A Thrill and An Honor

Had a great time Saturday afternoon welcoming J.C. Roberts home from Iraq. We had several New Hope folks who went out with us to provide a welcome home backdrop behind Pam's exited rush to welcome her loving husband home. It took a minute but he actually did notice us. :)

After over ten years it never gets old to Bunny and me. The opportunity God gave us to work with and serve such special people like JC and Pam is the gift that keeps on giving. Having a small part in supporting our nation's military and their families is an incredible blessing. I still look up when the planes go over and run outside to look if there's one that sounds different - hoping that it will be one of the new F-35s or even one from another nation. It happens - we had Toronado's here once, an Israeli Kafir, even a Mig 29. From my office I can here as the base plays the Star Spangled Banner at the end of the day over the loudspeakers. When you go out to eat, you are frequently surrounded by people in uniform. Just a great place.

While J.C. was gone, all of us at New Hope tried to constantly hold him close to the Lord in prayer, and also tried to be available for whatever Pam and Jamie might need. When someone is putting his life on the line for you everyday, it's the least you can do to pray for him. Every time we met as a group, we prayed. I even put wallpaper on my laptop of a Combat Talon C130 (as well as an MC-22 Osprey for Scott Marston,who's in Afghanistan) as a reminder to pray. His handshake on his arrival was all the reward I needed. He was home!

Today he came in and presented me with this case containing a flag and a certificate attesting to the fact that the flag had been carried aloft on a Combat Talon 1 mission over Iraq and was presented to "Pastor David Wilson." Tears welled up. For him to think of me as deserving of something like that was an unbelievable honor. It is the coolest gift I have ever received and one that I will treasure forever. If the house catches on fire, it and the Bible my Mother carried in WW2 are leaving with me.

If you have never lived in a military community, you have really missed out. It's filled with people as brave and as generous as JC and Pam. Bunny and I are so blessed. Thank you J.C. and Pam.