| Author | Message | ||
     Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 269 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.56.75  |
Sometimes when you put your heart and soul into a project you believe so strongly in, be careful you may end up carrying a heavy load on your shoulders. I remember back when I was about 10 years old and I got into an argument with my father. He was wiser and wittier, but not knowing any better, and thinking I was right I kept arguing with him. There were moments when I pondered on giving up on what I believed was right. There were many issues we didn’t see eye to eye on, and so we argued a lot! I would later learn that my father wasn’t arguing with me, but he was teaching me how to hold strong to my beliefs, and if I was doing the right thing, it would work itself out! Last January Micah Slaughter (USSA) and I decided to take 25 injured soldiers and veterans to the Houston Motor Speedway for a ride in a race car at the end of this month. Micah told me he would take care of the event and asked me to locate the injured soldiers or veterans. I jumped right into the project thinking it would be an easy task, but I was really wrong!! I had no idea how hard it would be to find an injured or disabled veteran/soldier. It was like after serving our country they disappear off the face of the earth. I called over 100 veterans associations, numerous hospitals, and clinics, but no luck. I even contacted numerous “veteran” charities (wish granting charities like mine) and they couldn’t help me either. I became confused on why I couldn’t find them and decided to go back in time. I found a list of POW’s autobiographies, and read them all! I had no idea what these men went though while serving our country; but I was learning quickly. The more I read about the pain and suffering they went through the more I wanted to find them. I was on a mission and I refused to give up until I had the 25 disabled veterans. Doors started opening and than they were shut on me over and over again! The more I read about the injured veterans the more I refused to give up my search. I went to my board members and advisory counsel for advice, but they were as confused as I was on why we couldn’t locate disabled soldiers/veterans. Finally, about two weeks ago I had a serious talk with God. I told him I was handing the project over to him. I wasn’t giving up on the project, but the load was too heavy for me to handle on my own. Than one thing lead to another and God answered my prayer! Those tireless hours of phone calls, letters, faxes and emails turned out to be worth all the time and effort put into it. I wasn’t calling them anymore; THEY were calling me!! On April 27, 2007 twenty-five (or more) injured veterans will be joining Micah and me at the track. I will post the picture following this event. God bless you! Brigid O’Donoghue | ||
| Troy_jens Member Username: Troy_jens Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 Posted From: 24.181.99.149  |
We are thankful for those who serve as we worship He who saves. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened". Through tribulation and worry, we learn to trust in God. He reminds us that He is here for us, and that He wants us to take all things to Him. He reminds us that instead of us trying to do our work for Him, He would rather do His work through us. When we surrender to Him, we become available to Him. Great story Brigid. May God bless those soldiers and their trip to the track. | ||
| Autry Member Username: Autry Post Number: 410 Registered: 11-2002 Posted From: 4.227.32.52 |
Great Post Brigid and Troy! | ||
| Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 Posted From: 172.129.62.179 |
To all of my faithful soldiers. First of all thank you for serving our country and keeping our family's safe. Brigid thank you for all you do. I thank God for you. I Pray for you all daily. Thank you for all you and troy and all the others that have helped me and been their for everyone. You all are soldiers for Christ. Thank you God Bless yall Eric McPeake | ||
| Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 271 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.45.177 |
Eric, It is people like you and these injured soldiers that make us "soldiers for Christ". Pete Normington, Chairman of USSA’s Board, and I were discussing my trip to Texas for this event on Friday. While serving our country, his father was shot down twice in China, so this event is hitting home for him and his mother. He shared this story with me and it was very touching and I thought I’d share it with you! Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with permission of the school superintendent and the principal, she took all of the desks out of the classroom. The students came into first period and discovered there were no desks. They looked around and asked, “Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?” She replied, “You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn them.” They thought, “Well, maybe it’s our grades.” “No,” she answered. “Maybe it’s our behavior.” She told them, “No, it’s not your behavior.” And so they came and went in the first period, still no desks in the classroom. Second period, same thing and third period-no desks. By early afternoon, television news crews had gathered in Ms. Cothren’s class to find out about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of the classroom. The last period of the day, Martha Cothren gathered her class. They were at this time sitting on the floor around the sides of the room. She stated to her students, “Throughout the day no one has really understood how you earn the desks that ordinarily sit in this classroom.” She added, “Now I’m going to show you.” Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. 27 U.S. veterans, wearing their uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. And they placed those school desks in rows, and then they stood along the walls. By the time they had finished placing those desks, those kids for the first time understood how they earned those desks. FREEDOM! Martha said, “You don’t have to earn those desks. These guys did it for you. They put them out there for you, but it’s up to you to sit here responsibly to learn, to be good students and good citizens, because they paid a price for you to have that desk to sit in and to learn and don’t ever forget it.” God bless you! Brigid O'Donoghue |
