It’s Veteran’s Day.  We’ll take a break from the mountain trail.  Jesus won’t mind.   

My heart is light but the rims around my eyes seem reservoirs.  TV news features, emails from friends, a visit by a fellow vet in my church.

What a difference a few years makes. Veterans are actually thanked with uncommon frequency and sincerity…”Thanks for your service.” And they mean it. The tears come freely in remembrance of my son and my brother; brother in a Navy fighter crash, my son of cancer probably contracted handling heavy metals as an Air Force bomb squad tech. 

Take a think. Our Millennial kids and grandkids only know two dimensional wars on TV news and Xbox. When they hear the real life version from dad, uncle, granddad, it’s a different story.  In fact, “story” is the issue.


 One of the greatest dimensions of our legacy can be our story; not just “what daddy did in the war,” but why. It will be a story of values once you carry the kids past grenades going off and planes crashing.

Patriotism.
Loyalty.
Service.
Honor.
Brotherhood.

Don’t shortchange your children or nephews by leaving out the effect of warfare on human life–as reported throughout the Bible. It forms the qualities that made us call them, our dads, “The Greatest Generation.”

Here’s an example from General Tommy Franks (from Michael Hyatt CEO of Thomas Nelson)

I will tell you one story that I recorded in my journal. He flunked out of the University of Texas in 1967. Rather than wait to be drafted to fight in Vietnam, he enlisted in the Army. As he got on the bus to leave for boot camp, his father said, “Son, I have one piece of advice. Be feisty.” He replied, “But Dad, I am feisty.” His dad said, “Son, I know your feisty, but I mean it as an acronym. F-e-i-s-t-y.” He then went on to spell it out:

“F” is for focus. You need to get focused on what is important and stay focused.
“E” is for energy. Bring all the energy you can muster to every situation.
“I” is for integrity. This is your most important possession. Don’t ever compromise it.
“S” is for solve the problem. Don’t argue. Don’t make excuses. Just solve the problem and get on with it.
“T” is for take the blame when no one else will. Accept responsibility and be accountable.
“Y” is for “Yes, I do windows.” Don’t ever say, “That’s not my job.” Do whatever the boss asks you to do and do it with enthusiasm. Thank you, Lance, for your sacrificial and courageous service to our country.

Gary and Carolyn Then And Now

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