Remembering Our Military and Their Families

By Dana Curtin

For many Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial first day of summer, but for those families who have lost a son or daughter, spouse, mom or dad while serving our country, or have a family member who has served or are serving in the armed forces, Memorial Day represents so much more.

Our troops and their families make sacrifices that most of us can hardly imagine.

When Jason was told he was being deployed I remember thinking, How am I going to do this here by myself? I was scared! I have a child with special needs and I have Lupus, Maria Rooks, wife of Captain Jason Rooks, US Air Force, explained.

I remember my husband and me praying, and the words he prayed got my attention, God we don’t know why this is happening, but we know You have a plan and a purpose.

Captain Rooks was deployed in March, 20ll, to Crete, Greece in support of Operation Unified Protector, supporting national and NATO security objectives by enforcing a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace. I praise God for a godly husband who prayed over his family before leaving for deployment, Maria commented. The Rooks have three sons, Alan Michael, 15 (who has autism), Alec, 13, and Dawson, 9.

God has become my everything! He is the one I run to when I’m scared, when I’m confused, when I’m anxious. I have hung on to Jeremiah 29:11. During this time of difficulty and uncertainty God has never left me or forsaken me. I have no family here, but God has blessed me with my church small group, who have become my family. I have a special needs son, but God has taught me. With God all things are possible, I have Lupus, but I have learned to hang on to Matthew 11:28: Come, to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, Maria said.

The most important thing we can do for any military family and their service man or woman is pray. Plan to take time out on Memorial Day and talk to your family about why this special day has been set aside. Pray together for any military families you know or for our military in general. Thank God for the many men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country and those who continue to step up to defend our country’s freedom.

(Dana serves the Keepers website as a contributing writer. Her hobbies are reading, scrapbooking and taking long nature walks with her husband and three children.)

(*Read the next article in this series.)