And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened closely, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for God's Warrior passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.
He will not be mourned by many, just his family and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though a hero died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?
A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps a pension, small.
It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago
When the soldiers of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?
He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
"Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today."
He seemed so lost -- "Where am I?"
was all that he could ask;
Then he heard a voice, the gate swung wide,
"Welcome home, at last."
"Oh no, this can't be happening ...
I really can't be dead!
I felt walls close in around me,
and then a pain inside my head.
"But I didn't want to come here,
I'm afraid of what I'll find;
I wasn't always good down there,
I wasn't always kind."
But the figure at the open gate
Took the soldier in his arms;
"There's nothing to be frightened of,
You're safe from every harm."
"But I killed a lot of people
at the place they sent me to;
Didn't want to do it,
Just what I was sent to do."
"You were just defending Freedom --
There's no blame, there's just reward";
Then he looked down at the soldier,
Who now saw it was the Lord.
"You've carried inward scars to long,
But I can understand";
Then he reached out to the soldier,
Opened up his nail-scared hands.
"Oh Lord, the people killed you --
You died for ME, MY sin;
and yet, you still can love me?
You still will let me in?
"I don't deserve such mercy,
With my shame and my disgrace;
I don't deserve to be here,
Or to look upon your face".
The Lord drew the soldier to him,
"On sea or air or land,
You've always been my child,
and I've held you in my hand".
"But what about my family?
The people I love so?
Will they ever come to understand
Just why I had to go?"
A smile came to the Savior's face --
"There's a secret I must share;
Even though you're here with me,
A part of you is there.
"They'll feel you in the morning
when the sun begins to rise,
they'll see you in the laughter
of a child's bright shining eyes.
"They'll see you in the best things
that their world has to give;
And they'll know because they love you,
you're gone, but yet you live.
"And when your loved ones need you,
your love and tender care,
you'll be right there to guide them,
And they'll always feel you there.
Because up here in Heaven,
the spirit's free to roam;
And you'll be the Guardian Angel
to your loved ones there at home".
The soldier felt like crying
but there were no tears that day
because, as God's Word promised,
all tears were passed away.
Then Jesus took the soldier
and He began to say,
"You're in Heaven's front-line, Gerry,
because Rangers lead the way."
