A Rant and a praise

You can't believe how upset this makes me. How dare these children act this way? They physically assaulted a man because he was going to say "God". These were all "Top 3" - Senior Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs): Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, and Chief Master Sergeant, and one of them was a First Sergeant. He's the guy who is supposed to maintain decorum during these ceremonies. These are the people who should know that a retirement ceremony is as sacred as the military can get, the ceremony exists to honor the retiree, his service, his family, the Air Force he gave up his life to serve, and the Constitution he swore to protect. They should be fighting for that man's right to free speech instead of attacking him for reciting a time honored speech.

And that man is demanding retribution.

To do this in a retirement ceremony is beyond disgusting... a gaggle of  Senior NCOs acting like street thugs in front of the men they are supposed to lead? This is the military equivalent of blasphemy. A Sergeant  is dedicated to duty, honor, country, and esprit de corps, not petty politics. The morale and discipline of this unit was just destroyed by their selfish, narrow minded actions. The United States Air Force has been weakened because these little boys in big boy uniforms that don't like God. Has the United State military fallen so far under their Impostor in Chief that it can't be salvaged? 

I made a deal with myself that I could rant on this blog, as long as I backed it up with a worthy praise, so here's my praise. My health has been failing, and part of my therapy is the treadmill, but now that summer is here I strap on my oxygen tank and go for a walk at lunch. Headphones on, Pandora set to country gospel I went for a walk on the same route I took years ago before the emphysema set in. 

My treadmill has an option for incline, but I'm not recovered enough for that yet, however God really likes the incline option, especially here in Colorado. Eventually I realized I was in a valley, not deep or steep by any means but I would have to climb up no matter which direction I went. Four years ago I wouldn't have noticed it's that shallow of a depression, but now it seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. I had resigned myself to take slow 'baby steps' to get out of my predicament. 

Just then Trying to get a Glimpse by the Cathedrals came on my headsets. Who couldn't get up a little hill with that kind of encouragement from God? It felt like God was cheering me on as I let the rhythm of this song life me up the hill. When I got up to level ground my heart was pounding and I was breathing so hard I thought my tank would collapse, but I made it, and I wanted to keep going! It's been a long time since I broke a stride like that, so I was excited and wanted more. However the next song was How Great Thou Art by Randy Travis. So I skipped past that hoping the next would be up-tempo but this time it was How Great Thou Art by the Oak Ridge Boys. Clearly Father wanted me to cool down, who am I to argue? So I took a leisurely mosey back to my office and was looking forward to my next adventure - maybe a flight of stairs?

Thank you Lord in Heaven for lifting me up literally, and then wisely keeping me from exceeding my physical boundaries and then going the next step and easing me back down. You are wise and powerful, and I am weak and broken, and in complete and utter awe that you would care for me on such a personal level. All power and glory are Yours!