I know this Marine....personally. He won the heart of my daughter, who is very precious to me. To know him on a day-to-day basis, you would find a tease, a fitness nut, a friend to all, a tender father, and a OCD clean freak. (I really love the latter when he is in my house!). However, I have rarely ever seen him be emotional.
He has served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in Japan during the Tsunami. At the request of my husband one time, he spoke to our Young Single Adult Ward about his experiences associated with War and his Faith. I found that I knew very little of his experiences in combat prior to that time....he just doesn't talk about them. I wept as I listened to the horrific choices and challenges he faced. He spoke of losing his buddies when they were involved in an explosion. The loss of his fellow Marines has made a lasting impression on him and he has made a permanent reminder that he will always carry with him.
Today I am seeing this red-headed Son in Law of mine trending in social media. Here is what Nathan Osmond has written on Facebook that is associated with this photo:
A couple of years ago, I took this photo at one of Nathan's concerts. He was singing in the state capitol, and this soldier had been standing at attention throughout the whole show. When Nathan Osmond sang "21 Guns," this soldier's composure melted and gave way to heartfelt tears. We tracked him down later and discovered that he'd lost two of his buddies (they were being honored that day) and this song really meant a lot to him. We seriously need to remember that freedom comes with a hefty price tag... real lives of real people. Thank you, Chris North, for your service to our country.
Coincidentally, this photo is also trending. It comes from a Memorial in Gunnison Utah:
Yes, this is my Marine Son-in-Law again.
So, as you grill your burgers and spend time with family and friends today, I encourage you to offer a prayer of thanks to our Heavenly Father for all that you enjoy. Please remember to bless and ask for protection for our Military members who are serving far and wide. And, make an extra effort to seek out and thank a Veteran. We owe much to these brave men and women.
The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
John F Kennedy.
2 comments:
Wonderful post. Thank you for your thoughts. If I were there I would give your SIL a big hug and thank him, but you can do that for me. Have a wonderful holiday!
Thank you Laura. My SIL was here when I read it. I tried to put my arms around him and give him a hug for you, but his muscular arms made it very difficult! A neck hug had to work. I let him read your kind comments, and he thanks you for them.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!
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