A Mother's Heart in War . . . Day 77, August 22, 2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

Day 77, August 22, 2009

We "heard" from Noah last night. Email is a miraculous thing -- our son, thousands of miles away, writes us a letter and with one click and the speed of light and it is in our den. I wish our responses could be so quick. Oh, we both answered his email, but who knows how long it will be before he ha a chance to get online again.

Harder still is the fact that now we know of specific things he needs but it will be a month before he receives them. Even if we ran out right now and purchased the items and then broke into the Post Office to mail them, it would still be three weeks - or more - until he got it. I think that is the essence of what makes this so difficult, the total and complete lack of control, on his part as well as ours. But it causes us more and more to trust the One who has control, the One whose way is perfect, the One who is perfectly able to keep those things which we have committed unto Him - -our son. We can trust the Lord with full confidence that He never fails.

A Mother's Heart in War . . . Day 72, August 17, 2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

Day 72, August 17, 2009

August 17th.

How many times has that date been important in Noah's Marine career?

The first time was the evening when we signed those delayed entry program papers. I must admit I felt some trepidation signing my seventeen-year-old son into the Marine Corps. I wondered, "Will he hate me for this later?"

But so many things had happened to make us believe that this truly was the Lord's will, and what Noah wanted, too. Then nine months later, when we were at the recruiters office again, this time for Noah to leave for boot camp, we asked what the graduation date would be, expecting to hear August 24th, and we heard instead August 17th. We all looked at each other in wonder. A year since we had all signed those papers. Surely the Lord was in this to reassure us.

That blistering hot August 17th we sat sweltering on those bleachers watching one tall, straight Marine out of all the others. What a proud day! It makes my eyes well with tears remembering it now.

Three years later we received a late night call. Noah, and the rest of his platoon, had landed in Kuwait and in a couple of hours would be in Iraq. It wasn't until after we got off the phone we realized that while it was August 16th here, it was already the 17th there.

What a small thing for the Lord to do, but what a source of comfort for us -- that Noah would first step foot on the enemy's soil on his anniversary. It was as if the Lord was saying to us: "I am in control of where your son is today and everyday and I have him exactly where I need him to be, when I need him to be there."

"As for God, His way is perfect." Psalm 18:30

Too Cold, Too Wet

It has either been too cold, or too wet to kayak lately.

Right now the water temperature is a chilly 52°. The air today is a little warmer at 60°. We could try going with those temperatures, but it seems each day we could go, it is raining.

I feel sad seeing the kayaks sitting there, just waiting to be taken out. But I know how our weather here along the coast is, soon we will have a day in the 70-80's and we'll be paddling along again soon.

A Place of Rest

A minister quoted someone in church today when he said, "Trusting in the Lord is a place of rest."

What a wonderful thought, a place of rest. How many of us desire to find that place of rest, that place of peace and calm for our troubled minds or ruffled emotions! Then to find that the true place of rest is not a location which much be traveled to or a state of mind which must be obtained, but a Person!

A Person who "delighteth in mercy". . . a Person who is "full of compassion" and "slow to anger". . . a Person who is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities". . .a Person who loves us enough to bear throughout eternity the wounds in His hands and feet as tangible evidence of that love.

Do you seek Peace? Do you seek rest? Run to the only One whose hands were pierced with nails so that your heart might always be at peace and your mind at rest. Trust in Jesus and find that place of rest.

"For we which have believed do enter into rest. . .,"
Hebrews 4:3

Trouble - The Common Denominator

I was at work and a fellow employee casually passed by. She is always cheerful, always encouraging, and always wears a positive attitude. I had just been contemplating how few things I had crossed off my Christmas list to this point and I had the thought, "I'll bet she's all ready for a rosy Christmas with stacks of presents already wrapped and under the tree."

Image by hodgers via Flickr

In a flash my mind concocted a vision of a way-to-bright Christmas Tree, presents piled up high around it, the sound of classic Christmas carols being crooned in the background by Bing Crosby and Andy Williams, and the smell of mulled cider percolating wafting around. Jealousy as green as the fantasy Christmas tree welled up in my heart.

Then, as soft, clear and quiet in my heart as a flash of lightening was the thought, "She has troubles, too. Everyone has troubles."

"Trouble is the common denominator of living. It is the great equalizer." was the statement made by Soren Kierkegaard. Job, who was no stranger to trouble, said, " Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward." (Job 5:7)

We all have troubles. It is easy for the woman longing to have a baby to look at the woman with her small children in tow and think with envy that she has in her hands the secret of contentment. But that more than busy mother of curious little hands and feet has troubles.

The person with no money can look to the person with a full bank account and suppose that they have no worries, but money brings it own problems with it. Keeping it, protecting it and knowing if someone loves him for himself or his wallet are a few of his troubles.

The person with health issues looks toward the well-bodied person and thinks they have a heart of happiness, but though the physical is well, the spiritual may be wracked with pain. Everyone has troubles.

The issue is not the trouble. The issue is the answer to the trouble. My friend who always seems content, cheerful and positive is not that way because she has no troubles. I know this for a fact because I know of some of her troubles. She is cheerful and positive and content because she knows the Answer to her trouble.

She has learned that she cannot depend upon things or situations or other people for her contentment and peace in the world. She knows there is only One who can be in her heart that "Peace which passeth all understanding". There is only One who can be for her that "Joy unspeakable and full of grace." She has learned to depend upon Him in every situation and in doing so, His grace and joy flows through her to others.

"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong. "
2 Corinthians 12:9,10

A Mother's Heart in War . . . Day 68, August 14, 2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

Day 69, August 14, 2004

Sometimes I think less information is better.

When I didn't know when or if Noah was leaving, then I could put aside thoughts that he was leaving. Knowing that today -- if Hurricane Charly permits, our son will be flying to Iraq, is uncomfortable knowledge.

I think of that commercial flight full of young, talented, highly trained Marines --
"Gentleman, please make sure your seats and grenade launchers are in their upright and locked positions"
-- being shipped overseas. What must that air feel like? So full of anticipation and dread, fear and excitement, planning and denial.

Perhaps in a much more intense way it must be how my patients approach labor -- they are so excited about seeing the baby and yet so scared of the pain. I know that these young men are so ready to do what they are being sent to do. They have trained and trained and trained. For all that, they are still barely out of boyhood, but how quickly hurled into manhood! How much of what they have done up to this point is still part of the "cops and robbers" they played as little boys, only now with a real attitude and real weapons. How quickly everything will change when the bullets are aimed at them by real enemies.

What thoughts will pass through their minds the first time they have to pull those triggers at another human and know for certain it was their hand that brought death. How do they, can they ever, erase those images from their minds?

We must pray that the Lord will protect their hearts in all this, that they will not become hardened to human suffering because they have seen, and perhaps even caused, so much of it.

Much like the nurse who must cause the young patient pain in order to heal, may these young men reign in their emotions when they need to and later pour them out to the Lord when they are alone.

I think I pray more for Noah's protection from the spiritual ravages of war than from the outward, physical damages. I know our Lord is faithful to protect both.

Dear Lord,
My son is your son too.
He is walking a path You have set out for him --keep him in it.
Let not his foot sway to the left or the right without your guidance.

Cause his heart to call out to you
before he calls out to any other.
Protect him -- body, soul and spirit.

Work Your perfect work in him through these days
and cause him to know beyond any doubt that
You are abundantly sufficient in all things.

Cause him to trust You before he trusts in himself
or his brother Marines.

Draw him to Yourself and reveal Yourself to him in every step.
May he know You as his Strength, his Peace,
his Shelter and his Safety.

Mostly, dear Father,
glorify Your Son in and through my son.

Greater Things Than These

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these." John 1:50

From the time I was a young girl with a brown daschund named "Lady", to the present with my sweet beagle Sparrow sitting at my feet, dogs have always seemed to play some part in my life.

Recently the Lord used Sparrow in a very real way in my life to remind me that He is definitely interested in the things that concern me.

Glen and I were headed to an early morning appointment and our daughter, Emmie, now a college freshman, had an eight o'clock class. We had to leave before she would need to get up to get ready. I was concerned she might oversleep because she had been up late the night before working on a project due for class that day.

Trying to let our daughter have some independence in her new role as an adult, we didn't wake her up early just because we were leaving the house. As we traveled to our destination, I felt so concerned that she might be late. I prayed that the Lord would send Sparrow to scratch on her door to wake her up in time.

At the same time, my heart was burdened for my youngest as she becomes independent and as she faces the temptations that challenge most college freshmen. My prayers for protection, guidance and wisdom were fervent and heartfelt. All of this happened around 6:35 that morning.

Later in the day, Emmie called us to let us know she had made it to class on time, and we were both relieved. But that wasn't the end of the story.

Later that night, as I was typing on the computer, Emmie came and plopped herself on our bed (as is her habit to do). She told me that she had made it to class on time, and then told me why.

"Sparrow came to my door and scratched on it to wake me up."

I just looked at Glen.

"What time was that?" I asked her.

"I don't know, about 6:30, 6:40."

That was exactly the time I had been praying for her.

I felt as if the Lord was impressing upon me much the same He had spoken to Nathaniel about his experience under the fig tree. I felt that He wanted me know that though I seemed amazed that He had sent Sparrow to wake Emmie up--such a little thing-- that was just a token of the bigger things for which I had asked.

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." I Peter 5:7

A Mother's Heart in War . . . Day 68, August 13, 2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

Day 68, August 13, 2009

Published in the Mobile Press Register:

Express Honor for Their Service

A common response heard by parents of sons and daughters deployed to Iraq is, "Oh, I'm so sorry! That's terrible!"

First, let me say that we appreciate the concern which such a statement reveals, and doubtless we all would love a world in which our precious young people did not have to risk life and limb in a war zone.

However, we do not live in such a world, and so I would like to make a request: Please think for a moment before you reply, and don't express anything negative to loved ones, who are in fact honored to have sons and daughters who voluntarily joined the U.S. military in order to protect our nation.

To have raised such a son or daughter causes most of us to bow our heads and give thanks that God has overcome our many parental mistakes in order to produce someone who fills our hearts with gratitude.

We are a nation originated and preserved by the sacrifice of patriots, some with their very lives. To be truly American means that we are willing to do the same, and perhaps even more, that we are willing to send our sons and daughters to do the same.

Please join us in the gratitude we feel for our children, and express what a dear lady said to me upon hearing of our son's deployment: "You must be so honored."

Glen Davis