FReeper Canteen ~ Guest Military Chaplain ~ July 31 2005

nsamidsouth.navy.mil ^ | Chaplain Anne M. Krekelberg

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

 

 

 

It’s deja vu all over again

Some days everything just falls into place. It was a good hair day. No, it was a great hair day. And there wasn’t a wrinkle on my face that couldn’t be nicely covered with a little make-up. But not too much -- I didn’t want to look like one of those little old ladies with a pancake face and rosebud cheeks. I didn’t have as much success hiding the hips -- but hey, at my age, one has to be
happy with the little things.

On May 21, my high school celebrated its 50th anniversary. (Okay, this is important -- this was not my 50th, it was the high school’s -- got it!?) I grew up in Los Altos, Calif. It’s now in the heart of Silicon Valley, south of San Francisco, where starter homes carry a $1.5 million price tag.

But back in the 1950s and ‘60s it was a small town. We bought our groceries at Gordon’s, our shoes at Buster Brown and drank malts at Nelson’s corner drugstore. All the kids knew each other from kindergarten through high school. We all went to Brownies and Girl Scouts together, and in the summers swam at the community pool. The kids at St. Nicholas Catholic School climbed the fence at recess to play with the kids at Covington Junior High. We stuffed rotten apricots with firecrackers and made a mess on the 4th of July. We all participated in the annual town Pet Parade and dressed our animals in such a way that would make People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals curl its toes. It was a great place to grow up.

Getting ready for the reunion, I looked in the mirror and thought, “Not bad for a middle-aged (but never old) lady.” But in spite of my pep talk, my stomach was filled with butterflies. Worse, my head swam with pictures of gorgeous homecoming queens and handsome football heroes popping out of the pages of my yearbooks. I was one of those kids who always fit in, but was never “popular.” I wasn’t a cheerleader and I didn’t date a jock. I was just a typical teen with her share of acne, forever intimidated by those girls who walked about campus with a hive of boys buzzing about.

And I admit it -- I felt those same teenage jitters Saturday afternoon before the reunion. I even thought about not going (after having come all the way from Tennessee!). All those old feelings came roaring back and I was 15 again. Would anyone recognize me? (After all, I hadn’t seen some of them in 39 years.) Would all the guys still be hanging around the homecoming queen and her court? Would it be a classmate saying, “Hey, Anne, nice to see you,” while glancing over my shoulder for someone better to talk with? I was expecting the worst.

Boy, was I wrong. I had a blast. In fact, it was more than a blast -- it was the experience of a lifetime. Walking up to the registration line, all the cliques and differences melted away in an instant. We were all just classmates -- kids who grew up next door to each other and were thrilled to be there. We recognized each other immediately. Yes … the guys all had jowls, a bald spot and wore size 40 pants. And (imagine this!) the women had hips that looked just like mine. We all wore what had become, for most of us, the uniform of the day -- blue jeans and a sweater. We joked about gray hair (or lack of any hair at all) and ogled at photos of kids and grandkids.

I forgot all about the fear, trepidation and intimidation I was feeling just hours earlier. When Cindy grabbed me by the arm and said, “Come on, Anne, let’s go find Megan,” she was no longer that adorable, perky homecoming queen -- she was just Cindy. (Okay, I’ll admit it -- she looked GREAT for having four kids and six grandkids, and she is still very perky.) I flirted with the football hunks and giggled with the cheerleaders like I had done it all my life. The past 40 years had had a leveling effect on all of us.

What made the difference between then -- being an easily-embarrassed, pimple-faced teenager -- and now? It’s called life. Age, experience, faith, heartache, joy, raising kids … and more. In Girl Scouts we used to sing a song: “Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.”

I treasure all the people and friends I have met over the past 40 years, especially in the Navy. But the kids from childhood -- the teens from Los Altos High -- are golden.

Weeks have passed since the anniversary, and it’s back to work and life as usual. But I’m still smiling. I smile because I so fondly remember these people who are an important part of my history, and feel so honored that God saw fit to give me a place among them.

I laugh because I was once jealous of Barbara or had a crush on Peter (who, by the way, has aged very well). And I grin because one year from now, in July of 2006, my class of 1966 will celebrate its 40th reunion and we’ll get to see each other again. But next time I’ll
leave the butterflies at home.

Chaplain Anne M. Krekelberg

 

 

 

 

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Dear God:
I ask that no Airman, Coast Guardsman,
Marine, Sailor, Soldier or National Guardsman
Feel alone or forgotten.
Please guide the people of Free Republic to
The FR Canteen Post Office
So they can e-mail a service man or woman today.
AMEN

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Wishing for our Troops a Safe and Happy Weekend . . .God Bless You All.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Click on the pic and I'll guide you
to the start of today's
Guest Military Chaplain Service



Graphic tribute by our own Lady Jag

Please stop in and say a prayer of protection for the military.
Prayers from all denominations are needed.

                                          


Sunday Liberty starts after the Guest Military Chaplain's Service!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

[SandRat]

Deu 11:25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: [for] the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.

[Soaring Feather]

[AZamericonnie]

LeeAnn Rimes~Amazing Grace

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

FYI : Look in upper right corner of "My Comments" page.
Set it for "Brief" instead of Full.
You only will get title of thread and who pinged you.
No graphics will load.

[Raffus]

Thank and bless our troops! We are praying and thanking them every day for their service. I try to thank a serviceman daily. It's easy where I work. :)

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

From the men in the Military and the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.

To our military readers, we remain steadfast in keeping the Canteen doors open.
The FR Canteen is Free Republics longest running daily thread specifically designed
to provide entertainment and morale support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.
We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

[MoJo2001]

Thank you for today's thread Mr.Tonkin!!
*HUGS*

[Zacs Mom]

[luvie]

Beautiful flowers, a yummy-looking Sunday buffet and a Sundey lesson--what more could one want! Good friends, too! Thank you, Tonkin, for everything you and the other men and women of the military do for us! (((hugs)))

[luvie]

God bless you, Hope, for the pledge. God be with your son as he fights over there to keep us free over here. He is my American hero!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You for attending Sunday Services in the Canteen.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks Brother

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You for your daily prayer.

[SandRat]

Somehow that verse just felt right when I read it.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks for the prayer today.