I worked as a fire fighter for 22 years of my 30 year emergency services career. Every single day that I left the house to go to work could easily have been my last, and there were situations wherein I did indeed believe I was drawing my last breaths on this earth. Because of this experience, and also because my family has a strong military tradition, I have a very special regard for those who serve their country by serving in the military. Sometimes it is hard for regular citizens to fathom that uniformed personnel are prepared to forfeit their lives for perfect strangers - for you and me, good, bad and in-between. Our military personnel are certainly worthy of our attentive prayers for their safety and for the success of their ability to protect our way of life. For many of them, long after their career is over, they continue to pay a steep price for their service through both physical and psychological injuries. May the Lord bless and protect them, and bring them home to their families whole in body, mind, and soul. In Jesus' name. Amen.