At a recent men's group meeting we took one of those stress assessments: things that have gone on in your life; marriages, deaths, divorcces, changing jobs, and even the "good events" were ranked as stressful events -- things like retiring, a promotion, etc.
I was definitely in the top end -- the cancer, a son struggling with addictionl, a daughter off to Afghanistan, another retirement, etc.
I know that the Bible tells us that God does not put more things in our way than we can handle. If that be the case, God has a lot of confidence in me. God must know I can handle a lot of BIG STUFF.
So God, I am calling on you to back up what you said by shoreing and toughening me up. Come on, God, you can do it! In the meantime, God, no more tests! Please!
And then... my youngest daughter has just called me on the phone. She is boarding an airplane with her Army unit. They are headed for Afghanistan. I begin to be choked up... I tell her I deeply love her and that she will be in the prayers of her mother and me. Dread creeps up on me as we say "goodbye" -- which is, "God be with ye."
I write this poem:
her sweet voice
my youngest daughter
boarding a plane
to afghanistan
my daughter
part of
this empire’s
long
strong
and reaching arm
but something’s
wrong
daughters and
wives to war?
what have
we become?
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