We say Thank You

I wonder sometimes if we realize how much those serving our country deserve to hear those simple two words... THANK YOU.

And yet, I must admit I can also be guilty of not going out of my way to say them. Every other Tuesday, I made my way to the USO to fulfill my shift and would have opportunity after opportunity to express to our traveling military how much they are appreciated.

Many times I did say "Thank You," but there were also times I went about my other USO duties and those two words went unsaid. The reality of that makes me sad. Was not my primary duty to say those words?

These brave men and women may say, "We are just doing our job." But you are doing so much more.

Some may not want the interruption. But all it takes is a brief eye connection as words are not always needed.

To those I did not properly acknowledge, can I tell you how much I do want to say Thank You? If you stumble upon this page, please know from the bottom of my heart, I say Thank You!

I hope and pray that the ones who really needed to hear those two words, that I did not let you go unnoticed. God, I pray that you prompted me to greet them with a warm smile and words that expressed how much they matter.

May we not let another hero pass through our sight without somehow letting them know the sacrifices they make matter. They matter.

May we not let another one of them believe otherwise and potentially add to the growing number of men and women we've lost because their pain went unnoticed.

There is desperation in my heart to share how deeply those two words are needed. Can you feel it? I so hope you do and that just maybe you won't let the next hero you see simply walk on by. And I say these words not only to you, but as a reminder to myself. My heart breaks when I realize how much I need to hear my own words.

But then God fills those broken places in my heart when I witness what it looks like when we do say Thank You.

This moment I witnessed can't fully be expressed through pictures. As I watched the children of my church walk through the doors with pillow cases they so lovingly decorated with their own hands, tears fell from my eyes. But these were tears of joy.

My Executive Pastor shared how this was a dream of mine. And it was. It was a dream come true to know our heroes will lay their head down at night knowing someone does care. They will know they are not forgotten.

I look closer at the pictures where you see the words Living Hope on the screen. Such a beautiful name God blessed our church with. And what did our church do on that day?

We were bringing hope to the men and women who so bravely serve our country.

We were bringing hope to them while serving in places where hope is so desperately needed.

We were saying...

While I won't be able to witness personally how these pillow cases make a difference in the life of those who receive, my trust is in God. God's blessing was placed on each and every one of the pillow cases and He will use them. Oh how I know He will use them.

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Linking with Kristen