Kaci's Ramblings

I pray this email finds you all so blessed!

You know, with what I've been through, people tell me all of the time how
very strong they think I am. But tonight I want to write about the strongest
woman I know.

I've been taught my whole life that the image to strive for is Proverbs 31.
I love that chapter. My pastor's wife, Kim is a very good image of that in
my life. I love spending time with her and learn from her continually. She
isn't who I am writing about tonight, though.

The woman I write about, I have known her for her entire life. I have
watched her grow. I have watched her hurt. I have watched her learn to live.
I watched her tell the world that she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior
I heard her tell me once that she didn't care if she never saw me again. I
held her brand new daughter in my arms and prayed that she would hold on so
she could hold her too.

The strongest woman I know, is my little sister. We haven't always had the
best relationship. I've lost years, literally, that I can never get back. Oh
I can name countless times we fought over stupid things. But I remember
wonderful things too. I remember dancing and singing to the New Kids On The
Block when they were oh, so cool. I remember sharing birthdays and clothes
and so many years of "Are you twins?" I remember sharing our first DC Talk
tape, I think it was "Nu Thang" might have been "Free At Last". Family
vacations, Christmases, all of it melted into one big ball of good and bad
memories.

But her strength comes now. She is such an inspiration to me. She is an army
wife. Her wonderful husband, Fred, is in the Army Reserves. They have 4
wonderful kids. The twins are 2 and the girls are 5 & 7. Fred is at an Army
base across the country right now, awaiting deployment overseas. This is her
second bout with deployment, Fred left the first time shortly after they
were married. This time, its harder, its not new, she knows what to expect.
This time, although she puts on her brave face, I see the hurt in my sister
s eyes. She's all alone, trying to play single mom to the terrible two's
times two and two wonderful, headstrong daughters. She comes up with the
greatest ideas to keep the kids close to their father in his absence. She
has laminated photos of dad at eye level where they can see him every day.
Her home is decorated in Army memorabilia, with, of course, a big yellow
ribbon around the lamppost in the yard. When the kids need comfort, they
have mom. Sometimes I wonder, who does an army wife turn to for comfort. I
know my sister loves the Lord, so I know she turns to God. And I know that
He will wrap His loving arms around her and give her that comfort she seeks.

I love you, Alicia. You and ALL the Army wives, are an inspiration to
Christian wives and mothers everywhere. Your faith, your strength, your love
..that's what makes the world go round. While our boys fight for our freedom
their wives fight at home. We owe our freedom just as much to the wives and
families of our soldiers as we do to those in uniform. God bless you, baby
sister. You are my hero! "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."
Philippians 1:3