DISPATCH 015--5 JUNE 2007

CHARACTER

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts.” Romans 5:3-5

A few weeks ago I returned from my EML leave. I was again reminded of the sheer daily effort that you all put forth just to keep the children safe and out of trouble, the bills paid, and yourself sane as you continue to keep hearth and home together back in the States. We will never be able to thank you enough for the sacrifices that you have made and are making, not only on behalf of your soldier/family member, but on behalf of our nation.

One of the great joys of leave was being able to reconnect with my family and remind myself that my rank, job, and military service are not the most important qualities that classify who I am--or we are. It is our relationships that are the critical to what really defines us: relationship to God, to spouse, to children, and to friends. It is easy, as this deployment continues, for us to forget who we really are. These important relationships that should ground us instead begin to fade as the responsibilities of soldiering pile up. It is natural to begin to overlook our spouses' role in our lives, for we have no choice but to learn to cope without one another. These are the type of tribulations mentioned in the above Scripture. As our moorings between ourselves and God, between ourselves and our loved ones, are stretched and strained, it is easy for them to break, setting us adrift upon the dangerous seas of temptation, self-absorption, and despair.

So how can we look upon the challenges in our lives with a sense of hope? How can we be positive when so much of the feedback around us is negative?

This is where character plays a part in our destiny. The type of people we are today as we face the difficulties associated with this extended separation will shape who we will become. If we let our hope die, our faithfulness wane, and our joy fade, then how can we not reap a future crop of bitterness? We must not let the day-to-day anxieties that come with the deployment overwhelm us.

How can we do this? Well, it is not about “sucking it up.” Instead, it is remembering the love that God has for us and that we have for one another that will guide us through these dark-valley times. It is by making it through these difficulties that we further strengthen the ties that bind us together as families.

As I de-boarded the plane in Dallas, I had to fight back the desire to rush ahead of my fellow soldiers so that I could see the three “VIPs” that awaited me. In order to get to the customs tables, we had to walk through a glass hallway located above the terminal. Something happened there that reminded me that the annoyances and disappointments of soldiering cannot extinguish the honor of serving our country alongside the great people in Warhorse Battalion. Every person in the terminal, whether he was pushing a mop, preparing to board, or eating her lunch, every person stopped what he or she was doing, stood up, and clapped for us, and they remained standing until all 200+ soldiers made it through the hallway.

They were not just clapping for us; they were also clapping for you. As wives and husbands of combat veterans, you are now part of a sacred band that has stood up and been counted on the roster of character. We make movies and write stories about who you are, what you have sacrificed, and how you have triumphed. When we are reunited once again, the great question is what kind of people will we have become, and what will be the health of our marriages? Blame and frustration are effective tools when it comes to slowly ripping a couple apart. Yet, it does not have to be this way, for our character will produce a hope that does not disappoint, because it is found in the love we have for God and seen in the love we have for one another.

Honor and Courage,
Warhorse Shepherd