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Thinking Of Our Servicemen And Woman Overseas


Red Rotties

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Found this in the Daily Mail and it made my eyes leak...

 

A Candle in the window

 

A candle burns and flickers in the window in her room

The way it has each and every night,

And she prays that this will be the one that guides her husband home

From a land across the ocean, to its soft and welcome light

 

While the cold winds of December beat against the outside wall,

Safe inside, a young boy snuggles down to bed,

But no Daddy's bedtime story for a little one so small,

For his Daddy is a soldier and has gone where war has led

 

Its so difficult explaining just why Daddy isn't home

And why other boys have two grown-ups to care,

And why, when he wakes up crying, only mum comes to his room

And why all his friends have daddies, while his own is never there

 

And when she decorates the Christmas tree, why do the lights not work

And the wrapping on the presents look a sight?

And why is the turkey scrawney with a texture of chalk

And her hair one complete puzzle, that she can never get right?

 

With moistened eyes she thinks of strong and loving arms

And the warm embrace which overcomes all stress,

Oh, just to feel that sometimes when her world comes tumbling down

That he could be there beside her, just to help clear the mess

 

But tomorrow will be Christmas, when she'll watch her child at play

And brace herself to once more take the test

For although his chair will be empty on the day

She will look down into the eyes of blue, and know she's Heaven blessed

 

Then that night when all is silent, she will offer a prayer

For her God to show his grace and end the fight

So the man she loves may hurry home to find them waiting there

With a candle in the window and its light still burning bright

 

Dave Haley, Herefordshire

 

So thinking of our men fighting overseas at Christmas and the families left at home, a Thank You, and may your God keep you all safe until you are all together again. God Bless xx

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My freind Garri's husband went to Iraq in November, his second posting there :( he's not due leave until feb then will go back for another three months.

She has two young children who miss their Daddy very much.

Thinking of all the servicemen and women who are away from their loved ones.

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I'm very thankful to have my hubby home with me and for not having the dread of an overseas posting looming over us this Christmas as it was last year - we have friends and colleagues who will be spending Christmas away from their families and our thoughts will be with them and those they love :flowers:

 

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

HE LIVED ALL ALONE

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE

 

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE

NO TINSEL NO PRESENTS NOT EVEN A TREE

NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES AWARDS OF ALL KINDS

A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND

 

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING SILENT ALONE

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME

 

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER

NOT HOW I PICTURED A LONE BRITISH SOLDIER

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO THE FLOOR FOR A BED

 

I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT

SOON AROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY

 

THEY ALL ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY ALONE

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME

 

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE

'SANTA DON'T CRY THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM I DON'T ASK FOR MORE

MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY. MY CORPS'

 

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT I CONTINUED TO WEEP

 

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR SO WILLING TO FIGHT

 

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE

WHISPERED 'CARRY ON SANTA ITS CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT

'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT'

 

THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN BY A PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS

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