There are so many words that come to mind when dealing with life as a military family. Based on my years as a military mom with a son who served in the Marines, here’s a literal ABC to how I’ve experienced life in the military and learned from the experience:
A is for Active Duty.
For the men and women currently serving in our military, may we never forget that they’re putting their lives on the line for our freedom.
B is for the Bible.
By daily reading God’s Word, we’re equipped to love someone who serves.
C is for Call.
Each of the men and women in our military has answered the call to serve.
D is for Deployment.
We don’t like having to say goodbye, but we’re proud of those who stand by their commitment to serve.
E is for Example.
My son who served is my example—and my inspiration—when I face difficult times.
F is for Freedom.
Because they serve, we are free.
G is for God.
We are one nation under God. It’s to Him we turn for peace, protection and patience.
H is for Heroes.
All of our military men and women—past and present—are heroes to me.
I is for Illustrations.
For those of us with a loved one in the military, the face of war is illustrated by someone precious.
J is for Juggle.
Military families learn to juggle time, commitments and expectations to make life work when duty calls.
K is for Kids.
Military kids are the youngest heroes.
L is for Lonely.
The military life can be lonely at times—for those serving and those who love someone who serves.
M is for Maps.
Geography becomes real when someone we love is deployed overseas.
N is Never.That’s when our military men and women give up—NEVER.
O is for Old.
Welcoming a loved one home never gets old.
P is for Pride.
It’s that button-busting feeling we get when we tell someone that our loved one is in the military.
Q is for Quality.
No matter what anyone says, I believe our military is made up of the greatest men and women in the world.
R is for Respect.
Our men and women in uniform deserve our respect.
S is for Sacrifice.
Without the sacrifice of brave men and women, we wouldn’t enjoy the freedom we have now.
T is for Treasure.
Above all, military families have learned to treasure the time spent with those we love.
U is for Understand.
Military families understand and support the fact that their loved ones have a difficult job to do.
V is for Valiant.
It’s an old-fashioned word meaning, boldly courageous, brave and stout-hearted. It’s a perfect description of those who serve.
W is for Waving.
To a military family, there’s nothing more beautiful than the flag waving free.
X is for eXamine.
Before we judge our military men and women, and the jobs they do, we must examine ourselves.
Y is for Yes.
That’s the answer our men and women in uniform gave when asked to serve.
Z is for Zone.
Every military family knows the time zone where their loved one is serving and is always ready for a call.