February 20, 2008
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Another Son In The Military?
I spoke with my 19 year-old son Jason tonight. He is seriously contemplating the military, again, only really this time.
What do I think of that you may be asking yourself. A mother with three sons in the military already. Well that is a difficult question for me to answer. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.
The very selfish part of me says that I want him to say no and to stay here forever. (that thought won’t surprise P. OBrien since I want all of my children to stay around here) But the rational part of me (yes Patrick I do have a rational part and I do take it out once in awhile for an airing) knows that it is his life and only he can live it.
I also know this son very well. He needs the discipline and order of the military much more than he needs the freedom and immaturity of college life. The strict training and orderliness of basic training is something that I feel all teenage boys should experience. But after basic training is another matter. The relative freedom that he shall enjoy after “work” hours is something that my boy does not need.
But then again, maybe the experience will grow him up enough so that the freedom won’t be to him the temptation that I fear. I know that I will be praying just as hard as I have been since the day that he was born. I know that, again, it’s his life to live and I cannot live it for him or tell him how. So I will pray, pray, pray. And let him know that I am here and that I love him just as I do for his other brothers.
Comments (3)
I’ll pray too. I can’t imagine how you feel right now. My brother will be sworn in after his graduation in May and my mom is wrestling ferocious heartbreak and expounding joy all at once.
He needs something like this. I think it might be just the thing for him, it will bring the fight out in him. Tell him to go combat arms, though, not some POG job.
Hello Ms. Ann,
You worked hard to make your site simple yet elegant. The pictures are a nice touch. I see that your son is considering a military course. We are the ones who believe that course is contrary to basic Christian principles!
I want to help people to really get to know what God’s plans are for us, especially in these troubled times: 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21) (NIV) I like to write articles about God and religion on my site. I hope you get a chance to look at them.