FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ A MESSAGE FROM MOM ~ 31 July 2022

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

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

A MESSAGE FROM MOM

I gave you life, but cannot live it for you.
I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn.
I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you.
I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it.
I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe.
I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you.
I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.
I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.
I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you.
I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish.
I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor.
I can advise you about friends, but cannot choose them for you.
I can advise you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure.
I can tell you the facts of life, but I can't build your reputation.
I can tell you about drink, but I can't say "no" for you.
I can warn you about drugs but I can't prevent you from using them.
I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you.
I can teach you about kindness, but I can't force you to be gracious.
I can warn you about sins, but I cannot make you moral
I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God's family.
I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord.
I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life.
I can love you with unconditional love all of my life...and I will!!! -- Mom

The author of this little piece is listed as "anonymous" on the copy I have before me. The author's background, circumstances, intended audience and motive are unknown -- at least to me. It's powerfully written, but I suspect it will impact each of us differently, depending on our own PERSONAL history and circumstances. One thing I do know from many years as a pastor and chaplain. Many of you who read this won't be able to identify with such lofty words. You didn't have a mom like that. And you may not be that sort of parent yourself. Still, there is a message here for all of us. Even in spite of human frailty.

The good news from scripture (at least in the Christian tradition) is that ALL of us already have that kind of loving parent... though some of us may not know or accept it yet. We have God as our Father! And I even remember hearing at least one sermon on "The Motherhood of God!" It wasn't delivered by some radical feminist trying to rewrite Christian theology, but by a very conservative seminary professor. And he based it on a passage from Deuteronomy 32:11 which describes an eagle "hovering" over its young. The professor's point was that God has all the attributes of a good mother as well as of a good father. The psalmist affirmed that as he wrote, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then God will take care of me." (Psalm 27:11)

God doesn't force belief, but, like the mom in that message, gives us the freedom to choose. Even when we reject faith, blame Him for everything wrong in our lives, and hurt His other children, He never gives up on us. And His letters to us are pretty extensive. Hopefully, we will all get THAT message, even if we never have an earthly mom (or dad) like the one in the letter above.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

Have you and Gizmo had a good weekend? Had a little break from the heat so you can enjoy more time at the lake?

[Kathy in Alaska]

So, so, so special to have those older veterans come to visit...I suspect a flood of memories. What a special moment for you and the others at the museum.

And you finally got RAIN!!! I had almost 3/10th in the gauge this morning. That was a surprise.

[Allegra]

Guess what! We had RAIN this afternoon!! REAL rainfall for a change. 2.6 inches!!

Nice! I’m jealous!

But also happy for you and anybody else getting quenching rains where they’re needed. Yay!

[E.G.C.]

We had a great visit to Comanche lake yesterday. Probably the more comfortable of days.

Today is Sonic Drive Inn Day. We plan on doing Comanche Lake again later today. It's forecast to wamr up again later this week.

[radu]

It’s very special when the older vets show up. We’re losing the WWII vets pretty fast these days so it’s exciting, and an honor, when we get to meet one. There was a special element for us in getting to meet this one because he’d trained at Camp Forrest.

It turned out Hubby knew him back in the days when he rode motorcycles Frenchie was the mechanic who did the repairs when needed. Same goes for the head honcho at the museum. Neither of them had a clue about Frenchie’s history.

He never did tell us his real name. He said he’s gone by Frenchie since he joined the military at age 16 and it’s the name he’ll go by until the day he dies. He was such a character.

yes, we finally got some rain! And more due tomorrow and Monday. Now we don’t have to worry so much about wildfires breaking out. It’s been scary-dry here.

I noticed raindrops on the Lake Hood cam housing this morning and wondered how much there’s been, and if you’d gotten any. That’s gives y’all a little more breathing room too. It’s nice to see it green up there after being brown for so long.

[radu]

We’re thrilled to get a good rainfall at long last. We got more today than we’d gotten the rest of the month up to this point. An inch more than we got all last month.

Now we have to figure out how to turn on the taps over TX so y’all can get some rain!

[radu]

Gizmo’s happy face says he had a great time. Glad you had decent temps for your outing.

So you’re going to heat back up again this week, too, are you? Same here. It starts here on Tuesday. *sigh*

Have fun today and enjoy your Sonic dinner.

[luvie]

Truly a work of art! I’m glad y’all are getting to display it!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, luvie, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

A cardboard jeep...who would have ever thought of such a thing. The guys that made it sure did a good job!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

A day late, but a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours, E.

Hope you and Gizmo had a great day.

[Kathy in Alaska]

2/10s...we’ll take it. Sure glad you got a bunch!

[radu]

It was an interesting concept, especially since it's life-size. They also created several small items displayed on a table. Packs of matches, coffee and sugar packets, a phone, an ammo box with bullets, and a hand grenade among them ..... all made of cardboard.

I can't help but wonder if other displays at the Memorial Day event were as creative. This one is pretty hard to beat as far as that goes, imho.

[E.G.C.]

We had a great visit to Comanche Lake yesterday. There were a couple of people out there but for the most part we had the lake to ourselves.

[radu]

Glad it wasn’t crowded, making y’all miss out on your usual spots.