Fresh out of high school and looking to take over the world. So were her thoughts. For months, she pondered the different paths of life in which to go. The path she chose would take her away from her family and everything she ever knew. Over the course of four months, she was excited and preparing for the adventure ahead. Dreaming where this path was going to take her. Then came the day od departure and the butterflies began in her stomach as she said her final farewells. The emotions that flooded over her were mixed but as with every new recruit the adventure begins. Her adventure ended shorter than most and the dreams where crushed after three long months. Even though God had another direction to take her, it would take her years to come to grips with her broken dreams. She knew how to honor but giving others the opportunity to show her honor was hard. Why was it so hard? She didn’t feel as though she deserved to be honored. She felt as to be a failure for not being physically able to even finish her training. She felt tossed away by a higher power because she was defective and unable to serve. The country was at peacetime, so she didn’t do anything special any way. Then the highest power of all – God – allowed others to soften her beliefs and see the other side of the story. What she saw was God had other plans for her. Plans that have been better than those she could had ever dreamed. She learned she should be proud of the fact that she did put on that uniform and took an oath to stand with others, brave and strong willing to fight and serve for their country. She is a veteran.
On this Veteran’s Day, we have the privilege to honor all military personnel who served the United States. I would like to take this time to THANK all who have served. Thank all in my family who fought for our freedoms, whether at peacetime or during wartime. You are honored, as I walk past our wall of honor every day.
In His Love, Crisi