Prayer for a soldier........

[vincewarde]

Hi folks - and thanks to all who take time to read this!
 
I Pastor a small (tiny really) church that serves families like my own who struggle with chronic pain/illness/disability.  I would like to request prayer for two situations.
 
First, the son of my Lay Minister and his wife is on his way to Iraq for the second time.  He was injured on his first tour and is dealing with chronic pain.  His Dad's health is poor and Mom has just been diagnosed with Cancer.  He solid believer and is with the 101st.  His name is Mike.
 
Second, I would like prayer for my own son.  He also joined the infantry in hopes of serving in Iraq.  Unfortunately he was injured in basic and now has a chronic back pain issue.  The VA is giving him a hard time.  He and his wife are currently living with us.  His name is Paul.
 
Thanks from the bottom of my heart to all who pray for them!

[fat tony]

This is for all the soldiers, fighting for freedom of the western world everywhere, including Mike and your son Paul, Padre( I hope that is the correct title, I am sorry if it is not) I recited this hymn by my father's death bed last year, he had originally joined the Belgian Navy in the immediate post WWII period serving on their small fleet of minesweepers and using his machining skills to maintain the systems, then migrated to Canada and became a Canadian citizen, then joined the Royal Canadian Guards, then transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, where he spent the majority of the remainder of his career. He was a P2 on the legendary HMCS Bonaventure for a time, and men of his type with hard core mechanical trades skills learned during the 1940's helped power Canada's coldwar machine.

Abide With Me.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.