One of our guest lecturers in my military chaplaincy class was a chaplain who served in a Baghdad ER. His stories and photos were a lot more graphic than HBO… He spoke of telling a soldier he was going to die and letting him borrow his cell phone to call home… all while we looked at a photo of his fatal injury on the big screen in front of us.

The young men and women who work in these hospital see things humans weren’t meant to see… over and over and over.

They need chaplains.

HBO’s site: Baghdad ER

Most Americans Believe in Higher Power, Poll Finds
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
Most Americans believe that angels and demons are active in the world, and nearly 80 percent think miracles occur, according to a poll released yesterday that takes an in-depth look at Americans’ religious beliefs.
—
Father Emil Kapaun’s cause for sainthood to be officially opened
Source: catholicnewsagency.c…
The Cause for the Canonization of Father Emil Kapaun, an Army Chaplain who died while in a North Korean Prisoner of War Camp in 1951, will be officially opened on June 29.
—
War’s Stresses Take Toll on Military’s Chaplains
Source: www.nytimes.com
“Just as it has claimed so many other members of the military, the war in Iraq has taken a toll on chaplains. Although they do not engage in combat, chaplains face the perils of war as they move around Iraq to visit troops. None have been killed, but some, like Chaplain Brunk, have been wounded. Many report post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress problems.”
—
Soldiers’ Self-Harm: ‘Anything Not to Go Back’
Source: www.newsweek.com
There’s a rising trend of soldiers harming themselves to avoid returning to war.
—

We invited a friend of mine to join us and had a wonderful time. We got our first foul ball which was incredibly exciting.

Seeing the young soldiers reminded me of why I want to be a chaplain. Sarah made a few friends. These future MPs represented the Army well. I’m very proud of them. They ate an INCREDIBLE amount of food. I’m going to need a huge snack budget when I become a chaplain…

The Call

As a young girl, I dreamed of becoming a military officer. In junior high and high school I prepared to attend the Air Force academy. Late in my freshman year, my parents invited a missionary family into our home. That brief visit with Craig and Jadine Fritzler impacted me. Soon, I felt an undeniable calling to the ministry. That summer, I spent a life changing week at a Full Gospel youth camp in Wyandotte, Oklahoma. During the Wednesday lunch service, Brother Freddie spoke about the call into ministry. My heart burned within me. I knew that he was talking to me; that God was calling me. Instead of the military, I would go into the ministry.

In preparation for the ministry, I majored in Biblical Studies at Evangel University and graduated in 1999. Once or twice a year after graduating, I considered joining the Army Reserves as a chaplain. I thought it was a great way to pay for seminary, and a cool job to have one weekend a month. I visited GoArmy.com and mentioned the idea to my husband. I couldn’t get past that last step. Joel didn’t like the idea. He said our kids were too young and having both parents in the Army was too risky. Since I knew Joel didn’t approve, I never let myself think too seriously about being a chaplain.
On December 1st 2005—after learning about dual military families in an Army Officer Basic Course—Joel called from Fort Jackson and suggested that maybe I could become an Army Chaplain. I contacted a recruiter that day.

I had a lot of questions. I talked to friends. Some were surprisingly supportive. Others were just as upset at the idea as I expected. Still others didn’t really say anything at all. I interpreted their silence as disapproval. For everyone, there was one major cause for concern: my children.

I had chosen to stay at home with my kids. Joining the military seemed a complete contradiction of the stay-at-home mom role I valued so highly. While I refused to leave them with a babysitter, now I was choosing to leave them for months at a time. I wouldn’t get a day job, but I contemplated volunteering for deployment. It took four weeks of prayer, research, conversation, doubt, and more prayer before I finally decided to become an Army chaplain.

Confirmation

After years of ignoring it, and a month of struggling with it, I finally chose to answer the call. Peace flooded my heart, offering immediate confirmation that I had made the right decision. The chaplaincy brought together my seemingly incompatible childhood dreams of military service and ministry. This peace became the first of many confirmations.

A few weeks later, we joined my husband at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. We lived there for three months while he finished officer basic and attended postal school. This new exposure to soldiers and their families ignited a passion in me that wasn’t there before. I enjoyed living on post; I loved hearing the cadence and bugles and talking to soldiers at the park or PX. While at Jackson, I went to MEPS to get a physical. I spent the day with young recruits and came home excited about ministering to young heroes like them. My time at Fort Jackson served as a second confirmation of my call.

In the fall of 2006, I officially entered the Army Chaplain Candidate program. My husband’s unit mobilized, my son entered kindergarten and I enrolled in seminary seven years after taking my last college class. I had to put my daughter in childcare. That’s something I never wanted to do. All of these changes and challenges caused me to evaluate my call to the chaplaincy. Once again, an answer came. One morning as I read the Army Times, I found myself growing emotional over the photos of soldiers who had died in combat the week before. The story of a young son receiving his daddy’s Medal of Honor caught my heart next. An article about the lack of chaplains accompanying casualty notification teams closed the deal. While I wasn’t normally one to show emotion, I found myself weeping uncontrollably over these stories and others. This passion caught me by surprise and offered one more confirmation.

In January 2007, as my husband prepared for war, I left my children with their grandparents and drove 1,500 miles to Fort Jackson for the Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course (CHBOLC). I found great peace despite the stress of having a husband deploy to Afghanistan and leaving my children for six weeks. Every moment at Fort Jackson served as confirmation to my call. I absolutely loved being there. One thought went through my head as I stood in formation, did PT, marched in freezing rain, and sat through endless classes. I thought, “This is where I’m supposed to be.”

A call to ministry needs more than personal conviction as evidence; it must also be confirmed by other believers and the work of the Spirit. While the previous events assured me personally that I’m going in the right direction, confirmation should also come from the outside. Several mature Christians have provided encouragement and confirmation. They offered these words after watching me ministering or hearing me share my passion for military ministry. When someone who knows me best says I was made to be a chaplain, those words reassure me of my call. When the Holy Spirit helps me in times of ministry and military training, that too offers confirmation.

Commitment

While I’ve remained sure of this call since December 2006, I don’t always like it. As my husband served in Afghanistan, and I attempted seminary and parenthood alone, the sacrifices I agreed to became all too real. Deployment, war and separation weren’t just distant possibilities, they were harsh realities. I know the pain Joel’s deployment caused my children. I held them as they described nightmares about mommy and daddy going to war. I know the fear that comes with having a spouse in a combat zone and I don’t want to put my husband through that. I’m living through the stress of reintegration. I don’t have to imagine how hard a military career might be on our family. I get to taste it each day.

Sometimes I don’t like this call. I don’t want it. Sometimes the passion is hard to hold on to. I don’t see soldiers every day. I go to school, write papers and do laundry. My combat boots get pushed to the back of the closet. It’s during these dry spells that commitment becomes essential. I believe God has called me to be an Army chaplain. I’ve committed to do that regardless of how hard it seems or how I feel on a bad day. I must continually remind myself of Andrew Murray’s words in Absolute Surrender, “I pray you, learn to know and trust your God now. Say: “My God, I am willing that Thou shouldst make me willing.” If there is anything holding you back, or any sacrifice you are afraid of making, come to God now, and prove how gracious your God is, and be not afraid that He will command from you what He will not bestow.”*

It’s hard to believe he’ll be here soon. Really. I don’t mean that metaphorically and it isn’t a cliché. I really can’t believe he’ll be here on the day after tomorrow. I’ll believe it when I hold him in my arms and not really until then.

I’m trying to think of things to do to make him feel at home. I’ve put his stuff back in his drawers and taken my stuff off of his night stand… I organized the bathroom so he will actually fit in there. I’ve cleaned his beloved leather couch and put his freshly washed favorite blanket beside it. [I also realized I've used up all of his good razors... oops.]

In summary, I’m trying to make it look like we didn’t actually move him out. I’d like to stock the fridge and pantry with all of his favorite things… but there’s an inch of ice on my car and I can’t actually remember what he likes to eat anyway. I know he needs Miracle Whip [yuck] and cherry Poptarts… and maybe some Power Ade…

As much as I miss him — and really I miss him A LOT — I’m a bit apprehensive about reintegration. I’m not who I was when he left. Since Joel moved to Ada, OK and started preparing for mobilization, I’ve joined the Army, turned thirty, attended officer basic and become a seminarian. I listen to whatever music I want, rarely watch TV, never watch ESPN, fix the car myself when it’s busted, decide when and where we eat out, take out the trash, discipline the kids. Since Joel left, I’ve driven over 9,446 miles in road trips. Three trips to Texas, two to South Carolina, once to Georgia and twice to Tennessee. Plus one round trip flight from Oklahoma City to Tennessee and one from South Carolina to Indiana.

It’s been a long journey.

I’m not who I was. I’m glad. I hope he is too.

Plans have changed. His replacement didn’t work out so he has to stay a little longer.

I should still see him soon, just not as soon as I had hoped… and the fun-filled kid-free week has been canceled.

I’m disappointed, of course… and hoping we get our money back on my plane tickets.

Ah well, such is the Army. I’ll hold him when I hold him.

School:
The semester is over for most of my cohorts. Not for me. I have a few [10] more assignments to complete over the holiday break. I received my first B of my grad school career. The tarnished GPA stings a bit, but in all reality… I am thankful I even got a B. This has been a difficult semester for me. I’ve greatly enjoyed all of my classes, I’m just tired of doing seminary as a sickly single mom. I’ve spent the last few months tired, ill and missing my husband. That made it difficult to get things done. All whining aside, I’m so very thankful for the opportunity to attend AGTS. I love it, love it, love it.

Car:
The heater on the car wasn’t working a few weeks ago. With the end of the semester crushing upon me, I didn’t have time to get it fixed before the first freezing rain hit… and boy did it hit me. I nearly froze my toes off one Wednesday while waiting to pick my kids up from school. I had frost nip and stage two hypothermia. Brrrr! The next day I had to give a presentation in class. I woke up at 4am to work on it. Still cold from the day before, I shivered in class while wearing my coat and my classmate’s scarf and gloves. After class I went outside to find a thick sheet of ice on my windshield and freezing rain falling from the sky. With no heat or defroster… it took a while to get the windows cleared. I finally made it to Sarah’s preschool craft day… hours late wearing two coats, shivering uncontrollably and looking like I had stood in freezing rain for half an hour. Way to make a first impression.

The next morning, Hillery watched Sarah so that I could drop my car off to get it fixed. Gene Thomlinson [aka "Chief"] picked me up at the shop and dropped me off. A few hours and only thirty dollars later, I had heat in my car! Ahhhh…. my toes finally thawed out.

The recent ice storm killed my passenger side windshield wiper arm. I ordered one at O’Reilly Auto Parts and got it the very next day. I just installed it in the rain a few hours ago and I’m feeling rather Hooah for doing so. I hate overpaying people to do stuff I can do myself. Kind of like Jiffy Lube, I took the car there a couple of days ago. The guy told me I needed a new radiator cap and it would only cost 12.50… um…. No Thank you! I got one at O’Reilly for 4 bucks. No wonder I always feel like they’re trying to take advantage of me… they are.

Christmas:
Today’s weather delayed my trip to Texas. We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. On my mom’s birthday. [Happy Birthday Mom!]

I’m looking forward to seeing my family for the holidays but really, I’m not very excited about Christmas this year. I miss my man. I usually avoid most holiday trappings and just enjoy having my husband off work or home from Army training. Now that my favorite thing about Christmas is in Afghanistan… I’m trying extra hard to boost up on holiday cheer. It’s shocking really. I actually bought [and frequently listen to] a Christmas CD. *GASP* And… AND… I bought a Christmas t-shirt. Unbelievable isn’t it? VERY.
Don’t worry, I’ve not completely turned from my scrooge like ways. I still can’t stomach 88.3 The Wind’s Clean Air Christmas. [Just a few more days till I get my favorite radio station back from those pesky reindeer and elves who take it hostage each November and December.]

Bible:
I finally bought a new ESV Bible. Unhappy with Crossway’s sub par publishing, I decided to buy an inexpensive hardback while waiting on someone to do a better publishing job. I got the Hard cover ESV, Single Column Reference Bible Besides the insanely thin pages, I really like it. [Actually the thin pages aren't so bad... I can read twice as fast since I can read several pages at once... argh] Here’s a pdf sample page. I like the layout, I’ve never had anything like this. I think it’ll leave lots of room to write in the margins… without being an actual wide margin Bible.

I’m going to get Mom or Julie to help me make an ACU fabric cover for it… why not?

Conclusion:
Well… I think this concludes my rambling reintroduction into the blogging world.

I can’t do that. While war is an abstract idea for many in this country, it is all too real to others. It’s all too real to me.

I’m not just talking like this because my husband is deployed to Afghanistan. Last night, I started trying to list off the friends I have who are serving in Iraq. I’ve not kept up with all of my Chaplain Officer Basic classmates, but I can think of at least eight good friends who are serving as Chaplains in Iraq or Afghanistan right now. I’m sure there are more I just haven’t heard from for a while. That’s at least eight men and women I trained with, laughed with, ate with only a few months ago. And now they’re in a war zone caring for our soldiers, doing what we were taught to do.

Don’t let everyday life distract you. At least, for today, pray for my friends. Pray for my husband. And pray for the families that are waiting for them to come home.

Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne

When You’re Gone - Avril Lavigne

If You’re Reading This - Tim McGraw

Have You Forgotten - Darryl Worley

A Marine raps about freedom

A Soldier’s Wife - Roxie Dean

—
Updates:

I just came back from a war - Darryl Worley
[Thanks Barb]

If You Want Me To - Ginny Owens
[Thanks Holly and Old WM]

I miss him.

I. Miss. Him.

Six more months.

Ahh but here comes the USO to the rescue. I dragged my bags across the airport and even exited security just to check out the STL USO. It was worth the hike, and the even worth having to go back through security. Now I get to spend a couple hours sitting on a comphy couch, soaking up some free wifi, and enjoying the complimentary canteen. Mmm… free coffee and donuts. I think I’ll get a hot dog soon too. This place is nice there are at least eight couches, a huge screen tv, a computer room, a play room, a reading area… a place to check your bags while you rest and even a napping room. A NAPPING ROOM. Not that I’m going to nap, but I could if I wanted to and that thought alone makes me feel more rested.

There are lots of cheerful volunteers, who I now love forever and not just because they gave me coffee.

So. If you’re looking for a way to “support the troops” how about donating your time or money to the USO?

Random USO Updates:

* Cool they have a laptop and cellphone charging station.

Then the choir sang a medley of the official songs of each military branch while members of each branch went down to the front when they heard their song. When they started playing the Army song, off I went down the stairs and to the front. It was a bit surreal since this is my first time to officially be in the military. Last year I stayed in my seat because I hadn’t taken my oath yet, and I had never worn the uniform. I was excited to go forward. Not because I’ve done anything to deserve the recognition, but because I’m proud to stand with those men and women: heroes serving our country since WWII.

The congregation stood and gave a lengthy applause. Grandfatherly men smiled and shook each other’s hands. A Vietnam Vet wiped away tears, a middle aged woman smiled proudly and a young man stood behind the others and cried. I looked up to the balcony and saw my six year old son smiling and clapping. I wondered what he was thinking. He says he doesn’t ever want to be in the military but he’s so very brave and proud when he speaks of having a mom and dad in the Army. What further sacrifices will that little guy make in the next few years. He’ll have 14 years of service in before he’s even old enough to enlist.

Of course they had a time of prayer, the pastor prayed for our soldiers serving overseas and for the families of those who gave their lives. Oh my. My general goal is to not cry in public, but goodness that one was hard. In a moment I went from Soldier to Army Wife. I’m proud of my husband and I miss him terribly. Those emotions mixed with the passion to be out there serving our soldiers and their families, and the humbling experience of standing by three generations of heroes… My chin trembled as I tried to hold back the tears.

The phone rang at 0730 this morning. My heart leapt, I had forgotten today is Saturday. I knew it was Joel, and I jumped to get the phone, selfishly cheering all the way that the kids were still asleep and I’d get to keep him all to myself. I love talking to him. It’s not quite as nice as holding him, but I’ll take what I can get.

This marks a week since my last ‘I miss Joel’ post. Yep, still miss him. The good news is, we’re half way done.
—

A few people have asked me what Joel would like to receive in a care package. Well here are a few ideas:

Marshmallow Rice Krispie treats
Twinkies
Pringles in the plastic container (others won’t fair so well)
Other non-chocolate snacks that don’t melt (very important right now until October)
DVDs

I think he really wants the stuff on his Amazon Wish List too.

Email me if you need his address.

Sara Horn
Web sites:
Faith at the Front - Sara’s Blog
wivesoffaith.org - Military Wives support groups - Looks like this could turn into something very cool. Right now the only chapter is in Nashville… (Nashville? Does Sara live in Nashville? Cause I’m going to be there on Tuesday. Rachel we should talk her into having lunch with us.)

Recent post that totally rocks:
Strength Means Never Giving Up

An interview with Sara:
4 Ways You Can Reach out to Military Wives - She’s so right about being specific.

Chaplain Lisa Northway
Lisa is a mom and an Army chaplain endorsed by the Assemblies of God. While I was contemplating the chaplaincy, we emailed back and forth.

Here’s an article I just found about her:
Operation Scrapbook
Army chaplain Lisa Northway is using scissors, glue, and photos to inspire the troops.

Rachel Harmon
Yes, I talk about her too much. So what. She’s my new super amazing friend who I’m going to visit next week. And she has a great blog. I especially love this post:

It’s All Your Fault!!!
Here’s a hint as to the subject: “Kyra looked at the fish tank, and asked, oh, so innocently, “Why is Nemo upside down?”

Really you should just read everything she has written lately.

“A dear friend of mine, a retired military wife, called today and reminded me how important it is that we as a country pray for Victory - not just protection. For Victory - not just an end to the war. I would also add that we need to pray for victory for our families and our marriages.”

Sara’s husband is deployed and she has a son Jeremiah’s age. Somehow my subscription to her blog broke and I haven’t been reading for a few months. It’s great to get back.

Sara mentioned this song in the comments section of a recent post. I hadn’t heard it before. I thought I’d post it here for Joel just in case he hasn’t heard it either.

Sometimes I go days without writing because all I can really think to say is, “I miss him.”

Yesterday was especially difficult. The video he sent made me miss him more… the lyrics hurt. She sings,

“Everything that I do
Reminds me of you
And the clothes you left
they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you”

I know that’s a silly line. But it hurts because nothing in this place smells like him. Nothing. He has been gone so long. It seems this apartment never was his home. That makes me miss him more.

I asked Joel to mail me something of his that smells like him. A pillowcase maybe. But he’s waiting to mail it with a disk of him reading a story to the kids… and that is delayed because the chaplain in charge of the project is busy… busy with fallen comrade services.

It seems so surreal to know that my children are waiting longer for a surprise gift from their Daddy because soldiers keep dying.

After watching the video yesterday, I took a nap. And dreamed of Joel. He somehow had gotten permission to sleep here at night even though he worked in Afghanistan by day… yes I know that’s insane. But really it makes more sense than most of my dreams lately. Anyway, he was sleeping here and I was happy to at least get to be by him. But then I woke up and realized that I will not hold him for around 237 more days. [But who's counting.] That number sometimes overwhelms me. Nothing anyone can say will make that better, will make that number shrink any faster. Words don’t help. Don’t feel you have to try.

So I packed the kids in the car and went on an adventure, trying to brighten our day. Our favorite radio station was parked outside our credit union giving away free hot dogs and drinks. Of course we had to partake in Free Food Friday. While we were there, a gentleman saw Jeremiah’s Army shirt and asked me if he had any family in the Army. When I told him that Joel and I are both in the Army and that my husband is deployed… he made a great point to tell me thank you. I brushed his gratitude away with a smile and a “thanks.” He repeated himself and then another credit union employee said the same. I don’t really know how to reply to such things.

Normally when someone says, “thank you” I respond with, “you’re welcome” or “no problem.” Those responses don’t seem appropriate in this situation though. “You’re welcome” sounds cliché and “no problem” is dishonest. So I say thanks back. Meaning thank you for saying thank you… which is a weak reply really. At least it is the way I deliver it. I need to think of a more appropriate answer. Not that people say thanks often… which is why it throws me off when someone does.

I’m still working on a good honest reply… Maybe something that says, we’re happy to do it, or I’m proud of him. I don’t know.

Anyway, with the video and the dream and so many people asking about Joel and looking so pained when I said how long he’d be gone… it just was too much yesterday. I miss him.

He called earlier today and I actually got to talk to him for almost 20 minutes. I love to hear his voice. I don’t hear it often enough. I always look forward to Saturday mornings when he calls… and then it hurts so much to hang up, knowing I won’t hear his voice again for at least another week. I tried to chat with him later today. But it was nearly midnight there and time for another fallen comrade service. Again, so surreal… No, so Real. My conversation with my husband cut short because yet another man died.

War. How real is it to you?

Rachel and I were just talking about boyfriends making mix tapes for us years ago… When Joel was going to college in Springfield, and I was in high school in Oklahoma… he’d dedicate songs to me on KADI and record them and send me the tape.

Today, he emailed me this music video.

Yesterday she sat on the counter and told her Uncle David, “Daddy’s not here. Every time I go in his room, I look, and I see that he’s not here.”
–

Please pray for all the Daddies who can’t be home today. And all the little ones who miss them.

Today, Joel flew this flag over his HQ in Bagram in honor of our anniversary. He’ll bring it home folded nicely and we can frame it and put it on the wall and remember… how bad today stinks.

Ok well maybe by then I’ll have come up with a more eloquent, inspiring thought for it to stand for. Perhaps a reminder of how God brought us through tough times, or a symbol of the the nation that we so proudly sacrificed for… something like that would probably look nicer on a plaque than, “Remember how bad that day stunk?”

Joel also flew a flag on Jeremiah’s birthday and brought it home on R&R. I wasn’t sure what I should do with it. Joel suggested framing and displaying it… but, a folded flag means something different to the wife of a deployed soldier… something I don’t want reminded of every day. We unfolded it and hung it on Jer’s wall instead.

Speaking of framing flags, I’m trying to re-frame today. Instead of thinking of it at as a time to celebrate our wedding day, which seriously is no fun without Joel here… I’m trying to think of it as the day we celebrate the founding of our family.

My husband may be miles away, but my two little children would much rather celebrate “our family’s birthday” than watch mommy cry.

So we had ice cream for breakfast. To celebrate.

I’ve thought about this post for days, wondering what words I could say or what video I should link to. There are no words.

Max Lucado says, “When words are most empty, tears are most apt.”
—

I’m looking at a photo of a fallen soldier. A man from Springfield who I never met. I preformed a memorial service for him for a class I took in February. We could do any generic funeral sermon, but I wanted to remember a local hero. I printed an 8 1/2 by 11 picture of him in his uniform and taped it to the podium. The assignment is over, but I just can’t bring myself to throw away his picture. So I keep it by my desk. Reminding me to pray for his family and for our soldiers.

Remember him with me:

SFC Randall L. Lamberson

Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assult), Fort Campbell, KY
Family: Dana, daughter Kelsi and son Evan
Home: Grew up in Springfield, graduated from Kickapoo High School.

Randall Died in Balad, Iraq on April 10th, 2006 of injuries sustained when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during combat operations in Ar Ramadi west of Baghdad.

Randy’s wife said of him: “Randall believed in what he was doing. He felt the future of Iraq lived in the children. Each time he looked in their eyes he saw hope for their future and their freedom. He was a beloved husband, father and a great leader to our Soldiers.” - Dana Lamberson

Randy gave his life for these children. For his family, for his country, for us.

He truly lived the Army Values.

Randall Lamberson lived a life of Selfless Service.

A Soldier who served with Randy said:
“We often say overly flattering things about people after they pass away. Things that may be a bit of an exaggeration or stretch of the truth. That would be hard to do to this man. Any praise that can be given to Sgt. Lamberson is well deserved and well warranted.

During my time in his platoon, I observed a man that was worthy of all the respect we could give him. He never ever demanded respect. You just wanted to give it to him. He had a rare kindness, not often enjoyed in the Army. I am fortunate to have spent some time with him here on earth and will try to learn from what I saw in “Sgt. Lamb.”

When we think about Randy, we’re not just reminded of the Army Values but also of a verse:

John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.”

This is the love that Randy had, for his family, for his country and for his fellow soldiers. In the ultimate act of selfless service, he laid down his life for ours.

This scripture not only reminds us of the sacrifice that Randy made, but it tells of Another man who laid down His life. It is because of Christ’s sacrifice that we have hope.

That is why an obituary is NOT the end of Randy’s story. That flag draped coffin may have been the last goodbye for his family, but we have Hope. Hope that says it was not the last time they will hold him.

Please remember SFC Lamberson and his family today.

–
Additional Links:

KY3 News Story
Newsleader Story this Memorial Day

Those two weeks we spent together, just the four of us, were surreal. A family, a mother, a father, a brother and a sister just being together at home. Eating dinner at the same table, in the same time zone. Watching TV. Going to church. Cheering together at a baseball game, standing with hands on hearts during the national anthem…

So many families were there with us. How many of them realized what a privilege it was for them just to be together?