Come on Soldier <3
One of my favorite things to do when I watch the boys on Thursdays is to, quite literally, watch them.
Oh and listen to their conversations because…priceless.
A couple of weeks ago they were playing downstairs while I was getting Joel up from his nap.
I found them down in the basement setting up some kind of picnic of play food on a blanket. The meal was a bit complicated as it required many dishes and some kind of preparation in a box that was serving as the heating device.
Throughout the process, they called each other “Soldier”.
“Can you hand me the plate, Soldier?”
“Here you go, Soldier!”
“Thank you, Soldier.”
Somehow this added element of identification as a soldier caused the whole picnic/camping/cleanup game to have a strong sense of order and camaraderie.
I asked their mom where they picked that one up and she had no idea.
The next morning I got a text first thing from her that simply said….”Morning Soldier”.
Which is one of the million reasons I love our three kiddos…they never fail to make me laugh.
I think the echoing memory of their little voices has combined with a new song by Toby Mac about marching and moving on, and this phrase has become my current pep talk to my soul.
Like this morning when my eyes opened to an overcast Monday…
and I glanced at a calendar that is jam-packed for the next two weeks…
and I looked around at the stuff I didn’t get to over the weekend.
When I am tempted to shrink back and wave the white flag before I even get started, I say to my self…
“Come on Soldier!”
And it makes me stand up straighter and fall in and want to knuckle down instead of buckle under.
The whole thing is really pretty biblical…
Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become restless and disturbed within me?
Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence. Psalm 42:5 AMP
So I say to you today….
Let’s go Soldier….let’s do this thing…together…with God as our Commander in Chief as we…
journey onward <3
One of the songs from my childhood memories of Sunday School and Vacation Bible Schools is “Onward Christian Soldier” http://www.hymnary.org/text/onward_christian_soldiers_marching_as
1 Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
leads again the foe;
Forward into battle,
see his banner go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
2 At the sign of triumph
Satan’s host doth flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
loud your anthems raise! [Refrain]
3 Like a mighty army
moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
where the saints have trod;
We are not divided;
all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
one in charity. [Refrain]
4 Onward, then, ye people,
join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
in the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor,
unto Christ the King;
This thro’ countless ages
men and angels sing. [Refrain]
Thank you Sonja. So often we think of the old hymns as outdated, but if we look at the meaning of the words and transpose them into our own spoken ways…the struggles of believers to follow hard after Christ has been the story of the Church in every age. “We are treading where saints have trod”…amen amen <3 Little feet follow us. Let's mark the path well <3
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love it Soldier!
Thanks Soldier <3
The more you use it, the more you love it .... <3
In light of your message, how timely for me to be returning to my Priscilla Shirer study this morning on The Armor of God. I wanted to finish up a section that was incomplete. I’ll share something from Priscilla’s study that ties in with your message about us being “soldiers.” From p. 72;
“Your identity is your weaponry. Putting on the helmet of your salvation is akin to knowing who you are in Christ, fortifying your thinking with it, and living in a way that is congruent with it. When you do this, you break the enemy’s stronghold and also tap into the power to deflect future attacks.” Hope this helps someone today! Thanks for your blog, Laura, I mean “soldier.”
Oh that is very fitting! Thank you. I just picked up her book “Fervent” … powerfully inspiring! Bless you – and thank you for sharing. I join your prayer with mine that someone who needs to read those words today will find them here!