Lord,
Loving Father, walking so abidingly with this spirited girl,
Lavishly pouring out Your grace over the meagerness of me,
Until my life is a flowing sea of You,
Boundless, complete and amazing.
Father, hear my quiet plea
In this gentle morning light.
Lord, I name them by name
Yet, You know every corner of each heart.
For those who have gone before,
Embrace them with our gratitude
Until we come into Your presence, and theirs
And hold them again, and rejoice.
Jay was a hometown hero,
Tender light in my Grandma's heart,
My daddy's best friend.
Flags fly at Arlington today...
One for the boys' Granddaddy,
Among husbands, fathers, sons,
Grandfathers, uncles, friends.
Honor. Remembrance.
Uncle Bill,
Scott's daddy,
Young Matt, our town's own.
May his sweet wife, Eve,
Know your healing today.
So many Lord.
So many.
So many loved this country,
And each of us in it,
Enough to lay down their lives for ours...
That my boys and I might know
The ease of this quiet day of spring rain.
Lord, for every jarring moment
Rifle volleys have torn through the air,
Riveting my heart,
Tearing through lives
Left in pieces...
Healed by Your abundance...
We honor every one.
Every one.
For those who have served so valiantly,
Who we treasure now at home.
Father, rejoicing for Dan today!
His homecoming!
May You continue to heal him,
Body and soul.
So many surround us.
Family.
Friends from childhood.
Friends today.
Dad, Uncle Ron, John, Paul, Kenneth, Mr. G.,
Steve, Dinah, Tucker, Jonathan, Gerry...
I name so few.
They are all about us
In our every day.
You know them Lord
And the stream of prayers that were prayed...
And so fully answered.
We honor them among us...
For their service,
For lives lived out admirably in dedication to this country.
Father, for those precious ones who serve in this moment,
We especially call to You.
To the crews at Robins AFB who were our friends in the very first moment.
To Colonel Buhler leading with confidence.
Malissa's beloved, Jon.
For these sweet military families who visit my words...
A tie to home.
From Okinawa to Afghanistan to Hawaii and back.
I see these flags and hold them close
May they feel my hand in theirs.
And know my prayer in their hearts.
For J, that his ministry might bring You honor and glory
Through souls won and battles relinquished.
For Andy, that his every journey is safe,
His every action is guided,
Until he finds his missions are complete.
Lord may they know...
Truly know...
As they rest their heads each night,
And rise up again each day
That I call out their names to You
Lifting them into Your presence
With thanksgiving for who they are,
For blessings that their every effort is multiplied through You,
And a plea for safe return...
To a home that waits.
Hearts that dance.
Arms outstretched.
Whole lives rejoice.
Their home waits.
Lord, please, deliver this prayer to their hearts.
May they daily know You as El Shaddai, All-Powerful, All-Sufficient
Master, Ruler, Adonai.
For I cry out to You, as my dear Daddy, Abba.
To You, Most Loving One, I pray this...
Today.
And always.
Until we are all united home.
Amen.
From my heart each day,
Susan
Post script. I have received roughly forty different touches of communication regarding this post and hits solidly in the triple digits. (That's impressive for this little prairie corner.) It is so easy to see the pride of our nation. Memorial Day has dawned now for some of my sweet active military readers as the sun sets for me. The best way I know to honor the memory of the fallen is to thank those who press on. In this hush of the night, I wanted to not only thank you, but to tell you how very many other people have demonstrated that they hold you in their hearts and lift you in their prayers. Much love, Susan.
