Some of My Posts

One of my posts:  Mr. Carter, your arrogance concerning this matter continues to say to me that you have some other agenda. The NBC reporter who collected the first hand report from a man off that mountain is exactly the kind of report you said was needed. Now that this report has been made public here, have you changed your requirement for verification of these horrendous acts to heads being found in the park in Mosul? What an arrogant and insulting reply. Pride Sir, still goes before a fall. You seem incapable of admitting to being wrong. That is a personal problem that only you can fix. Those two men you accused of at the least exaggeration, are due an apology, as well as the children and their families who have lost their lives in this manner. Those two men who have spent their lives in service to our Lord on behalf of the people of Iraq are due a humble apology from you. It is time for your immediate supervisor to see that this web site does what is right before God. We are all instructed to walk humbly with our God. You have encountered such criticism because of your willingness to be so generous with the enemies of God, and so cryptically critical of those who live and work for the sake of the Gospel in a place I suspect where you have never set foot.

Post by another woman:  This article is pointless. Absolutely besides the point. I don't doubt that it is happening and that much worse is happening. We don't need pictures as proof. Just like we don't need pictures of the women and children being raped. These people are monsters and need to be stopped at all cost.

My post in response to her post:  I think it is not pointless at all. It speaks to a very large lacking. I just looked up Joe Carter. He is one of ours. Straight out of the Southern Baptist Convention, and full of arrogance and pride, refusing redirection from a host of believers. He is young enough to be my son... and I can tell you, I have raised a passel of sons... I need the contact number of his mother. I need to speak with her in order that we might go before the Father on behalf of Joe concerning his stiff neck. In raising sons, and in my own experience, I am familiar with the repercussions of a stiff neck before the Father. I think he had best stay out of bodies of water which are large enough for a great fish to call home.

A post from a man:  I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

My post in response:   Now there is truth, irrefutable truth, and comfort for those who mourn the loss of their loved ones. You know it is not the beheaded children or adults which we should be mourning with. They stepped out into eternity and the welcoming arms of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the mighty hosts of heaven welcomed them home. It is their surviving and suffering loved ones who live on trying to survive and wondering why the world has seemingly forgotten or ignored them. We waited far too long before we sent the power of the United States military to protect them. Did you know that in 2003 when the United States military first invaded Iraq that the Christian church was still surviving since God forced Noah to return to Nineveh and preach to them repentance and the love of God for them, as he grumbled to God that they were not worth it. They numbered around 3 million, and Saddam Hussein provided them protection as they are a hard working people who provided many tax dollars, since they were taxed at a much higher rate. Most of them were astounded that some American Soldiers were wearing cross necklaces, the symbol of Christianity. They did not know that Christians existed any where in the world except for Iraq. The only jewelry our military is allowed to wear is wedding rings and religious symbols. Evidently this small body of believers has received very little support from the church at large.

My Next Response:  Those surviving are living with horrors and heartbreak they have endured for their faith. My husband and I run a small retreat on our ranch in Texas for the support of military and their families, and a Soldier who has overcome by the grace of God crippling PTSD was broken hearted and experiencing feelings of guilt at not "finishing the job we went there to do." Of course I told him that never at any time was it in his control what the US Military would be ordered to do. Can you imagine the chains of depression and grief which must be entangling the hearts of these gentle Christians.

 My next post:  The numbers of the Christians of Iraq now are estimated to be around 200,000.

The Third Video From Iraq

Here is the third video in the series made about the work of Canon Andrew White and his work in Baghdad and across the Middle East.

                       http://www.vice.com/vice-special/the-vicar-of-baghdad-part-3-921

Albert Einstein Said It Best

I am watching Iraq more carefully than most folks for several reasons, the first being my husband's three and a half years of service there.  Our friendship and deep respect for Canon Andrew White, and the work for God he is doing, and the people of Iraq which he is involved iin ministering to has touched my soul, and created in me my own yearning for the people of Iraq to know peace and prosperity. Those people of Iraq whom I have formed relationships with that have been supported by Internet communication, have come to mean so much to me, and their fate hangs in the air.  It is looking dark to me in Iraq.

Another component which compels my heart and soul has to do with the men and women of the Coalition Forces who have given so much, several from my own family, including a son-in-law seriously wounded.  Their families too have had their lives and personal security affected greatly as their loved ones served.

The Sunni and the Kurds have walked out of the Parliament in Iraq, and things are not looking good in Iraq.  Once again the reasons being revealed for this present state of affairs will lead back to corrupt people being allowed to continue in their corruption.  In all of civilized time, that has always led to failure to thrive...

I think I will be writing from my own observations and conclusions, what I see as the pitfalls which have brought Iraq to this dark place.  Always it seems to me, failure lies in lack of honorable leadership, leadership which is willing to speak the truth, really examine what is going on, and take the actions necessary to deal with the evil elements always present in our world.

The world is a dangerous place to live - not because of the people who are evil but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
-- Albert Einstein

Here is the Second Video From Brother Andrew

This is the second video in a series of three about the work of Canon Andrew White of the Anglican Church of England, who pastors St. George's Church in Baghdad, Iraq. We should each watch with the mind of all God has blessed us with, and how so many suffer the world around, especially in Iraq.  God help the people of Iraq!

                 http://www.vice.com/vice-special/the-vicar-of-baghdad-part-2-141

I Knew This All Along...

This article is very telling about the withdrawal from Iraq of US Military forces.

http://dailycaller.com/2013/01/24/biden-reveals-why-the-obama-administration-abandoned-iraq/

The patriots of Iraq and Afghanistan are due so much.  They have risked so much, and will pay so dearly if their governments are not supported until the process of a democracy slowly brings about honorable leadership. 

 I will start planting flowers for spring soon...

The Star Flowers of Austin County, Texas are coming soon!

Uncommon Men

There are men among us who walk where the rest of us can't or won't.  There are men among us who live very serious lives, engaged in work activities that often place them at risk, and they do so without fear.  They are enabled and empowered because their faith and trust lies entirely in God's will for their lives, and the work they do each day is extremely significant that day, and it will be significant in a hundred years, and it will be of great value still in a thousand years, and it will still be spoken of in a million years.  When time is no more, their daily activities in this present world will be adding to God's Kingdom, and therefore will still be of note when that Kingdom is our eternal home.  Their everyday efforts at a vocation are efforts which carry out God's plan for spending eternity with all who will choose to love and serve Him.  It is assumed by such men that any given situation they find themselves in is due to God's Divine Plan, and therefore they are by God's own promise equipped for the situation.  Their confidence lies in God, whom they love and serve.  This attribute of fearlessness is available to all of us, but few of us choose to live in this state of grace.  We may give being fearless lip service, but in truth we are fearful of the least threatening of things and situations.  Our son Brian is another of these "uncommon men" in the making, and he was home for the holidays to visit with us and Brother Andrew.  As I listened on Saturday to Brother Andrew White, known as the Vicar of Baghdad, talk about the work that he leads in Baghdad at St. George's Church, and the people who worship and serve God there, I knew why he and my husband are such good friends, and once again realized one of the reasons God sent Randy to Iraq was to support this work.

You might think that the seriousness with which these kind of men pursue their life's work, would tend to make them dull and too reserved to enjoy life, but that same belief that makes them fearless also makes them full of fun.  There is scripture that mentions "joy comes from the Lord," and so it is that when you have a dinner party with such men, there is much laughter, banter, and you feel the true joy of friendship, the bond of an eternal family, and the knowledge of how important each moment of our lives are.  Every opportunity to fellowship with those who love and serve the Lord should be relished and enjoyed as the gift from God that it is, and we did when Brother Andrew White arrived at our house in Austin County, Texas last Saturday.

 When I offered Lina the opportunity to try on any of my "Texas cowgirl" hats, she wasn't particularly excited about this ridiculously large one... however Brother Andrew's eye twinkled, and he offered to help her try it on!  Turns out she makes the hat look great!

  

For a long while now Cannon Andrew White has been Randy's pastor in Iraq.  He is the chaplain for American Embassy there in Baghdad.  Over time they have formed a close friendship that stems from the two attributes they share, that fearlessness I spoke of, and the love of being happy and living life in the "fun zone," no matter how serious their work is.  Randy and I both greatly adnire the work Brother Andrew does toward peace in the Middle East, and his leadership of the ministry at St. George's Church, which is also located in Baghdad, but we are not alone in our admiration.   The following is a list of some of the international honors Brother Andrew has collected over the years of his devotion to God's purposes in the Middle East:

 - International Sternberg Prize
- Honorary Doctorate, University of Gloucester
- US Cross of Valour
- International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) Prize for Intellectual Contribution to Jewish-Christian Relations
- Three Faith’s Forum Prize for Inter-Faith Relations (2003)
- Tanenbaum Peace Prize (2005)
- Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Knights Templar of Jerusalem (2003).
- Woolf Institute Peace Prize (2007)
- Companion of the Community of Cross and Nails from Coventry Cathedral for his work on reconciliation in Israel and Iraq
- Train Foundation Civil Courage Prize
- International First Freedom Award (2011)
- Ultimate Christian Library Book Award (2012) for "Faith Under Fire"

I hear so much talk from people who believe the situation in the Middle East is hopeless, and that there will never be peace there.  Some men know that God is willing and able to bring peace to the Middle East, and that He has a heart of love for all who live there.  May God's message and hope of peace go forward, and may those who bring the message be blessed and empowered this message to bring to the world.  We feel so privileged to know Brother Andrew, to call him friend, and to support the work there in Baghdad.  Visit the page that describes the work at  www.frrme.org, and learn about how God is moving in the Middle East.

 

Significant Living Requires This

This blog post  was created for sharing with members of the military as a way of expressing personal gratitude to those serving in the United States military.  All of the following art projects were
made by students at the Vogelweh 
Elementary School, in Vogelweh, 
Germany.  Their parents are 
stationed in Germany, serving with
one of the branches of the U.S. 
Military.  These children realize what patriotism is, and they too have sacrificed for our nation.  May God bless each one of them during this Holiday season, and bring them a wonderful New Year! 

This time of the year is so special to me, because every day I live in the true meaning and grace of Christmas.  Christmas celebrates the greatest gift ever given in Creation.  It is a time of year to formally, and with reverence, acknowledge that God so loved the world, and you and me, that he "willingly," in great sacrifice and love, gave his Only Begotten Son, that anyone who would "willingly" receive His gift and sacrifice might live their eternal existence in His presence and love, as His adopted son or daughter.  In this world humanity has struggled so long to bring it's own failures into subjection, and despite the best efforts of the most devoted among us, we remain flawed.  Still God dwells in the hearts and lives of those who have received His precious gift, directing their lives and giving peace, mercy, and grace, for all that is of this life.  We face the same challenges as the rest of the world, we get sick, lose jobs, suffer losses of all kinds, but God stands protecting us from being overcome and defeated by the evil of this world.  Nothing can separate us from His gift of love and eternal life, no matter what we must face in this life.  He has won the war by His sacrifice, and we must only endure the battles and skirmishes as faithful Warriors, until we are called home.

 

Jesus Christ was born from the linage of David of Old Testament fame.  You will remember him first as a brave young man who fought and defeated the giant Philistine, Goliath.  Goliath came out into the open on a battle field each day and challenged any man of the Hebrew army to meet him in battle, as he insulted God and His chosen people.  He was a brute of a man, huge and powerfully strong.  Anyone hearing his challenge could easily see how unlikely defeating him would be.  There had been no takers among the Soldiers David had brought food from home to that day.  David urged all of the men to meet the challenge, and take this man out who insulted God, but when none of the grown men would go, he "willingly" went out to the meet the enemy in a contest to the death.  He killed the giant with the weapons of a boy, and thereafter, he was known as a man "after God's own heart."  God loves, in a special way, those men and women with uncommon courage and the "willingness" to stand for Him,  for their countrymen, and to fight to the death all those who come to attack and conquer those who belong to the Lord.  God loves, "with His own heart" the man or woman possessed of that special quality of "willingness" to sacrifice themselves for others.  It mirrors the very heart of God.  There were some extraordinary  teachers last Friday, who were welcomed home by God as they too demonstrated in their last breaths in this world their own "willingness."

Our country will always have need of protectors, despite that some are so foolish and narcissistic that they believe that with the right direction from them, mankind's bent to destruction and violence will be cured.  My stepson took a school field trip his senior year in high school where a scientist who was a presenter told Brian's class that science had identified the chromosomes that cause a person to have the "tendency to steal."  The man stated that eventually a baby could be genetically engineered to be perfect.  I shudder at the thought of  there being those who are pursuing this science.  For the time being, there are still the un-engineered who wake up each day determined to conquer our country, and take away the God ordained liberties we are privileged to know as United States citizens.  During this Christmas Season so many of those in our military will not be home sharing the blessings of family.  They will be separated from all that they love, some of them in extremely dire circumstances, and standing in the gap, protecting this nation.   I wrote and published the following blog post some time back, but I am re-posting this blog because of how the service of those in our military is associated with the gift of God, a life laid down in sacrifice for each of us.  As Jesus "willingly" gave His life, so many of our countrymen have given theirs.  

If you know the family member of a fallen hero, please pass this tribute and acknowledgement on to them,  for "no greater love hath any man than to lay down his life for a friend."  There is one step up from that, and God Himself knows well what it is.  It is watching a son or daughter, mother or father, husband or wife, brother or sister,  give their life for others.  Oh what anguish and pain lies in that sacrifice.  We are the ones for whom these lives have been laid down for.  Those who have made the sacrifice will not be present for the Christmas celebrations of their families, in fact, those celebrations will never be the same for the families of the fallen, always, there will be an empty chair at their celebration tables.  

Then there are the families everywhere whose loved one will be in a war zone on Christmas, mine included.  If you have never had this experience, though I love words, they fail me when I try to explain what the experience is like.  The prevailing thought for me on these days is always, how does the son or daughter of a Soldier, especially the younger of them, deal with the absence of a parent on these occasions?  It is almost unbearable for me, I can't even imagine what it is for the little ones. 

There are also those who have sustained wounds in the battle, some are visible, and some are not.  They too have put it all on the line for you and I.  Many of these heroes can no longer serve, their lives having been altered forever.  The families of those who serve sacrifice everyday as well, and it can be lonely doing so in a country where many people live their daily lives oblivious to the fact that our military are daily encountering our common enemy in battle.  War is an ugly and difficult undertaking, but unavoidable when our enemies make overt aggression against us on our homeland soil, murdering innocent citizens without mercy.  Their agenda has not changed, and if allowed, they will strike again.  What follows are words that Soldiers I have shared them with have found supportive of the very difficult job they must do.  If you know a Soldier, or love a Soldier, take just the few moments it will take to share these words with them.  I believe the response you receive in return will indicate the same appreciation that brings me deep satisfaction in sharing.  Expressing my gratitude with more than just the phrase, "thank you for your service," but instead with deeply felt expressions, seems especially important at this time of the year, so once again, words from my heart for those who serve, and for their families. 

I had an exchange with one of the Warriors I have come to know by way of facebook.  Always these men and women absolutely slay my mind with their deeds and the stand they make.  As you will see, these simple words of recognition of the obvious were appreciated, which underscores for me how important it is that we never miss the opportunity to acknowledge the obvious to each service person we encounter.  The job they do takes so much, and gives little in measurable personal gain.  Their reward,  for them, lies within their souls, and is self sustaining, requiring nothing from the rest of the world.  The acknowledgment from each of us of who they are, what they do, and why they do it,  is more necessary for us to be able to sleep at night than for them to.  What follows is a spell checked version of what I wrote, then the validation that for at least one Warrior, it was words of encouragement, and has paved the way for my fulfilling my own obligations.  Trust me, this Warrior took his first breath "willing," and would go on without a word of backing from anyone, I am the wife of such a man.  I have had the privilege of knowing so many Warriors, and their families, and I am one rich person because of it.  What a blessing I consider it to have encouraged one of them.  So if you know a Soldier, a Warrior from any branch, and you would value the overwhelming sense of humility and a pride that comes from fulfilling your own sacred duty to these heroes, there is a chance that in your passing these words on to them, you can have that feeling.  Here are my words, and then his, which are always expressed with a sense of humor, and for him that must be a tremendously powerful protective device in the war zone where he daily stands "willing."

There are some people who are born with a capacity to lay it all on the line that surpasses bravery.  Any day of the week I can risk my life for one of my grand-children or children, my husband, parents, etc...  There are people who, as their primary occupation, will risk their lives for perfect strangers, people of countries other than their own, and even a wounded enemy,  and not just in one moment of a short lived disaster or accident such as a house fire or car wreck, but they will wake up every day... "willing."  Deliberately they stand between threat and danger, and me and mine, and for the rest of the world as well. On an ongoing basis, and they think of it as "just doing my job," they are "willing." 


Their families are affected by their willingness, but in both positive and negative ways, and because of what their family members witness in the lives of "the willing," they are enriched in ways that only those closest to "the willing" can be.  Their family members share their everyday lives with a living, breathing, genuine hero, and that impacts a person, and it empowers and inspires their loved ones. Because they are willing to do what the majority of people would never commit to, we all have the freedom to achieve the destiny we would select for ourselves... and inch by inch... the rest of the world is being affected by their stand as well.

Daily there is criticism from the uninformed, the miss-informed, and the run of the mill idiots, it just rolls off their backs, and when the aforementioned get themselves in a jam... or the enemy is wounded .... in need of care... being who they are... they are rescued and protected just as wholeheartedly as family.

There cannot be too many words of praise, there cannot be too frequent a mention of their deeds, there cannot be too much made of their loss from this world when one of them willingly makes that ultimate sacrifice. We will be utterly lost if we fail in this obligation, if we fail to be faithful to our own scared duty toward these men and women, and their families. For as we celebrate their lives and their willingness, and openly grieve at their separation from this world, we ensure that more men and women with the same heart will answer the call to be "willing."  There is no currency or budget line item that can purchase a willing heart, and the service of the man or woman who possesses it.  It can only be given.

Buzzy Sørensen
Debra, thank you again. Don't think I've ever seen that so well put of why we do what we do....I was gonna just be my usual smartass & say I do it cause chicks dig the uniform but this really hit home personally & it's one of those passages... that gets printed out, stuffed im my front vest pocket, maybe make a few copies for some buds that need encouragement some days & reread when I need to remind myself why we subject ourselves to the evil that would do us harm....you really need to publish this for everyone to see & ponder. Thanks.
Buzzy
30 minutes ago · LikeUnlike
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Debra LeCompte Actually the chicks do dig the uniform... without a doubt...
4 minutes ago · LikeUnlike
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Debra LeCompte I pray for you, and that bunch you run with every day...
3 minutes ago · Like

How To Love a Terrorist

Previously I wrote about how the primary directive from God calls upon us to love God with all our heart, our soul, our strength, and our mind, and our neighbor as ourselves.  In fact, we are created to do this only by our own choice.  That directive from God emphasizes that God does not need mere men to wage war on His behalf.  The truth is, if He wanted all non-believers dead, they would drop like rocks at His command.  He doesn't need armies for His holy will to prevail, and to me it seems an insult to God for individuals to take up violence in order to force others to love and serve God.  That appears to me to be the ego and pride of individuals controlling their own lives rather than submitting to God's direction.  The leadership of  movements which promote violence and force project the idea that THEY wish to be in charge, to wield power, to rule over others in order to satisfy their own desires, ego, and self pride.

One principle that I am certain of, none of us can control others completely.   You can imprison a man, beat and torture a man, burn his home, kill his family, murder a man, but you cannot control his mind.  God will not allow anyone to remove the stamp of our being that is created "in his image."  With enough torture you can force a man to say things he doesn't really believe, but you cannot control what he thinks and believes, in the secret place in his mind that holds his true self, that part that will exist somewhere forever, cannot be forced. 

Look at God's answer when he was asked by the man, "who is my neighbor."  He answered with a story of a man of one nation, whose nation historically hated  another nation, and the people of the hated nation hated them in return. 

The story He told said that a man from Samaria was on a trip, his journey had him on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, a road so filled with danger at that time that is was known as the "Way of Blood."    On the side of the road he saw a man who had been robbed, beaten, and left naked  to die.  What God said next, he knew would shock everyone listening to his story in reply to the question "who is my neighbor."  It was shocking because he was from Samaria, and the man left to die was from a country with a long history of hating the nation of Samaria.  The people of the two countries were raised by their citizens hating one another.  God told of how a priest of the man's own country saw the injured man on the side of the road, and just passed on by.  Next a man who held a station in that day that was like our modern day  politicians passed by and he too ignored the man.  The rest of the story is best told in the original text I was read from my childhood on up.  "When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.  He set him on his own animal and bought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii and gave them to the host and said to him, "Take care of him.  Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return."  Then God asks the question, "Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?"  The man who had asked the question responded, "He who showed mercy on him."

I realize, I cannot impact nor influence the governments of this world.  I am a person of no importance to anyone other than my family and my friends.  The majority of us are in my same position.  I watch closely the governments of the world in interaction, and there are major differences between some of those governments.  The Coalition Forces are one of the only organizations with mufti-nation participation that I can see which has joined people from many lands in the common cause of standing against terrorism.  I think that is due to the very heart of God's reply to "who is my neighbor?" 
As I said, I have no power over how nations interact, most of us don't.  The man in this story only had control over only  his own response to the stranger on the road as well.  That suggests to me that our thinking toward one another, no matter  what nation we are from, should be controlled by our own response before God.  It also says to me that when others come suggesting violence as a response toward those whose theology is different than mine, they do not have as their motive service to God.

God tells us that He is not a "respecter of persons."   No title that you hold, no position, and no affiliation, impresses God.  Those who have titles given to them by other people that the rest of the world is impressed with do not have influence with God.  He is the only One truly possessing the power of determining standards and rules to live by.  His wisdom encompasses all, it isn't just wise opinion, it is what really is.  Which leads back to those two rules we are to live by everyday, not just the days when things are going well for us, and we are in the mood.   When we are in even the darkest of life, those two rules should be the anchor of our behavior and attitude.  In other words, measure every response of your life by God's directive to love him first, and next love our neighbor.

When the factions in the Middle East who murder and commit other acts of violence claim to do so at God's direction, they are lying, and acting out of prejudices not given them by God.  

The area where I have control is in my own response and to stand against the violence of those who claim their behavior is for God.  






 
  

Sisterhood

I was thinking again this morning about how the women of the world develop a relationship of sisterhood.  I am certain that a large factor is found in the role of being a mother that is a common one for many women.  Falling in love with men is another shared  emotion that is so profound  when it is experienced by a woman. On Friday I am flying into Washington, and part of my anticipation and excitement lies in the visiting with and spending time with two cherished women who are among the strongest in mind, heart and spirit of my women friends.  One is a relatively new friend, and I am delighting in coming to know more about her life, her interests, where she draws her incredible strength from, her life challenges, and her strategies for meeting them.  For in these observations, I will gain strength and skills for my own life, and I hope too, to share the skills that I have won in my life in order to give empowerment and encouragement to her.  The other friend I have had for awhile, and come to deeply admire.  When something is truly challenging in my life, I seek out her wisdom.  Her life, and that of her husband are a testimony to what has built and sustained our nation, people who have truly offered self-less service to our nation and in essence to the world.  The poem I wrote entitled Rare and Remarkable Women was written in tribute to this amazing friend.

Rare and Remarkable Women

I watched as he lovingly gazed at her in their living room today,  

At her sweet face, earnest smile, and her hair's soft curls with their touch of gray.

He stared as though it were the first time that he had admired.

 Of this view, I realized, the powerful and honorable man never grew tired.

I knew of all the years she had devoted her life and love,

To the man of steel, who watched as though she were an angel from above.

It came to me that behind the men of his caliber that I am privileged to know,

Often from such a woman rare and remarkable love flows.

As she earnestly spoke of the topic of the moment, her hands moved with their usual grace.

His delight in this endearing quality was visible on his face.

All those gestures, which in more than forty years of devotion, had often been observed,

Still called to him to cling to her words, making sure each was heard.

In every endeavor he always sought council from those he knew to be wise and informed,

But he knew hers came, without exception, from a heart which to nothing but good would ever conform.

It had not been just to him she had given so much, she reached out to all, not just their own,

The legacy of her life would be that of great love when the Lord finally called her home.

Together they shared stories of the children who had been nurtured between them.

Many times his duties had taken him far from home, and she had soldiered on without him.

As they spoke with pride of each child and their accomplishments,

His demeanor spoke of where he knew so much of the credit earnestly went.

Often I have observed the same quiet tribute of love and admiration,

In the faces of the brave and self-less men who courageously give so much to this nation.

I knew why he lovingly gazed at her in their living room today,

At her sweet face, earnest smile, and her hair's soft curls with their touch of gray.

Since my husband's service in Afghanistan and Iraq, I have grown in very significant ways.  The experience has drawn me to develop interest, respect, and concern for places and  people that I had little  considered in my small world.  We are truly a global community in the world today.  All of us are linked on a shrinking planet, with diminishing resources, and if one of us suffers anywhere, we all suffer.  By the same token, when anyone of us achieves,  overcomes, or conquers our own adversity, we all gain from it.  The friends I will be spending much needed time of refreshment with, represent women who are aware of and live by these principles.

Recently I have been mesmerized by a pop culture entertainment that literally stunned me the first time I observed it.  Since then I have purposefully watched several different offerings of the Real Housewives of Where Ever.  If I am not careful to remind myself of the falseness of their personae,  and that they are just making a living by "play-like" games such as I played as a child, I become discouraged at their lack of significant living.  I am careful to mentor young women at every opportunity that presents itself, because pop culture is having a tremendous influence on the identities and values young women are assuming for themselves.  We must all guard that media of this nature is understood by our young people as lacking in examples of honorable and truly satisfying living.  I have always admired the philosophy of Hilliary Clinton's book, It Takes a Village, which portrays the message so well that we are collectively responsible for not only the physical needs of our children, but endowing the children of our country and world with values, life skills, and confidence. 

  With this blog today, I desire to make a contribution toward my own responsibilities to the young women of our world.  I won't discuss "body image," healthy living habits, the pitfalls of gossip and conceit, or how to find a good man, although those are legitimate issues of all women everywhere.  Instead I  will relay a conversation that I observed on facebook concerning the first elections conducted in Afghanistan and make an effort to first crystallize the understanding of any young woman who should read this, the life and death struggle for  basic human rights women endure in some places and each person's obligation to act to facilitate change in those circumstances.  

In the United States, many people are tired of the War on Terror.  They have sang too many patriotic songs, supported the military until they are growing weary of it, and their own finances, and those of the country are a mess, and they are struggling to overcome the failures of finances so prevalent in our country right now.  They are tired of the continued violence in the Middle East, impatient that in ten or more years, the problems that have existed for centuries are not yet solved, in view of the sacrifices as Americans we have made up to this point.  I can never speak of that issue without pointing out that two percent of the country has borne a personal share of that burden that has been life changing, and for some, life ending.

Now I will tell the story I observed discussed between a group of young Afghans, whose heart lies in the attainment of true liberty for their country.  The fact that election day had arrived, and many had voted, some at great risk, was being discussed.  They were discouraged, and felt that fraud had once again gained the upper hand in their quest for liberty for the people of their country. The conversation was so different that day than the discourse by our citizens after elections in this country.  

The details of  fraud, intimidation, graft, violence and falsified results are not as important in this story as the determination of one young woman to participate in the voting process of her country, and to have a voice in her own destiny, and that of her country.  The young people discussed how she had to carefully and without raising attention, made her way to the polling place, literally at the risk of her very life.  She was successful, only to have her marked ballot torn up before her as the election official proclaimed it invalid.  In reading the words used to describe this event in the young Afghan woman's life, the full magnitude could not be experienced by merely reading the story, the profound reality of just how some women live in other parts of the world nevertheless, swept over me as they typed messages to each other on facebook.  Not only that reality, but the reality that somehow, I too am accountable to this young woman, and all the people of the world who do not experience the blessings I enjoy simply because of the geographical location of my birth.  Therein lies so many responsibilities for which I must make provision to fulfill to the best of my ability.

So I have since that time, made my small and seemingly to me, insignificant efforts to tell the world that  we are all created equal, and due, because God gave it to us, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  In my own country there are men and women who live without honor, abandon their children, beat and berate their children and wives, rape and murder, and commit all kinds of atrocities.   Yet often I see people of the Middle East lumped into one category alone, that of debase living, and lack of valuing life, as though our own country is completely free of such things.  As I understand it, we are lumped by some people from the Middle East the same way.  That just isn't how it is, far from it, and each woman is responsible and capable before their sisters of the world and their God, to reach out in some way to help their neighbor. My own obligation involves writing of these situations, sharing what I know, and entreating others to discover their obligations  too.

Before a young person of my country considers what kind of car they will drive, where they will go to college, what career they will pursue, or who they will marry, consideration is owed to how they will fulfill their own debt to the human race.  It isn't enough to conduct themselves with honor and in right living, for God gave a second instruction that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.  I urge you to send this blog to the young women you know, and whose development of character you are obligated to give attention to.  Ask them to determine now, and to watch for always during their lives,  their neighbors as God identifies people to them.  God has commanded us to love Him first, and then our neighbor as ourselves.

After this significant conversation which affected me so much personally, as I often do, I expressed the feelings and observations i experienced in poetry.  Poetry for me causes me to capture strong feelings and avoid confusion and distress concerning the ideas by stating them in very disciplined  word patterns where rhymes are required.  For me that process helps me to clarify the truths and meaning  of the experience.  So I present the poem inspired by the unknown young woman who went to vote in her country's elections, and whose experience the young Afghans discussed that day.

The Vote

Somewhere far from my home, there is a woman I do not know,

She risked all today to make freedom for her country grow.

During all her life her country and people have been oppressed.

Every night and day has for them been filled with fear and distress.

Threats from enemies from other countries and from enemies within,

Keep her children from living in safety and on peace to be able to depend.

 As she traveled to the place of voting, her dark eyes darted searching for danger,

Hidden in waiting there were enemies her act of courage and honor would anger.

With great care she stole carefully, finally arriving at the balloting place.

Then after her vote was marked, a tyrant disposed of it, leaving no trace.

She watched, then in discouragement and returned home without a word spoken

The quest for liberty she will still pursue, for her spirit and purpose cannot be broken.

All of my life has been spent in freedom, for which nothing I have had to endure.

For by His grace I was born in a country where in liberty always I have lived secure.

For my sister living in subjugation in another place without such blessing each day,

Faithfully each morning I ask of God for her help and protection as I pray.

 One of my favorite poems was one of the first I wrote after I read a story about  and saw the picture of several young Afghan women who had joined the Afghan National Army and who were training as pilots.  What amazing courage and selfless service to enter into for their country, I know what opposition and threat by some it will bring to their lives.  So today as American's own elections approach, and in this small thing we can each so easily be responsible in our own country, here again is my poem of tribute to the young pilots, and all the brave women of Afghanistan.

Young Women With Dark Eyes and Dark Hair

Who are these young women with dark eyes and dark hair,
With beauty that runs so deep, and courage rare?

From what cloth were they cut, and where was it woven?
Who was the Artist from whose mind the colors were chosen?

Of what fiber is the cloth and thread made,
That forms their true hearts which when they were bade,

By whispers to their souls of service to their country and us all,
Without hesitation bid them answer that call?

The fibers from which those threads took shape,
Were grown by the people of their nation who do not hate.

The seeds were planted in the soil by their fathers.
Then the fibers were collected at harvest by their brothers.

The thread of hope was spun by the hands of their skilled mothers.
None gave heed to the threats of others.

Then they were woven by their sisters, whose lives will be forever changed,
By the steps that they take and the destiny they arrange.

Finally from the Artist's hand, priceless treasure, a gift from Afghanistan,
Came to the people of the world who desire only with honor to stand.

Their mark and place in history their names will take.
When their life's work is made for the peace that lies at stake.

Who are these young women with dark eyes and dark hair,
With beauty that runs so deep, and courage rare?

The last thoughts I want to add to this particular blog post references a topic which is one of the foremost on the minds of women everywhere.  By far most women long and search for that rare once in a lifetime love that is so fulfilling, so secure, and filled with romance and loyalty and lasts a lifetime.  I am not sure how many of us are privileged to actually experience such a person and relation ship in our lives.  I know that my mother has, I have, and my two friends in Washington have.  However, my friends and I are all military wives, two of us from one country and one from another.  Those we love have stood in harm's way for their countries, being men of steadfast honor and character.  For one of us, that devotion to duty, honor, and country cost the life of her husband, and the loss of the love of her life.  I was in conversation on facebook with her recently when her loss was so heavy on her mind one day.  She struggles bravely and goes on with her life, but loving a Soldier as I do, I have a deep understanding of what pain and grief she must conquer each day as she moves through life now.  She was expressing missing her husband, the words she used were so simple and stark on the page.  Easily my poetry wrapped around those words as I attempted to express to her my understanding and sympathy at her great loss.  

  Missing Him So Much

Once a woman wrote to me words that my heart did touch.

“Missing my husband so much, missing him so much.”

An act of war took him, no matter how tightly she did clutch.

“Missing my husband so much, missing him so much.”

She and I know that nobility resides more deeply in men as such.

“Missing my husband so much, missing him so much.”

Once a woman wrote to me words that my heart did touch.

“Missing my husband so much, missing him so much.”

 Share this blog with your women friends, as women we share so many things in common, no matter where we live, and we are stronger when our hearts we knit together.