Doing My Part

Alicia and I have our "Support the Troops" yellow ribbon on the Exploder and sometimes we even remember to pray for them, but am I really doing my part as an American to support our troops who are in harms way for me and for my family. I have to admit that if the soldiers were putting forth the same effort in Iraq that I am back home, we would be in serious trouble.
Where is the war effort showing in my life? I have to admit that sometimes I think about enlisting and seeing if they would take an out of shape 29 year old. but that's where it stops.
My grandfathers' generation, lied about their age to go and fight, while people back home went without meat and other essentials, all to support the war effort. I'm cranky when I wake up to late to get my Starbucks.
When I open the newspaper, I read all the politicals and sports before I maybe read about the recent American soldier's death.
I visited a site this morning called Soldiers' Angel and it is really inspiring. It is a mom of a soldier in Iraq that started sending letters , care packs and Christmas goodies to the soldiers in his unit. You absolutely have to check out this site. Sign up to help in at least one of the areas. It is incredible to think what a blessing we can be to our troops who are the finest and brightest that this country has to offer.
They risk their lives, leave their wives and babies behind to protect us and bring freedom and stability to a region that has only known fear and inhumanity for so long. What is more noble than what they are doing?
writing this I think about some of the boys that have gone through my youth group and others that I know who are serving or have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Allen in the spec. forces, wounded on his jump into Iraq. Derek serving in Iraq right now, joined the Navy right out of high school. Clinton in the Navy, currently in Iraq. Chris recently joined the Army, not yet deployed. Micah in the Marines on his second deployment in Iraq. Mary, mother of 3, serving as a trauma nurse deployed this month to Iraq. Most of these kids have families who will be supporting them but I think about their sisters and brothers in arms, serving in the same unit.

God bless and protect them. Bring our enemies to a swift justice.