"Love Thy neighbor"

We have all heard the call, but how far would we go for them. I can remember a time when I was very young, I don't even know if I was in school yet, but it was late at night and I woke up to voices. Scared voices, the kind that make your heart pump faster just for listening to them. I remember coming down the stairs to see what was happening, and seeing a mom with her 3 young kids huddled close. I don't know if I knew them yet, but the youngest and I became friends and were close throughout school. I can remember a time that I asked my dad who they were and that's when I could remember their faces. I had gone years without realizing that the scared family was my very good friends. After dad passed, we were talking about thing that had happened and "c" my brother reminded us about that night. Mom told us how dad had gotten the call from the mom who pleaded for his help, because her husband had gotten drunk and was holding them at gun point. Mom said that dad told her when he got back how he jumped in the car and was half way there before his brain kicked in and he thought what am I doing!! But he knew that he had to do something so he prayed, and was able to take that mom and her kids to our home for safety. He told the dad that when he was thinking clear he could come and talk to his wife. When I was a teen I was spending the night at their home one time when her dad came home, he had stopped getting drunk, but I was a little afraid of him. I can remember him going to bed and his daughter looking at me and saying you know, he always says that if not for your dad, who knows where we would be today. I wasn't aloud to stay there if he was home, but I knew that night that I would be safe, he was a changed man. I am so greatful for my father, that he would stand up for a woman and her kids, even in that danger.

So far so good

I want to get back to my memories of my Dad, but first just a quick note. My niece "k" had the first surgery on her heart yesterday and is doing better than they ever could have hoped for. She is a fighter!!
The other day I was thinking about a letter that had been printed in a newspaper about a fly over from the air base he was close to. He was upset because it was so loud. What he didn't know was that they were headed to fly over a cemetary where one of our brave men was being layed to rest. It reminded me of when we were standing at Dad's grave just after it had been dedicated. We looked up into the sky to see the jets from the air base flying over. Just a chance thing but the one then dropped out of formation. How very touching to see that as we were laying our lost one to rest. The men flying that day will never know what them doing their job ment to us. I will forever think of Dad when I see those jets. Thank you for you service, and keeping us free, to say and feel what we want.