The Pandemic is bad, but Memories Help us

It has been a long few weeks around here. Being in a lock down is because of the Pandemic, not fun. I am climbing the walls, and want the freedom to do what I want in life. Of course, that is not possible, and we should obey the rules for the sake of others.

When I was in basic training, I had some interesting times. Let me share one of them:

We were done at the firing range one day, and our platoon leader had something he had to do so he asked a Warrant Officer to march us back to the barracks.

A few of us realized that this Officer had no idea on how to lead a group in a march. So before he brought us to attention we whispered among us that we were going to follow his commands only if the were Army commands.

He told us to start marching. We froze. He ordered us to start marching. Still no movement. Finally another platoon leader came over to help him, by saying, “Company attention! Forward march! ” We started marching. We were going along OK until he saw that we were marching towards a boat ramp. He yelled, “Stop!” We kept marching. He screamed, “Stop now.” We kept marching. The front of the group was starting into the water! The frustrated officer finally screamed for help, and a Army soldier came over and yelled, “Company Halt!” We stopped, and then he yelled, “About face.'” We turned the other way, and he said “Forward march.!” By this time there were many of the platoon swimming in the water, laughing their heads off. We decided that was enough torture for the officer, and obeyed all of his commands after that.

The next morning when we were in formation, the company commander came out and scolded us for our adventure, and started laughing on his way back to his office.

I have many other stories like this in my up coming book called, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of life.” I am almost finished. I will keep you posted.

Have you been deployed, and had a bad experience. Did you get PTSD, TMI, Depression, etc.

You are not alone. Be strong, and know that many veterans read this blog, and are in the same boat with you. Just tell us about it and we have your six. Use the comment section below to do that. No need to say your name.

This blog has about 8,000 followers. That is because veterans can come here and find hope.

If you like what you see, please subscribe, by clicking on the icon at the top of this page. When you do you will receive any future posts right in your inbox. Please let other veterans know about this site who you think may benefit from it.

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

You Never Know When you Make an Impact on Someone

I am really encouraged by the increase in people signing up for the RSS feed on this site. I mentioned that my blog: www.dailysignsofhope.com, was gaining about 100 people daily who are signing up for the RSS feed there. You might go there to see why.

I really would like that to be happening here as well. Just click on the RSS feed spot up above and receive notifications of when I post. I am trying to post more often here, and I will post some uplifting thoughts, and keep you caught up on the happenings with my latest book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.”

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                                               You Were My Church

The young man seemed to be a loner. He didn’t make many friends. He was one of those guys who had spiked hair, black fingernails, and a chain hanging out of his pocket.  

A local church started a new program where senior citizens were placed with teens to become their prayer partners at school.

One elderly couple decided that they wanted to take part in this mission. They came to the director and asked to be assigned a child. The director look at his list, frowned, and said, “We don’t have anymore kids to assign.

The couple was insistent, and finally the director said. ” I have one boy that no one seems to want. He is a loner at the school.

The elderly couple said they would take the young man.

The young man didn’t really want to be assigned, but the school liked the program, and insisted.

Things didn’t seem to be going well. The elderly gentleman tried everything he could to communicate with the boy. The boy didn’t even use complete sentences to reply. Here is one conversation.

Elderly man: Do you like school?

Young man: Yeah.

Elderly man: “Have you had any problems we could pray for?”

Young man: “Nope.”

Elderly man: “Do you need any support for anything?” 

Young Man: “Nope!”

You can imagine how it felt having every conversation one sided.

Th e couple stayed with the boy all the way through high school. The boy never really opened up much to them.

Then the husband died. There was a funeral, and the elderly lady was there greeting people.

One young man with slicked down hair and nice clothes came up and gave the woman a hug. She didn’t think much of it because she didn’t recognize him.

The boy said, “Don’t you know me? I was the guy you helped through high school.”

The elder lady looked astounded and said, We lost track of you, and you never came to church the whole time we were praying and talking to you.”

The boy only made one other statement and then he moved on. He said, “You were my church.”

You never know when you have made an impact on someone. Just being a good example and supporting someone who needs it can change lives.

(This was a true story!)

God Doesn’t Make Mistakes. He created you for a Purpose

I see it has been a month today since I last posted on this site. I have been spending most of my time posting at: www.dailysignsofhope.com. That is my blog. The response there has been tremendous. In just a little over one year the followers have grown to over 1380. Hope you check that out.

I hope you will start joining me here as well,  because I am back here spending much more time.

Just go the to the  “Networked Blogs,” icon and click on “Follow me,” below it. You will then be able to keep up with what is going on with my book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, and my new book, “Signs of Hope: In Sports.” (Title may change)

Let me tell you a little bit about the new book. It is still floating in my head. (It is giving me a headache!)

I have grown weary of all the negative press that sports has been getting. Just this last week there was a national  news items about a Washington Red Skins lineman who was arrested for assault. Now I certainly don’t condon what he did, but I have heard about many more assault in my own home town and they don’t even make the local newspaper.

I prayed about this, and God seems to be leading me towards putting together a book that speaks to the positive side of sports. I want to talk to some Christian athletes in pro sports. I want to interview them, and let them tell their side of what it is like to be  a Christian in a not so friendly world of sports. There will be a chapter for each person written about.

God is opening some doors that I can’t mention yet, but for a teaser, there is a NBA retired player who has two championship rings that is interested in working with me on this, and I have a connection with a chaplain for a pro baseball team.

There are several other possiblities, that just happen to become known to me in just the last few days. I think that is God at work, and I look forward to working on this, all for His glory.

If you know of any pro athletes who are Chrisiatns and may be willing to share their story to help others who may be struggling in the sports world, please let me know, by commenting to this post.

Think on this:

  • God doesn’t make any mistakes. He created you for a purpose.
  • He made you in His own image. You are His son/daughter.
  • Never let Satan plant negative thoughts into your head. It’s time for selective hearing.