I know this is why our son joined. Tyler was almost 16 on 9-11. He had always wanted to be in the military, infact, he had said when he was probably only about 8 that he someday wanted to be in the military to thank the United States for letting him come home from Korea to us. So having always wanted to be in the military, when 9-11 happened he was adamant that if he could join right then he would have. He loves America and proudly serves our country.

At one point during the news show this morning the commentator said that America has changed so much since September 11th, 2001. When I heard that I turned to Dw and said, “Some things have changed, but some have ‘gone back’ to normal.” Security screening at airports became the new “normal”. Immigration laws got tougher. BUT what about Americans in general?

I remember shortly after 9-11 Dw and I were driving to his parents in Perry, New York from where we pastored in Virginia. We drove up through Virginia, a bit of Maryland, all of Pennsylvania and half way across New York state with the kids. As we drove we noticed homes with American flags on them, one after another. We started to cry. We have always loved America and are flag waving Americans – all the way! So we, with our kids, started counting the flags we saw. They were everywhere and we eventually lost count. We will never forget that drive. We were in awe of people’s love for America and how they proudly displayed their flags.

So what happened? America seemed to settle, before long, into the new ‘normal.’ Where did the flags go? Who knows! How sad I am that most have put their flags away on some shelf tucked in a dark closet or drawer. So very sad and troubling to me.

The flag symbolizes so much to Dw and I. The United States of America – the country where we can worship in our churches freely, adopt children freely, pray in publicly freely, read our Bible freely and the list goes on….

What would happen if we were attacked tomorrow on our shores? Would the flags come whipping back out? Have we become accustomed to the safety and freedom we enjoy? Are we taking our safety for granted?

I think of that young man this morning who said that he was serving our country because of 9-11. He was so handsome and strong looking. Really, he could be doing a million different things things with his life but instead he is thousands of miles away from his family and friends. He does not come and go as he chooses. Contrary to popular thought, their pay is meager. YET he proudly serves this great land we live in. He and thousands like him have given up their comforts so that we can live a normal life free from war in our streets. But how often do we stop to pray for our military and their families?

Yes, I am a military mom – proudly! It is alot harder being a military mom then I had imagined. In a few short months our precious son will be deploying again. This time around he will be doing some of the same things, but they asked him to do things of a more intricate nature. He will be in even greater danger. I could probably throw up if I think too much about it.

Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge,who subdues peoples under me.
O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?
Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.
Part your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
Send forth lightning and scatter {the enemies}; shoot your arrows and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.
I will sing a new song to you, O God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David from the deadly sword.
Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful……….
Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

While Tyler was deployed this last time he said after his unit would return from their middle of the night missions he would be too wound up to sleep. He said he would sit with a buddy of his and Tyler would read aloud “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers. Many in the military are very open to the gospel when confronted on a daily basis with serious dangers.

Today, let’s thank the Lord for our military and pray for those who are serving our country, abroad or training here. Let’s pray for their families too. Let’s pray for those families who were left without a loved one from 9-11. Let’s pray for the military families who have lost someone. God is the only true comfort and He is always faithful.