If you know military families, send up more prayers for the parent who stays home. The stress of caring for home and family could lead to child abuse. The majority of the families are fine, I'm sure. Still, they all need our prayers. That is my focus this week.
I'm not an expert on this, but I did witness some when I was a Navy wife, thirty years ago. In my building, the neighboring apartment's bedroom met ours. I worked midnights, so I was sleeping. The baby next door kept crying and I heard the mother scream at her child. A pit opened up in my gut, swallowing my heart, but I didn't know what to do at twenty four. I laid on my king sized water bed, processing it. She didn't hit the baby that I could hear and eventually I fell back to sleep.
The mother, a somewhat mousey young woman, didn't say much in the halls. New England lent to a stand-off atmosphere, so, I left her alone. Looking at it now, I wish I had offered to help sometime. I imagined she knew I had heard her lose her temper and was embarrassed by it. She didn't live there very long.
Reach out as you can. Offer some free time. And pray for all families, but especially the military ones who are far from their own families and support.
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