Thanks to all the soldiers

I have a friend whose husband has just left for a deployment that will ultimately take him to Kuwait (well, he's my friend too, but you know what I mean!).  I have been thinking of them and praying for them and all the other families who had to say goodbye from our region yesterday. 
Even though I blog, I also still keep a personal journal as well.  The following excerpt is from an entry in my personal journal on the day I left for Peru.  It has been on my mind today and decided to share it.

It was hard to leave the kids this morning...When I was on the train shuttling to my gate, there was a young soldier riding with me.  His face was solemn as he talked to the lady who was riding the train with him.  He said he wanted to get breakfast before he boarded, because he didn't think he would be able to eat on the rest of the flights over.  The way he said it made me think he didn't mean it was because food wouldn't be offered, but because he didn't think he would be physically able to handle it.  I am assuming he is being deployed somewhere, probably somewhere outside the states.  I followed him as he walked in that straight-backed, determined gait that soldiers often keep, even when it isn't required.  As I studied his back and his sober glances to his companion, I realized how selfish I am to be worried about leaving my kids for a week for a trip I chose to take.  This man may be facing the ultimate of unexpectedness and he has little choice at this point.  Since then I have seen several other soldiers in the airport and I have had to fight the urge to stop them and ask them where they are going and if I could pray for them.  Maybe I should.  I wish I would have thanked that young soldier on the train this morning, because even if he wasn't going overseas, he was serving our country.  He is serving for me and my family... Airports are interesting places.  We are here for different reasons, from different places, and arriving somewhere where we will part ways, probably forever, but for a few minutes or hours, we share common ground.