5/20/2008
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: God Bless the USA
<br><br>4080......That's the number of United States military personnel who have died in the Iraqi war since it began in March, 2003.....and of course the tragic count continues to go up daily.  Over 117,000 American soldiers died in WWI,  418,000 in WWII, and 58,000 in the Vietnam conflict.  If just one freedom fighter died it would be too many.....especially to that fallen soldiers family.  And yet, the sacrificing continues.  At the very minute these words are being typed, it is 5:45 pm in the Middle East.  Right now, halfway across the world in 100 degree heat, an American soldier is patrolling some sand blown road-way with a rifle in their hands and a flag on their sleeve.  This highly trained individual is on this mission to not only protect the freedoms of those loved ones they left behind on home soil, but they are also there to introduce and facilitate freedom for the ones whose land they currently inhabit.  I dont know if any of the Iraqi people have ever heard of Superman....you know, that flying spectacle dressed in blue and red.  But I would bet that their image of a superhero is quite different than that man from the planet Krypton.  Their version of superhero just might wear tan camouflage, hand out candy every now and then, and talk funny.    <br><br>Occasionally, you will hear a sportscaster make the remark that someone took a heroic shot or made a courageous putt.  My opinion is this.....there is no such thing as a shot that is heroic or a putt that took courage to make.  At the end of the day, these folks are just playing a game.  And many times these heroes are making more money in one year than most of us will make in a lifetime.  It doesnt take a lot of courage to cash a 7 figure check.  No.....the real heroes of this world spend months at a time in a land far away from family and the comforts of home dodging bullets and risking their very existence.  They do all this without the expectation of a multi-million dollar contract or the desire to be a poster on some kids wall somewhere.  They also do this knowing that some of the very people they are fighting for could care less whether they are there or not.  And yet, in spite of all this and much more, these men and women continue to lay their lives on the line for a purpose that they think is far greater than their own breath.  If thats not a hero, then I dont know what is.<br><br>The Son of the Creator of the world said that there is no greater love anywhere than the love that would compel someone to die for another.  He should certainly know.  As the song goes, he could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set him free.  Instead, he chose the will of God and the greater good of mankind than his own will or desire.  Did Christ want to live past his 33rd birthday?  Did he, like Abraham with Isaac, hope that his Heavenly Father had a plan B hidden somewhere in his back pocket?  Did he hope that maybe the events of Gethsemane could be put off for a year or two?  The human side of me thinks the human side of Jesus would answer yes to all the above.  But in the end, His love for those who would come after Him weighed far greater than the love and concern he had for himself.  Does any of this sound familiar at all?  <br><br>May God bless the United States of America, those who have the courage to protect her, and the families of those left behind who have given the ultimate sacrifice.                     <br><br>Go the extra mile - Devin<br>