Jonathan's birth, short life, and death were a blessing to me, in spite of the pain."

...And I would add that this description is
true of most Peace Keepers in the military and law enforcement... I
know that from much personal experience.  I will never forget the visit
of an officer who is a professed Agnostic... At the visitation for my
son when he was killed... This officer showed up and came to speak with
me personally.  His appearance was so clean, polished, pressed and
sharp that he glistened.  I was so surprised to see this man from
another city that I asked him why he had come... His response was, I
came because of you!"...

And the response of several Peace Keepers to
the ICU where my wife lay dying... a retired Navy Chief in the room
with us...  a command level officer in the room with us... and two
Chiefs of Police in the room with us for a moment and then awaiting my
emergence from the room after Sue had died.  The care and support of
these men and all of the local officers and Peace Keepers from all over
the United States and all around the world was astonishing... All of
that support buoyed me up and strengthened me emotionally as my
Commander-in-Chief took me into His arms and carried me through all of
the pain and emptiness that followed the deaths of my precious wife,
Sue, my precious son, Jamie, and the very best friend of my youth,
John,  just a year ago...

I have been the recipient several times... I
have been an observer sometimes... I have participated far too many
times... It is these events that show the deepest, true nature of Peace
Keepers... nowhere in this world is there greater love on deposit than
there is among those whom I proudly call Peace Keepers... and my
Compadres... NOWHERE!
====================================================================
This week I have been thinking on several events from Biblical
accounts... These accounts involved Centurions... (a person somewhat
akin to a Master Gunnery Sergeant... an in the field, hands on, among
the troops, experienced and scarred supervisor of troops that is
charged with the safety of the personnel and getting the mission
accomplished.  In Biblical times of 1900 to 2000 years ago these were
Roman Army Centurions... the get it done supervisors of the occupation
forces... the mission accomplishing field supervisors who had been
through it all as they came up through the ranks... They had been
successful... They had survived much... Now they were entrusted with
the care of their personnel and the accomplishment of all assigned
missions... the main one the keeping of the peace in the occupied
country around Jerusalem which was populated with people who wanted
them gone.)

These Centurions have made me think on and
about all of the Sergeants that I have known from my first tough, old,
grizzled veteran in the Virginia State Police through all of them that
I have known right down to the one that I have worked with here that
overshadows all the ones that I have known before and since.  Working
with this man has been one of my most enjoyable seasons of duty in all
of my service.

I find it a joyable experience to review my
Biblical History and recall all that my Commander-in-Chief has done
with and for members of the Peace Keepers of their day over several
thousands of years... He has given to them blessings... guidance...
healings... strength... support.... and whatever messages that they
needed to hear... as well as answers to their prayers... but He never
told even one of them to stop being Peace Keepers... Some were
Generals... Some were Kings as well as Generals... Some were line
officers needing help... Some were the assigned leaders over many, many
people... some were youths just beginning their service... and several
were Centurions.  I have not found a place where He told any one of
them to stop being Peace Keepers...!

The Peace Keeper has a special place and
purpose in the heart  and plans of my Commander-in-Chief.  He and I are
most thankful, ETERNALLY, for your service to all the rest of the
people.

I send my sympathy and my condolences to the
families of the Blackwater personnel who were killed in Iraq this past
week.  I send the same sympathies to the families of all of the other
Peace Keepers who gave their lives for our good as they kept their
commitments on foreign fields and in the homeland.

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"  I know from much
experience that there are people out the who will try to take your life
simply because of who you are and because of what you do.  We need you
all.  There would be no peace and safety in this world... and no life
as we know it if it were not for you.  Take the very best of care of
and for you as you care for others.  Be especially careful to pay the
highest of attention to your spiritual welfare... Your spirit must be
healthy and strong for you to be successful.

Call of write if I may be of any assistance.

As it has always been... So it still is...

To subscribe to this free e-mail message for Peace Keepers, 
write to Chaplain D. R. Staton at chpln1@verizon.net or at 
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