Glad He Is Here

We just celebrated our son’s 22nd birthday. There are lots and lots of things going on in our life right now - so much of which I wanted to write. For example, Matt's birthday trip complete with photos; things he said during the day that made me smile; the collection of baby photos I recently gathered at someone’s request. There are many events and activities that I thought would be fun to blog. Needless to say, at this time of year when our son was born, he is on my mind a lot and I have lots that I could transcribe.

Due to my busy schedule, I haven’t been able to get any blogging done. I planned to sit down this afternoon to finally write a bit. But the thoughts on my mind now, are not what I had originally planned to write. Sometimes it is like that. Sometimes, I sit down at the keyboard and I am uncertain what will end up on the monitor screen. Today, is one of those times when I will write with hesitation the thoughts that are weighing on my heart.

He had walked in the door later than expected this morning. I had been a bit worried. I was relieved when I had finally received his text, “Late call”, it read; he had sent it just before he headed home. I was happy when he finally got here.

I knew in a moment that that “late call” didn’t go well. I don’t know how I knew. I just knew. I always do. He doesn’t have to say anything; there isn’t a particular look on his face; it doesn’t have to do with his stance, or demeanor. It has nothing to do with what I see or hear. I can’t in any way describe how I know; I just know.

Pleasantries over, the conversation became deeper. He spoke softly, yet deliberately. He was animated, yet somber.

Over time, he has created a defense mechanism to camouflage all that he feels and wants no one to see. I have learned to recognize that mechanism. He is careful with his words and doesn’t say more then he should.

It wasn’t long before he excused himself with a change of subject and a slow smile. He was ready to move on.

“I know she was comforted the moment you arrived,” I stated softly as he headed down the hall. Trying to explain myself better, I continued, “You know; she knew that help had arrived; and she had to have been so relieved. It had to have been a comfort for her in those moments to know she was no longer alone. I know she was glad you were there.”

…It was the best that I could do.

Now it was time for me to move on.  I went out to mow the lawn where I could collect my thoughts and let the tears flow freely down my face with no one to see.

“I don’t want him to experience this”, I thought. At age 22, he has seen and felt more than most people feel in a life time. Tragedy has always made herself known in his life; his career choice ensures she will come calling again and again.

For me, it is times like today that I hate his job. But in the very same breath, I love it. The pride wells up within me; God’s presence comforts me. Memories are replayed in my mind and I know God has him in the right place.

As I mowed, thoughts flooded my mind and I remembered that youthful, pre-teen boy, gently and steadily calming the little goat, as he worked to free its head from the wire in which it had been caught. “I couldn’t do that”, I thought to myself. “I’m not patient enough; I am not calm enough. I don’t have the forethought that it takes to do something like that.” That soft, spring morning all those years ago, I watched his deliberate, yet tender hands work, and I remember thinking to myself, “I am so glad he is here! I would not be able to help this poor little goat.”  I knew right then that God had something special for this boy and I wondered what it would be.

Today, I remembered that scene and those thoughts as vividly as if it had just happened. Today, I know the answer to that question, and I was comforted. There is something easier about knowing one is in God’s will. The past makes the present understandable…or maybe it is the other way around. The present clarifies the past. I don’t know. That is too deep for me on a day I didn’t even know what I would be writing.

All in all, I do know that it is heartache and tragedy that allows us to understand and appreciate life. Darkness gives weight to the light. The hard things are what give us appreciation for the things that are truly important. Dare I even say, I feel sorry for those who have never experienced death? Not that I would wish it on anyone. I simply wonder how much they can truly understand and appreciate life without experiencing the sorrow of death. Can they really know how valuable life is and how much it is truly worth fighting for in every context?

I don’t know. That is too much for today. I am just glad he is here and I hope he finds comfort in home.

 

Trident

No words!  Please watch, you won't be sorry.

Hungry for Heroes

The new movie American Sniper based on the life of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle grossed one hundred million dollars on its opening weekend. Selma the highly acclaimed movie (by the left) only reached a ten million dollar mark opening on the same weekend as American Sniper. Clearly American Sniper is a success.

My son and I having read Chris’s book when it came out, have anticipated this movie for a long time.  When we heard Bradley Cooper would be playing the part of Chief Chris Kyle, we were sick. We just couldn’t picture that “pretty boy” doing justice to our American hero. When we heard Clint Eastwood would be directing it, we were relieved and thrilled. We had been afraid if Hollywood got a hold of this story they would decimate it with the typical Hollywood leftist ideology.

I believe Chris’s story is one of the most important stories of our modern times. I simply do not want that messed up. So of course, I had to write. Here is my unprofessional, emotional, probably biased review.

For starters, I was wrong about Bradley Cooper not being able to capture the essence of Chris Kyle. I am not a big movie buff, but in every movie I have ever watched I have never seen an actor or actress portray anyone so accurately. Cooper nailed it! I was so thankful and respectful of the mannerisms, dialect, and personality he was able to perfect. Cooper even had the mouth positioning down in the way that Chris held his mouth at certain times – in reflection; listening; determination. I smiled to myself when I saw the first movie trailer, weeks before the movie came out. Cooper must have had to learn to chew tobacco, to get that mouth positioning down so perfectly. His voice and dialect could have been Chris. I don’t know how he did that! Bradley Cooper does NOT sound like that. The man can act! Because he gained 40 pounds to more accurately look like Chris is commendable. To me, that shows his concern to get the movie correct. He had the stature, the physical appearance; the dress; the accent; all of it just about as perfect as it could be. Alrighty then; not gonna worry about Bradley Cooper!

I cried each time I watched the trailer. It was accurate, it didn’t show too much, and because I had read the book, I knew what the message was in that scene. I couldn’t wait to see the movie.

The long awaited day came early.  The movie was expected to start showing Jan 16^th, but my son called me on the 15^th saying there was an early showing that evening at our local theatre. Our schedules worked perfectly; we got to go.

For starters, I want to say I am extremely happy this movie did so well. It broke records for opening weekend. That is saying something. And I believe I know what it is. America is hungry for heroes. America understands a lot more than the liberal media would have us believe. In the heart of America, there are a lot more people that “get it” than there are those who do not.

I have yet to hear any criticism for the movie from people on the right. I have heard a whole lot from people on the left. That tells us a great deal, too. It is a movie that needs to be seen. There are lessons that should be drawn from it. America needs more Chris Kyles.

With that said, I want to share my views.  I don’t want it to appear I am criticizing the movie, because I believe in the story; but I am a bit concerned about a few of the messages that some will have to consider as they watch the movie. Let me express what I view as inaccurate with a movie that if one had not read the book, one would not know. Instead, they will believe everything that happened in the movie is fact. It’s not.

Let me start with a quote from Charles Dickens. I love it. It shows Dickens’ guideline for how he wrote. It’s important, because in my opinion. Chris Kyle also understood this when he wrote…the movie did not.

"I saw no reason when I wrote this book, why the very dregs of life, so long as their speech did not offend the ear, should not serve the purpose of a moral, at least as well as its froth and cream.”

This quote gives us an idea of how authors wrote in the past. In my opinion, the movie shared more sexual content than Kyle forced us to read. And yes, the book was full of bad language, but the movie was over the top with “f-bombs”, that Kyle did not force us to endure in the book.

For me, the language and sexual content (though certainly not as bad as most R-rated movies) detracted from the movie. I just don’t like to see that in what I watch, so I normally don’t watch movies with more than a PG-13 rating. No, I am not naïve. I knew what to expect, when I saw the R-rating. I am just saying Kyle was a gentleman and he didn’t force us to read much of what we had to view in the movie. That’s all I am saying. Whether Chris had ever read Dickens or not, he understood the need to not say too much. He protected his readers as he protected his brothers in arms. He refused to tell all, even as he protected his wife from too many details about his war experiences. I believe that fact gives us valuable insight into who Chris really was.

Equally, Chris spared us too many details in the graphic violence he endured - the truth of war. For the most part, Chris protected us from that in his book. Letting us know they are savages, is almost “enough said”. I love that about Chris Kyle.

That said, I do believe this movie was not as bad in that regard as most R rated films. And like I said, I know I am a wimp when it comes to things like that. Most people would probably not let those things detract from the movie for them; for me it did.

Having read the book, I knew immediately this wasn’t going to be a perfect accounting of what happened. In the opening scene, the movie depicted Chris having to take out a young boy and his mom.  That didn’t happen.  He took out the mom as his first kill. She was going to blow up both herself and her child. It is my thought that the only reason they changed this fact, that as bad as it was that they use children to launch grenades, it is even worse that a mom would blow up her child. It seems the writers did not want to portray just that little extra bit of edge that is true in this “religion”.  This is just my best guess. I pondered why they changed these facts. I would have preferred the truth.

Later in the movie, they showed Chris basically “playing with a firearm”. They showed him pointing it at his wife, in fun; in some kind of playful nature. It is my opinion, Chris NEVER would have done this. “Never point a gun at someone” is a strict policy of gun education. One should not point a gun at anyone ever! Even if they know the gun isn’t loaded! This was a huge error by the film makers, in my opinion. And I don’t believe it really happened. And if it did, it should have been left out of the movie, instead of possibly pacifying a leftist agenda that would believe even professionals probably shouldn’t have guns. This scene showed that even professionals do things they shouldn’t with firearms. It just isn’t so. That sent a very bad message, and an opportunity for the left to attack the content.  After Chris and Taya were through “playing around”, the movie very purposefully showed Chris placing the gun on top of a bookshelf, out of reach for the children playing nearby - but barely. I think Chris would have locked up that pistol. I was very disheartened by this scene. Eastwood dropped the ball on that one. And it was an important point.

Next, Chris was a Christian. Though he may not have always walked like we think most Christians should, his faith was very real. He knew from Whom came his salvation. He knew where to turn in crisis. He knew and believed in the God of the Bible and unashamedly stated that at the end of his book:

“Honestly, I don’t know what will really happen on Judgment Day. But what I lean toward is that you know all of your sins, and God knows them all, and shame comes over you at the reality that He knows.  I believe the fact that I’ve accepted Jesus as my savior will be my salvation.”

Chris’s faith was extremely important to him. The movie showed him always carrying a little New Testament with him. This is true; he did. The movie also shows Mark Lee questioning Chris in regard to whether he ever read it. I worry that this left the viewer with the idea that Chris was questioning his faith. That simply isn’t true. The truth is Mark Lee led these men in prayer before every operation they did. These two men were Christians. I wish they would have depicted the reality of their commitment to their faith. I’m probably nit-picking, but this is important to me. That part of Chris is also what makes him such a great hero for our nation; especially our youth.

I am extremely thankful, they included in the movie that Chris said he had no regret for any shot he took. He was saving lives in doing so. This story is far greater about life than death. His story isn’t about killing like the left would have us believe. It is about saving lives. I hope people with take that away from the movie and fully understand it.

Chris continues in his book:

“But in that backroom or whatever it is when God confronts me with my sins, I do not believe any of the kills I had during the war will be among them. Everyone I shot was evil. I had good cause on every shot. They all deserved to die.”

I believe him.

He understands the evil of war. He knows the enemy. I simply want the truth about that war to be exposed. I want the truth if a story is going to be made into film. I wish they hadn’t changed Chris’s words. He knows. He lived them.

It is my sense, that this movie more accurately portrays Taya’s viewpoint that Chris’s. That is to be expected. She is a hero, too, for all that she had to endure. But I find myself wondering had Chris lived and been here to oversee the movie, what would have changed? And I do not mean for this to be criticism of Taya. Of course her view of the war would be different than Chris’s. She has always supported our heroes and still does.

One thing that I question about the movie is that it depicted his fellow soldiers being angry at him for bringing fire down on them when he took a shot that the movie portrayed as strictly as a means of revenge or vengeance for the death of Mark Lee and injury of Ryan Job. This supposed anger from his brothers was not written about in Chris’s book.* Neither did Chris ever come in contact with the enemy sniper, Mustafa. He stated that fact plainly and purposefully in his book on page 139.

Maybe the writers of the movie did gather that information from their sources; i.e. Chris and Taya’s email, interviews; records; whatever, about some anger from his brothers. But I doubt it. The important truth of the matter is, Chris didn’t put it in his book, so I question the accuracy. And if nothing else, if it is true, Chris did not want that information exposed or he would have included it in the book. I would have preferred the writers honor the book as closely as possible.  These are the reasons, I feel that – like me – family and friends are not as happy as we could have been with the movie.

Had Chris lived, I am confident, there would have been more about the heroism of his brothers-in-arms. I can be confident, because it’s what his book is about! His book isn’t about Chris Kyle as much as it is about the heroism of these warriors. Ryan Job, sitting in front of an American flag just to hear it flap in the breeze, even though he was blinded by battle wounds was extremely important to Chris. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have ended up on the cutting room floor. Mark Lee and his heroic effort to warn his brothers would have been emphasized.  I know they can’t tell everything in a two hour movie, and I am probably wrong to feel this way, but when I watched the movie, I would have liked to feel what Chris tried to tell in the book. And that is all of our soldiers are heroes. They love and sacrifice for this nation. They do it without reservation. They stand by one another. Americans need to stand behind each and every one of them. That’s what Chris would want to come from his story. I heard him say it in interviews. I think the movie dropped the ball on that one.  That wouldn’t have happened if Chris was still alive.

And I almost hate to say it because I have no knowledge of it, but I’m pretty sure the scene with his younger brother, wouldn’t have been included in the film. It wasn’t in the book. I didn’t like that they portrayed the younger brother on verge of breakdown, cursing the war. Perhaps that was true, I don’t know. But Chris didn’t put it in his book; why not respect that?

There were a couple more things that were a bit troubling for me that I wish would have been closer to the truth. In the movie, they showed Chris being released early from his service. He stated in the book that he finished his last tour to completion, he just didn’t reenlist when it was finished. That is an important fact for me.

Finally, the movie depicted Chris dropping his rifle at the end of the movie, leaving it in the dirt while trying to grab the hand that would save him from being left behind. Certainly, dropping a rifle might be expected if one was running for one’s life. But I don’t think that happened (according to the book).  After the movie had detailed in opening scenes that his father had taught him to never drop his rifle or leave it in the dirt, I didn’t like the correlation. It wasn’t necessary, in my opinion.

In the 1960’s this movie would have been viewed as ant-war, anti-gun. I listened over and over to my own father’s commentaries that we should watch for and protect truth. We should be discerning of subtle agendas in modern day movies. This movie wouldn’t have gone over well in my childhood home, though it is poignant and necessary for today.

I believe to some degree, the movie missed Chris’s heart. His belief in his country, his faith, his respect of the 2^nd amendment and even the 1^st amendment for which he fought were not highlighted enough to bring proper honor to this great American hero. I do believe the movie accurately portrayed his servant heart. And I believe it did not glorify war, but told of the evil of war, which Chris would have wanted.

Finally, after the movie had been released, I watched interviews with Chris’s dad and some of his friends. They were all perfect gentlemen, and very careful not to run down the movie. At the same time, I thought they were true to their core beliefs, being very careful not to throw their complete support behind the movie. If one is carefully discerning, one could see the lack of full support for what the movie portrayed in his friends' interviews and the ones with his dad. None would criticize; but neither would they be untrue to their core beliefs. They are better, than me. It is my suspicion they had the same problems with the movie that I did. That is probably very brass and bold of me to say that. I don’t know any of them. And I certainly should not argue with Taya, Chris’s wife. These are simply personal observations from watching interviews of Chris; reading the book; and reading the memorial edition with stories from his family and friends. That is the only information I have about Chris Kyle. 

Maybe none of my thoughts matter. Maybe I should be silent on my criticisms as those close to Chris have been.  If that is true, I am ok with that, please feel free to comment. One thing I know, the film needed to be made and it needs to be supported because our nation is in need of valiant heroes.

America is hungry for heroes. The box office numbers validate that. The lack of criticism for any part of this movie - other than people from the left - lets me know how badly we want Chris’s story told. America needs heroes. Heroes make us better. We emulate what we look up to and respect. We have neglected to honor our heroes for some time through media. We have gotten off track in who seems to make the list of national heroes: actors; athletes; musicians. Those are not real heroes. America gets that; and this movies shows our need, desire and acceptance of a real hero.

We have one in Chief Chris Kyle.

 

Enjoy the movie! Support the movie! Take hold of and respect this chance to honor a hero in such a wide-spread and magnanimous way; but as always - don't forget to read the book.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

*Please take a moment to watch the video I have posted below. It shows the true humility of Chris Kyle and his fantastic sense of humor. I have posted it on my blog before, to demonstrate why I have such respect for Chris Kyle. I post it here with this post, because in this single video clip, he refutes a main narrative of the movie that is factually incorrect. The movie leads us to believe that because of that "revengeful" shot Chris took, his brothers were angry with him for bringing fire down on them.  The truth is, after any shot Chris and his team would then be exposed to the enemy, which would of course then bring fire down on them. That was the norm! They always knew that was to be expected, and they would have to be prepared. This is exactly why he took a team with him. The initial shot would begin the battle. No one was angry! A battle was expected to ensue! Please listen and learn; this truth is so very important. In the process you will also get some valuable insight into who Chris Kyle really was...and come away with a heartwarming chuckle from this great American hero. Let the truth be known.

 

I See A Light

Yesterday was the 42^nd Anniversary of the “Sunshine Mine Disaster”. I have written about it before, so I didn’t really intend to write about it again. 

Actually, “Holocaust Remembrance Day” has also been on my heart and mind for the last few days, and I had been thinking I wanted to write down my thoughts regarding that. The 70^th anniversary of that dreadful time was commemorated earlier this week, and with so much going on in the world I have been meaning to write about the increasing numbers and news stories we hear in regard to Holocaust Deniers – those that say the holocaust never took place. That was what I planned to write about after returning home from the Sunshine Memorial.

But after attending the service yesterday at Big Creek, I couldn’t help but see an important lesson that is invaluable to both memorials. It is the call of the Jew, “Never again!” The message at Sunshine, was the same; we must never let this happen again.

I could not have been more moved by the ceremony as we sat in the warm sun listening to the heart-felt message. I was so thankful to be among those gathered to honor the 91 that died that horrible spring day, 42 years ago.

I was captivated immediately by the speaker this year. He was probably not the most eloquent speaker I have ever heard; but I don’t think I have ever heard a more sincere and beautiful message than what we heard yesterday. His tone, and passion and easy way of speaking pulled me in instantly.

He was just 22 years old at the time, he told us - Just an inexperienced kid, with no thoughts about much of anything, especially life and all that it might bring. I listened intently, but getting the facts correct now, as the hours have passed, seems difficult. I don’t want to give incorrect information, but I will try to present the general idea of what he told us as accurately as I can.

Due to his chosen profession, someone had asked him to make an educational video about mining. Wanting to be as accurate as possible, in order to make this video, he decided he needed to take some mining classes to better inform himself of procedures and other particulars of mining.

Having finished the classes on mining, at some point, he was in a meeting with someone who held a very high position in the mining industry. He informed us that at 22 years of age, he never thought for a moment that he would meet someone of such importance and success. As it turned out, this was at the same time the Sunshine Mine disaster took place, making national news. The call had gone out across the United States mining industry for help. The important executive asked all those present at this meeting if there were any there who had taken the mining classes. They needed people with some knowledge of the ins and outs of mining. He wanted to know how many would be willing to go to Idaho to help with the disaster. The young 22 year old knew immediately what he would do.  He calmly, but emotionally asked us, “How could I say no?” There were about 20 of them from the meeting who had taken the classes and were willing to go to do whatever they could in search of lost miners.

This man, now 64 years old, is Mark Savit, and he is known for the incredible photos that were taken there at the mine during that search.

He went on to tell us, that when he arrived at the mine, someone had asked him if he could wire a phone that could be sent down the shaft to allow for communication.

“Keep in mind this was 1972”, he reminded us, “and technology was very limited by today’s standards.” They were successful in the wire, however, and that phone connection was a very important part of the search.

He told us how, days later, from his position at the top of the bore hole, he finally heard the words that they had all been longing to hear, over the wire he had created.

“I see a light!” the voice exclaimed over the phone, and Mark’s voice broke with emotion even 42 years later as he repeated those significant words.

That was all it took to cause the tears welling in my eyes to fall. Who would think that 42 years later there could still be such raw emotion? Who would believe, that the heart could still break out of sharing and reliving those moments of so long ago. Clearly, this man held something deep. He had no relative, friend or loved one there; he had no local connection. But he holds something within himself still to this day as deep and dark as that old silver mine was when she took the lives of 91 men that tragic day. He understood the loss of life. He lived through the sadness of those who were connected. He felt the intensity of their pain. And then suddenly, and randomly that vicious old mine, graciously spit out two.

“I see a light!” It was the words they were longing to hear. It meant life. Mark was there the day the two surviving minors Tom Wilkerson and Ron Flory were pulled to safety. Mark is the one that took the well-known photo that spread from newspaper to newspaper of the only two men who came out alive after seven long days.

Mark Sevit was not from our area. He came only to help, because one simply shouldn’t say no to a request like that. He said he was never sorry. It made him who he was, he passionately told us. And that fact could not be more apparent. I believe it is the same connection that those who serve together in war, experience. It is the same link that never, ever leaves them, no matter how many years have passed. It is, I believe, because it has become a part of them…and not only a part, but a completion of who they have become. It is them. They experienced something that changed them; something that formed them into just exactly who they are. I can’t explain it well, but I could see it; and I could feel it in Mark Savit. And for some reason, I know it is true and somehow I understand it.

I don’t believe I have ever been more impacted by any speech, anywhere as I was this one. As I said, it wasn’t eloquent; it wasn’t of some superior intelligence; or even the most articulate speech I have ever heard. It was simply heartfelt, passionate and true. I think I was so impacted by this man’s words because I believe so strongly in what he was trying to tell us. I believe the message he gave us is imperative to know in any difficult situation one might confront. His belief has long been my belief. The simple truth he presented to us was: “If we don’t remember this tragedy, these lives, we risk the chance of it happening again. If we don’t commemorate this day, we risk loosing the message.” If we don’t honor life, we diminish life.

He shared with us what he does personally to assure he never forgets the lesson of Sunshine. “Leave a light on”, he said. Always leave a light on for your loved ones, so when they come home there will always be light. That was especially meaningful for me to hear, as those were the same words my grandma told me many, many years ago. Light says "welcome home, I’m glad you are here". Light reveals life.

He encouraged us to use one of the mining lights mining families might still have around. He suggested we all get a minor’s safety light and turn it on in remembrance of those lost, on days like Christmas, or birthdays and anniversaries – and especially on this anniversary. “Remembering” enables us to keep our faith; remembering preserves our love; remembering will cause us to want to be sure not one will ever be lost like that again.

He is right you know. It is why the Jew says “Never again!” It’s why they hold onto their “Holocaust Remembrance Day”. It is why they are so offended when one tries to deny what took place ever took place, and why it can never be allowed to be forgotten. We must hold onto history, we must never forget what the world would have us forget.

And so it turned out, today, that what I had been holding in my heart the past several days in regard to one of the worst tragedies in world history – the holocaust – and being discouraged by such carelessness from the world of that nation’s protection was confirmed as an important concern. All that I was feeling was revealed and realized in our own local tragedy, by a man that was forever changed by four words. With death all around, he heard, “I see a light.”

I don’t mean to detract from our own local tragedy, by bringing up the holocaust. I don’t mean to compare the two in any way at all. Other than the fact, that we must never ever, let the hardness of the world remove the facts of what actually took place in any situation. Our history is imperative to keep accurate and alive. Honoring those lost isn’t “wallowing in death”. It is the celebration of life.

We must shine our lights. With light, darkness dies. In light, there is hope. In light, there is life. May we always be able to say, “I see a light!” It is also why we must be keepers of the light. It simply ensures “Never again.”

That’s what I learned at the Sunshine, today. And I couldn’t have been more moved by that message - the message of one man who really shouldn't have been connected to this area at all - but was somehow grafted in to families, locale, and community who reallly, realllly needed him then, but also appreciated his powerful message, 42 years later.

Peering Over the Fence- One Last Thank You

I bought my third copy of American Sniper, a few days ago.  That seems excessive, I know.  And it most likely is. I certainly didn’t need it. I had already bought a copy for my own personal library and then I bought one to lend. But now, the publishers have released a Memorial Edition with an additional 80 pages of memories from friends, family and co-workers of Chief Chris Kyle. I wanted to read those memorials, for sure; but I also simply wanted to support the book. As I said before Chris Kyle is an American hero, and he is my hero, I simply believe in supporting the statement he has made in writing his book. In a nation, that often makes heroes of actors, singers, and athletes that are not worthy of hero status, I believe in supporting one when we finally find one worthy of that honor.

If you are looking for perfection in a hero, you will not find it in Chris Kyle.  But for that matter, (of course we all know) we won’t find perfection in any man or woman.  But that is not what heroes are about. We are not making “gods” of heroes or putting them on some pedestal from which they can fall.  They most certainly will fall. But rather, heroes are about honoring a job well done, heroes are about respecting some one who isn’t afraid to stand for what they believe, but most of all heroes are about leading by example and causing us to see we can be better, too. We can excel, we can be exceptional, we can, in spite of our faults, aspire to something higher. Heroes are about making ourselves better; every nation needs that.

So that said, I simply find that in Chris Kyle. I have written about him before which you can read here.  I am not sorry I bought the Memorial Edition of his book. There are so many lessons in just those 80 extra pages that his friends wrote. It absolutely amazed me what could be drawn from each letter:  The importance of family; the fight for our nation; that others should come before ourselves; that even all of that is in vain without our Savior and Lord Who will always get us through, but not necessarily out of our circumstances.

I wanted to single out and write down each lesson from each letter – as I said there is a valuable lesson in each. But obviously for space, I can’t do that. However, I did write it down it for myself. And it is easy to see there is a common thread woven throughout each letter. I decided to highlight those threads. One of the most common and most consistent is Chris’s humility. I love that; humility is something that has always been very important to me. The other is his service to others – Chris Kyle always put others before himself. Chris defended the underdog – always. Finally, he was a man of faith, and knew he could get nowhere without it. He gave credit to the Only One who deserves credit.

He was very simply a humble and kind-hearted man. He would be the first to admit that he was a man filled with sin and far from perfect. But what his life revealed is he was a man who lived out what he believed. That’s better than some of us. Some of us, as we look down our noses at others in judgment at someone with whom we disagree, totally forget our own “righteousness is as filthy rags”, but not for the blood of Jesus. As we go about looking down on others, we forget to offer a hand up. Chris Kyle always offered that hand, as you will see over and over and over again in these memorials. I am so glad I bought this edition.

I would say just read the letters, there are so many lessons in each one of those letters.  But I am sure one wouldn’t understand the depth of the lesson in the letter without first getting to know and understand the man. I would say American Sniper should be read in every high school, if not for some of the language used in the book. But don’t let that side-track you from the message he has written with his life. And don't say I didn't warn you; as I said before, he cusses like a sailor on steroids...because he's a SEAL.

I’ve had many heroes throughout my life, and that is simply because I believe in heroes.  As I have said before, I believe heroes have always held an important role in our society. We have moved away from that, these days, it seems. Though I am old enough to be his parent, I have learned much from the life of Chris Kyle.  And maybe it isn’t even that I have learned so much from his life, but rather that he has validated that which I believe so strongly. Maybe it’s that he encouraged me to believe there are still young people that “get it”. Maybe it’s that he exemplifies the best of what man can do for their fellow man. Maybe it’s simply that he believes what I believe. But he put action to his words, so much better than I ever have. I’m thankful for the hero, I found in Chris Kyle.

Below, as example without giving too much away of what is written, are some of the lessons others have shared in the Memorial Edition. There are many more worth taking the time to read.

• From his parents: About Chris - “One who could stand proud, even in defeat, but humble and gentle in victory.” And also from his folks: “He would not allow words to take the place of deeds.”
• From his wife, Taya: True love is a package deal; the whole sum; good and bad; failures and successes.
• Chris’s brother: “A guy who was 'wired' to help other people…just a regular guy.”
• Friend: A true gentleman...in every sense of the word.
• Marcus Luttrell: “He saved countless lives.” His constant mission – “draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect his brothers.”
• Businessman: “Being a businessman, I found it hard at first to believe that he gave away all of the money from his book; after spending time with him, I believed it.  His big black ford truck looked pretty cool, but it also had around 150,000 miles and he could not afford to replace it. He was a true American hero.”
• Sergeant, Dallas Police Department: “He stood ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm.”
• Co-Author: Regarding the most memorable moments of Chris’s passing “…the sight that is burned into my memory is the long line of faces peering over the fence behind us, people from around the city, the state, and the country, regular folks offering one last thank-you to a man who gave his all to his country, his God, and his family.” (The faces extend far beyond that fence line – I am one of them.)
• Wife of Ryan Job, Fellow SEAL Wounded in Action: - …one of the few who still came…

 

The Devil of Ramadi

We lost an American hero, yesterday. He wasn't just an American hero; he was MY hero.

Do you have heroes? We all should. They are an important part of our walk through this life. We look up to them; we want to talk about them, and most important of all we want to emulate them. That, above all things is why heroes are so very important; they bring us to a higher place...a place where we know we can do better; we know we can be like that, too. Heroes are extremely important to any society. They make us better. I suppose that's why we don't hear much about "heroes" anymore. Nobody wants us to be better, it seems sometimes.

Anyway, my thoughts on heroes can be for another post. Yesterday, I lost one of my biggest heroes. I've written about him before. He is (excuse me, was) Navy Seal Sniper, Chris Kyle. He is the deadliest American sniper in history, having more "confirmed" kills than any other man in any other war. I know that isn't a very nice thing to talk about. I'm sorry. War is not pleasant. So I won't talk much about that; let's just say because of that number - 160 - he also saved that many lives. In fact, he probably saved lives more than 10 times that number. But even with all of that, that is not why he is my hero.

He is my hero, because he was brave, courageous, and humble. He is my hero because he loved this nation and knew it needs to be protected if it is to remain the greatest nation on earth. He is my hero because he had a job to do and he did it. He is my hero because he knew and understood the enemy, and he wasn't afraid to speak the truth about that. He is my hero because he was called "al-Shaitan" (the devil) by the enemy. He is my hero, because he said what he believed, he stood up for what he believed, and he fought for what he believed. Political correctness had no place in his life. He is my hero, because he didn't change who he was when fame attached herself to him, hoping to take him down. He is my hero because he was simply a country boy, a rodeo cowboy with down home attitudes and respect. He loved his mama and his daddy; and he loved his wife and kids. He is my hero, because he wasn't afraid to speak of his salvation through Jesus. He is my hero because he is my brother in Christ. He is my hero not because he died, but because he lived. And he lived in a manner in which we should all emulate.

Please read more about him here:
http://www.commandposts.com/2012/03/chris-kyle-al-shaitan-of-iraq/  

I'm not sure the article above explained that the company where Kyle worked, was actually a company he started himself - a company that trains military and police officers, etc. Chris started this company (Craft) when he returned from his service and it was a successful business operation that continued his life of service helping train others....just another reason why he is my hero.

Unfortunately, his business and his desire to continue to help others led to his murder. He was just doing what he does; helping a veteran who had PTSD.  I’m sure we are going to hear more about this…I have my own thoughts about it.

 

As I wrote this blog, I kept finding myself having to go back to change the tense from present to past…I wanted to write in present tense. So much so that I thought about leaving it in present tense, because that seemed more natural, more correct…I guess that’s simply because ones hero never really dies; they live on through their accomplishments and the history that they made…that’s why we need heroes. One of mine just happens to be the “Devil of Ramadi”…but more importantly – my hero is a down-home boy from Texas who simply did things right.

I guess this blog post was about heroes after all.

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if those do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ~ Romans 13:4

“If a man doesn’t stand up to evil, then evil will overcome and destroy.”

                                                          ~ Chief Chris Kyle


O'Reilly Interview

10 Questions with Chief Chris Kyle 

Newsmax Interview

A Little Joy    A Little Payback.

"It sounds like treason to me."   ~ My Hero

MSNBC

Conan Interview - (I'm not crazy about Conan, but this does show the humility of this American Hero, along with a note of humor to end on.)

Heroes - I love this article.

Wounded Warriors                 Troops First                  Proper Exit

 

We can learn a lot about a man from his memorial....a just tribute... 

 

The Hero in the Book Report

I’ve never thought much about people that I would consider heroes.  I do believe in the concept of raising a child with heroes; a nation that can point in its roots to heroes that did great things and made right choices.

I am not talking about idols. We are strictly forbidden that in Scripture.  And heroes, in my opinion, are distinctly different than that, when viewed in the correct manner.  Heroes, rather, are someone that we as a nation can look to; or that we as a parent can point our child to for an example of someone that represents actions and behavior we can all emulate and respect.  I believe heroes are an important facet of society, teaching and showing its citizens a higher and better way; qualities for which to strive. Most celebrities therefore, would not fit into this category. We live in a society today, that is entirely too much without true heroes.  I will probably post more about my belief of the importance of heroes to a society, at a later time.

For this post, I guess if I really stopped to think about it, there are a few people I would classify as my heroes.  I am thankful to say my parents and grandparents would all be in that category.  They have all lived a wonderful life, striving for excellence and love; serving God and teaching their children in that manner to the best of their ability.

I would consider George Washington one of my heroes, because of the way he led this country; and because of his strong, principled, Christian example…his bravery in battle, and his sincere concern for his troops. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel is a modern day hero of mine, because of the strength and courage he has had to have as leader of probably the most hated nation on earth at this time. He has been heroic in the efforts he has taken to show grace and consistency in the face of adversity and attack. What a dramatic example of devotion to his God and country this man is to whom one could point their child.  Billy Graham is also a hero of mine, because of his steadfast devotion to our Lord and commitment to the Great Commission. I admire this man most for not disappointing or letting down his nation and fellow Christian, with bad behavior; but more importantly he never gave the non-Christian who many be watching him, a reason to condemn his behavior.  One more: George W. Bush makes my hero list. YES, I said George Bush, the President that left the White House with a 26% approval rating. Don't care about that; I never have been one to follow the crowd.  Read his book, Decision Points; you will understand why. Quite simply, he makes my list because of the strength and grace and LEADERSHIP he revealed after the attacks to our nation on 9/11. He also makes my list because of the class he showed during all the vicious attacks he received from liberal media bias during his administration.

Of course the Bible is full of great heroes; the Heroes of the Faith chapter - Hebrews 11 - is of course, the easiest and quickest place to begin a search for a hero. Part of that title would come to be because of what these men and women came out of, but then demonstrating magnificent things for God because of their faith.  The Apostle Paul is a classic example of a Biblical hero. But my personal favorite has always been Peter – that is for a whole other post as well.

Not entirely like the Apostle Paul, but the hero that set this whole post in motion made my list because of where he came from and the position to which he rose.  Dr. Ben Carson came to my attention around 12 or 13 years ago.  Dr. Carson has a tremendous testimony that is nothing short of a modern day miracle.  I first saw him on 700 Club being interviewed by Pat Robertson.  This compelled me to buy his book The Big Picture and his first auto-biography Gifted Hands.  What a story!!  

Dr. Ben Carson

This man was raised in a poor community by a single mom. He was not a good student, and was often made fun of by his classmates.  His mom, was a strong Christian mama, and only wanted the best for her young son, but she was illiterate and without means.  Not knowing how to help her son with his studies, she turned to prayer. She prayed that God would show her what to do to help her son do better in school. She did not want to see him failing and she certainly didn’t like seeing him hurting. In her quiet moments, God gave her an idea. She felt that He had told her, to go to the local library, let her son make his selection of books and then require him do a weekly book report.  It worked!  This sparked his interest in learning, when he realized he could go to just about any place in the world he wanted to go through reading.  He would write his weekly book report and bring it to his mama.  She pretended to read it, never telling her son, she didn’t know what the words on the paper said.  Sometimes she had young Ben read his paper to her. Ben’s grades improved remarkably. As he continued through his grade school years, he improved from being in the lowest tier of the class to the highest. By the time he finished high school, I believe he was the high school valedictorian. To make a long story short, Ben Carson became one of the most famous neurosurgeons in the world; with an impressive career at the prestigious John Hopkins University.  He gained notoriety as the first surgeon to be successful in separating Siamese twins. 

Obviously, when I first heard his testimony, I knew it would be one I would never forget. I have repeated it many times to help young mothers trust their ability to homeschool their own children. Both of Dr. Carson’s books were inspiringly moving.

I saw Dr. Carson once again, today.  He was again being interviewed by Pat Robertson on the 700 Club.  Today, he was once again promoting a new book; but today, he made the number one spot on my “Heroes List”.  As I listened, I couldn’t help but be impressed by his gentle spirit; I couldn’t help but be ministered to by his godly attitude; and I couldn’t help but be thankful for his obvious humility as he shared his thoughts and feelings. It was so clear to me, that the characteristics and calm demeanor he was demonstrating in this interview would absolutely be necessary to excel at such an occupation as critical as a brain surgeon.  It was all very thought-provoking.

In this interview however, he was expressing his love and devotion to God for the nation that gave him the opportunity he most likely would never have had in any other country. His book, America the Beautiful, provides insights into the things that are taking place in our nation that should be bringing us to our knees.  He shares the dreams of the Founding Fathers, and impresses on us that yes, we are indeed a Christian nation, and it is to our demise to let that title be stolen from us. He explains that remembering what it was that made our nation successful in the first place, is what it will take to make us great again. The answer is in our Godly heritage.

Everything he spoke of, that gently flowed from his heart, are the very things that have been recently filling my heart.  During the interview, Pat Robertson asked Dr. Carson to name one thing that he believes has caused the degradation of our nation. The doctor calmly and convincingly answered, “We have left out God”.  He then continued by saying, ‘It is our Christian heritage that has made us good.” It is those roots and those beliefs that set us on the path of greatness," he told Pat. Then he quoted what Alexis de Tocqueville said after coming to our country in the 1800’s to study what it was that was special about America.  “America is great because America is good. When America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great,” was de Tocqueville final analysis.

Dr. Ben Carson’s life story helps us understand the real American Dream. The one that our founders intended every American should have.  His testimony demonstrates the power of a praying mama, regardless of circumstances.  And with his new book, I am sure he will help us understand what is meant when we hear “American exceptionalism" - and why this belief is important as to why we have always been the greatest Christian nation on earth.

Yesterday, before I saw this interview, I had started a blog post about the very things Dr. Carson was saying today. Rather than finish that post, I knew instead, I wanted to write about the wonderful message of this man who seems to be filled with wisdom that could only come from God. I can’t wait to read that book!  I know it will be filled with encouragement and truth.  He is sharing his life walking in an American dream that brought him to a place that God would have him be for this very time. His testimony, his service, this message, in God's wisdom that he brings to those that will listen, for now. Because Dr. Carson has used his gift from God wisely, and because he has used his God-given platform to bring his powerful message of encouragement to citizens of a hurting nation, this man tops my list of heroes, and I’m sure he will be there for a very long time.

Book report coming!

You can watch his story here.

Holding Tight

I tuned into a morning show on television the other day that I like to watch from time to time. It is a Christian production with a Biblical perspective.  This show features a news segment, and then there will usually be a testimonial from someone whose life has dramatically changed upon receiving Jesus. 

I was also getting other chores accomplished as I was watching, so I was only partly paying attention to the testimony of a man who had been the pastor of a small church, but whom also had become a “cutter”.  He said through his faith, he knew drugs were wrong, and he knew alcohol was wrong, as well as other types of addictions.  However, somehow in his distorted understanding, “cutting” was something he had fallen into, justifying it by his belief that his life was without worth and that he was deserving of the pain.

I don’t want to misstate his testimonial, because as I said, I was only half way listening until he began to speak about his children. This piqued my attention out of recognition of something that had also happened to me. As he shared his experience with his child’s first immunizations, I could relate; it all ended in tears - our child’s tears and our own tears.

The pastor said he literally cried for his son as he watched the doctor administer the shots. He explained how he was holding his son who was happy and content in his arms, as the doctor was talking. Then all of a sudden the needle was injected, and his son’s face became one of shock and pain as he looked mournfully at his dad as if “daddy” was the one to blame. The child wailed, and the man couldn’t help but cry with him as he held his son tighter.

For this man, the experience of his love and sorrow for his son became a vision of God’s love for him. At once, the pastor realized how much pain it must have caused our Heavenly Father to watch him as he continued to abuse himself with “cutting”.  He told how in a moment he finally realized through all of his abuse, the Lord had been holding him tightly, grieved by his actions.

His was a beautiful heartfelt testimony of one who, though he had spent years in church, finally came to understand that our Father in Heaven really did love him.

I love those special moments when God reaches down low to meet us where we are, and show us through means that we can relate to, how very special His love is for us as individuals.

It reminded me of the first time I took Matthew to get his immunizations. I don’t remember how old he was; 3 or 4 months, I guess, when babies receive their first series of shots.  I, too, could not help but release tears.  My tears were for my baby’s pain, while understanding this was something that was best for him and that these immunizations would keep him well later in life. 

My tears were also because this almost seemed like a betrayal of trust. One’s child counts on his parents to keep him safe and comfortable; fed, clothed, and bathed. But now, I was causing him to hurt. At the time, I didn’t relate my tears to God’s tears, or God’s love for me.  I didn’t think about any of that, as this man had. I only knew that I didn’t like to see my child in pain. I had already come to terms with our God’s love for me….so I didn’t need to think about it in terms like this man did. But now all these years later, hearing this man’s testimony made me want to carry his allegorical story just a bit further.

I know without a doubt that my son’s relationship with my husband and me has been one of complete trust.  I have watched for years as our son trusted us to do what is best for him.  I know without a doubt that Matt has never questioned that we have always had his best interests in mind.  He probably did not like everything we have done; he may not even have appreciated all of our decisions, but I know for a fact he never questioned them, or doubted that we wanted what was best for him.  He knew we loved him and that was all he needed to understand and to know we would always have his best interests at heart. I have watched him at times repeat to others what we have taught him, having learned and understood those truths full-well within his own heart. That kind of trust is an awesome thing to see.  If we appreciate these kinds of things as parents, we can rest assured our Father in heaven enjoys seeing such trust in each of us, if we would only have it.

What a beautiful example the Lord has given us in the Father/child relationship to help us understand His love for us.  I know every child has not had this example; I know every child has not been raised in this kind of faith, but I believe our Lord can reach such people in just the right way, at just the right time, with just the right example to turn a heart unto Him. 

We can also rest assured He is holding us tight, and we can confidently trust Him as we experience life in all of its triumphs and all of its trials.

"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

                  ~Matthew 7: 9-11

Sometimes With Humor

“God has a sense of humor,” our guest laughingly proclaimed as he finished telling us his story.  We had company for dinner last night, and when we were done eating, we sat around the table enjoying the conversation for just a bit longer.

“Mom, tell them the story about the blizzard you were in,” my son encouraged with a twinkle in his eyes.

At the blank look on my face, he explained further, “You know; the one with your friend when you were traveling to Seattle…”

Now I knew why he wanted me to tell this story; it was a lesson I taught him when he was young, that yes, we do, indeed, serve a God that has a sense of humor, but it is really all about trust.

This story took place many years ago when I was a young woman in my twenties or so.  A girlfriend and I were making a trip to the Seattle area. She and I both lived there for a time, and we could have been making our way back to that area after we had made a visit “home”. I don’t really recall.  But I do remember this friend.  She and I could spend hours in conversation over coffee and cheesecake talking about the Bible, philosophies and politics; and also simply sharing our lives with one another. She was, and still is one of my very best friends.

It was the middle of winter and it had gotten very dark outside long before we arrived at our destination.  A little over half-way there - well, probably a lot more than half-way there – it began snowing.  The roads were getting more and more slippery and visibility was becoming much worse.  I was driving, and back then when I was young, I was a much more confident driver in snowy conditions than I am now.  But as it continued, it even became too much for me.

“Oh, man, Coco!  We have to pray!  Pray that God will relieve this storm for us at least until we get over the pass!”  If the storm was this bad before the high mountain pass that was coming up, I hated to think what it would be like on that pass.

She began a fervent prayer, as I kept my eyes on the road. The very second we finished our prayer, the snow stopped. And I mean stopped completely…no gradual decrease in the amount of flakes or wind, just a flat-out, extremely abrubt end of it all.  The dramatic change literally took our breath away. I could sense her shock, and feel her jump in surprise; I understood, probably because I did the same thing.  Just as quickly, however, we both burst out laughing when we realized we had just entered a train tunnel that was over the highway. No snow or wind in there!!  Though we laughed heartily, I still secretly hoped that on the other side of the tunnel, the storm would have subsided.  It had not.

That’s as much as I remember.  I don’t remember the drive over the pass or anything else that took place the rest of that trip.  This little comical experience is the only thing that stuck in my mind.  I’m sure at the time I didn’t understand why the Lord didn’t stop that storm for us, but I always did look at it like it was God’s sense of humor when our prayer ended the very second we entered the tunnel.  One thing I know; that moment of laughter calmed us and relaxed us enough to make the rest of the trip a lot more comfortably.

Now that I’m older, I understand that God didn’t have to stop that storm for us.  In fact, I firmly believe, instead:  Why would He?  He doesn’t promise to get us out of the tough stuff, only to get us through it.  Can you imagine a God that was really nothing more than a genie in a bottle; granting us this wish because we think we need it; or granting another wish, not because we need it, but just because we wanted it?  And this, for every individual that prayed every moment. Things, of course, would be chaos.  I’ll bet there were a lot of people at the nearby ski lodge that were conversely praying that they might encounter such a snow storm on this night! And no, I don’t think God granted them their prayer over mine.  We simply serve a God of order, Whom has set “laws of nature” in place for a purpose.  Sometimes He changes those laws for a reason and that is a miracle.  But always He knows what is best for us and continues to guide us through times of trouble; times of joy, and times of sorrow; times of learning; and times of grace. And every once in a while, I believe He shows us His grace through humor, as He did in this case.

For me, the bigger part of this whole story is not simply the lesson in trust that my friend and I had received that night. Rather, the greater part for me is all these years later I am able to see my son share something with others that I had shared in laughter with him. Best of all, he shared it with a twinkle in his eye and a confident understanding in his heart…therein lies the real miracle.

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come. 

   ~Psalm 71: 17 -18

Do You Know Him?

I was the first one out the door of the ice cream shop; anxious to get home as it was getting late and I had to get up early the next morning to go to work.

As I waited for the others to follow me, I noticed a large woman in the parking lot. There she was lumbering toward me, walking from side to side.  Even before she spoke to me, I knew I was her destination, and I knew she was very, very drunk.

My son had promoted to his 2^nd to last rank in Civil Air Patrol, and I had taken him and a few of his friends to ice cream to celebrate. There were 8 of us in all: 5 teenagers and 3 moms. This was a very public location, so it was clear we weren’t in any danger.

“Can you give me a ride?” She requested as the others joined me to see what it was she wanted. 

“Where are you going?” I asked her.  She didn’t know, she mournfully told me. 

“I don’t know anyone here.  I have no place to go”, she explained through feigned tears.

“Well, how will we know where to take you then? Besides we have no room in our cars,” I explained. We had two automobiles, but it was true we had limited seating.  Still, even though these were mature teenagers and knew the lesson well, I did not want to teach them it is ever ok to give a stranger a ride.  I was going to hold my ground on this one.

“Where are you from?” one of the girls asked her.

“Montana,” she answered, “and I know no one here.”  “I’m Blackfeet!” she proudly exclaimed.

“I will call you a cab to take you to the woman’s shelter”, I offered, “but we can’t give you a ride.”  No, she whined.  She did not want that.

Matt’s friend, S, continued.  “We want to help you.”  She told the woman.  “Where have you been staying?” The woman clearly did not want to tell us anything about herself.  We finally were able to get her to tell us the name of the location where she wanted to go and where she had been staying.  But she didn’t know how to get there and honestly, neither did we. I told her, I would call the name she gave us and see if they would come get her.  Meanwhile one of the young men with us, tried to quietly and nonchalantly trick her into giving him the large beer she held in her hand.  He knew it was not wise of her to drink any more.  It didn’t work.  “Noooooo,” she exclaimed, “this is my beer!”  But I was proud of him for trying.

While I was trying to get the phone number of her destination, she began to get more belligerent. But S. continued, “Can we pray for you?” she asked. 

“Why are you doing this?” The woman kept asking.  “Are you trying to trap me?” 

“We want to help,” was the continual answer the kids gave.  

At one point the woman looked at the young lady that so much wanted to help and told her.  “I think you are probably a real….” insert expletive here.

“Hey”, I said as softly as I could. “Don’t say that!  She offered to pray for you.”  I was so proud of this beautiful young woman for her offer, and for a moment, though I know she would never admit it was so, I saw hurt flash in her tender eyes.  Only for the split of a second, the little girl in her became the more obvious part of her and I wanted to protect her. But even more, to her credit, she handled the name-calling well, considered the entire situation and she came out of it laughing.

“I’m drunk,” the woman said trying some what of an apology. “Don’t judge me.”

“Yes, we know,” another of the young women stated.  “But we aren’t judging you for that; we just want to help you.”  We were able to converse with the woman for awhile during this time, and she told us she had once wanted to be an EMT. 

“He’s an EMT!” my son’s girlfriend proudly exclaimed as she pointed to him, and the connection gave us another entrance to the woman's guarded heart.

As I was on the phone getting the phone number, S. began to pray for our new “friend”.  S. placed her hand on the woman’s arm, while the other kids gathered round and a few of them also gently placed their hands on this Native American from Montana.  S. smiled as our Blackfeet friend pulled away, but she continued to pray.

“Do you know Him?” S. asked as she finished her prayer.

“Jesus?!” exclaimed the homeless woman, “I love Jesus!  I accepted him when I was a little girl.”

I had finished my phone calls by this time, and had found out what I needed to know. 

“Someone is coming for you.” I told her.  “It is best if you wait here for them. You will be safer if you sit in that chair for awhile while you wait here.” Therein was another issue: her safety. She was still a woman alone on the streets, regardless of how tough she seemed.

I wish I could say this story had a happy ending.  It does not. And as drunk as this poor woman was, I doubt she remembered any of it the next morning.  As we got into our cars to leave, she threw her beer at my car in anger. But we had already done what we could; it was all we could do. Actually it was the best that we could do. We could only pray…make a few phone calls, and pray.  There was no where we could take her, and I was not about to demonstrate in front of these kids that it is ever ok to give a ride to a stranger. 

Nope; no happy ending.  I only write because of the extreme pride I have for these kids in taking the time to witness and pray for this homeless woman.  I write also out of sorrow.  My heart breaks for this woman that had once accepted Jesus; who once had a desire to be an EMT; who is Native to this great land, but who at least at this time had become a homeless drunk.  There was a partial sweetness to her that more often turned to vicious rage and my heart breaks for her. Still, I am so thankful and proud of these kids, for not letting the viciousness dissuade them from ministering to this woman.  For doing whatever they could, as small as it was, to help. They were safe in numbers, and they were safe, though it was late, at a public location.  They did the right thing in praying and in attempting to share the Word of God.  They were obedient to what their hearts told them, they were merciful in their prayer.

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

I pray God’s Word penetrates the heart of this Native woman and the right help for her will soon come.