The words to the John Rich song "Good Lord and the Man" really hits home
to us all:
"Well, I'm the grandson of a soldier
And I'd fight the whole world over
If duty called and freedom's on the line
But thanks to the greatest generation
And the ones still fighting for our nation
I've never had to kill for my way of life
If it wasn't for the good Lord and the man
There wouldn't be a breath of freedom in this land
And I see people on my TV taking shots at uncle Sam
I hope they always remember why they can
'Cause we'd all be speakin' German
Livin' under flag of Japan
If it wasn't for the good Lord and the man....................."
As I've shared often in my line of work, I treat soldiers at a U.S. Army
Medical facility....Troops coming back from Afghanistan tell of a tough,
well-trained enemy encamped in either desert or mountainous terrain......they
fire at U.S. troops from trenches that can only be destroyed with a
direct hit with heavy explosives......narrow roads, in hilly terrain make it
easy for the enemy to use concealed bombs to trigger explosions, stopping
a convoy and exposing it.....then Taliban fighters surrounding it on three
sides in deadly cross-fires
Soldiers wear helmets that weigh up to 5 pounds, body armor up to 30
pounds, not including weapons, canteens, etc......some extreme desert areas
require soldiers to drink up to 4 gallons of water a day just to stay
alive......
Some soldiers arrive at my shop after being thrown around in armored
vehicles......the infamous IED explosions we ALL have heard about ......neck and
head injuries happen frequently if they are slammed around inside "metal
crates" .....limbs are severed if you step on a land mine....psychiatric
appointments are on the increase, with post traumatic stress disorder a
problem, along with post-concussion syndrome............after receiving a
medical appointment in writing, the soldier may put the paper in their
pocket, forget they had it, and ask the clerk for an appointment slip.....I
am required to take training classes to recognize symptoms for possible
suicides in soldiers and family members because suicide is at an all time
high from soldiers returning from war..... Even though I am 54 years old,
sometimes I want to wrap my arms around these fighters like they are my
OWN SONS....
With my OWN EYES I see the SACRIFICES these people are making for ME and
America...and, like John Rich pointed out in HIS song, I hope America does
NOT have to learn to speak Arabic or any other language in the future.....
In Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what
they are doing,"...........as Christ paid the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for us........
I hope and pray no more Americans must pay the "ultimate sacrifice" or
"last level of devotion" to keep America free.......
After thinking about these payments, my small problems seem insignificant.....
Keep Zac Coakley in your prayers as he leaves for Iraq this week........
Blessings,
Gary McCorkle,
Nevils United Methodist Church and Dayspring Emmaus Walk #56
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