The Online Chaplain

The 4th of July

Lately, I have heard a number of people (intellectuals) comment that patriotism and faith do not mix well.  Their claim has been that somehow being patriotic and Christian are opposing ideologies.  Sometimes, pastors will not even allow the American flag to be in the sanctuary of the church.  I would like to present a differing viewpoint for your consideration.

Psalm One begins by saying, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on that Law he meditates day and night."  The word 'meditate' in this verse is also the Hebrew word for remember, and the word "Law" is also the word for teaching.  So, to paraphrase this passage I would say, "Blessed is the person….who remembers what God has taught them."  As Christians, we are the remembering folks.  We remember the blessings and the teachings of God.

On this 4th of July I remember these things.  In forty-four years no one has ever oppressed me.  There have been no invading armies.  There has been no threat on my life.  I have had the freedom to come and go as I please.  I have chosen my career and made all major decisions in my life without coercion.  I elect my leaders, whereas half of the planet’s leaders have become so by force.  Soon, I will be able to get in my car and drive to either of my nation’s seashores.  There would be no checkpoints and no armed guards to question my travel.  All of this I enjoy, although I have not paid for it.  It is the product of a developing ideology called democracy that has produced a nation where no one person, group or entity is able to suppress another.

As Christian Patriots, our role is simply to remember.  Not with a blind ignorance and complacency, but with a grateful, informed and remembering heart.  The flag and the 4th of July are not graven images.  They are reminders to remember with grateful hearts.  So, let us remember to join in one voice and say, "We will not forget!"

Worth 1000 Words and What Your Military is all About.

Soldier Families

A lot is said about the character of the american soldier by the media.  But, not so much is mentioned about the character of the families of american soldiers.  Perhaps, here is where the credit lies.  The following comes out of the Kentucky National Guard, a portion of which is deployed with the 1BCT to Iraq.

Last week one of our soldiers tradgically died.  His memorial ceremony is today 16DEC06.  When the Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) made initial contact with the soldier's 17 year old son, he expressed his condolences to the young man and began to tell him the initial information of what a CAO will do for him and his family. The son sat and listened intensely. When asked if he had any questions, the first question out of the young man's mouth was, "How do I enlist." He said that his dad had answered the call and God had taken him to a better place. He said he felt it was time for him to step up and take his Dad's place.

How about that! Faced with the death of his father, his concern and drive was to take the place in the ranks that his Dad had vacated and continue to fight for the freedom of people he does not know.  His comments were not only a tribute to his family, but a tribute to humanity. 

Thank you to Major John Cline - KYARNG for sharing this with us.

For You

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
          Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
                         One died for your soul;
                      the other for your freedom.

Just a reminder for us to all live a life worthy of the sacrifice.

Great Article: Daddy is Coming Home

09/28/2006 Daddy Is Coming Home! Daddy is coming home! That's what dozens of children in Yankton are saying as they prepare for the much anticipated arrival of Charlie Battery. The National Guard unit has spent the past year fighting the war in Iraq. While a parade and welcome home ceremony are planned for this Saturday, preparations for their return have been underway for weeks. These are the Fall colors in Yankton. Red, White, Blue and yellow, lots of yellow. The town is decked out, ready to welcome home soldiers.

4th grader Callie Pospishil can barely contain herself. "I'm very excited," said Pospishil. Callie's dad is a member of Charlie Battery. She hasn't seen him in quite awhile, but knows it won't be long now. "Only two more days." But it's not just Callie who is excited. Volunteers have been decorating the town in yellow ribbons, so many that you can't find yellow ribbons anymore. "We went to at least five different stores, okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but we went to a lot of stores," said Pospishil. On nearly every tree, fence and pole in Yankton, patriotic pride flies high. The yellow ribbons have helped hold this community together. "We cleaned out Yankton and got more in Sioux Falls."

Gary Wood is one of 200 volunteers who are making sure Charlie Battery gets the welcome home they deserve. "They believed in their mission and are proud of what they've done and proud to represent Yankton and the United States," said Wood. The unit lost four of its members by roadside bombs. Wood says Saturday will be a bittersweet homecoming with lots of emotion. "I don't think there will be enough kleenex in town to handle it. I think it's going to be very emotional , lots of tears, of joy and sadness," said Wood. Tears Callie will share with her dad. "I am going to hug him," said Pospishil.

Charlie Battery will arrive at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport at 12:35 Saturday afternoon. From there, the soldiers will be bussed to Yankton. A parade to honor them starts at 3:30 and after that, the Official Welcome Home Ceremony will be held at the Yankton Summit Activities Center.

Don Jorgensen © 2006 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.

One Man's Grief and Patriotism

Since writing "Fiddler's Green" last spring Robert Stokely has become an online friend and correspondant.  His transparency in his grief and his commitment to his son's memory has taught me many valuable lessons.  He has become my teacher and friend.  I hope you learn from him, as I have, about the heart of a father.  His heart reflects God's heart, his grief reflect's God's grief.  To Mr. Stokely, "God's peace to you, sir."

Alan Jackson, a very well known country music star, who hails from our county, Newnan/Coweta County, Georgia, wrote a song just after 9/11 and the thematic question was "where were you when the world stopped turning..."   Many of us - most probably, can well remember where we were when we heard that awful news.  Oh how well that I do.

On September 11, 2001 I was at Piedmont Hospital with my wife Retta as she had some outpatient testing performed.  We got there early - 7:00 a.m.  At the time that the first plane hit the Twin Towers, Mike Stokely was at FT. Gordon in Augusta, Georgia as he was midway through his Advanced Infantry Training.   As I sat in that hospital waiting room, Retta in the back under sedation, a lady two seats down from me was on her cell phone, perplexed look on her face and then she exclaimed "are you sure?".  She then turned to us and said an airplane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers in New York.  Shortly thereafter, she exclaimed  "another one".  I then found a TV in another waiting room and began to follow the events unfolding.  An uneasy feeling crept over me as I returned down the hall to await Retta's recovery from sedation.  Later, toward noon, I took Retta home, as she was somewhat awake.  I listened on the radio for news - it was not good, for by now, word had come that the Pentagon was also hit, and then, a plane was down in a field in Pennsylvania.  As we continued home down I-85 from downtown Atlanta, we passed by Hartsfield International Airport.  It was silent.  No planes landing.  No planes taking off.  In all the years I have lived in and around Atlanta since 1968, I have never seen a time where you could go by the airport and no planes landing or taking off. 

I got on the cell phone and tried to reach Mike.  I was fortunate to get through and asked "what's going on your way?"  His response was they were on alert, confined to base, and told to be ready on a moment's notice to deploy.  Of course, there was much confusion nationwide and it was not for some hours before our country knew the worst that had happened and where we stood that day.  But, on that day, I became alarmed - no afraid - that my son, Mike Stokely would go to war.

The invasion of Afghanistan was soon to follow with Iraq in play as well.  Fast forward for our family and fall of 2004 orders came down for Mike Stokely's unit to ready to deploy.  My heart sank for in the three years since 9/11, I had come to hope our family would escape a son going to war.  But, it was now our turn.  January 6, 2005, Mike Stokely and 120 plus of his fellow soldiers loaded on buses at the armory in Griffin, Georgia and headed to Fort Stewart for five plus months of training to deploy.  As I watched my boy march to that bus, I cried, for now it was real and now, serious thoughts of a son who may not come marching back home again. 

August 16, 2005, at approximately 0700 hours, news came to our home in Sharpsburg, news we did not want to hear.  Mike Stokely was dead from wounds sustained in a powerful IED blast while on dismounted patrol near Yusufiyah, south of Baghdad.  Eight days later, I was at Hartsfield International Airport to meet my boy coming in from Dover and watched them drape a flag over his casket.  I look back now and I can only say thank God there are those willing to make the sacrifice that yields a flag draped casket.  As long as we engage in battle, soldiers will die for this country.  Let us find solace in the arrival of their flag draped caskets at Dover, for the day they do not arrive, is a day we find ourselves fighting our enemies upon our own soil rather than taking the fight to the enemy on their soil.  Know that seeing a son come home in a flag draped casket is not what I wanted nor does any family want.  But I say this, if not us, then who shall bear this burden.  It was our turn to bear this special privilege of sacrifice.  Mike knew that and was ready, and lead the way that we, as a family, might follow.

Now, I know the real answer to Alan Jackson's question asking where was I when the world stopped turning that September day.  I was on my way to being the dad of a soldier who did his duty and willing gave his life for the country he loved.

Robert Stokely

proud dad SGT Mike Stokely

KIA by IED 16 Aug 2005 near Yusufiyah south of Baghdad

US Army E Troop 108th CAV 48th Brigade GA NATL Guard

Red Fridays

I received this e-mail and was curious.  Is this really happneing?  I hope so.  Although it is the right, in fact the duty, of every American to question the decisions of our elected officials concerning things like, war, immigration, politics, and such, I hope people are able to always support the soldier.  I visit with my men and women daily.  Some are democrat, some are republican, some independant, still others haven't really thought about it.  But, in an age of SELF these young men and women understand SELFLESSNESS.  They are because they recognize it as their duty.  I hope they are being honored for it. 

E-Mail

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United  States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.  WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.

Airports

I received this story….

Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference.  While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer.  I immediately turned around and witnessed one of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.

Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camo’s as they began heading to their gate everyone was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.  When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for it hit me.  I’m not alone.  I’m not the only red blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.  Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women a young girl, not more than six or seven years old, ran up to one other the male soldiers.  He kneeled down and said “Hi,” the little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.  The young soldier, he didn’t look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy.  Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughters name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now.  As the mom was explaining how much her daughter, Courtney, missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.  When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the other soldiers huddled together for a brief second.  Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military looking walkie-talkie.  They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, “I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you. “  He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  He finished by saying “your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.”

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet he saluted Courtney and her mom.  I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.  As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause.  As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were a lot of tears.  That young soldier in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

God Bless America!  All across America soldiers are welcomed home in just this sort of way.  What a great country!

The Problem with Freedom

Freedom is a seductive lover. She holds you in her sweet embrace and tells you there is nothing else in the world but her voice. All else pales until you are trapped into a world with a singular voice. The voice whispers softly to you, "You are the most important person in the world." Her voice convinces you what you have long expected. The sun revolves around you. The whisper of her voice seduces you till you can no longer hear any other voice. When the other voices disappear she has you under her spell and keeps you or discards you, at her whim. Indulging in her presence becomes the very air you breathe and you are convinced her presence is life itself. She is what gives life meaning.

And it is a lie! It is not freedom that gives life. In fact freedom alone intoxicates us, clouds our judgment and blurs our vision. Freedom finds its balance in the truth, truth about the world, life and our existence. And there in lies the problem. Who in this day knows the truth? It is as varied as the reporter who reports it. Freedom offers every one of us the ability to state our judgment with little or no evidence. And every time we do we become a little bit more obese in the arms of freedom. We become a little less likely to here the truth about the world. A little less likely to believe there are people who seek to harm us, even kill us because of who we are. We become a little less likely to believe there is evil seeking to harm us and others. And this is the problem with freedom. It makes us fat.

A person intoxicated on the perfume of freedom need not seek out the truth. The truth becomes what serves me best, not what is best. And so, people make decisions about the difficulty of Operation Iraqi Freedom based not on what is best for the world, but on what is best for me. It brings me pain to hear of yet another American soldier killed. Pain is not good. Therefore, Operation Iraqi Freedom is not good. It is the logic of a person drunk on the sweet wine of freedom. The truth is NO ONE knows if we are doing the right thing here in Iraq. Not the president in the White House or the soldier on the ground. History will judge whether this has been the right decision. History will tell us in the future whether terrorism can be conquered by brute force. History will determine whether we have been fools or heroes? And anyone who thinks they are smarter than history is more fool than hero.

The Apostle Paul in the fifth chapter of Galatians warns us of this very thing. For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery…For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another." Freedom has a purpose and the purpose is to help others, and not self. It is to protect others to the point of becoming their slave. It is dealing with the pain of loss, and the sacrifice necessary for freedom to be seized by all. Freedom is given to many, so that it might be granted to all.

And the great danger, according to Paul, is that we might use our freedom to indulge our own desire to get one more scent of this sweet lover. The great danger is we would sell our soul for just one more embrace, regardless of the cost. The danger is we would become fat upon the bosom of lady liberty and become deaf to the need of the world. Daily, I pray and hope the effort spent by so many, here in this place will be to this end, that freedom might grow and self-indulgence might decrease. Lord, please grant our efforts, sacrifices and lives be spent on the worthy cause of freedom. Protect us from self-service. Guide us to truth. Amen

Real Live Hero's

Anyone who answers the call of duty is in my mind a hero.  Especially, in the Era of Terrorism we live in today.  Unlike wars of the past, all most all deaths in theatre are the cause of random selection.  War is no longer one force pitted against another in some sort of field of honor.  The enemy we face is the enemy of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  You need not make a mistake to die, you simply may have decided to take a right, instead of a left.  The decision to get a haircut, instead of go to the px may be the one that puts you in the path of an errant rpg round launched by insurgence. 

Anyone who answers the call of duty in this generation lives with the anxiety caused by "the random nature of things".  Random selection, in a world that wants to control everything from DNA to space travel, is a burden of magnitude.  Thank God there are men and women who are willing to enter this arena for the sake of others, let this arena pick away at their stability, and pay a price few others are willing to pay.  Thank God for them! 

Remember when you lie down and when you awake, strong men and women stand at the wall during the night, so that you may awake in peace.  Remember, remember and pray, pray that in the midst of a random and chaotic world the message of God would come to them.  Pray they would hear God say to them,  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11)  And pray for the chaplain, that he finds a way to let them know.