Permission.


It never fails. I wear my two star pin, and people ask if I have a son serving. No, I say, I have a daughter and a son serving. Now of course people also don't always understand why I say a son, when Stephen is technically our son-in-law. And I say that I consider him our 2nd son, not our son-in-law, because that's how much we love him.
I went to a baby shower today for a high school friend of Laurie's. It was large - 70 people. Of course I sat at a table with people I had never met and first they asked me how I know the mom to be. I told them that Laurie and Melissa are good friends...eventually, when they asked me why Laurie wasn't there, I said because she and her husband are in the military. "I hope," the one lady said, "that they are stationed in the states and not over there." I told her that Stephen is about to deploy for the third time.
BANG! Every woman at the table started talking about President Bush, the war, the things wrong with this and that and how awful it is that the military have to serve in "these wars."
I sat with my fork in hand, finishing my dinner, and waited until they were all done, then continued drinking my coffee and eating my dessert. When the last one to speak said how proud she is of all those boys, I said "and women...and you can believe that I am proud of them all...and believe in their mission."
Does hearing a mom say she has a child(ren)in the military give someone permission to berate the President, the war, etc., etc.? Do they stop and think how the mom must feel...maybe she doesn't want to hear it again...for some moms they are all too aware of the cost and the fears.
And so I just said, gently, but to end the discussion, "and that's where faith and prayer and trust come into the picture. I just believe that Stephen will come home safely."
It's their right as an American to voice their opinion. And my right as an American military mom to voice my pride and my belief in what they are doing. I'm not a hawk...just a believer in God's perfect will. Human nature tells me I should be afraid of what this year will bring, but I trust that His Spirit will keep me on a path of Faith.

Praise Him who gives us that faith.

And God bless those who keep us free to practice our faith. I love them all.