SURVIVAL...
may depend upon a combination of several factors...

Skill - those abilities that you possess... From talents that are naturally yours... Abilities that you have learned by the experiences and training that you have received... To the condition of readiness that you have achieved by honing the natural and learned abilities to a high degree of proficiency....

Timing - Doing the right thing at the right time... Not too soon... Not too late...

Grace - Some call this facet luck... Others call it coincidence.  Grace is unlearned, unearnable, undeserved favor... These are those things that happen to bring things out in your favor when it should have gone the other way and you probably should not have survived... But you did survive.

Assistance - help received from some one or more people in your support system that gave you what you needed to be able to survive when you could not survive on your own.

I have experienced Grace many times in my long career.  I just should not have survived but I did.  I experienced it also in my young life prior to becoming a Peace Keeper.  I am remembering those incidents as I write today.

In times of conflict we cannot depend upon grace, nor luck, nor coincidence to give us a good result.  Therefore we must learn all that we can and train until we are proficient in dealing with all of those known possibilities that we could face... And pray that we also receive grace and assistance for the unknown possibilities when they arise.

The first of this week I finished a period of time that lasted just over three weeks.  This extended period tested all of my skill, faculties, knowledge, talents and faith.  It was a long grueling time of great stress, little sleep and few breaks from the grind... The breaks came only when I was too fatigued to continue or when I absolutely must have food and rest to continue.  It was also a time that would have turned out badly had it not been for the Grace of my Commander -In-Chief being manifested to me whenever I cried out for assistance in those places where I had done all I could do and could not achieve more unless I found a missing piece or received inspiration and imparting of guidance and thought heretofore not learned by other means.... Receiving knowledge not gained by the usual means of learning but by the means of direct imparting (like having a light turned on in a dark closet... Suddenly you see what you never saw before... or Suddenly, you knew where to locate an item that searching had not been able to find).  During this time I prayed a lot for revelation about numerous things that I needed and things that I could not find.  By the end of the time I had received all that I needed and found all that was missing... Including strength and stamina... And beat the deadline by 45 minutes... timing.  Very good experience for a grueling, stressful period involving much effort and many prayer requests to my CIC for help.  Often my prayer was "HELP, FATHER!" and I would tell Him what I needed... He did for me what I could not do for myself... Every request for the help I needed was answered... allowing me to achieve the results and beat the deadline.  Skill, timing, grace and assistance.

It is taking a lot of time for me to recover from the grind after the stress was over and the deadline was met.  I managed to return to work the next day, Tuesday, but was not able to work the day following that.  Wednesday, when I awakened, I just could not make my body function.  I had worked 18 hours straight covering the demands of two jobs which were unavoidable once the day began for me on Tuesday.  Wednesday I rested because fatigue demanded it... I just could not function... The pressure was off and I had to do what I already knew to do... I had to rest... He was not going to supernaturally keep me going when all that I needed to do was to rest and use the principles that He had put into motion for all of us to learn and use. 

Thursday I was back to work again... And again on Friday.  Friday was not a hard work day but it was a long day to endure with much driving, going to specific places on errands rather than the usual patrol duties.  When I arrived home I sat down and immediately fell into a deep, restful sleep... Much like coming in from a grueling battle and going to sleep right where you fell down into a heap while still in full gear.

Today I am taking care of office work and evaluating how and where to make adjustments to life and schedule in order to retrieve the stamina I had before these grueling several weeks.  When I was a young man I never saw any man my age working the ways and hours that I work... Never.  In my long career I have known only one other man who had the stamina to work so hard at the same age as myself and I was privileged to speak for him, at his own request, when it came time for his  Celebration of Life.  He sent me word before his death that I was to do it for him.  He was an inspiration to me and I greatly admired him.

In this past week I have received much mail of care and concern from many of you about my daughter, Donna, and her health.  Some of it was from medical people who had recommendations to assist her in care and recovery.  Some of it was from others among you who were sending care, concern, love and prayers.  Some of the messages contained a gift.  It is an awesome thing to be a part of such a family as the family of peace keeping and those who support us in our endeavors.  It is even more awesome that you take the time and make the effort to send a message embodying that  care, concern, love and prayer to us to encourage us.  One message was even written in the form of a poem using the things that the author had learned about me in the weekly messages and personal correspondence.  It was deeply touching and greatly uplifting.  We thank all of you and each of you for the prayers and the communications of care and concern.

Donna came home and immediately started receiving home health care from visiting nurses.  It is quite an ordeal for her.  She is very uncomfortable and experiences a lot of pain from the large wound and the wound vac.  When the sponge is changed it is much like having a raw wound poked into with a sharp instrument... The pain is excruciating.  This time she is on two antibiotics through the PIC line and it would be great if this were the last time she ever had to do this.  The large pocket of infection that was excised was tested and found to be MRSA.  Through inspiration this past week I asked her to resume taking an herbal compound that I was furnishing to her in the past.  Her adrenal gland ceased being so active and her extreme blood pressure and high heart rate both decreased.  During her time of being able to do very little activity she has done a lot of praying, meditating and soul searching.  She has received guidance and inspiration to try and pursue a career in nursing and wound care when she recovers.

I have watched what news I could in this past week and it seems that the world will never let up when they get hold of some detrimental piece of news concerning members of the Peace Keeping community.  They are still trying to beat Blackwater to death with words and innuendo.  I learned long ago to be patient when I do not know all of the facts.  I also learned to be compassionate.  Even if you learn that all of the bad news is accurate, just do not be quick to judge.  All of us in peace keeping have at some time done something that would appear to be wrong if it were broadcast through the media to anyone who wants to look and listen.  Even when you are right in all aspects it can still appear to be wrong to anyone who was not there in the moment it all took place. 

I believe in Truth and Justice.  Sometimes both are very hard to find.  Often it takes great patience and much time to see both come about.  I believe every Peace Keeper, every peace keeping organization and all of those in our support systems will always come out well if we do the best we can do and always seek Truth and Justice in our lives, careers and activities.  Truth and Justice may not always be obvious... They may not come soon enough to suit us... I serve a great Commander-In-Chief.  He is a God of Truth and Justice.  He is the Chief Justice of the Highest Court... and He will judge on the Truth because He knows all the Truth and He will judge fairly.

As a chaplain I have been with police officers in events that when brought to light in the form of a complaint appeared to show the officer as being wrong.  My training and experience connected with me being in the event with the officer has more than once changed the apparent course of decision because I could witness to the facts of the event and point out evidence that exonerated the officer I was with.  There have been times I was accused of doing things that I did not do and was able to give the evidence that supported my not being guilty.  It was a very rude awakening the first time I was accused and found that it was up to me to prove myself innocent when all my accuser had to do was to make an accusation but was seldom required to produce evidence nor go through the great effort that I was required to make in order to prove that I had acted correctly.

To all Peace Keepers of law enforcement, the military and security contractors and all of the support systems... I have this word of encouragement... Do the best that you can with what you have where you are and leave the rest to God or whomever else is responsible... But keep good records and good notes just in case you have to give a response to some accusation that is fired at you and your efforts to keep the peace.
You are a target in more ways than literal shooting battles.  There are people who will try to trip you up in any way that they can.  Some will even try to entice you into compromising situations. 

Good notes and good records are to be kept for two very important reasons...
1.  It is for the knowledge and welfare of the organization in which you work and function... They do not know if you do not tell them... Reports are their lifeline.
2.  CYA... cover your own posterior... No one else can or will do that for you.

THANK YOU for who you are and for what you do and have done.  This world would be a terrible place in which to live if it were not for you and all that you do and have done.  This world could not function as it does and our way of life as we know it could not exist if it were not for each of you and all of you being there and doing your duty.  My department is half way through a current basic academy.  We have already lost 7 of our recruits with ten weeks to go.  It is getting harder and harder to find the caliber of person needed in peace keeping today.  My Commander-In-Chief and I are so very glad that you are there.  We deeply, eternally appreciate your service.

Maybe some day our world and our governments will learn that if you want the best to go out and risk life and limb you have to pay them a good salary and give good benefits... Plus give them good support when they are injured and are still alive but can no longer function to support life and family. 

I have always been amazed at the amounts of money we pay the athletes and performers compared to what we pay peace keepers, teachers and clergy.  I know as I write this that some day I will not be here and neither will you.  We will either be removed through some event that stops our ability to serve... or we will no longer be living here.... but I will continue to do what I can while I can... the rest will be up to you who are still active and others that will take their place in the line after us.

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"  Always be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary.  Take the very best of care of you as you care for and about others.  See to the needs and welfare of your spirit as well.  It needs to be strong and healthy for you to succeed.

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

"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN."  Sun tzu

ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!
THEY SEE IT ONLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR ETERNAL
PAYMENTS OF SWEAT, BLOOD, TEARS AND LIFE FOR THAT VICTORY!

WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION TO BE ENVIED)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
[My injunction to be safe means doing all you know to do as you do your job... it means
doing the best you can with what you have where you are using all your faculties to get
the job done well and with good results conquering evil and keeping or restoring peace...
it does not mean to avoid duty and honor... it does not mean to cower or allow anything
to hinder you in the process of duty according to rules, law and ethics...  it means that if
the demand takes your earthly life you destroy as much evil as possible in the process. 
That is my definition of being safe... doing the best you can and leaving the rest to God
or whomever else is responsible... being best employed for the sake and protection of all
the things and people that we hold dear.]

I represent, write for... and give the credit to:
God the Father (my Commander-in-Chief),
Jesus Christ the Son (the Eternal Captain of my life) and
the Holy Spirit of God (my Eternal Teacher, Keeper and Guide).
In Christ I live... with Him and for you I serve...
And I rejoice that you are there whether you are Christian or not...
D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers, 
VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ALUMNI,
RETIRED VB Police Officer, Certified Police Instructor,
Community Services Officer
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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