[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

A GREAT MARINE

Several years ago as the H & S Battalion Chaplain at MCB, Camp Lejeune, I visited the people in the different work spaces, including the rather large main post office. One day a little conversation took place with a young Marine Lance Corporal. This unplanned encounter has remained with me, and it seems worth passing on.

The Lance Corporal was standing by a very large sack of mail. His job, every day, six days a week, for many hours, was to sort the mail from that large sack and place the letters into smaller sacks, depending upon their destination. He explained his job, and I asked him if he ever gets bored. "Chaplain," he said," this is all I do. Just sort all these endless piles of letters. Sometimes I can't take it anymore." I was drawn into the young Marine's lament and his life's drama started to sound interesting. He continued, "Then, just as it gets to be overwhelming, I'm holding a letter in my hand and I begin to think: Maybe this letter is going from a Marine wife in Jacksonville all the way to her husband on deployment in the Med. He really misses her and is homesick on that big ship. Then he gets the letter and suddenly he feels much better. The next letter in my hand, I think: Maybe it's from a little boy to his Daddy in Somalia. He drew a picture with crayons to cheer his Dad and put it in the envelope. Each letter makes me wonder because this one may change a life for the better, or at least bring a smile to a lonely Marine or Sailor."

I was shaken by the majesty this young Lance Corporal displayed and said this to him: "Young man, you possess a wisdom rarely found in people who are triple your years. You have more than wisdom, though, you have character and maturity. Indeed you have found the secret to happiness in life. Whatever you wish to achieve, it will undoubtedly one day be yours...it would be a great honor if you would allow me to shake your hand".

Whenever we face frustrating moments or disappointments in our work day, let's all remember that young Lance Corporal and follow his heroic and inspiring example!

"Give thy servant, therefore, an understanding heart."

- King Solomon's prayer in First Kings

Chaplain Mitch Schranz

 

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Remembering Our Father’s Words
November 10, 2013

Jim Davidson was climbing down Mount Rainier when he fell through a snow bridge and into a crevasse (a pitch-black, ice-walled crack in a glacier). As Jim stood bloodied and bruised in that dark ice cave, he reflected on his childhood and recalled how his father had repeatedly reminded him that he could accomplish great things if he pressed through adversity. Those words helped to sustain Jim as he spent the next 5 hours climbing out of that dark ice cave to safety with very little gear and under extremely difficult circumstances.

The psalmist seemed to climb out of his own crevasse of affliction and pain by recalling his heavenly Father’s words. He admitted that if God and His Word had not sustained him with joy, he would have died in his misery (Ps. 119:92). He expressed full confidence in the Lord’s eternal Word (v.89) and in the faithfulness of His character (v.90). As a result of God’s faithfulness, the psalmist made a commitment never to forget God’s words to him because they had a central part in rescuing his life and bringing him strength.

In our darkest caves and moments of affliction, our souls can be revived by our Father in heaven when we recall and fill our minds with His encouraging words.

Thinking It Over
What crevasse of discouragement are you currently in?
How can you use this time as an occasion to revive your
soul by filling your mind and heart with God’s Word?

Remembering God’s words revives our soul.

Read: Psalm 119:89-93

I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. —Psalm 119:93

Bible in a Year:
Jeremiah 48-49; Hebrews 7

[SandRat]

Happy Birthday to all Marines

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Conor, for today's Chapel and Marine Corps Birthday!

[PROCON]

Woo-Hoo Navy Bro, God Bless and keep The US Marine Corps and how ‘bout the Midshipmen kicking some Hawaii butt :-)

[Billthedrill]

Happy Birthday, Marines! Hand-salute from a respectful squid. Semper Fidelis.

[luvie]

Wow! Great thread, Conor!

God bless the Marines!

[ConorMacNessa]

Marine Ping! Please send on to our Brothers and Sisters!

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

Eagles Up! Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Old Sarge]

And here it is, my fellow soldiers, the end of an era: the final toast of the Doolittle Raiders.

The last three surviving airmen of the 1942 raid on Tokyo have opened the bottle of 1896 cognac, and toasted their departed and fallen brothers.

Look long, Folks. We will not see their like again in our lifetime.

For the eighty Doolittle Raiders, it's now Mission Complete.

[MestaMachine]

When you get to the Gates of Heaven, you will find them guarded by United States Marines. Semper Fi.

Connor, that is a beautiful graphic tribute. Thank you for what you do every single day.

[S.O.S121.500]

2MAW HHS ‘70

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