I found this tribute to our fallen Marines from Peggy Noonan’s latest column. Back on Veteran’s Day, our local paper, The Rocky Mountain News, published the story and photos a year in the making, of Marine officers who notify the families of the fallen, escort the fallen home, stand guard at the funerals, and support the families through it all. Time magazine picked up the photos and published them in a beautiful spread (Broken link, active December 23, 2005). The stories and photos drip with respect, and honor, for the fallen Marines, for their sacrifice, and for their families. Tissues will be needed. Thank you, Lord, that You have called such men as these to serve, guard, and protect us, that we may worship You in freedom according to conscience, homeschool our children in peace, and pursue our lives just as You have called us. May we not forget them this Christmas.
CHRISTINE’S BOOKS
NOTHING NEW PRESS
HOMESCHOOLING TORAH
Thank you so much for the post…unfortunately I couldn’t read more than the first paragraph before breaking down in tears…You see my eldest nephew, the one I got to hold at a mere few minutes old some 21 years ago, the one whom I babysat my senior year of high school while I lived with my sister and her husband, the one who’s first words included the name “Jesus”, the one who just a few months ago gave his mom away at her wedding–announcing to all in his deep voice that he and his brother gave their mom away all the while suffering in his dress blues in 98′ weather with at least 90% humidity in an un-air conditioned church to see his mom marry the love of her life WITHOUT one complaint is heading off to Iraq with his best buddy in February. The same best buddy that escorted me down the aisle so that I could light the bride’s candle (for the unity candle ceremony) in place of our mom…wearing his dress blues in same said sweltering church with a woman on his arm (me) whom he had only met 1 hour previous…all WITHOUT complaint just becasue his buddy asked him to. I fear for my nephew and his buddy, Barry…but only out of an aunt’s love. They are doing what they want and what they know is right….WITHOUT complaint. They are Marines and proud of it. And I am just Shawn’s aunt and the woman whom Barry escorted at a wedding…but I am tremendously proud of those young men and ALL the service men and women who are serving our country…I pray I never have to comfort my sister at an airport after she receives a knock at her door…but I know if I do, that her son, my nephew, will have died doing what he knew was right.
Entrust him to the Lord, Mother Hen; He is able to care for His own. Many will live, will return, and will pass on their warrior strength, and their knighthood chivalry, to the youngers coming up. I am so proud of our Marines I could just burst!