FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ A GREAT MARINE ~ 25 August 2019

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[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

 

[luvie]

Darn! I hate when the rain gets so close and then misses the mark! Hope that system in Texas pushes your way. or mine. Or both. LOL!

Glad you got to see your friends. I’ll bet it was hard to get up early this morning, though, hangover or not. I’ve got to remember to go to bed at a decent hour tonight. It’s HARD! :)

[The Mayor]

This is a no judgement zone :)

[radu]

I drove home through a bodacious little storm last night. Raining hard and lightning bouncing all around me ... close. There was more rain across the southern part of the county, too, but nary a drop here.

It sure WOULD be nice if we both benefit from that system down there!

It’s ALWAYS hard to get up early on Saturdays. LOL! But then I remember why the alarm went off so early and I’m up and at ‘em. I do enjoy museum day a LOT.

[luvie]

That’s good to hear. ;)

[luvie]

It sounds like you do. I think I would too. Lots of great things to see and people that appreciate what they’re looking at.

Sorry that bodacious storm missed ya! Darn it! Oh...have you seen Simon again? I guess he’s gone for good. Poor ol’ guy.

I petted Ghost tonight from the front. Didn’t even have to sneak up on him. It makes me happy that he “allows” me to. :)

[luvie]

Prayers for Jul. Hope there is a diagnosis and recovery soon.

[mylife]

Marines are OK.

Try being a radioman on a fast attack sub, most men get a 40 word familygram once a deployment.
Some are good, some are bad, and an RM2 reads this stuff and decides if it should be delivered.

He goes to the chaplain, the Xo, the Co.
Then goes back to national secrets.

[mylife]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=upr4T4lpUZg

[mylife]

BOOM!

[mylife]

BOOM!

[radu]

Meeting the people who come through is a lot of fun and doing it in such a cool setting surrounded by history makes it even more so. There are a lot of interesting conversations with the veterans and that’s a blast. We’ll have a largish group of them next Sat. who will be in town for some sort of gathering.

Yeah, it was a drag to miss out on that storm last night. The rain would have been appreciated. I need to water my flowers from Dad tonight before going to bed. They’re mighty thirsty.

WOOHOO on the progress with Ghost! I told ya perseverance would pay off, though it would take a while. You’re almost there!

Sadly, it’s obvious Simon is gone. He wasn’t well the last time I saw him and I think it was the heat. I still catch myself looking out the window for him but know I’ll never see his sweet face looking back. Poor sweet kitteh.

[luvie]

Poor sweet kitty. I was hoping for the best for him. I’m thankful all of mine have cool bushes to rest under when the heat is so bad.

You DID tell me! I didn’t think it would ever happen. But he really watches me pet his kittens closely and guess decided if they liked it maybe he could “tolerate” me. LOL!

I’ll be heading out soon. It’s going to be my early morning tomorrow. Ugh. No head bonking is wanted. :)

[radu]

There are plenty of shady spots around here but Simon didn’t stick around during the day. And when not at the house, he had no water to drink. With the heat AND humidity so flippin’ high at the time, he needed plenty of water. I feel it caught up with him.

Having other cats around that enjoy lovin’ helps a lot when trying to tame a feral. A great way to gain their trust and once the trust is there, you have a wonderful loving kitteh. It’s worth the time it takes to get him there. It took two years to tame two feral fellers and they ended up being the biggest mush-buckets. LOL! I still miss them terribly.

No head bonking is right! I hope Peaches is outside so you can sleep but as hot as it is there, he’ll probably beg to be inside. Who can blame him?

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Sunday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Amazing Grace ~ Cherokee

Elvis ~ In The Garden

Jim Ed Brown ~ Chapel Bells Are Ringing

John Berry ~ Old Rugged Cross

Kitty Wells ~ Dust On the Bible

Red Sovine ~ Deck of Cards

The Statler Brothers ~ Church in the Wildwood

Tennessee Ernie Ford ~ Faith of Our Fathers

The Gaithers ~ What A Friend We Have in Jesus

Elvis ~ Precious Lord

Ray Cornelius ~ One Set of Footprints

How Great Thou Art ~ Choctaw

Amazing Grace ~ Cherokee

Elvis ~ In The Garden

Jim Ed Brown ~ Chapel Bells Are Ringing

John Berry ~ Old Rugged Cross

Kitty Wells ~ Dust On the Bible

Red Sovine ~ Deck of Cards

The Statler Brothers ~ Church in the Wildwood

Tennessee Ernie Ford ~ Faith of Our Fathers

The Gaithers ~ What A Friend We Have in Jesus

Elvis ~ Precious Lord

Ray Cornelius ~ One Set of Footprints

How Great Thou Art ~ Choctaw

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Janey…((HUGS))...Shavua Tov and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Still hangin’ at home? Nice weather?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Luv, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Two rides...good for you!!

Hope you and Penny get to go hiking.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve