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Thanks For Enlisting

Monday, August 18th, 2008 by Alyice

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill,
we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival
and success of liberty.” – John F. Kennedy

Growing up, I had hoped to never see a war, or the devastation of such, in my lifetime. The history lessons were enough to tell me that war destroys on so many levels: lives, property, natural resources, historical markers, hopes and dreams.

I wanted and needed to believe in peaceful solutions.

But the reality of our world told me that sometimes the only way to keep peace is to go to war. The only way to allow freedom of choice is to protect it through any means necessary. The only way to hold onto a system of justice that leans towards giving all men (man or woman) equality and dignity is to join forces in order to uphold those truths. And the only way to ensure the future of our children is to essentially fight the bad guys and win.

And that takes some very courageous men and women because, truth-be-told, not all of us are cut out for the job!

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The enlisted are the true heroes. They are the ones who join the armed forces knowing that they could one day be asked to go to war—to wound, injure, or kill another human being—in order to protect and serve the citizens of the United States; to protect our children, to provide a safe future, and to uphold the laws of this great nation.

And so today, as I reflected upon the words sung by Lee Greenwood in his infamous song, God Bless The USA, I couldn’t help but feel especially grateful that so many men and women have done what I couldn’t—and that’s to serve and protect.

Give thanks…

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Thanks For Recycling

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 by Alyice

I have recycled in one form or another for years. I sell and/or donate items that are in working or useable condition to places like charitable institutions, garage sales, craigslists, nice-as-new clothing shops, and used book, video and gaming stores. I locate places that will take broken electronics and other items that won’t break down naturally, like cellular phones, old computers, and ink cartridges. I use old boxes when mailing out prizes, orders, and gifts—provided they’re in stable condition, that is. I shred used papers as matting for our hamster and bird. And have just recently begun using old containers and jars as an artistic outlet.

But up until two months ago, I wasn’t doing much recycling here in my hometown because I didn’t know a recycling program was in place. I never could locate one. In fact, many members of the community weren’t even aware of the program until a little yellow slip showed up in our garbage removal bill. Since then I’ve been retraining my family on the importance of sorting our trash. (I say retraining because we used to recycle in the other states we lived in.)

And so this past Friday, as I took five trash bags full of materials that could be recycled to the curb, I couldn’t help but feel good about my little contribution to a cleaner, greener planet.

Give thanks…

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Thanks For Being My Kitchen Friend

Monday, August 4th, 2008 by Alyice

Yesterday my husband and I tried out a new church in Sioux Falls. At this church the pastor touched on the subject of “Kitchen Friends” and how every person on the face of the earth needs a few good kitchen friends.

He said that kitchen friends were people who knew the deepest, darkest secrets of your soul and loved you anyways. Kitchen friends were people who lifted you up when you were down, gave you praise when you deserved it, offered a lending hand when it was needed, told you what you needed to hear even if you didn’t want to hear it, and most of all stuck by you no matter what.

He said that kitchen friends really show the heart of God because they never give up on you. When other people turn their backs and walk away or when other people become too busy to care, your kitchen friends are the ones who stick around. They laugh with you, they cry with you, they work with you, and they play with you. They give you a shoulder to cry on, they give encouragement during both the good and the bad times, and they offer hope when you don’t feel there’s any left in the world.

When the pastor said this, my husband turned to me and jokingly said, “Where’s our kitchen friends?”

We’ve had many friends over the years—some good and some bad. But since moving to South Dakota, we still haven’t met anyone we could call, “Kitchen Friends”.

This morning, on the 18th anniversary of our marriage, it dawned on me that WE ARE EACH OTHER’S KITCHEN FRIENDS!

So today, as we remember the day we first said our vows, I want to take this time to publicly thank my husband for being more than just the father of my children and the bread winner of the family. I want to thank him for being my lover, my confidant, and my “kitchen” friend.

Happy Anniversary Baby!

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AlyiceEdrich.com
I'm a freelance writer, mixed media artist, SMVA, and the owner of The Dabbling Mum.

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