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Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Prayer at 11? 11th hour prayer?

Lord, teach us to number our days that we might have a wise heart.

— Psalm 90:12

Two months ago, our associate pastor called attention to the fact that Sept. 9 was coming up, and it would be a special date. At first, the rest of us, thinking in letters instead of numbers, did not grasp that the date would be 09/09/09 — the only time in the year when all of those numbers would be in that repetitive sequential order.

Veterans Day will be marked this coming week — Wednesday, Nov. 11. In two years, however, Veterans Day will be on, numerically, 11/11/11.  Usually, Veterans Day services occur at 11 a.m. I have often heard it referred to as eleven-eleven at eleven, or 11/11/11. In two years, using that phraseology, there will be four elevens in a row. It will be a good century before that sequence rolls around again. I suspect none of us will be here to mark that occasion. Perhaps we will have come to 2111 with a wisdom so we don’t remember or have not experienced war.

This string of numbers caused me to reflect on aviators, soldiers, sailors, submariners and Marines, peace, Scripture and numbering our days.

The year in which we were born can have so much to do with our life experience. I think of those who, simply on account of the time of their birth, served in World War II, the Korean conflict and in Vietnam. There are those who, by birth, were of draft age between or after those wars. Life was different for them than those younger. 

Those who served in World War II are dying at an alarming rate each day. We had best say thank you while we can. I am sure someone has the statistics as to how many more World War II veterans will have gone on by Nov. 11, 2011. Again, say thank you while you can.

On Halloween, I was passing out candy to trick or treaters. There was the usual cast of characters — ghosts and witches. The next tier of usuals — Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Dora the Explorers, Spidermen — came as well. And yes,  there were those teenagers dressed as teenagers with a plastic bag for loot. One teenager didn’t even have a bag! Talk about a lack of imagination and initiative!

After the laid-back trick-or-treater, three siblings came to the door who showed great imagination. One had the small boxes of Kellogg’s breakfast grains glued to his shirt, with plastic knives piercing each little box. I didn’t get it. He told me he was a “cereal killer.” The eldest appeared to not have a costume at first, until a noticed about 30 cellophane rolls of candy disks glued to his jeans. The candies are called “Smarties.” I got this one — he was a “smarty-pants.” The sister looked like a box that had burst open, with all kinds of items coming out. I had to ask. She said she was a care package.  Clever. Then she said she was a care package to her dad who is serving in Afghanistan.

A totally different emotion came over me. Clever, yes, but her costume really was an offering, a tribute to her dad, and all of our soldiers. It was a visible symbol of care.

I asked when he was to come home. She said in April. That would be 2010. I hope on 11/11/10 he is safely with his family. I hope people will tell him thank you!

This costume has caused me to have this dad, and his wife, and his three amazing children, in my prayers.  Let’s not underestimate the power of a care package to a soldier. Let’s not forget the families of those who serve in very trying circumstances. Let’s not forget to remember these men and women and families in our prayers — on 11/11 and every day. 

The Rev. Jarred Hammett is pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Macon.