I stood in the sun watching a crowd gathered around a stone. Tears gathered in the eyes of all as white-gloved hands formed one last salute. Taps played in the background while the sound of 21 guns filled the air. Three Blackhawk helicopters roared overhead bidding their final farewell.
Her beautiful face will forever haunt me. This girl that I never met and yet, after hearing her story, it seemed as if I had known her always. Nineteen and gone. Gone to be with her Lord when she had so much left to do.
They told the story of a life cut short. The story of a girl who wanted to be a lawyer but had no money for college. Joining the Army provided the solution to that problem. There was only one hitch–her country was at war..
She went without any protest. There was no protest in her patriot heart. Love for country, family and God sustained her.
Comrades in arms whether man or woman respected her. Her courage was known to all. Duty was attended to with a smile and a joke. Even in fear, she volunteered for danger when others might not. That courage which was so admired took her away.
She was given such a short life but her joy and love for her God impacted everyone around her. She sang worship songs as the mortars were flying. Helmets were required at these practice sessions, but she and her team members never wavered in their quest to sing His praises. Baptism was quite a different experience than most. Hers took place in a shallow trench as enemy bullets vied for targets.
She left a legacy even though she wasn’t here for long. Her fruit shined before the world. Her life taught me a lesson–that I should love the Lord my God with all of my heart, with all of my mind, and with all of my soul that there may be fruit for Him to use.