A new meaning to Veterans Day

I became pretty choked up today just watching some guys put out American flags in front of a business here in San Angelo this morning. . .Veterans Day has a whole new meaning for me today. .

I guesss I have always understood the sacrifices that our military has made for our freedom in a sterile, distant kind of way, as we have had no military folks in our immediate family for years. . . but this year is different. . .

As our oldest son Austin spends this year in Iraq away from his precious wife, we all feel the struggles that come with long distance communication and relationships. Our future son-in-law is serving at Ft. Hood in the Army and will also possibly be deployed in the future, and we are praying daily for a young man (who is a close friend of a former ASU student) who had both legs blown off in Afganistan. . . For really the first time,  the huge sacrifices are being directly felt by our family. . .

These guys didn't ask for this war, but they are proudly defending a cause that our leaders felt was crucial to our long term freedoms. Celebrating Veterans Day is a good thing. . .just to pause for a moment in our busy schedules to think about the cost.. . in lives lost, in time away from families, in facing terrifying situations for the sake of our nation's freedom. .

Is it worth it?. . .. I think so. . .

Football Game Gives Hope. . .

Well, I'm going to try and post my favorite video thus far. . .I played all kinds of athletics in school, my children played athletics in school and I believe in the many positive lessons a person can learn from the discipline and hard work that athletics require. Now I know that sports can quickly get "out of balance" in the life of a child and/or family. . . .and I realize there are also many excesses and negative aspects about team athletics.

BUT every once in a while, a story or situation comes around that really positively demonstrates the place that athletics can play in a person's life and becomes the vehicle for loving someone in a way that is counter cultural in our view of competitive athletics.

Again, I am posting this on my blog so that I can watch it every once in a while and remember to always love in a way that gives Jesus glory. . .so that others can see Jesus in us. .

That's what this video is all about. . .. please take a look at it and let us all remember why we participate in athletics and allow our children to participate. . .it CAN truly become the vehicle to give God glory. . .which is our sole purpose anyway:

Copy and Paste:

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=b6c7b995da9705f7695b