Called Up

"Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy desire,--that thou mayest be stripped of all selfishness, and with entire simplicity follow Jesus only." - Thomas Kempis

Yesterday, my friend Lorraine, got called into active duty. Her orders are to report to Fort Benning, GA on Jan 15, 2006. Her time would be 545 days in Iraq.

If her circumstances were different, I would be encouraging her to go and support freedom. The issue here is she's a stay-at-home mom of 2 children, ages 3 and almost 1.
Before she had children she did serve in active duty with her husband. They have done time, so it's not like she got her free education and is backing out of her side of the bargain with the government.

She's applying for a deferment because she has no family in MN to care for her children while she's in the desert. My constant prayer is that she will be granted this so that she alone can care for the children God has given her.

Mothering is a selfless profession, just like the military. When did the line become so blurred? Is there no respect for the profession of mothering. Is this where women's rights and freedom from male opression have taken us? Apparently so.

The Refiner's Fire

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." - John 14.21

He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat, As he watched by the precious ore, And closer He bent with a searching gaze As He heated it more and more.

He knew He had ore that could stand the test, And He wanted the finest gold To mold as a crown for the King to wear, Set with gems with a price untold.

So He laid our gold in the burning fire, Though we fain would have said Him, "Nay," And He watched the dross that we had not seen, And it melted and passed away.

And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright; But our eyes were so dim with tears, We saw but the fire - not the Master's hand - And questioned with anxious fears.

Yet our gold shown out with a richer glow, As it mirrored a Form above That bent o'er the fire, though unseen by us, With a look of ineffable love.

Can we think that it pleased His loving heart To cause us a moment's pain? Ah, no! but He saw through the present cross The bliss of eternal gain.

So He waited there with a watchful eye, With a love that is strong and sure, And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat Than was needed to make it pure.

--Anonymous