just a boy

The boy talks to his parents and tells them his lifetime dream of joining the military.  I can imagine them sitting around the kitchen table, talking about this, nursing cups of coffee.  And all the while the young man is talking, the mom is thinking, "But he's just a boy." 

I'm sure there's also pride in their hearts (the good kind), as he tells them of his plans.  I can almost feel their emotions, proud of their son, but torn as to whether or not they should support him or talk him out of it. 

But as hard as it must be, I imagine their encouragement.  Because isn't that what good parents do?  Encourage their kids along the way? 

But he's just a boy. 

I imagine that it's in this moment that Mom realizes that maybe, just maybe he's not just a boy.  

Maybe overnight, before her eyes, he's become a man.  The kind of man who is confident, one who knows what he wants to do and decides to set out to do it. 

I imagine Mom looking at her son in a new light.  And I imagine an inner peace, the kind that we cannot fathom, filling her body.  I imagine her gaining strength moment by moment, almost second by second.  I imagine her deciding to put her faith into action and trusting God with her precious child, this one that God has trusted her with. 

And I imagine her conveying all this to him with a tearful smile.  I imagine her reaching out and holding his hand and saying, "If this is what you're sure you want to do, we'll support you."

Even though he's just a boy. 

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Even though I imagined all the above, I cannot fathom the kind of strength it would take for a mom to let her son or daughter feel her support as that child signs up for the military.  But I know countless moms have done just that, my own Grandma Lloyd being one of them.  I know it's probably the hardest thing she'll ever do, but I also know how crucial it must be for that young person to have the parental support he/she needs.  

As a mom to boys, I imagine all this taking place with one of my sons.  Because all of them, at some point or another, have said they would like to be in the military.  I don't know what God has in store for them, and as hard as it may be for that day to come, I know without a doubt that I will support whatever decision my sons make.  

I know of a mom whose son joined the marines.  I know it was the hardest day of her life, saying goodbye to him.  I also know that as hard as that day was, her future would soon be consumed with even more goodbye's.  

As he went on his first tour to Afghanistan.  As he would come home to visit, then go back to his new home in California.  Then again, as he came home once more before his second tour in Afghanistan, this time with his new wife.   Then, one final time as his body was sent back home for his burial.  

He was her only biological son.  

I think of her often, this mom I talk about.  She's the sister of my best friend from when I was a young girl, and I sometimes cannot stop thinking about what kind of day she must be having, knowing she'll never see him on earth again.  I know she has been given strength for the moment, but I also know that there are days when she calls her dad and says, "Daddy, I need you."  

He was just a boy. 

Today, as Veteran's day is observed, join me in praying for the families of our boys who are deployed right now.  I know of at least two families who are in Afghanistan right now; one is a friend of Graham's at school.  Her older brother is deployed, and another family we used to go to church with, my elderly friend's son is overseas right now.  

They need our prayers.  

I'll be observing this day with my boys, my dad and my sister.  We're attending a Veteran's day program here in Collierville, one that Graham's concert band is performing in.  It's just a token of appreciation, this attending this program, but it's one that means a lot to me. It's important to me that my boys know what holidays mean, so we have always appropriately celebrated whatever holiday is being observed.  This is one we always celebrate with my favorite veteran, my sweet daddy.  He is a Korean War veteran.

Will you join me in praying for our troops?

Love to all.