Coincidence? Nahhhhh

Last night, I went downstairs to lay in bed with E to read and talk (she was still awake). Hearing movement above us, I went upstairs to see who was up. R told me that he couldn't sleep; his mind was racing. Assuming it was about work, I told him to just tell himself that he can't do anything until tomorrow- now he can rest. He then told me that he kept thinking about Dave. He was concerned for him.

When I can't seem to stop thinking about a person, I have learned to take that as a prompting to pray for that person.

I encouraged R to do this, too. I asked if he would like for me to pray with him? "No, but thank you." So, he spent sometime last night praying for Dave and his unit; his family; the Marine's families. R understands the tight stitches sewn between the ventricles of family and duty as he served in Gulf War I. He, too, was separated from his family in service to his country and the people of Kuwait.

This afternoon I was driving and listening to NPR. They played a spot from the BBC News announcing that Marines in Fallujah had been involved in a two hour battle when terroists set up in a Mosque attacked them with anti-aircraft. One Marine was reported to have lost his life in the fighting and eight were wounded. Immediately my thoughts went to Dave. I hoped and pleaded with God for his life and then prayed for comfort for the fallen Marine's family, whoever he was. I then remebered last nights incident. Then recalling the time difference, I began to wonder the exact time of the attack.

Checking the Baghdad time, I was able to calculate that there is an 11 hour difference between my local time and Baghdad. The fighting took place shortly before noon (Baghdad time). If I count back 11 hours, from just before noon, I have midnight our time- only an hour earlier R was feeling restless.

I'd like to think that even if Dave wasn't engaged in the action today, that R's prayers weren't for naught. Marines in Fallujah benefitted from a brother submitting himself to the conviction of God to pray for them. God does, indeed, work in mysterious ways.

Dave, Marines, Airmen, Soldiers, and Sailors, we haven't and we won't stop praying for you.