A Mother's Heart in War . . . Day 72, August 17, 2004

The Friday entries of "The Powder Room" are currently from a journal which I started when we found out our son was going to be deployed with the United States Marine Corps to Iraq. The journal was not written with the intention that it would ever be read by anyone else, much less published in any way. There are feelings in the journal that are deep and true and I wasn't sure at first I wanted to share them. But there are many sons and daughters still serving in our armed forces and I think it might be good to share "a mother's heart" with you what those other mothers may be facing. The entries are shared as a tribute to my son and his service to our country, and to all those sons and daughters who continue to willingly place themselves in harm's way for the protection and preservation of liberty.

Day 72, August 17, 2009

August 17th.

How many times has that date been important in Noah's Marine career?

The first time was the evening when we signed those delayed entry program papers. I must admit I felt some trepidation signing my seventeen-year-old son into the Marine Corps. I wondered, "Will he hate me for this later?"

But so many things had happened to make us believe that this truly was the Lord's will, and what Noah wanted, too. Then nine months later, when we were at the recruiters office again, this time for Noah to leave for boot camp, we asked what the graduation date would be, expecting to hear August 24th, and we heard instead August 17th. We all looked at each other in wonder. A year since we had all signed those papers. Surely the Lord was in this to reassure us.

That blistering hot August 17th we sat sweltering on those bleachers watching one tall, straight Marine out of all the others. What a proud day! It makes my eyes well with tears remembering it now.

Three years later we received a late night call. Noah, and the rest of his platoon, had landed in Kuwait and in a couple of hours would be in Iraq. It wasn't until after we got off the phone we realized that while it was August 16th here, it was already the 17th there.

What a small thing for the Lord to do, but what a source of comfort for us -- that Noah would first step foot on the enemy's soil on his anniversary. It was as if the Lord was saying to us: "I am in control of where your son is today and everyday and I have him exactly where I need him to be, when I need him to be there."

"As for God, His way is perfect." Psalm 18:30