Thoughts on America

So tonight at Music Florida, we had a choir (which I will leave nameless to protect the innocent)  from the Florida area come in and do a "World Premiere" of a new patriotic musical that was just recently released.  First off, for those of you who have never been to a "World Premiere" of a church choir musical, let me tell you that you have not lived a full life...it's just like going to a Hollywood movie premiere or a huge rock concert except that no one there is famous and everybody is wearing church polo shirts (except yours truly, thank the Good Lord).  Anyway the choir sounded great but I couldn't get over what they were wearing....

The men were dressed in dark slacks and blue polo shirts....not too shabby men!.....

But the ladies....THE LADIES....were all wearing these long-sleeve button down shirts that were one of three colors.  Your choices were Electric Blue.........Hot Pink, and I'm talking about the hot pink color that 4th and 5th grade girls wear (and Miley Cyrus)....or this awful Lime-ish, Puke-ish green color.

Now if this had been a kids choir, where the kids had no choice in what they were wearing, I could roll with this.  If the parents of these grown men and women had forced their adult offspring to perform in these fashion choices in fear of being grounded or having their curfew moved up then I could tolerate it.  But that wasn't what was happening here.  I have to assume that some adult, being of sound mind....probably one of the choir members with good "fashion sense" picked these outfits out.  I'm sorry but no one over the age of 15 should EVER wear these colors ( a big "Sorry" to anyone who is offended by this thought, but it's for your own good!) unless you plan on staying on your couch with absolute no chance of anyone witnessing that you own them or have ever had them on!  Therefore anyone wishing to have a say in choir costuming at FBCG will have to pass a strict color coordination exam and understand that any missteps could result in excommunication!

Now back to the point....the musical they did was awesome.  It stirred those good, goose-bumps on your arms, just want to hug a Veteran, patriotic feelings that just kinda lie around in our guts until we hear a really good version of the National Anthem at a ball game, or we catch Tom Hanks saving Private Ryan again on TNN, or until the month of July hits and we have a legitimate reason to try to set the sky on fire with all those "perfectly safe" fireworks and sparklers!

I had one of those moments while sitting in the Nashville airport waiting to board the plane to  Charlotte on Sunday night.  As I was rocking to some Crowder with my huge noise-cancelling head phones on, I noticed several young soldiers hanging out as well, dressed in their camo fatigues.  Of course I assumed these young (and I mean young, they looked fresh out of high school) men and women were returning from a Christmas leave.  I had no clue of their final destinations, but there was an immediate respect for them that rose up in my mind.  Also at the gate was a large family just hanging out and tossing a football around.  Of course, I naturally thought they were just a regular family that was returning home from visiting in Nashville for one reason or another.  I was wrong.  As it came time to board the plane, the gate became a very emotional place....It wasn't one large family, but rather two families....and they weren't returning home from a pleasure trip to Nashville....but instead these two families were there to send their two sons.....best friends it appeared....off to boot camp.

I cannot tell you how difficult it was to witness these mothers and fathers saying goodbye to these two brave young men.  The parents were giving it their best shot....they were fighting tears back with all their might in hopes of trying to be strong in front of their sons...but it didn't last long.  I found myself fighting back my own emotions and my heart immediately went out to these families.  The two young men hugged their moms and dads, smiles on their faces, telling their parents that they would be fine and they would call as soon as they could....and then they grabbed their small backpacks and headed down the ramp to the plane.

I'm not one who usually pays much attention to politics and I never weigh in or share my opinions on political topics....and I don't plan on doing that now.  I'm not here to say that the war in Iraq is either right or wrong....we all have our own thoughts and arguments on that one.

But one thing I think we can all agree with, with no doubt is that no matter your thoughts or feelings on the war, the government, the president, or anything else in Washington DC,......the men and women who fight for our country are amazing people who should have every ounce of our respect and should constantly be in our prayers.

I know I haven't remembered and respected these brave men and women anywhere close to the way I should have, but I can tell you this.....Brandon Webb and Josh Hammonds....those two young guys headed to Fort Jackson for basic training who I was blessed enough to talk to for a short time on the plane will have one more extended family member back in Nashville praying for them...

I plead with you to put a stronger focus on praying for our troops....there's a very good probability that you know someone.....a friend, spouse, family member, somebody who is serving right now.  I urge you to add that person to the top of your prayer list and to lift them up daily...

And if you don't know anybody personally...I'm sure Brandon and Josh wouldn't mind having a few more prayers being lifted on their behalf

G'night world.