Hometown Hero

Last week I was traveling along FM 2920 on my way to pick Anna up at school. She gets out at 1:00, and I'm usually timing it just perfectly to pull into the parking lot at 12:59:59. Well, as we got closer to her school, I could see in the distance coming toward us, a sea of motorcycles. We're talking, a BUNCH of them. I said, "Oooh, Rose, look at all the motorcycles!" There were men and women, all in their "Harley" outfits--jeans, leather chaps and jackets, do-rags, the whole she-bang. I'm thinking--a bike rally? On a Wednesday afternoon? That's weird.

As we approached a red light, I noticed that traffic was being stopped in all directions to allow all these motorcycles by. Okay, this is not a bike rally. Then I saw on each motorcycle, a yellow triangle which read "Patriot Guard Riders." A tear started to well up in my eye. You know that proud feeling you get when you hear the national anthem, or when you see footage of soldiers coming home?

When I see the news stories about our troops, or hear about more deaths in Iraq, it saddens me. But it's also as if in the back of my mind, those people are somewhere else. They're not here. They're not my neighbors. We pray for our men and women in the military every week at church, but this was different.

Later, at home, I googled the Patriot Guard Riders (www.patriotguard.org). Sure enough, this massive group of riders was on its way to Hooks Airport in Tomball. They were minutes away from escorting SSgt Jeffrey L. Hartley home. This 25 year old hero was on his 5th tour of duty in 6 years in Iraq when he was killed.

Then I thought again about these riders and their ministry. They are escorting these fallen American heroes, paying their respect, as well as shielding the mourning family from would-be protesters. These people have jobs, and busy lives I'm sure. Yet they drop what they are doing to minister and protect others, and pay their respect to families like those of Ssgt Hartley.

I'm like most people I think when I say I want this war to be over. I'm ready for our troops to come home. And I just can't imagine the sadness and desperation that these heroes' families are suffering. As soon as we think that we're over there for no reason at all, it's like saying that these men and women died for nothing. That can't be right. Please pray for the safe return home of all of our brave men and women in the military. Please join me as I pray that there be a peaceful resolution to this war.