Thursday, September 10, 2009

September 8th, 2009

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

This post is dedicated to my cousin, Mike Johnson. There are things in this world that we can be sad about. There are things we can be mad about. And there are things we won't understand. What I know for sure is that he is not sad or mad, and he understood what it meant to love his country, his family, and his life.

Mike is a U.S. Marine. Always will be. He served the past few months for our freedom in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, he and three other Marines were ambushed and killed in a situation we will never fully know. He paid the ultimate price. He laid down his life for his friends.

I recognize that the above verse references a different implementation of this concept, but I think Mike embodied its applicability today. An email he sent on August 14th reads:

Hey everyone,
I'm doing well out here. Everyday is a new challenge, which makes things interesting and the time fly by. Afghan national elections are in 6 days. We've really stepped up our presence out here and I think we are doing a pretty good job at keeping the bad guys at bay or on the run, at least in my area. I'll let you know after elections if that holds true. Hope everyone is well,
Love you guys,
Mike

His flag-draped casket was flown back to the U.S. last night. Because he was there, we don't have to worry as much about the 'bad guys' on our turf. He wanted to serve us and he believed in the mission. Semper Fidelis is the motto of the USMC, and it means "always faithful." That is why he stood by the mission. I do, too. My reaction is not anger towards the war...because I don't think that's the way Mike felt. My reaction is humble thanks towards those living out the above Bible verse.

Mike leaves behind a family that loves him to an extent that I believe he can now truly experience. He attached a picture to the aforementioned email that is symbolic. It was the view from the observation post above where he lived. It now represents his presence among us.


Godspeed sir...thank you.