4th of July

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” – Erma Bombeck (with special thanks to Mary Tom Bass)

Greetings from Kuwait where it's always sunny! What a treat to be celebrating the 4th of July with the Troops. Since I can't be with my own family, I can't think of a better group to be with. Though many of us don't get the day off here, there are some barbecues and stuff planned for this evening. I havn't heard of any fireworks, but we'll see. The new Terminator movie is showing so that gives us something to look forward to.

It's been a tough week (more so than usual) with the death of one of my Soldiers. The young man leaves behind 2 little girls under the age of 2, one of which was born while he was here. My heart aches for them.

I'm so proud of his unit at the same time. They're a small detachment of only 20 or so Soldiers. The entire batallion is only about 100 strong. Fortunately, this small band of brothers and sisters have not had any experience with losing one of their own. This led to a challenge pulling of the memorial ceremony. There was a leadership vacuum at this time resulting in an increased reliance on me. This at a time when I'm once again without a Chaplain Assistant. Nevertheless God is faithful and the ceremony was honoring to their fallen comrade. It provided the unit a time to grieve. It was very cathartic for all involved and provided a sense of closure. Closure doesn't mean we forget, we never will, but it is an important step in turning the corner and moving on.

As you celebrate this Independence Day, enjoy the time with family and friends. Thank God for this country and say a special prayer for the guardians of our freedom.

The Wandering Chaplain