If you could spare a prayer.....

We are so saddened to hear this news.

May God hold his family's hearts in His hands, and may He comfort them in the days and moments when they miss him most.

And may God comfort his friends and neighbors, too.

And protect those who continue to be in harm's way.


Amen.

Shortstopmom......many prayers your way. So very sorry....his family will be in my prayers for a long time.

shortstopmom - I am sending thoughts and prayers for his family and those that knew him. I started to cry when I read your post.

SSMom - Your post left me with tears and chills as well. How very sad. Thoughts and prayers from KY for this gentleman's family, friends, and neighbors. May all of you feel support.

May the Lord give all of you His peace which truly passes understanding and remind you of His constant presence and love. I will be lifting up all who are involved in my prayer time this morning.

Tears and prayers from Louisiana.

May the Mother of these six children, the wife of this soldier find strength and comfort in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tears and prayers from Texas. May god bless all of the children and mom wit strength to get through this difficult time and god bless all of our soldiers and their families.

Lord, hear my prayer today for for a heart broken family.

Hear my prayer for the family of military families, and our friend shortstopmom.

Lord, grant peace to an angry and bitter region of your people.

SSM...thank you for sharing this with us. It saddened me greatly to read your post, but I also felt a sense of great pride for a gentleman who chose to serve, defend and make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I am so sorry for this young man, his young family, and friends. Of course I will add him to my prayers and thoughts. God Bless our troops, and as Thanksgiving approaches...let us remember to give thanks to those who risk their lives on a daily basis to serve our country.

How very, very sad.

Yes indeed. My prayers and thoughts go out for this man and his family along with my gratitude for his service and his family's dedication.

As a father of 6 children myself, to his children I say that you can never, ever comprehend the depth of your father's love for you. I didn't know your father, but I do know that by having you, all of you, that he was very deeply in love with each and every one of you. He will be watching over you for the rest of your lives (I know my father does). Rely on him, lean on him, ask him for help and advice...you will find much comfort in his enduring love. Keep the faith! Your father is around you and with you, always, from here on out.

Good morning to you all.

I am sitting here, my cheeks soaked with tears of gratitude.

Your amazing words, thoughts, and prayers have encircled me and my family like a blanket of strength & hope. For that I thank you deeply.

Last night was a hard night, and I felt of no use or help to the grieving family involved. I was overcome with the feeling of helplessness.
I turned to you all, mostly faceless strangers, almost instinctively, because you are the ones who, out of a bond for baseball, have exhibited nothing but true passion and honest loyalty to one another.
That is something to be treasured and valued greatly.

Most of you are mothers and fathers, we even have a few grandparents here, that I have become aquainted with over the past several months, and I know that you can feel our hearts break when we think of the six surviving children who have lost their father, and of their mother who is left to stand alone.

I think it would bring great comfort to the family if I were to print off all of these wonderful heartfelt messages from complete strangers, who sent such amazingly beautiful thoughts to them.
To know that there still is love and compassion in this world, may bring them some peace & soften some of the pain.

So with your permissions,..I will print off this message board and tuck it away on their front porch after Friday's memorial service, so that this heartbroken family may be lifted by amazing words from friends across the entire United States. Friends who took the time to unselfishly listen, to care, to help, and to pray.

~ We are so sincerely thankful & greatful ~

quote:

We are so sincerely thankful & greatful

shortstopmom, words alone cannot adequately express the gratitude, the admiration, and the feelings of anguish for that family. But words are what we have and what work best on the HSBBW.
The sacrifice they have made is beyond my ability to understand. Please rest assured that it is me/us who are so sincerely thankful and have heartfelt gratitude to that member of our military, to his wife, to his children.
It is me/us who are sincerely thankful and greatful to them, to you and to your family. Thank you for letting me/us be a little part of it and to provide some effort to assist in such a time of need. Thank you for reminding me that I cannot take for granted, for even a minute, the sacrifices that are being made for me/us.
The spirit of my mother has guided my life for past 30 years. As justbaseball said so eloquently, the spirit of this fallen soldier will guide the spirit and life of his wife and children from this day forward.
If there is any type of memorial/assistance that is established in memory of the father and for his family/children, I would be very greatful if you could provide that information. I know that I would find it an honor and privilege in providing what support I could for them. I think many members of our HSBBW family would also.

I applaude and cry for those who make the unselfish sacrifice to protect that of which we stand!

My thoughts to his family

Our prayers are with the brave fallen soldier and his family. Prayers as well for your community, and for you shortstopmom.

Please, when the time is appropriate, offer our sincere gratitude to this soldier's widow and children.

Such an unselfish gift that these brave soldiers and their families offer us...willing to serve and sacrifice for us...for our cherished freedom.



And a note to justbaseball...your strong, reassuring and loving comments obviously come straight from your large heart...you have captured the essence of fatherhood. This soldier's love for his wife, children and country is apparent. You enlightened us.

Thank you for this insight and for providing it to his children and to the rest of us. He is smiling down on you...

SSMom - I've been sitting here for what seems like an eternity because I just can't find the right words. Please convey my sorrow and gratitude to your frineds. Sorrow because it's such a tragic loss to go through. Gratitude because I'm ever thankful to the men and women who serve our country.

The sacrifices this family and many others like them across America are making is very humbling to me. We go through our day to day lives worrying about petty things until something like this reminds us of what is really important.

I hope you will offer my deepest sympathies to the family.

I just got back in town, and read this thread. It makes me absolutely breathless. Words cannot express the myriad of emotions that come to my mind and heart.

We deal with this everyday, with kids we know, and kids we don't.... then to hear about a DAD.

God bless all of our devoted people who place themselves in harm's way to protect our rights to live the lives we do.

Please pray for all of our sons and daughters.

AcademyDAD (scared, and yet **** proud)

++++

Our prayers to all involved also. As many have said, Thank you and God bless. May the family find a sense of comfort in the Lord.

SSM,
Prayers go out to your on base military family.

I was watching the news last night, I just can't stand it anymore.

G-d bless our troops, g-d bless the men and woman who sacrifice their lives for our country.

Last year at the post office, we purchased phone cards for the troops to use to call home over the hoiidays. I thought it was the least we could do, great idea, see if your local post office is doing it this year.

Remember our troops for the holidays!

I say a prayer every day for those in harms way. Today we say an extra prayer for the Colonel, his family and their friends.......

Like others, I'm at a loss for the appropriate words.

May God touch and comfort this family as only God can.

Our troops and yes, even the President and his advisors, are in my prayers daily.

Definitely puts our lives in perspective.

Thanks for all they do for our freedom.

shortstopmom,

Just know that your being there and providing your support, you are giving this grieving family much needed human love and kindness.

My prayer is that this family of a self-sacrificing soldier receive the love and warmth of God's comfort through the embrace of their own family and their military family and friends. May the passage of time provide peace to their lives as they remember their hero.

Thoughts and prayers from Texas. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the Colonel.
I hope and pray that Gods loving arms wraps around this family.

Words are paltry and small at a time like this.

For him to be snatched away just as the family was preparing for his return is unimaginable.

They will need strength, and I pray that the spirit that binds all of us graces them with that strength to hold onto one another through this dark time.

Please know, dear family, how much the Colonel and your work and sacrifice are appreciated.

You're in our hearts.

Prayers from Flower Mound Texas. Know that although people may be at a loss for words, their hearts are filled with concern for you, your children and other close firends. The Colonel will be in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for you. God Bless.

Several years ago a very close friend lost a child and I had no idea what to do. The following was sent to me and it made a difference in how I as a friend responded. It may help, or not, but it is offered with my prayers to the family and all those around them:

There's an elephant in the room.
It is large and squatting, so it is hard to get around it.
Yet we squeeze by with "How are you?" and "I'm fine…
And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.
We talk about the weather.
We talk about work.
We talk about everything else…
Except the elephant in the room.
We all know it is there.
We are thinking about the elephant as we talk together.
It is constantly on our minds.
For, you see, it is a very big elephant.
It has hurt us all.
But we do not talk about the elephant in the room.
Oh, please, say his/her name.
Oh, please, say "name" again.
Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant in the room.
For if we talk about his/her death,
Perhaps we can talk about his/her life.
Can I say "name" to you and not have you look away:
For if I cannot,
then you are leaving me alone…
in a room…
with an elephant.

Thank you Sir for your service and you and your family's sacrafice - may the good Lord hold you all lovingly in His arms.

.
There simply are no words...

...only a connection to a higher power, a bigger universe.

...only a faith, that a greater will and a higher purpose beyond our meager ability to understand has been served.

...only a commitment, to share and spread the same love that was shared with you.

...only a will, to fulfill the dream and the faith that was expressed in you.

Bless you for your sacrfice for our common good and may you all find peace.

Heartfelt thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to this heroic man's family and all those who knew him. May you all find comfort in your faith and the support of loved ones.

God Bless,
Ann

From the 23rd Psalm:

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

My prayers...
My admiration...
My respect...
My condolences...
My unyielding gratitude...

Words cannot adequately express what I feel for this family...this soldier...this patriot...and many others with similar fates, who are fighting to accept and come to terms with such a huge sacrifice.

May God comfort them and richly bless them.

...and help them, and all of our soldiers and sailors, to be at peace.

My heart aches for his family, but they have MUCH to be proud of... every painful thought should be accompanied with a sense of pride. The number of lives he made better on a daily basis is astonishing, as he gave the ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful and will keep thoughts of his family with us.

God bless them all,
My prayer's are with you sir.
EH

Sincerest condolances to this fine man's family, friends, and loved ones as they deal with this tragic loss. We are too finite to understand God's timing and/or purpose, but I pray they can rest in the comfort and peace that comes with knowing their beloved husband/father/son is out of harm's way forever now, and may their lives be blessed in the future.

ssmom, I feel what you're feeling. Having lived over here at Yongsan US Army Base in Korea for 11 years now, we know so many friends who have been called over to Iraq. We worry every day.

Prayers from 8th Army Country.

My prayers to the colleagues, friends and family effected by the death of your neighbor.

I don't know how soldier's families do it you must be a tuff lot. As I soon as I hear on the news, "And today in Iraq ....," I immediately change the channel. I can't listen to it anymore.

Peace.

Prayers from Virginia for your friends; how utterly tragic.

I regularly pray for our troops, but also the Iraqi people; as insane as it seems to me for some sects to just keep blowing up mothers, fathers, children, and babies, in the name, somehow, of their religion, how can anyone function at all when the next blast could be anywhere, anytime, for no reason at all?

May sanity somehow find its way to that region....

Prayers for SSM’s intentions… May his soul and all the souls of all the faithfully departed, through the mercy of GOD, rest in peace… Amen

Dear God please bless this family in their time of great loss.Our hearts are heavy. We are filled with love and thanks to another of our countrys greatest heros.

Please help us find the right answers to all the sufering and tragedy of this war.

our thoughts & prayers from NE Ohio


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