Send tissues

I've had many people sending me forwards lately regarding our military. Normally, unless it's an unusually funny joke or animal pictures, I'm not a fan of forwards. The few I've gotten in the past couple of days have been emotionally crippling and heart wrenching. They've also put me on my knees...thanking God for the men and women of our military. I am in awe of not only the courage and the selflessness of these amazing men and women, but of the heart they have for people. American people, yes...but their hearts have such a capacity of giving and caring that it envelopes every nations' people in need. Our soldiers are bearing the heat of 130 degrees to clothe, feed and give medical attention to the children of countries whose borders are so far from the ones touching our homelands. All the while clearing the way in that country so that the children may have a chance of growing up, and have something worth growing up for. God bless our military. God bless our volunteers who step outside their comfort zone to put the worth of someone else's life before their own.
I'm a full grown adult, and I'm not clueless to the fact that many oppose the war, any war. How wonderful it would be to live in a world that came to terms with each persons differences and actually respected those differences rather than stepped on them. But we don't. And as comfortable as it may be to sit in front of their television watching CNN and passing their judgmental opinions of the actions of others, unfortunately it's that action that others take that make it possible to sit safely in their homes.
I'm reminded of the song by Bonnie Tyler 'Holding Out For A Hero'. Remember some of these lyrics?
"Where have all the good men gone, where are all the gods? Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need. I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than life. Somewhere just beyond my reach there's someone reaching back for me. Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. Up where the mountains meet the heavens above, out where the lightning splits the sea, I could swear there's someone watching me. Through the wind and the chill and the rain and the storm and the flood, I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood. I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than life."
So many in our world are literally crying out for a hero, and thank God for those who step up to the plate. Thank God for our street-wise hercules that fight the rising odds, for the white knights in their tanks and hummers, for those reaching out to those in need...for the strong, for the fast and the larger than life.