Memorial Day 2013

Recently I was blessed to visit the war memorials in Washington DC and Arlington Cemetery.  I never imagined what would come over me as I approached each of the memorials and entered through the gates of Arlington.  There was this sense of awe and raw emotion.  It was so surreal as images went through my mind of men and women in the military were dying for me.  Each of the thousands of lives was willingly given to protect the freedom of a fellow country man they did not even know.  Many gave their lives before I ever existed.  Every one of them willingly paid the ultimate price to protect the country they loved.  A country founded on Godly principle and religious freedom. I love what Abraham Lincoln said during the Gettysburg Address “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.   I am not writing this to debate any religion, I am writing this to honor those who died for you and for me. 

To all those who have gone before me into the eternal, I say thank you.  My words will never be enough. My hope and prayer is that my life will honor those who have died for me.  Thousands gave their lives for those they didn’t even know; past, present and future.  They all died for friends, family and fellow countrymen.  May my life be worthy in honoring your ultimate sacrifice.

I writing this, I would not be justified if I also did not honor the one who not only died for His friends, but His enemies as well.  Over two thousand years ago Jesus Christ, God’s one true son willingly gave up His life to save those from not a temporary but an eternal war.  A war between sin and salvation.  He died to bring us freedom from the penalty of our sin.  He died to set you free.  Free from the bondage of sin and the gates of Hell.  Will you honor Christ as well? Not just with words, but with a life worthy of His ultimate sacrifice to set you free.

I took both pictures at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

 

 

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 

May my life be the proof and evidence of Christ’s Love!

Bullying, and the Message it Sends

I was born with a kidney defect that prevented me from being able to control my bladder.  I honestly do not remember exactly what was wrong, but I know I had to have surgery to correct the problem.    Long story short, I had a bladder control problem and it did not go unnoticed.  It was not uncommon for me to wet my bed at night and even wet my pants at school.  Word got around pretty quick, for obvious reasons, that I was a bed wetter and a baby.  This title was the gateway to bullying. 

I remember the verbal teasing, the chasing, pushing, and even hitting that occurred on the playground and after school.  In elementary school, I distinctly remember a tire maze that was more of a trap for me.  After a few attempts to go in and play, I quickly learned it was not a safe place.  The tire maze, it was a trap for the timid and a safe haven for bullies.  The bullies, they could do and say whatever they wanted within the confines of the tire fortress.  Teachers could not see or hear what was going on within this labyrinth of tires.  Avoiding the tires was not the solution to my problem.  Hindsight, it made things worse.   Avoidance only proved I was a wimp and I was afraid making me a more desirable target.   

Not only was my bladder a problem, so was my self esteem.  I had little to no confidence and therefore I had no courage.  I was the kid who could strike out in t-ball.  When it came to neighborhood games and picking teams, I was always the last.  Well actually most of the time I heard things like, "We have enough", and "We do not need you".   On the rare occasion I did get to play, I usually heard things like, "You suck", "You stink", and "We do not want you on our team". 

Because of my problems and trials, I was extremely shy and timid.  I was however good at one thing, running.  I ran home every day from school.  I did not run for fun, I ran for my life.  If I did not run fast enough, I would be picked on, bullied and beat up.  That my friends made me very fast and gave me endurance like a bloody gazelle running from a pack of cheetahs.   

I could go on and on about my experiences of bullying.  However, that is not really what is important about this story.  What is important is the effects bullying had on me mentally, emotionally, and socially.  The message that I heard and believed was this:  "nobody likes you", "nobody wants you", "nobody cares for you", and" you will never amount to anything". 

The one regret I have, I never really ever told my parents or my older sister what I was going through.  The three people who loved me the most, I chose to hide these things from.

Bullying is a real problem and it is a bigger problem today than when I was a kid 30 plus years ago.  With the aid of technology, bullying has no boundaries.  You may ask; "why does God allow these things to happen."  I do not have the answer for every situation.  What I do know is this; God used my weakness and my hurts to make me who I am today.  For this reason, I am grateful.  

Me with a couple girls
that bullied me with body paint.
MFUGE - youth mission trip St. Louis

John 9:3 

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

May my life be the proof and evidence of His love!