Before I left on my first tour of Iraq, I gave my wife, my mother, and my in-laws a Service Star Banner. What follows describes the Service Star Banner and is from: www.bluestarmothers.org

Display of the Service Star Banner first came about during World War I. During WWI and WWII most flags were hand made by mothers across the nation. One of the most famous flags was that of the five Sullivan brothers who all perished on the U.S.S. Juneau.

Each blue star on the flag represents a service member in active duty. A gold star is displayed if a service member is killed in action or dies in service. If several stars are displayed in one family the gold star takes the honor of being placed at the top.

Display of a Service Star Banner is done during times of war.

When my wife found out I was returning to Iraq one of her first comments was: “I will get out the star and put it back in the window.”

The star is a great reminder of the how many are effected when a service members goes off to war. To me the star is a declaration which should be acknowledged and acted upon. The support I get as a member of the armed forces is amazing. Even with all of the negative media attention, great Americans everywhere are deluging us with food, treats, clothes, toiletries, coffee and letters of encouraging thoughts and prayers. During Veterans Day and Memorial Day we are usually asked to stand for recognition. We are often acknowledged at sporting events. All of these are a great honor and very much appreciated to counteract all that is said on CNN or in most newspapers.

But what does the star mean to me. It means that my wife is a temporary widow, my son is a temporary orphan, and my parents have temporarily lost a son. Accordingly, I would ask that in following with what God has stated through out the scriptures and most clearly in James 1:27 ”Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep one unstained by the world.”

So the next time you drive by a car or a house and you see a blue star surrounded by a red border, consider what you can do to look after these orphans and widows. If you see a gold star waving from a proudly displayed Service Banner mourn with them.

In a letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am pressured by both.” Phil 1:21-23a I put all of my trust in the Lord and would be honored if a banner with a gold star waved gently from our flag pole by our front door, yet pray that my star remains blue.

Solis Deo Gloria

More thoughts to come