A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...12/16-18/05 ....Christmas In The Heart

Sgt. Rodney Murray, Freema & GodBlessUSA

[GodBlessUSA]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay or a profile of another FReeper.

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~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

We received the following in FR mail from freema last week and wanted to share it with you today.

"The following poem was written by a local soldier, Sgt. Rodney A. Murray on December 16, 2003. He collected toys for Iraqi children, and taught at our high school for two days before getting called up. His wife is one of the sweetest women I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

Rodney was killed on Mother’s Day, 2004, in a vehicle accident between Baghdad and Scania when his Humvee was sideswiped by a passing tank.

Rodney joined the Army Reserves in July of 2000 and was called to Iraq on February 11, 2003. Rodney left on February 14. Ten months later he was able be with his wife on

December 16, just in time to celebrate their three-year wedding anniversary and wrote the following poem. Rodney left again on December 30."

In Memory Of Sgt. Rodney A. Murray


All I want for Christmas is to see my wife,
Friends and family, be at home, that's all.
The young soldier really meant it.
And a bit of guilt he did feel
Of having his miracle come true;
Though not enough to change his plan;
With no kids to play Santa to, yet,
Some with such would have to stay.
Of all such days, Holiest of Holy,
Every soldier, every national, every vulnerable Citizen of this ravaged land
We claim to help should be able to celebrate.
But cold mornings in a lonely guard shack,
Riding lonely desolate supply routes
Tries to deny the celebratory mood.
And chaos and beastly acts alike
Try to rid others of a celebration of sorts.
A ruthless dictator captured
Becomes a festive celebration to some.
While others will avoid, hopefully,
Festive ending fiasco
In loss of life and will.
That's how they'll spend Christmas
If only that reason to celebrate.
Others cling to hope as their Yule Tide;
Hope for home soon from a foreign land,
Hope for a home,
Civilization in a lack luster land,
Hope for a difference one made
Or hope just to make it out alive, another day.
But it's guaranteed, the soldiers who
Have to stay in an Unsilent Night,
A non Holy Night,
Will instinctively glance at their watches,
When subtracting eight equals twenty-fifth at home.
And they'll silently utter Merry Christmas
From the heart to spouses and brothers,
Friends, loved ones, fathers and mothers.
But there's the rub. Like you at home,
All nestled and nice, calm and comfy,
They'll have Christmas in the Middle East.
For it will be in the heart, in grateful
Honor and remembrance of that Holy Night,
When the world received the greatest gift,
Wrapped in Hope, Grace, Mercy, In Love,
For all mankind.
Such will have Christmas
In their hearts, where it should be.
While others in that land,
The one promised to Abraham's seed
Will know nothing of it.
For they must of followed Ischmael's seed
Instead of Issac's.
No Christmas for them.
Can they even tell you their "Messiah's" birthday?
Death date would probably be easier,
But they'll claim to tell you what he wants
You to do to get to Heaven, maybe even
Doing away with ones that follow
That First Noel-
Cause in it you do nothing to get to Heaven,
Save receive the gift,
The Christ in Christmas.
So, you don't take for granted this Holy Season,
And grumble for lack of parking spaces.
Don't let crowds confound you
Or busy bustle bring a frown to you.
Love the busy schedule of family and friends,
Give in honor of the birth of Him who gave
You All.
Remember, some won't have Christmas,
And some will have it merely in their hearts.
Merry Christmas Rodney Murray ~ 12-16-2003

09-27-05 ~ Hall of Fame #13

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-12-05 Military Monday 12-13-05 Finest Christmas Tables, Part II 12-14-05 Finest Christmas Tables, Part II, cont'd 12-15-05 Dems to U.S. Troops: It's not too late to lose! But time's running out.

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Aquamarine]

Lol, that's the way that I fix them!!!!

Lol, So do I half the time, it's hard to get the temperature just right for them.

[dixie sass]

Oh, I sure do freema. Remember Mary Jane's?

[LadyX]

"my brother ordered a burnt grilled cheese sandwich."

So glad you're here, Aqua!
I just remembered that grilled cheese sandwiches were the first thing I taught my two sons to cook for themselves. When Bernie and I were expecting the birth of Jennifer, they were 7 and 8, and we felt it would be helpful to make them at ease with fixing simple things, Beyond Peanut Butter & Jelly.

Decided it was about time to give them Life Skills for adulthood, so they could batch successfully until they snagged some pretty chefs..:)

It not only gave them a sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency, but came in handy if Mom were busy with the baby - much later, if she was at work when they came home from school and were 'starving.'

Steve never really enjoyed cooking, but coped well, and wisely married a South Carolina gal who had seriously considered Chef School.
Kevin became the Expert at Throwing-Together-Something-from-Nothing, and made the best from scratch onion rings I ever ate!
Both learned to grill well.

[Mama_Bear]

Are they like a wafer biscuit?

Necco Wafers? They are just a hard, kind of chalky disc. The flavors are not strong. I guess you could say they are fruit flavors and some are mint, I think. The black ones are licorice and the brown ones are chocolate.....but they are all only faintly flavored. I definitely think that Necco Wafers are something that you acquire a taste for as a kid. By the time you are an adult, it is probably too late to appreciate them. LOL

[snugs]

I forgot to add the catalogue facility also allows you to get the item delivered.

[snugs]

Wow I feel lucky that I can walk to ASDA

[snugs]

They sound similar to parma violets or love hearts to me or the chalky sweets you get in lucky bag.

[Mama_Bear]

Yes, "Carol of the Bells" played fine for me. :-)

[snugs]

Here are few more Nativity Scenes

[Mama_Bear]

They are exactly like Valentine Conversation Hearts...except they are wafers and are sold in a roll. Necco (New England Candy Company) makes the conversation hearts, probably with the same basic ingredients that they use for the wafers. I think other companies make the hearts too.

[freema]

We can still get them at the Dollar General!

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks, Lil' Sis. You know how much I love Mannhein Steamroller. :-)

BTW, I have been visiting the "Sound America" site that you sent me the link to last Christmas (I think). Was looking for a wav of Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby". I found it there. It is a great site for good music files. Lots of Mannheim Steamroller too.

[LadyX]

We have a Pig (Piggly Wiggly grocery store, snugs) here, too, about 1.5 miles in the other direction, but I don't like their store brands and most prices are cosiderably higher.
The weekly paper gives their specials, and sometimes I'll go for those specifically.
There is a Bi-Lo in Denmark, 15 miles east of us.

The Good Thing is Wal-Mart will match the price of any competitor on name brand items at the checkout, with no haggling!
Cost and time saver.....

[dixie sass]

Matthew learned to cook while working on the oil platforms in the gulf and has become a pretty good cook.

[dixie sass]

Lol, I wish that I could walk to the store then I would only have to catch a cab home. I really need to move closer to the downtown area so that I can walk to the store.

[dixie sass]

Played great.

[Mama_Bear]

Are these public (government run) schools where they are having the Nativity plays? How wonderful that the children are not denied the joy of reenacting the miracle of Christmas in your schools. When I was in (public) school many years ago, I remember seeing manger scenes set up in the school and the word "Christmas" was not forbidden. That was a long time ago. :-(

[dixie sass]

The child in the second picture for some reason reminds me of Elizbeth Taylor. She is beautiful.

[dixie sass]

Next time I can talk my cousin into hitting the dollar stores in the area, I'll have to look for them.

[dixie sass]

I love that song by Eartha Kit! She is the only one that can do it right, everyone else just doesn't have that certain something in their voice.