A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....03-01-04....Military Monday

Billie, The Mayor

[The Mayor]

[The Mayor]

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13

God always gives enough strength for the next step.

[The Mayor]

March 1, 2004

Strength For Today

Read: Philippians 4:8-13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13

Bible In One Year: Numbers 23-25; Mark 7:14-37

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Most people own a calendar or an appointment book in which they record details of future commitments. A Christian friend of mine uses one in the opposite way. He doesn't record key activities until after they've taken place.

Here's his approach: Each morning he prays, "Lord, I go forth in Your strength alone. Please use me as You wish." Then, whenever he accomplishes something unusual or difficult, he records it in his diary in the evening.

For example, he may write, "Today I was enabled to share my testimony with a friend." "Today God enabled me to overcome my fear through faith." "Today I was enabled to help and encourage a troubled person."

My friend uses the word enabled because he knows he couldn't do these things without God's help. By recording each "enabling," he is giving God all the glory. Relying constantly on God's strength, he can testify with the apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

As you enter each new day, ask God to strengthen and use you. You can be sure that as you look back on your day, you'll praise and glorify the Lord as you realize what He has enabled you to do. —Joanie Yoder

Lord, give me strength for this day's task,
Not for tomorrow would I ask;
At twilight hour, oh, may I say,
"The Lord has been my guide today." —Nillingham

God always gives enough strength for the next step.

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[MEG33]

I thank God for our veterans who have served our country.May God bless our armed forces and all their loved ones who wait at home.

[The Mayor]

Mornin Meg

[GailA]

Good morning FRiends, had a great weekend camping, temps mild during the day. It's raining this morning here in Memphis.

Coffee's on, and the quilt show about to start.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Mr. Mayor.

[MEG33]

Good Morning ,Mayor.Here's hoping our"hunters' in Afghanistan have some luck trapping Al Queda big wigs soon!



......BUSH/CHENEY '04......For Freedom's Sake!.......

[MEG33]

Good Morning, Gail.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Monday ! Happy Ides of March !

[The Mayor]

Mornin Gail

at least the weather was good for the camping trip.
It's 39 here right now and it's suppose to be in the mid 50's today.

[The Mayor]

Mornin Aeronaut, good to see you..

[The Mayor]

Hiya Meek!

[The Mayor]

(Groton-AP, Feb. 28, 2004 8:00 PM) _ It's homecoming day in Groton.

About 200 soldiers from the 1109th Aviation
Classification Repair Activity Depot returned
home this afternoon to their families.
"It is like a dream that is finally coming true."
It was a long wait for this homecoming and most of the soldiers had not seen their family for over a year.
Signs and flags waved high as family members waited with anticipation for the 1109th to return home.
The crowd waited behind a yellow ribbon, which is the finish line for a year long tour of duty.
There was no measure for the power of an embrace for the soldiers.
"There are no words that can describe how I feel," says Spc. Murray Mowatt.
"I am just elated, I am just so elated. There are no words to express it.
There are no words. I am so thankful he is home, safe and sound," says Dianne Burns.
"There are a lot of mixed emotions. I don't know what to expect when I go back to work,
when ever I decide to do that. Just the joy of being home,
my family is all here. It is incredible ," says Maj. Jeff Burns.
The 1109th specializes in helicopter repair and maintenance.

[The Mayor]

Editor's note: Quincyan Geri Eaton, with help from Georgia Degitz,
wrote about her thoughts as her son was deployed to Iraq and returned home last week.
Homecoming: A mother's story
Fears, tears ... and then joy for Quincyan whose son was deployed in Iraq

Great Story

Excerpt
Flags waving, posters and banners flying, we marched out of the airport.
Emotionally spent and relieved, I lagged behind the group.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man of Asian descent approach.
He reached out and touched me.

In a soft voice, he spoke, "Ma'am, are you the mother of that soldier?"
I replied, "Yes."
He said, "Thank you for this soldier. Because of him, we are free men."
I wanted to cry with pride and relief. Over this man's shoulder,
I saw Ed with his wife beside him, shaking another supporter's hand.
Nothing will ever compare to the pride I felt in my countrymen and son.

[The Mayor]

Cheers, tears greet heroes

170 members of National Guard unit come home to their families.

Susan Ryan of Montville waits with her son, Patrick Ryan, 15, for Shawn Ryan,
her husband and his father, to disembark from the bus at Groton-New London Airport in Groton
Saturday afternoon. Ryan is a member of the 1109th AVCRAD Connecticut National Guard.
The unit returned from debriefing in Fort Drum, N.Y.,
after serving almost a year abroad in Kuwait and Iraq.

Family members wave as buses pull up,
carrying the 1109th AVCRAD unit back home
from Fort Drum to Groton airport Saturday afternoon.

Staff Sgt. Thomas Barclay of South Killingly hugs his son,
Aleksander Barclay, 14, as he returns to Groton Saturday
after serving in Kuwait and Iraq for almost a year.
Taavi Barclay, left, also greets his father.

Nolan Liska, 2, of Voluntown hugs his father, Sgt. James Liska.

[The Mayor]

First Guard troops based in Miami heading home Feb 27, 2004

[Temple Owl]

Good morning everybody. It is a spring-like day in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I'm going out to take advantage of it.

[Calpernia]

Morning, God Bless and Bump!

[LadyX]

What wonderful photographs and stories you've posted!
Will look for more in a moment. In the meantime:

MORNING VIEW — Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs sit on the McChord Air Force Base, Wash.,
flightline during a spectalure sunrise over Mount Rainier.
U.S. Air Force photo by Kevin J. Tosh