After a busy few weeks, I declared that I would allow my mind to be completely still for that hour today, just as I do every week... it is why I look so forward to going to church; for that quiet time where I can simply receive the blessings that will come with opening my heart to just listen and soak it all in.
With all that I do, I often play tug of war with myself... wondering what I should focus my time on... what my true purpose is with all the talents that I have been given and what is the most important. Finding the "still" in my mind has always been my biggest challenge in this powerful journey that I call life, but when I do, I hear exactly what I am supposed to hear and today was one of those moments.
The message today was about the sacrifice in surrendering, how soldiers sacrifice and surrender their lives. I thought of how they give up their wants and desires to fight for what is right, and just... what will protect and serve our country and its people .. what protects me, and you. This selflessness that so many take for granted, yet we would never know the life that we know now without those sacrifices someone else has encountered for them.
I could not help as the pastor spoke, to think of a dying soldier's last moments... those final moments where his life must flash before him. The visions they must have of family, the happy times, the warmth of the holidays and celebrations of life... all of this in that final moment when a tear rolls down their face and the last breath is taken. Not once, NOT ONCE would they think of the sacrifice they took to get here, or the bad things that life brought their way... their focus in their last moments would be only what is important... and those things are what made them happy. I thought of the call that would be delivered to that soldier's family, the honorable devastation that they would go through in being left behind and was overwhelmed with emotion as I thought of this sacrifice and what it means and gives to each and every one of us.
Tonight, I am thinking of not only our soldiers and what they so selflessly give to us each and every day, but I am also remembering that there was yet another sacrifice that so many take for granted... another sacrifice to save us... to give us the freedom of being forgiven when we fall, for we are all out here fighting a war... we are of human flesh, far from perfect, but the ultimate sacrifice was made to free us of that bondage, to wipe us clean of all that we will inevitably do, from all that we are expected to fall into throughout our lives if we simply ASK to be cleansed and forgiven.
God knows the land mines we will cross... He knows them all and will speak to us in warning if we listen. However, all too often our own will is too strong and just like the soldier that surrenders his life for his brother and for us knowing he may die by doing so, we will sacrifice the blessings He has in store for us in order to do what we want in that moment leaving us dying inside until we learn to surrender our lives.
These two things became so relative to me and I was inspired to write this blog and call it a prayer... this literally flowed without much thought because that "little voice" told me to just sit down and type;
The Prayer of a Fallen Soldier
© 2015 Shelley Giard
I sacrificed for you today; my life... I had a purpose, a cause to fight for and I served for you knowing that I would not come out alive; YOU were more important than me, YOUR life is what I fought for, not mine. I was simply the one who was sent here to carry out this purpose and I hope that in the end of it all, you will remember Me; not take Me for granted and know that I am with you always.
I love all of you, I will never forget you and would die for you all over again if given the chance; I would fight for you again and again. YOU are a soldier too, just like me. You have a cause, a purpose to fight for and I hope you find that gift. My mission is done here, it is up to you to take the things that this sacrifice taught you and share it with others, let them know what it means to surrender, to do whatever it takes for the cause, to lead their lives with purpose and intent, to always stand for what is right but to lay down and surrender when life calls for that moment. If you die in that moment you will be honored and your purpose will be remembered in those moments when it is needed the most.
Don't forget what I did for you, who I am, or why I did what I did. Live each day with the freedoms my life gave to you... never forget why they are there. I love you, and it was all worth it. Know that I love you... unconditionally. Amen
I encourage you to think about the sacrifices that have been made for YOUR life.. for YOUR purpose and begin to live each day with more meaning... with more intent and with more heart and compassion for others. Remember, we are all soldiers fighting a war; some are just willing to sacrifice and surrender more than others.
Until next time...
xoxo
Shells
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