to point us to when He would eventually lead us out of bondage to sin (something I will discuss in detail at another time). In reading the Old Testament, one will see that animal sacrifices played a very, very important role in the Jewish worship.

With the sacrifices, God called His people to bring an animal without blemish (not sick, lame, injured, etc.). Why might this be? Because the animal sacrifices were to 'cover up' our sins, it was to be something that cost us. Just as the sins that we commit cause damage in our relationships with God and with others, making amends should not 'be cheap.' Ever have someone do something wrong against you and then apologize in such a way that you questioned their sincerity? In a way, that was how bringing 'damaged goods' for a sacrifice to God would be. Think about it, how sincere do you think God would see you if you kept animals that were healthy and only brought the 'left overs' or that which was of little value to you? I talk about this idea a little more in depth in my blog entry concerning Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, “Cost of Discipleship.” Because God knows our thoughts and attitudes, this is something important to keep in mind.

Because of the danger of people not bringing their best for offerings, the religious leaders during Jesus time provided animals for sacrifice. Now, having animals available would be helpful to people in two ways. First of all, it would ensure that animals that met the “without blemish” aspect were available. Secondly, for some people who had to travel long distances to make sacrifices at the Temple, this would be a good option. Travelers would not have to worry about the animal(s) they brought for their sacrifice becoming sick or injured on the way. However, instead of having animals available for people to buy, people were only allowed to use the animals that they provided. And, the Pharisees could charge what ever price they wanted.

Because Roman money had a picture of Caesar, who was considered to be a god of sorts, the religious leaders did not want that money in the Temple. Nor did they want that kind of money being used to purchase animals for sacrifice. (See these articles on 'money changers:' here and here). God's intent was that the Priests would live off of parts of certain sacrifices and off of the money collected yearly. Instead of being content with how God wanted to provide for them, they chose to force people to give them more money.

In the Jeremiah passage, two things were being addressed. One was the Jewish people's trusting the presence of God's Temple for their protection. The Jewish people believed that since the Temple, where God dwelt, was in Jerusalem, God would protect them so that it would not be destroyed. However, God told them through Jeremiah that this was not the case. God would not protect them merely because of the presence of His Temple was there. He would Divinely protect them because of their devotion to Him and following His Laws. In short, the Jewish people were making an idol out of of the Temple building and the sacrifices. Instead of genuine repentance of sin and seeking to whole-heartily follow God, they went through the motions of religious worship.

A large portion of the Priests during Jeremiah's time were spiritually corrupt. God's intent was that the Priests were to be the moral and religious leaders to God's people. Because they were not correcting the people and were leading corrupt lives themselves, God viewed them as being like robbers. The thing is, the Hebrew word, פריץ (pronounced per-eets') is better translated as 'violent one, breaker, robber, murderer' (). Pretty harsh, huh? You might be wondering how this may tie in to what Jeremiah and Jesus addressing in their respective situations. I will try to clarify that.

In the Old Testament, God repeatedly referred to idolatry a spiritual form of adultery. One has to remember that covenants (a legal kind of agreement) was, and still is, very important. We see time and again God making a covenant with a person or a people (for example, Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew people). A covenant has to have two or more people or groups come together to agree on the benefits and consequences for a given covenant. With Israel, God promised to not just protect them if they were obedient to Him, but that He would richly bless them. In contrast, if they chose to disobey God, He would bring about a variety of punishments. When the nation of Israel came into being, the Priests were charged with leading worship and being the moral compass of the nation. When they became corrupt, the people in turn followed and became corrupt. Although we are all human and make mistakes, there is a difference between unintentionally leading someone astray and purposely doing so.

In Jeremiah's time, many of the Priests were not executing or teaching God's justice. They were seeking their own selfish aims. One aspect was teaching that because the Temple was in Jerusalem, the Hebrew people would be protected. Between this belief, allowing idolatry (worship of Baal and other foreign gods), and perverting justice, God saw them as being no better than violent thieves and murderers. Although they may not be actually committing armed robbery or murderer to the physical body, they were not teaching the people of Israel how to obey God. They were, in fact, leading them astray with false teachings. So, in a very real sense, they were committing these heinous crimes of armed robbery and murder in a spiritual form. They were preventing the people of Israel from repenting of their sins and returning to God. Not just that, but they were often receiving bribes for perverting justice. In leading the Hebrew people astray, they were preventing the people of having a relationship with God. This would, in turn, further their spiritual bondage and prevent them from being reconciled to God. Therefore, they would continue to be 'dead in their sins' instead of being 'alive' by having a healthy relationship with God.

When the Pharisees and Sadducee did similar things during Jesus' time, it starts to make sense why Jesus would reference Jeremiah's speech. Although theologians differ on which religious holiday it was that Jeremiah did his speech in Jeremiah 7, it is very possible that it could have been the Passover. If it had been during Passover in Jeremiah 7, then it makes more sense for Jesus to quote him while he is driving out the money changers and those selling animals. Although the passage in John does not refer to the people that Jesus drove out as 'robbers,' the authors of Matthew, Luke and Mark do. The word that they use is λεστες (pronounced lace-tace'). The meaning of that Greek word is 'a robber, plunderer, freebooter, brigand.' All of these words have a sense of someone using force to take things from someone else.

You are probably wondering how this might apply to each of us. When a person is entrusted with the care of someone else, it is important that he or she execute that role in a responsible manner. This is reflected in the Jeremiah and Gospel passages shows how important it is to God. In all of the above passages, God had very harsh words for the religious leaders who were leading His people away from Him. Their role was extremely important. They were to teach God's chosen people how to obey God. In obeying God, they would experience life (being spiritually connected to God and receiving His blessings). Instead, the religious leaders were teaching disobedience to God. This, in turn, prevented the people from returning to Him. It wasn't that they were not fulfilling their calling as caretakers, they were using their position for their own gain.

Every society has laws for people to live by. Whether in the military or the civilian world, we have laws governing how people are to lead others. The leader is charged with taking care of those he or she are responsible. Whether is a parent responsible for the upbringing of a child, a teacher charged with correctly instructing his or her students, or a police officer in charge of the public's safety, there are consequences for not doing their job. Whether by negligence or on purpose, those who do not fulfill their position of responsibility are to be held accountable. It is the same for those that God has charged with the spiritual well-being of His people. God will hold each of us accountable for how we shepherd His people. For all leaders, we can do great harm physically, emotionally, economically, etc., when we make the wrong decisions. Some consequences can be short-term or long-term. But for those of us that God has called to shepherd His people, our bad decisions can have eternal consequences. We must always keep this in mind, seeking God's insight and strength to lead His people in ways that honor Him. Though we are human and make mistakes, we must not purposely chose to lead His people astray. Do you not want to receive God's blessings for obedience? I know that I do. Let us earnestly seek to lead with integrity, with compassion, and to lead people to God and not away.

Reflections and Short-Comings

When I first arrived here in the Middle East, I had hoped to help lead worship at some point and maybe help teach a Bible Study or two. To my great surprise, I was invited to preach not long after my arrival. Soon after that, the Chaplains said that they were looking for someone to lead one of the two Bible Studies. Although I felt God nudging me, because of work, I was not available to do anything. So, I spent time praying about. The nudging from God continued, so when work settled down, I volunteered to lead the Bible Study, which the Chaplains immediately thanked me for. Initially I though I would to a study on specific topics or current events. But, one afternoon or evening, as I was thinking about different topics to discuss, I felt God nudging me a different direction.

The direction that I felt God nudging me was to study the Minor Prophets. The Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Minor Prophets are Jonah, Micah, Haggai, Zephaniah, etc. The reason why they are called a 'Major' or 'Minor' Prophet is not because of content, but because of length. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other Major Prophets have 40 or more chapters. The Minor Prophets have 14 or fewer chapters. The content of all the Books of the Prophets are important. Some wrote more, some wrote less.

Although I have been writing a blog entry about doing the Bible Study on the Minor Prophets, that is not this particular entry. This entry is about something else that has been weighing on me, that God has been correcting me on. And, part of it is because of the studying that I have been doing.

If one studies the Old Testament, it becomes apparent that the Hebrew people would go through times of being very devout and sincere in following Yahweh (the Hebrew Name for God). And, there were times when they would very eagerly seek after the false gods of their neighbors and commit spiritual adultery against God, Who was to be their first and only love. And, with their spiritual adultery, along would come actual sexual immorality, human sacrifice and even child sacrifice, corruption within the legal and religious leaders, etc. God would repeatedly send Judges and later prophets to rebuke His people and call them to repentance so that they could, once again, enjoy His blessings.

Throughout Israel's history, they would sometimes being very faithful to God and sometimes be utterly rebellious against Him. But yet, God still sent people to call them to repentance. In Ezekiel 3 and 33, God calls Ezekiel to be the 'watchman' for Israel. Now, the role of a watchman was to, literately, stand in a tower or on the wall of the fortified town or city. They were there to watch for danger and, if they saw it coming, to give the inhabitants of the town or city warning. If they did their job and warned the people of pending danger, the people had a choice of listening or not to him. God called Ezekiel to be the watchman for Israel to warn them of coming judgment for their sins and rebellion. If Ezekiel did his part, he would not be held accountable for the actions of others. But, if Ezekiel did not do his part and warn others of God's judgments for their sins, then they would suffer the consequences and Ezekiel would be held accountable for not warning them.

Over the centuries, the Church (Body of Christ, not just a physical church or a particular denomination) has been both faithful and unfaithful to God. There have been seasons where the Church has eagerly sought God, to be obedient to His Will, and to allow Him to mighty and awesome things through them in the lives of others. And, there have been times where the Church, just like Israel, has abandoned God and sought the pleasures of the world. I know that not all churches in the United States and in Europe have forsaken God to embrace secularism, sexual immorality, etc. But, many have. In fact, several denominations have already turned towards or have embraced these things. They have given up the things of God in return to be accepted by the world and please others. And, for many of us in the Church, instead of fervently praying for our political leaders, religious leaders, etc., we have become more focused on other things. I know I have.

But yet, I am reminded of what God promised Solomon in I Kings 8. That is, no matter how far away a person or a nation may turn from God. Upon acknowledging their sins and turning back to God, He promised to forgive them and heal them. Jesus repeatedly told us in parables, like The Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son, that God seeks out those who are lost and eagerly welcomes them back when they repent. Today, God has given each of those who are His Disciples the Holy Spirit. We are called to listen to God speak to us, through Scripture, through our prayer lives, throughout our lives as we work and play. God wants to use us to minister to others, to pray for others, to be His ambassadors. For renewal, or even revival to happen, we must make ourselves available to Him.

As I mentioned in my blog entry a while back about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. There is cheap grace and there is costly grace. Cheap grace is where we are not challenged, we are not changed. It costs us nothing. Costly grace is grace that causes us to change in response. That is, out of thankfulness to God for saving and redeeming us through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we willing choose to do His Will. And, actively following God costs us. It costs us comfort, it costs us relationships, it might even cost us our jobs or maybe even our lives.

As I continue to lead the Bible Studies on the Minor Prophets, worship God in the Chapel services, and do my work here, I know I need to be more purposeful in praying for others. For the people of the country that I am, for the leaders here, and for those back in the States. I encourage each of you to share in this with me. But, more importantly than just praying for others… We all need to actively seek God's will with using us to bring about change that honors Him. It very well may cost some of us a lot. As a US Soldier, I am reminded often that “All gave some, some gave all.” In the E-mail devotional I get concerning the Persecuted Church, I am reminded daily that for Christ, “...some gave all.” Should I not be just as willing??

Memorial and Remembrance

Memorial Day is on May 25th of this year. Many of you out there, who celebrate this day, will have BBQ, picnics, visit families, eat big meals, and maybe even watch a parade or go to a ceremony at a cemetery. Some of you will ignore the day, some of you will have to work, and some of you may ponder different things on this day.

I would encourage you to visit this Web Page, which is dedicated to this day. Unlike what many people think, it is not a day dedicated to honoring those who are presently serving (Armed Forces Day) or those who have served in the past (Veterans Day). Memorial Day is set aside to remember those who gave up their lives in service to this country and to protect our freedoms.

I am proud to be serving in the Nebraska National Guard and continue to serve my country. I have been deployed three times and am currently on my fourth deployment. But, Memorial Day is not about me and what I am doing. My Grandfather, MAJ (RET) Earl Underwood SR, who passed away a few years ago, proudly served as a career Army man. But, this day is not about him. Instead, let me tell you about my friend, Kyu Chay.

When I was Active Duty, from 2001-2005, I was stationed at FT Bragg, NC, home of the 82nd Airborne Division. I was a member of the Bravo Company (Blacksheep), 313th Military Intelligence Battalion. Being a Blacksheep, we were attached to 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division (this is before things were restructured in 2005). During that time, I was an intelligence analyst and SGT Chay was a linguist (interpreter). We worked together at times and I always enjoyed working with him. He loved a good laugh, wanted to bring out the good of others, and was a very hard worker. Although we didn't hang out together after we were done working, he was someone I highly respected. So did pretty much everyone in our Blacksheep company.

In early 2003, we deployed to Kuwait, waiting for the green light to go into Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. At times we worked near each other, other times we did not. Because we had different roles to play in intelligence gathering, I didn't see the linguists very often. Eventually, in 2004, we returned to the States. I earned my E5 and, within a year, left Active Duty. Although I did keep in touch with some friends from the 'Blacksheep Family,' as we called ourselves, Chay was one that I did not keep in contact with.

Even though not all of us were close friends, all of us who served in B CO Blacksheep were a family because we had served together. Not just in peace time, but during a time of armed conflict. For those who have not been in the military, law enforcement, or similar high risk job, it's hard to understand the kind of 'Family' that we are. And really, it is hard to describe. It's a brotherhood (in the sense of including both men and women) of people that work hard together, protecting each other, fighting for each others' lives so that, with luck and/or God's Grace (depending on your perspective) you can all return home together. Even though I have served with people that I enjoyed working with and with those who really got under my skin (and I am sure the feeling was mutual), I am proud to have served with all of them.

In 2006, I volunteered to deploy with the 867th Quartermaster Battalion, Nebraska National Guard. We started our deployment in Iraq during the summer and was there until the summer of 2007. It was during this time that my wife and I started dating, which was a real high point of my deployment. I learned that Kyu Chay, who had made Staff Sergeant (SSG), was also serving in Afghanistan. It would be his last service to this great country.

At the end of October, 2006, I received an E-mail from a fellow Blacksheep entitled, “Family Tragedy.” It was then that I found out that one of our own had paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan. He had been killed by a roadside bomb. At first, I just felt a bit numb, shocked really. Here was a guy that I knew, had not been real close friends with, but had served with just three years prior. Not long after that, it just really, really hit me. Honestly, words can't express what it feels like when a brother-in-arms that you know, personally, lays down his or her life. He left behind a wife and two young kids, his parents and a brother. But, he also left behind more than 20 of the Blacksheep Family that had known him and had served with him, and called him a brother.

On Thursday, 21MAY2015, we had a Memorial Day 5K run/walk. When I ran it, I was thinking of Chay. Someone that I knew who had laid down his life for our Country. Even though it was over 90 degrees at night when we ran (it gets hot here in the Middle East), I still ran. Even though my body wanted to stop, I chose to still run. I reminded myself that even though I am not currently on Jump Status, I served as an Airborne Paratrooper for three years, and will always be one. I can push myself. I also reminded myself that, while I am still serving and can run, there are those who have served and gave their lives. They can no longer hold their children, love their spouses, work their jobs, talk with their friends. Therefore, I pushed myself to complete the 5K, even though my body was not wanting to run. I pushed myself because others who came before me are no longer able to. It's part of the reason why I still choose to serve. But, on that Memorial Day Run, I choose to push myself hard to run because Brothers (and Sisters)-in-Arms are no longer able to do so.

During this Memorial Day weekend, I hope you have fun being with friends and relaxing. But, please don't go around thanking those of us who are serving and still alive. Although we always do really appreciate it, help us to remember those who no longer can. Help us to remember the husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, who chose to put on the uniform and sign a blank check for “up to and including my life” in service to this country…...and never came home. It is because of their sacrifices that we remember this weekend. The holes in some of our hearts that will never be filled because one who was Family is no longer there. Let us remember and never forget.