​A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
Recently Joey retired from the army.
My son hosted a party to celebrate.
Here was my input.

I can’t say that living the army life was fulfilling my dream, because I wasn’t.
You would think after 25 years I’d get used to knowing he was to jump out of a plane, but I didn’t.
In fact, every drill weekend I could expect something major to go wrong while Joey was gone or even as he was leaving the driveway. Whether it was the water pump going out, a dog killing a pig, a son cutting himself with a chainsaw, the excursion having a flat---which requires more than a tow truck is equipped to lift it.
It certainly made me not look forward to his going. Those didn’t include the deployments, when he’d write home about being in the bank when a shooting happened in the room next to him, or just serving where Muslims trained their experts to shoot, kill, and destroy, where the news reported of missionaries held hostage and were killed in the cross fire between the good and bad islanders—who can you trust?

Or how does a body choose to jump out of a perfectly functioning plane, not once but for years?
Stories were steady of comrades who broke both legs in a land, or were drug for yards because the strong winds, or standing in a plane all day waiting for a good exit that never happened.
How is a wife supposed to be good with that?
Or when he’d excitedly tell me of another “opportunity” to serve, and I wouldn’t interfere, except to silently pray it would not be so.

Joey would tell me, “If God is sending me, it will be best for you and the boys, too.”
I’d cling to that, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.
And God was faithful.

But what enabled me to trust God in those lonely, trying, long times was also knowing he was with soldiers who had his back, who knew how to protect their leader and would do it, who trained others in weapon use and could also use it when fire was needed, who wanted to serve their country, but also wanted to come home after it was all over, just as much as Joey did—comradery that only comes from working as a unit under danger.

Because the army isn’t about doing dangerous things for a dream.
It’s about protecting our land, families, and faith from destruction.
The men who surrounded Joey were men who believed that too.
They had families to come home too.
And talents they used to help bring Joey home too.

They worked as a team, sometimes a challenging team, as unique idiosyncrasies surfaced, which comes from being together under pressure for long periods of time.
But Joey returned praising his men, with their strengths, contributions, and fortitude. 
That unity forged in the crucible of heat and pressure can never be replicated anywhere else. That’s why army men reunite years later.
I thanked God for those men who God carefully placed around my husband as his front and rear guard who helped bring him home each time. 
God blessed us each time, as Joey returned charged with more stories of God’s protection and care,

I knew the times were not always adrenaline-rushing, danger filled, they were also mundane, lonely, “why am I here?” moments. 
But what he’d tell the boys were the adventures of people who thanked the soldiers for coming and making a difference or of skills shown by soldiers around him.
He’d tell the boys how he was safe, not because the danger wasn’t there, but because with the men who were with him, and with God Who was indeed there, the danger was kept at bay.
I know retirement for Joey was not as acceptable as it was for me.
I was looking forward to less danger, less stress, less time away.
But for Joey, as for any soldier, how do you retire from a group of men who’ve become more than family, they’ve become what you depend upon for survival?
Because it’s not just stories, it’s the faithfulness of God Who brought you together and then brought you home.
It was more than a fulfilled dream--who could imagine living all those stories, those hoo-ay moments, those moments that cause great soul-searching questions to hang onto God, for He was all there was.
How can you want to retire from that?

Yet, as all you soldiers in this room can attest, it must be done.
But the memories, stories and dreams of this camaraderie lasts a lifetime.
And I thank each of you soldiers for that.
Because it makes the dream come true.

 

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
The Need for Meaning Even in Pain
Reminders of What's Important
God's Unmeasurable Love
A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?
See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 

under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained    
Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2