Flag Day

As I did my early morning walk through several neighborhoods around my home today, I noticed that the Boy Scouts had been out already and placed flags in many of the yards along my way. I always love to see this on the several "flag flying" holidays. It is always touching to see so many flags lining both sides of the different streets as I stroll my various routes. But this year, right across the street from my house is a new flag -- the one in the photo above. As you may know, this flag represents a serviceman in combat from this family. Up until now, I have been quite removed from the whole conflict going on in the Middle East. I haven't known anyone serving over there but as of a week ago, the young man that used to mow my lawn is now "in harm's way" and this flag has become quite personal to me also. When we built our home here in this neighborhood almost 14 years ago Brandon was 4 years old. He is an identical twin. As twins sometimes do, he and his brother were best friends; you never saw one without the other. They were really nice kids. Did the typical kids stuff and pretty much kept to themselves. But as "across the street neighbors" we would observe them as they were growing up. About the time they got to high school we noticed that they wore their hair very short and they worked out alot and during their Jr and Sr years they were in ROTC (or whatever the high school version is) and we saw them come and go in their crisp military uniforms. They always looked very impressive. I could never tell the boys apart ... I never knew who I was talking to but I did know that they were counting the days down until they graduated so they could go into the Army. The first brother to go was Aaron; that was 1 year ago from about right now. Brandon couldn't quite commit. He was torn between a mission and the military. But by about October, Brandon, too had decided to go the military route. Paul & I ask about the boys every time we see their parents and they are so proud of them and always have lots to share about their training and adventures but I know I wasn't prepared to hear that Brandon was shipping out to Iraq the first of June. Now I know first hand who is serving me and my country and if he represents the other thousands of military service personnel, then we are in good hands. So on this Flag Day, as you observe the stars and stripes, I hope you will take a moment and picture the faces behind the flags. Please remember them in your prayers and no matter how you feel about the war, remember our service people with gratitude. I will be praying that this star remains blue and never turns gold!