Have you ever attended a welcome home celebration for our military servicemen and women? I have had the good fortune to have been one at Jacksonville's Naval Air Station when a carrier returned many years ago. Somehow my dad arranged for our family to get onto the base and watch this event. To this day, I have no idea why they let us in since we didn't even know anyone coming in that day. What excitement! What incredible joy among the families. I was glad we had paper towels in the car because I think we were all crying just watching everyone around us-- couples hugging and kissing, kids crying, planes flying over and all the men in uniform...It was an event that is as fresh in my memory as when it occured some 25+ years ago.
My nephew just returned on this ship--the U.S.S. Enterprise--from a tour of duty in the Middle East. [Photos above are from its arrival in Norfolk, VA last Friday.] His Marine aviator fleet, The Thunderbolts, disembarked at NAS in Jacksonville on Wednesday.
Our family attended a Welcome Home party and birthday celebration for him on Sunday. Lots of hugs, smiles and cheers for our young man in uniform. We were all SO glad to see him and relieved that he arrived home safely. [He will do more training in the U.S. and depart in January 2012 for another 6-month tour.]
Thinking of this reminds me of the Great Homecoming we will have one day in heaven, although there will be no more tears and no more separations from the Lord Himself and our loved ones who are believers. To quote a song, what a day of rejoicing that will be.
1Corinthians 2:9
...Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.
Revelation 21:4
...and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and there shall no longer be any death;
there shall no longer be any mourning,
or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.
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