"Love & Sacrifice"

Reflections4Life ™ November 11, 2018

“Love & Sacrifice”

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

Scripture Contemplation: Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:10

In the climate of our world today, the spirit of love seems to be lacking. Oh! But it is there. Only, it has been obscured by the continuous acts of selfishness and hate that have been fueling so many hearts and minds. It is my belief that hate and selfishness are being exposed by God’s design so that those who know and understand the depths of God’s love and sacrifice can show up and start showing love where it is needed the most. Sometimes it will be a sacrifice for us—a sacrifice of time, comfort, convenience. There are opportunities all around us to share, to show, to be the love of God. We just need to open our eyes and the eyes of our heart.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Do not meet hate with hate. Do not allow your heart to grow hard because of the evil that is being exposed. Instead, pray. Go before the Lord, seeking His presence and His will. Ask Him for a plan of action; and what you can do, in the face of adversity and affliction. We cannot combat hate with hate, and selfishness with selfishness. We must come with a spirit of unconditional love and sacrifice. Because sometimes, it is a sacrifice to give that much of ourselves without knowing what the outcome will be. Just know that whatever you pour out; whatever you give, God will most certainly give back to you in abundance and unexpected ways.

I am deviating from my usual Reflections4Life format today. Following the instructions of my heavenly Father, I want to celebrate this Veterans Day. My family has always had someone in the Military, as well as the new generation following in the footsteps. It is not an easy thing, nor is it an easy choice. We honor them for their service, as we honor all service men and women. We thank them for their sacrifice, for their willingness to do what so many could never. I want to share with you a story I wrote, celebrating our Veterans. May you see not only the humor, the story, the dialogue, but also the message within. Thank you to every Veteran, for your service; for your love and sacrifices. God Bless!

Love & Sacrifice

For Our Soldiers: Then and Now

The flag danced in the brisk breeze to the accompaniment of hardware tattooing against the metal pole. I still get the same feeling every time I come. The only difference is; I am a grown man, not five years old asking my mother when my father was coming home. She had no answer for me; just the sad dullness in her eyes, before tears began to fall. She would look at me, squeezing my hand and whisper, "Johnny, Daddy's with God now. He's a soldier in Heaven." I'd look into her eyes, knowing in my heart that she wished God would send Daddy back to us, too.

Every year I come here. I used to think it was to remember my father and all the heroes that fought for our freedom. Now, I feel it is more a sense of duty and of pride. I watch families come and go; standing by the memorial bearing their loved one's name. Some cry; some say prayers. Me? I just watch and wonder what might have been.

It is always cold whenever I do come. The weatherman is always wrong. "We are expecting warm weather today. Around 78 to 82 degrees. Perfect Memorial Day weather. Not a cloud in the sky..."Although the sun is shining brightly, the wind is blowing, and you can feel the chill in the air. I can feel it in my bones...the wind. It is as if someone opened the door on a cold winter's night. After you just got out of the bed from beneath your warm blanket, trying to make it to the bathroom very quick before the cold air realizes that you are no longer bundled up. Just before you make it back to your bed, the cold air grips you, and says, "I gotcha!"  It takes you about twenty minutes to get warm again, and another twenty to fall back into a comfortable sleep and before you realize it, your mom is waking you up, telling you it is time for school. Yeah, it is cold today. I will feel the same way when I return on Veteran’s Day.

"Are you ready, John?" That's my fiancée, Charlotte. Seven years and going strong.

"Not yet, Baby." I wanted to squeeze her hand. She is the best thing that has happened in my life.

"Alright. Don't forget; we have Danielle's barbecue to go to?"

Ugh! Danielle! I love my fiancée, but her sister Danielle is a pill!

"Oh, C'mon, John. Danni is not that bad. Well...maybe a little," Charlotte laughs, after seeing my expression.

"You know your sister makes a pit-bull look like a kitten!"

"John! She's not that bad!"

I just look at Charlotte with a, "C'mon now...let's be real look" on my face.

She laughs.

"Okay, you're right! But still...she means well—most of the time. She just has a hard way of showing it."

"Any harder, she'd be stone!"

"John!" Charlotte slaps my shoulder.

I have to laugh. "I'm sorry. I'll be nice. But I swear...if she starts in on me, I'm not responsible for what I might do," I warn her.

"Alright. Alright." She gives me a small kiss. I can feel the electricity run through my body. "I'll be over by the benches," she smiles before kissing me again, then walks away.

"I won't be much longer," I say after her.

Charlotte. There are three things I would die for: my mother, my country, and Charlotte. Unfortunately, the second one was put to the test.

The hardware from the flag hitting the metal pole takes my attention. The clicking surfaces memories that I wish to stay buried, but arise without notice or fair warning. It just got colder, and I can feel a chill deep within my bones—not from the wind. More people have arrived. They stand by the names of their loved ones and take pictures. I remember my mother doing that once. She doesn't come anymore. She says that she no longer needs to come. She has her pictures, her memories, and own memorial at home. Coming here reminds her too much of what she lost and the fact that she had to share my father. Once I was able to come on my own, she stopped sharing and held her own private memorial.

It almost killed her when I joined the service. She blamed herself. My mother felt that if she hadn't brought me so many times to this memorial, then perhaps I wouldn't have had such a need to follow in my father's footsteps. I told her she was wrong. Yet, a part of it was true. I wanted a part of my father. And, the only way I knew how to get it, was to walk in the same path he walked on; to know what it felt like to fight for your country and, to even perhaps die. It wasn't to hurt my mother, but to honor the man I never really knew, but idolized every waking moment.

"But what if you die, Johnny?" My mother cried.

"That's a part of war, Mom."

"I don't want to share you with this country! I already shared your father! I don't want to share my son, too!" She cried for weeks.

Only a week to go. Not a scratch. Not even a hangnail. Home was in the horizon. It was a daily inspection. Done thousands of times. Only this time would be different. I lost four men that day. Four months later, I'm home. Never the same. Blessed to be alive, but sorry at the same time.

"You ready, Sweetheart?" Charlotte doesn't mind. She loves me no matter what.

"Yeah. I guess so."

"I'll pull the car around," she smiles at me, just like she used to before I left. There's no difference in her eyes.

"Hello, son. Thanks for serving our country," an older man in uniform salutes me.

"Thank you, Sir!" I nod my head. I would salute, but I 'd given two arms and a leg for my country.

©2011. ©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Do not allow the coldness, the selfish and hateful acts of this world to keep you from loving unconditionally. Where hate and vitriol are exposed, come forward with love, care, and concern. Do not allow the darkness to distinguish the light that is inside of you, that light and love that God has set on a hill for all to see and shine the right way home. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.