"Reality Check..."

At 17 he was a "man-child," standing 6'-2" tall, weighing in at over 200 pounds, all muscle, and still growing. I use to joke with his Dad by asking how often he had to change the light bulb in the refrigerator, believing his son, Jason, must live to eat when he wasn't playing sports. Jason played high school football and was good enough to win a scholarship to play on the college level. I coached him in basketball. He was a terror. No one could rebound like Jason. He believed that every ball coming off the rim belonged to him. Most did. We won two champions with Jason on the team. In college Jason became a member of the ROTC. He graduated with honors, got married and entered the Army as a second Lieutenant. His first tour of duty was in Afghanistan. He was promoted to through the ranks to Captain. He is now serving in Iraq.

Yesterday, having just arrived home from church, I received a telephone call from his Dad, Rich."Jason's unit had been attacked. There are fatalities and wounded. We don't know about Jason. Please pray." I immediately passed this most disturbing and alarming news along to my fellow Deacons, asking them to also be in prayer and spread the news to others who know Jason and his family. We all prayed...and we waited.

This morning we received an update. "Jason is okay. Not wounded. No further news on the condition of his troops. Continue to pray." We are thankful and praise God for Jason's deliverance from harm's way. And we continue to pray...

At this time of holiday preparations for joyous gathering of family and friends, it is easy to become consumed with the many seemingly endless tasks and details of getting everything "just so" that we understandably become disconnected from the trails, tribulations and disquieting fears that are the watchwords for other families and friends who wait in trepidation for a similar phone call they hope they never receive. All across this far-flung world are men and women in our military branches of service who stand as the camouflaged line between us and tyranny beyond, who will quietly celebrate a homesick Christmas with their weapon at the ready by their side and a ready prayer in their heart. Come this Christmas morning a child who once leaped joyously around the Christmas tree in years past will be absent from their midst...and their loved ones so dear shall pray for their eventual homecoming. Some will return with memories too painful to share. Some will return with wounds that will take many Christmases to heal, if ever. Some, will never return and only their memories shall linger as small comfort at Christmas times yet to come. And many, I pray, will return in full health, standing tall and proud for having served this nation with unquestioned honor.

Whether you agree in the name of all that is patriotic that our "war on terror" is a defensive necessity or vehemently oppose our involvement, remember this Christmas season there are thousands of men and women who hail from families just like ours all across this vast land we call home who do not question why, but daily stand firm in their duty and devotion to country so that come Christmas morning our celebration shall be one of peace and joy. That is their gift to us. Let our gift to them be our unwavering voiced appreciation and our continuing prayers for their protection. My friend Jason gives no less. He expects no more from us. Merry Christmas