I'll Pray For You

Generally I really try to not post out of emotion, but some days it is really hard! Especially when something is affecting my family, friends or something I believe strongly in. Right now, all three of those things are being affected by something, and it has me seething. So I will attempt to stay as calm as I can, for living in hate and anger is no way to live!

I graduated from a small rural community in North East Missouri in 2003.  A quaint little town with a smallish population, when I moved away I think they had a little over 1700 people living there. There were 54 people in my graduating class. I did not LIVE in this exact small town, but rather an even SMALLER country town about 12miles away, with a whopping population of 166 people when I finally moved away from home after graduating high school.

If you had a job, or needed to shop, or wanted to "hang out", or went to school, you generally went to the town I went to school in, Milan. 

A town of farmers, pig processing plant workers, they used to have a chicken processing plant several years back that all of my family has worked at, at some point in their lives.  My Grandma worked there for years to support herself, and small farm.

They are good people.  Patriotic people.  FAMILY people. 

When news that a soldier from town had died serving his country the affects were felt by the whole town, and the surrounding communities.  It isn't too often that a home town boy dies serving their country, so when it happens, they pull together.  If you are from that small town and you hear about the loss, your heart instantly goes out to their family! Because while you may not know the individual personally, you DO know the family, because you grew up knowing everyone back home. 

This family just wanted their son home so they could give him a proper burial.

Unfortunately, a "Church" that this Country knows all too much about is yet again rearing its NASTY little head.  The Westboro Baptist Church is wanting to do it's usual thing of protesting/picketing the funeral of this young gentleman who died serving this country.  Died protecting the rights that give these awful people the right to be ABLE to protest outside of soldiers funerals.  How twisted is that?

They stand, they TRAMPLE on those rights that these soldiers die to protect, just so they can spread their "message". 

I had to step back for awhile after reading their "message" about how they would be protesting the funeral on Thursday.  I was too angry, too full of hate, which isn't good either, and honestly makes me no better than that supposed "Church".  It's easy to think all kinds of mean and nasty thoughts about a group that is doing wrong.  However, just thinking those thoughts makes you guilty of doing them in God's eyes.  So you are better not thinking them, just pray for them.  It may be easier to think horrible thoughts about them, but it is more beneficial for your heart to pray for them and wish good upon them. It is hard...especially through clenched teeth, sometimes you just have to step back and take a break for a bit and come back to it with a clearer more level head.

I wish I were able to go back home this week and be there with the 100's of people that will be there Thursday supporting this young soldier and his family.  Since I cannot be there physically I will be there in spirit!

I find it sad that groups can make a mockery of a soldiers death and what he was doing for our country and it's people, and sadly, that soldier died protecting the right that allows that group to make a mockery out of the soldiers death, all in the name of freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. 

Would those people be so vocal should we become part of another country?  Would those people be so vocal should war literally be at their back door threatening their lives? Do any of them sign up to defend their country?  No, they hide behind their little picket signs "peacefully" protesting at funerals. 

It boils my blood thinking about it, but I have to stop and remind myself that I cannot allow hate to cloud my judgment.  It brings me to their church's level, and I was raised better than that.  I was raised to love my neighbor and to help those in need.  I was raised in a patriotic world where we stand for the Star Spangled Banner and proudly sing a long! I grew up in a world where the Pledge of Allegiance was recited every morning in the classroom.  I grew up in a world where the students could gather and say a prayer at school if they wanted to. Where even if you were a different color or religion we would still help you if you were in need.  I grew up in a world where we respected War Veterans and thanked them for their service and listened intently to their war stories learning history first hand from someone who was there.  Some of my most treasured memories are listening to a gentleman talk about his time as a young soldier.  He was a soldier at Pear Harbor when it was bombed during WWII.  It was an honor growing up knowing this man and hearing his account of history.

So to the Westboro Baptist Church...I'll pray for you.  Your hearts are hard, and angry and full of hate.  I am sad for you. 

To the family of Pvt. Hostetter my prayers and thoughts go out to your family as you bury your son on Thursday.  From the bottom of my heart I thank your son for his service to our country and fighting to defend our way of life and all we love and hold dear.

Mae