USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Dear Soldier: You don't know me, but... ~ October 6 2003

Canteen Co-Captain LindaSOG and A Grateful American

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday...
Thank the Veterans who served in
The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom?
Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

Dear Soldier:

You don’t know me, but I know you.  You were the boy next door, the kid who delivered my paper, the skinny girl in my daughter’s gymnastics class.  You played ball with my son and worked summers at my favorite burger joint.  We have probably never met, but I know you.

	You are a brother, sister, favorite niece or nephew, and someone’s best friend.  You are the child of parents who love you more than they can explain, feel pride words can’t carry, and bear a weight of worry they never dreamed possible.

There are probably a thousand things you’d rather be doing than what is before you now or what may be asked of you soon.  Combat is always possible when one wears the uniform, yet you donned it with full knowledge of the risks.  Not everyone would do it; I, for instance, did not.  Perhaps I’d make a different choice today but this time the decision was yours.  You chose to serve.

The type of people we consider heroes is kind of odd when you think about it:  athletes chasing records, movie stars and musicians, some of whom likely adorn posters in your old room back home.  Yet these folks rarely sacrifice more than time and effort, pursuing ambitions that profit only themselves.    There’s nothing wrong with that in itself; it’s what most of us do in some form or another.  It’s just not the stuff of heroes.   You, on the other hand, hazard your life for a wage that has many military families on food stamps.  You wager it for an ideal and a way of life, not wealth or fame.  If the chips fall wrong, the price you pay is for others.

Who’s the hero?  We’ll probably never know your name; I suspect you don’t care.  My own children are just short of military age but I have raised them to do what is right because it is right, not for gain, glory, or even gratitude.  If these things come, so much the better.  If not, your success is no less because personal reward wasn’t the object in the first place.

	Despite a few noisy voices, history shows the price of freedom is nothing less than blood.  It is not bought so much as leased, a fact some have forgotten after years of relative peace and the increasingly unrestrained license that has come to pass for liberty.  I admit some of us thought your generation might be the first to lose sight of that altogether.  We were wrong, and I’m glad.

I’d have written sooner but I’ve been pretty busy. If that sounds shallow, I suppose it is.  At least it finally occurred to me I have the luxury of busyness with career and family because you and hundreds of thousands like you are willing suit up, ship out, and take your chances.  Seeing your young face on television, a face I have seen at the playground and on the high school volleyball team and in the grocery store, drives home how very much you have on the line.  The least I can do is drop a note to say thanks.

	I do know you, and I know your family.  I know how anxious they are and how much they want for your future.  I understand how tremendously proud they are.  The rest of us are too, even if we’re too wrapped up enjoying the freedoms you protect to remember to say it.

Please look after yourself and be as careful as you can.  I will be praying for you and your family.  We all want you home safe.    A Grateful American

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Duty ~ Honor ~ Country

Click above to visit "A Day in the Life of President Bush"

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are,God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

Bless This House

Bless this house O Lord we pray;
Make it safe by night and day;
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall,
Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove
ever open to joy and love.


Bless these windows shining bright,
Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there,
with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within,
keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be
Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we
May dwell O Lord with thee.

(Click on praying hands above, or on banner at the top to hear the music)

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning Troops!!
Canteen Crew,
Everyone!

Greetings and Best Wishes for a new day!
Tomkow6, you must behave today! I know you are so excited about the CUBS winning that you might become a tad wild and rambunctious today! ROTFLOL

Some party balloons for Tomkow's CUBS!

[blackie]

Dear Soldier ~ Bump!

[blackie]

Right on time with the coffee, Tonk ~ Thanks!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning Troops, families, veterans, Israeli, British, Australian, Polish, and Italian allies (and everybody else, and all the ships at sea). Thank you for taking such good care of the USA.

Today in Anchorage, Alaska:

Sunrise 8:19am
Sunset 7:13pm

Hi 53°F
Lo 42°F

Partly sunny

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 52°F
Lo 43°F

State Hi 61°F Talkeetna
State Lo 9°F Anaktuvuk Pass

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Kathy. How's it going?(HUGS)

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[E.G.C.]

WOW!!!!!! DID I GET #50? GUESS I DID!!!!!(LOL)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Bless This House sung along with this morning,
twice because I love this song for our troops USO Canteen,
and A Prayer of Protection
said for all who enter the USO Canteen Freeper Style,
including our troops, our veterans,
their families and our allies.

Welcome to all who come to honor our troops and veterans, for whom this USO Canteen was created.

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

Wherever you are, God is, and all is well!

Wherever you are, Godand all is well!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E! ((HUG)) Hope your weather is treating you well. Dry here so far. Should be some sun later today.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Multiple bouquets of flowers this morning. Thanks men of the Military and the Canteen.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Meekie, for my cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows each day. Hits the spot today.

[Fawnn]

The MHABGSITW has the flu and is home sick from school, so trip to my daughter's got postponed. So, while I woke up, I did a little more "coloring."

Don't panic, MoJo! I'm about to go work on your requests! But before I do, I need an "executive" decision:

I certainly hope my memory didn't fail me and this is how you spell it. (I'm a sidelines military supporter, you understand; never directly involved. You may recall that my late husband's military career was behind him long before we married. The closest direct involvement was back when I sent my daughter to Camp Perry a couple of times for these .22 match rifle camps; I'm not even sure what the camps were called, but I'm SURE it WAS Camp Perry! LOL)

< :::drumroll::: > The choices before the decision:


hoorah_unclesam.jpg

-or-


hoorah_unclesam1.jpg

I hope that's the proper spelling.

(Yes, Kathy: There is a wOOhOO using that "Uncle Sam O" too.) ;)

[StarCMC]

Beautiful letter Tonk -- did you write it? Can I steal it and email it?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, ms feather! Have another wonderful day in your travels.