The Death of UBL (aka OBL)

Many people know of our American Hero (Sgt Buddy James Hughie) and of Buddy’s being KIA on the border of Pakistan/Afghanistan.  A number of them have asked me how I feel about the recent news of the successful mission carried out by US Navy SEAL Team 6.

Honestly I can’t say how exactly I feek about that.  The recent news from Abbottab, Pakistan has dredged up things in me that I thought I had long ago dealt with.  Anger, grief and a deep sadness.  Strangely, my first thought upon hearing the news was, “How sad for his children and grandchildren.”  Can you believe that?!  Then I felt guilty for feeling anything buy “HOORAY, HE’S DEAD!”  The Number One Terrorist in the world was a hideous human being.  No doubt or question about that.  His mind set and actions has caused untold numbers of people all over the world an unmeasurable amount of anguish.   Still, I can’t help but feel some compassion for his (innocent) children and grandchildren.  I thought, “another daddy gone.” 

All of us who claim the Christ as our Savior… how radically could the world have been changed if that one individual had been captured and also become a follower of the Savior?!  Can you even imagine the termoil that would have caused around the world?   Is it  likely that would have happened had he been caught?  Probably not.  Was it possible?  Well, that depends on who’s god you worship.  If you worship the god that required you to kill people who do not worship the same way you worship than it would never happen.  However, if you worship ad serve the One True God then yes, it certainly was possible.

Am I glad he isn’t around to plan and carry out more terrorit plotws against even more innocentws?  Abolutely!  But I can’t say I’m actually glad he is dead.

I must admit though… I never once prayed for that terrorist.  Not even once.  Sure, I pray (occassionally) for terrorsts.  I pray that they too will come to know Truth.  And if they don’t that they not be able to cause other’s harm before they come to THE Truth.

I know my thoughts and opinions are not very popular.  So what.

As for as releasing the pictures.  I don’t believe they need to be officially released.  They will eventually be leaked by someone.  I don’t need to see them either.  Our lives (my family) have not changed from this week to last.  There will be some other nut-job to fill his shoes that thinks their god needs them to kill for him.  How powerful is your god if he requires you to go around and kill those whom he created?

Dr. Terry Jones

I will not presume to know if you have heard the Word of the Lord as it relates to burning the Qur’an. 

I pray that you are crystal clear on the Message that you have received from Him.  If you are 100% clear that this action is of the Lord,you (of course) must proceed.  However, if this is in fact from the great deceiver then I pray that you receive revelation knowledge to that fact.

Holy Scripture tells me that His ways are Higher than mine and that I can not understand the mind of the Lord.  I surely do not understand how burning a Qur’an is showing those whom do not believe in Christ the Savior that He IS the only way to the Father.  Neither can I understand how stirring up more hatred is His way.  But it is not my “job” to understand what you are doing.  It is, however, my responsibility to pray for those in places of leadership.  I believe that for a season that is you Dr Terry Jones.  Pray I shall.  I shall pray that you have the strength, discernment and wisdom to follow the leading(s) of the Great I Am.  I shall pray that anything short of completely following Him that He will “interupt” you from any and all disobediance by the means He deems appropriate.  I pray that you have longevity of life.

1 Corenthians 8:7-13 speaks of us causing our brothers to stumble.  Additionally in Ezekiel 34 the Lord Speaks of the shephards’ responsibility as it relates to them (the shephards) causing the sheep to “not be fed.”

My family has suffered the deep sorrow that can only be felt through the killing (by a Taliban sniper) of one of our loved ones.  We miss our American Hero terribly.

Please take a moment to read what I wrote of those early days.  A series titled “DEATH AT THE FRONT DOOR” (parts 1-3).  It has been a very difficult journey to love those whom I can not understand. But in the end I have come to bettere understand that He IS in control and He does not NEED (nor require) me to help Him with His plan.

I am to love and pray and when necessary “shake the dirt from my sandals.”

Blessings to you as you remain obediant to His Calling.

http://mssc54.wordpress.com/our-american-hero/

MEMORIAL DAY 2010 – WE STILL REMEMBER!

Sgt. Buddy James Hughie

HUSBAND, FATHER, SON, FRIEND

KILLED IN ACTION FEBRUARY 19, 2007

TWO BRONZE STAR (medals) WITH VALOR, PURPLE HEART

Entered into eternal rest serving in Operation Enduring Freedom

Afghanistan, Asia

 

Killed in Action (KIA) with a single shot from a Taliban sniper while rendering aid to Afghan Army Nationals.  Sgt Hughie went where no other dared.  He saved the lives of two men who were of a different race, a different religion, who lived in a foreign land and they spoke a different language. In the process, his heroic actions cost him his life.  Sgt Hughie stepped out and went where others refused go.

We love him and miss him dearly.  If you have not visited  the links “Our American Hero” and “Sgt Buddy James Hughie” on this home page please take time to do so and get to know our American Hero.  He is the one we knew as Buddy, the one with the radiant white smile who was always willing to help you with whatever needed to be done.  The world is a little darker without Buddy Hughie.

Enjoy your freedoms for they are bought with the blood from our American Heros.

Major Nidal Malik Hassan

My father was a WW II veteran who served in the European theater.  He
carried shrapnel in his back from a grenade ’till the day he was buried (ten
years ago).

I am a seven year veteran of the US Navy with a 40% service connected
disability.

Our son-in-law (Sgt Buddy James Hughie) was KIA by a Taliban sniper in
Afghanistan.  Buddy was awarded two Bronze Star medals with Valor and a
Purple Heart medal. In fact after Buddy’s death there was a FOB established
in the area where he was killed and named in his honor, “FOB HUGHIE.”

We currently have a twenty-three year old nephew serving with the 114th MPs
in Mosul, Iraq.

Major Hassan (an army officer serving on active duty) takes the time to pick
out his weapon, fills out the necessary paper work, goes back and purchases
the fire arm, adds a scope to increase his chances of kill shots, goes to a
firing range to make sure he can operate his killing weapon proficiently,
chooses a place where military men and women are massed together, picks a
time of day when those service members will be gathered waiting, gets
dressed in traditional Muslim attire, loads his killing weapon in his
vehicle, drives to his chosen killing field, gets out and begins killing
UNARMED American service men and women while shouting terms associated with
Muslim Extremist Terrorists.

So other than Major Hassan’s US Army officer active duty status what sets
him apart from other terrorists?

Our family has sacrificed a great deal for our country.  Our family will
continue to sacrifice, serve and defend the Constitution of the United
States of America.

Please do not spit in our face and tell us you are giving us a bath.  We
know the difference.

Fatherless or Not?

Sunday was a bitter sweet celebration for us.  Little Cooper turned two years old.  On the one hand it’s difficult to believe that it’s been two years since his birth… and also twenty-one months since his daddy while serving as an Army Combat Medic was killed by that Taliban Sniper.

If you haven’t yet read about Buddy here it is http://mssc54.wordpress.com/our-american-hero/  also, these are most of the things on the internet about him: http://mssc54.wordpress.com/buddy/

Early on in our “journey” things were dark and difficult.  Grief is a very strange thing.  This grief is completely different from any other I have experienced.

You see, most people don’t know that Buddy never met his father… not once.  He was so determined to be the daddy to little Cooper that he never had.  We are so glad that he was home for two weeks leave when baby Cooper was born.  Those two weeks are precious to all of us.  Buddy was kinda selfish with his little son.  It was difficult for most anyone else to get some “face time” with new born Cooper.  Buddy was feeding him, changing his diapers, getting up in the night (letting his bride rest) all of it.  One of my favorite pictures is of Buddy burping Cooper with an empty baby bottle on the coffee table in the foreground.

Initially, I was comsumed with hatred for “those Muslims terrorists”.  Honestly I allowed myself to fall in to that trap of hating all Muslims. 

I won’t go so far as to say that I am probably like “most” people but I’m probably like a lot of people.  I have to be on guard not to lump all people of a certain “group” (be it religious, race, ect.) into the same steriotypicle thought process.

Not all Muslims have hijacked their faith into a violant blood thirsty belief.  Not all whites have the loathsum beliefs as the skin-heads or the KKK.  Not all black men are drug abusing, gun toting thugs.

However, I will admit, I do still have to purposely… intentionally have to check my motive when I interact with these groups of individuals.  The problem I have is knowing where to draw the line on my and my family’s safety and being so tolerant and accepting that I put my family at risk.

In the end I have to rely on one thing.  Believe it or not I have to trust in my relationship with the Trinity.  As I “seek ye first the Kingdom of God” I MUST BELIEVE AND TRUST THAT HE IS FAITHFUL TOO NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME!!

I can hear the thoughts of some of you.  Asking, “How can you say that when your God allowed your SIL, your twenty-three year old daughter’s husband, your three month old grandson’s daddy get killed.”

Admittedly, initially, this question has been very difficult for me to wrap my mind around.  It didn’t happen over night (or even a few weeks) but eventually I was “awakened” to the fact that God is God and man is man.  Man is inherently corrupt and violant in nature.  God is merciful, loving and all knowing.

God knew Buddy was going to be killed.  God knew that Alexis was going to be widowed at the age of twenty-three and left to raise their baby as a single mom.  God knew that baby Cooper was not going to have his biological daddy to raise him.

God also knew wha a remarkable family we are.  He knew that inspite of this tragic event we would look beyond the grief, that we would (ultimately) look to Him for our comfort and guidance.  God knew that this would draw us even closer, that this would force us to acknowledge the inner strength we each have and what amazing love and strenght we have as a family.  God knew that Alexis and little Cooper would buy a house in the same neighborhood as we live in.  God knew that we would be able to “input” into Cooper’s life regularly. 

God knew what tremendous heart ache, pain, anguish and yes even doubt this would bring into our lives.  However, He also knew when we (eventually) came out of the fog of our individual and collective depression and grief that we would be a beacon of light for each other.  But most of all our Lord knew (and stil knows) that we will rely on Him to guide us down the path of healing, health, love and acceptance.

Yes my precious little two year old grand son is without his biological father but he does have all of us but most importantly little Cooper has the most important father.  His Eternal Father, the One Who created him will never leave him nor forsake him!

Be blessed in the knowledge that no matter the tragedy, no matter the heart break, no matter the challenge, none of us are alone in that for the Savior has sent to us the Helper, the Comforter.

Biggots All

Have you noticed?

Have you ever noticed that “my” opinion is the only opinion that really matters?

Have you ever noticed that if you don’t agree with “my” opinion then you are:  stupid, naive, a hack, blind, racist, an idiot or any number of names “others” can think of?

Just read the blogs. 

I mean if you disagree with alternative life styles boy the names fly from the alternative life style camp.

And don’t even get me started on Christian verses Muslim or vice-versa.

Then there’s the white/black/red/brown/yellow know it alls.

Why is it that if you don’t hold “my” opinion it’s okay for “me” to roll out a list of names that are all about “you”?

Just curious how it is that “you” got so messed up.

The Impotent Church

I have been told that there are over three hundred thousand churches in the these United States of America.

I find that a bit odd.  I mean take a look at the condition of our society as a whole.  Sex and violence permeates every place you look.  You can’t even drive down the highway without seeing a billboard selling sex.  Well… of course they say they are selling cars, vacations, sun tan lotion, etc..   However,  the means by which their message is transmitted is through a picture of some scantily clad woman.  Even (or especially) if you pick up a magazine it’s the same thing there as well.  I was waiting in an area for to go orders in a restaurant a while back and one of the wait staff had the latest copy of Cosmopolitan laying there.  So I picked it up and began to thumb through it.  Wow, some of the advertisements in that magazine didn’t leave much to the imagination.  And if you want to know what the latest sexual craze or dysfunction in  your own life is just answer “these questions” to see where you fit in with the rest of the sexually charged people who have participated.  Now I’m not picking on “Cosmo” for I am sure if you pick up a mechanics magazine you will find the same thing… to some degree.

Over three hundred thousand churches and we who call ourselves “Believers” can not seem to make an impact in our own family, much less our own community.

Okay then let’s look at what season it is.  Well, now baseball season is drawing to a close and football season is ramping up.

How many hundreds of thousands of baseball and football fans do you think there are?  How many stadiums are there?  Not nearly three hundred thousand stadiums that’s for sure. 

Yet these zealots will arrange their lives around their favorite team.  I’m sure we have all seen some of them on television in freezing weather, bare chested, with their team colors painted on their upper torso.  Completely sold out for a bunch of guys trying to put the most points on an electronic score board.  You see them standing to their feet and cheering at the top of their lungs.  GO PELICANS!!! (or whatever the name of their god is at the moment).

Some of these zealots are “sold out” to what ever the current god is.  Football season, baseball season, hockey season… it doesn’t really matter what the god of the season is they want a piece of it.  They run from god to god trying to fill some void.  How sad for them.

I’ll bet  the towns who have one of these Franchises in them are thrilled!  I mean having a professional athletic Franchise in your town, well that is something to boast about.  

Mean while the homeless remain homeless.  The poor remain poor.  The hungry remain hungry.  And of course the “lost” remain “lost”.    Just like they do right down the street from the local churches.

I’m sure my pastor did a much better job with the way he spoke today.  If you desire you can listen to him free on itunes at www.legacycathedral.org

Integrity

My pastor went over this with the men at our weekly meeting and I thought I would share it with you.  The author is unknown.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The circumstances amid which you live determine your IMAGE…

  the truth you believe determines your INTEGRITY…

IMAGE – is what you are supposed to be;

INTEGRITY – is what you are…

IMAGE – is a photograph;

INTEGRITY – is the face…

IMAGE – comes over one from without;

INTEGRITY – grows up from within….

IMAGE -  is what you have when you come to a new community;

INTEGRITY – is what you have when you go away.

Your IMAGE is made in a moment;

Your INTEGRITY is built in a lifetime…

Your IMAGE is learned in an hour;

Your INTEGRITY does not come to light for a year….

IMAGE grows like a mushroom;

INTEGRITY – lasts like eternity…

IMAGE – makes you rich or makes you poor;

INTEGRITY – makes you happy or makes you miserable…

IMAGE – is what men say about you on your tombstone;

INTEGRITY – is what the angels say about you before the throne of God.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I have often found that most people are more concerned with their IMAGE than their INTEGRITY.  Your experiences may be different.   I am not talking about the business/corporate world but rather the individual person.

Most people are consumed with their IMAGE (appearance).  They must wear the right clothes, drive the right car, have their hair done a special way, eat at the right restaurants and go to the right clubs.  I even know people who go to a certain church because of it’s size and they can say they go to this mega church.

The people look great… on the outside.  How many of these same people will let the server at the restaurant know that they forgot to charge them for their desert?  How about if they get too much change from the cashier?  Heck I even know some (so called) Christians that would say, “The Lord blessed me!” if when they check out of a hotel they are not charged for the proper length of their stay!

Now don’t get me wrong, wanting to look good and have nice things is okay.  However if it is your main focus in life and it comes at the cost of others then the IMAGE these people seek so hard to maintain will one day be their down fall.

INTEGRITY however can not be taken away from you.  You own it lock stock and barrel.  You hold the deed to your own INTEGRITY!

I have come up with my own definition of INTEGRITY.  INTEGRITY is what you do (or don’t do) when you and God are the only ones who will ever know.  The motive behind INTEGRITY is simply to do the right thing at all costs.  Period.  No grey areas, no situational ethics here, just doing the right thing… all the time.

Muslims and Christians

 

            

Not many people will read this and even fewer will know that what I am about to write is absolutely the truth.

At 9:40 p.m., Monday, February 19, 2007 there appeared at our front door two men dressed in green uniforms.  Yes, they were to tell my twenty-three year old daughter that she is now a widow.  It is the most gut wrenching experience I have ever had to personally witness.  It is just like you see on TV and in the movies… “On behalf of the United States Army we regret to inform you that your husband Sgt Buddy James Hughie has been killed in action.”  As her daddy I just had to stand there and watch it all unfold.  I was powerless.  I encourage each of you who find your way to this post to GOOGLE “Sgt Buddy James Hughie” too see what a remarkable young man (25yrs old) he was at the time of his death.

But that is not the purpose of this post, I will reveal that later.

I never had a son and what most people don’t know about Buddy is that he never ever, not once met his father.  He didn’t know anything about him.  Buddy worked with me in my business for nearly a year.  Side by side each day we rode in that work van.  One day we sat down for lunch and he says to me; “Before we eat I have to ask you something.  I would like your permission to marry Alexis.”  That was just the kind of guy Buddy was, old fashioned, honest and not wanting to offend or hurt any one.

Buddy volunteered to go back to Afghanistan.  He had already made one tour and didn’t have to go back (yet).  I can still see us standing in my back yard, him telling me that he was thinking about making being an Army medic his career.  And I can still see in my mind’s eye me telling him (face to face) “yeh, but Buddy, don’t you understand there will be people shooting at you.  Right?”  He said that he would be okay.  And  ultimately on an eternal scale he is but it is very difficult for us.

I have run the course of emotions over the years.  The emotion or “character flaw” (in me) that bothers me the most is that I now have an inherint distrust of all Muslims.  I mean, it was a Muslim,Taliban sniper who shot and killed Buddy while he was saving (ironically) another Muslim’s life.

One day I received a forwarded email from a friend and they wrote “I thought you would like this”.  I read the email and it was  confirmed through Snopes that Tyson Foods, through Union negtions had given their Muslim employees October 1 as a  holiday instead of Labor Day.  I thought “so what’s wrong with that?”  I mean as long as they don’t get both paid  hollidays, what’s the big deal?  Then it dawned on me.  People have come to know me a Muslim hater.  My admitted hattred of Muslims would grieve Buddy’sheart.  My hatred would basically say to him that he was clueless about the people he gave so much to help.  Buddy really loved the Afghani people and they loved him.  The locals even made a beautiful wooden chest for baby Cooper and inscribed (with inlaid gold) Cooper’s name on top of it.  For dirt poor Afghani locals to make such an effort and sacrifice to honor a man who’s son they will never meet tells me volumes about their character and the character of the man they are honoring.

Here was the clincher for me.  I remembered Timothy McVeigh a caucasian, American citizen.  Although McVeigh was not a Christian but rather agnostic…  How can I hate ALL Muslims for what some extremists and yes even that lone sniper are doing if I am not willing to do the same for fair skinned people?!  I have come to understand that it is much easier for me to justify my hatred if my hatred is focused on an individual or group who is “different” than I.

I can’t imagine the difficulties that many loving and honest Muslims face day-in and day-out.  Over these few years I have come to better understand my (personal) biases.  I won’t be so bold to say that I have conquered them but I can say with a high degree of certainty that I do readily and purpousfully try to evaluate each individual or incident that I come into contact with based on the facts (as I currently understand them).

How can I BEST honor the legacy of Sgt Buddy James Hughie?