Decoration Day

 "Where are the men and women whose knees are as calloused as their hands?"

Although my father joined the Naval Reserves as a teen, he never saw war. Although he sailed one tour to Cuba, he never crossed the ocean or stood on the enemy's shore. Excused for medical reasons, he never looked down the barrel of an enemy gun or hid with his buddies in a foxhole. Instead, he stayed stateside, married, raised a family and fought a battle of another kind.

Dad was a soldier in the Lord's army. He took his little family to church each Sunday, read Bible stories to his children at night, and prayed.  Dad struggled in his Christian walk just like the rest of us do. There are battles in every life. Dad's childhood battle with polio taught him to persevere in future times. Raising an autistic son taught him compassion. Facing a teenaged daughter's pregnancy taught him love and forgiveness on a level he had never reached before. By the time dad faced his battle with lung cancer, years of testing had solidified his faith in Christ. He never let go, never questioned God's faithfulness, and remains to this day a hero of the faith.

Our family lost a great prayer warrior when my father left this world. They say prayer is a powerful weapon in the hands of the believer, and I believe this to be true. Our family needs a warrior. Who will fill those shoes?