The Final Judgment
by Mike Mansi © Copyright
The paratrooper stood before God on that final Judgment Day,
The Lord would render a verdict, and then be on His way.
But God saw something within that soldier, a steely glint within his eye,
And He knew right away this paratrooper might cause Him to cry.
Never-the-less He asked, "Why should I let you in?"
The paratrooper paused before he broke into a grin.
"I expected to meet Saint Peter, just like the cadences we chant,
But to give a good reason to let me pass, sadly, I'm afraid I can't.
You see, I've been to Grenada, Egypt, Bosnia, and three times to Kuwait,
But I've only had the chance to visit seven of our fifty states.
Then there's Puerto Rico, Panama, and Korea, don't forget there's Iraq, too...
I've done some things of which I'm not proud, I must confess to You.
I've left my family several times to face their fears alone,
While I was fighting another's war, the making not my own.
I've shed tears upon hearing about the death of people I don't even know,
And yet, when my wife asked me to go for a walk, I often refused to go.
I've sacrificed much of my life, so that others might be free,
But cannot seem to find the time to spend with my family.
I've used the foulest language and even cursed Your name,
To get soldiers moving against their will, and of this, I am ashamed.
I know that in Your righteousness You cannot let me in,
As I've been trained all my life, I stand accountable for my sin."
The paratrooper finished speaking and humbly bowed his head,
Awaiting the Final Judgment, the silence filled with dread.
The Lord began to speak, with a voice as smooth as glass,
He said, "My son, you may enter, of course I'll let you pass."
With tears streaming down His face, He told the soldier why:
"My Son gave His life so you wouldn't have to die.
The sins you have committed are truly sins indeed,
But My Son already paid the price so mankind could be freed.
The sacrifices you have made were not made in vain,
You've helped to save a life or two, even through your pain.
Wicked men commit acts of evil in places they dare call holy,
Crimes committed against my children, the most helpless of the lowly.
You've helped ensure them a safer life, which is always worth fighting for,
Your chosen profession is sometimes rough, this Brotherhood of War.
You've sacrificed, you've suffered, you've fought for all you're worth,
But Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
You've trodden across pavement, gravel, and some sand, to fulfill your lofty quest,
The reward I have in store for you is better than the best.
You've punished yourself far greater than anything I can mete,
So enter into the Gates of Heaven, streets of gold beneath your feet."
The paratrooper grounded his ruck, his weapon and his gear,
Then presented one last crisp salute and wiped away a tear.
He began to move out smartly but paused while standing in the door,
The Lord gave a knowing smile and said, "I know what you're waiting for."
The with a voice He rarely uses, one that knows no limits,
He stood up straight and sounded off with a loud and thunderous,
"Ten minutes!"
An Explanation of "Ten Minutes!" by Mike
The Jump Master is responsible for the safe conduct of the Airborne Operation. As such, he is in charge of the operation from start to finish. There is a lot that happens before jumpers board the aircraft, but once aboard and en route to the drop zone, the Jump Master gives a sequence of commands that are designed to ensure the safety of the jumpers. The first command is the time warning. In this case, the command, "Ten Minutes!" lets the jumpers know that they should be over the drop zone in....ten minutes...lol. Immediately following that command, the rest of the command sequence is given, and these commands dictate when to check their equipment, when to hook up and check their static lines, etc...all this is done within the ten minute time warning. Once that ten minutes has elapsed, the aircraft should be over the drop zone and the Jump Master begins exiting jumpers...putting their knees in the breeze, so to speak. I can tell you, it's quite a rush...every time.
The imagery I was shooting for with that was, as the Paratrooper pauses in the door to the enter Heaven, God gives him the ten minute warning: in ten minutes, all his preparation will have been complete, and everything he's done has brought him to this pivotal moment. (I think any paratrooper, past or present, who may read this, will instantly understand).
Hearts of America
allows me to give back
to some of those troops
in the one way I’m
capable of doing.
__________________
Copyright © 2008 (pending) - Hearts of America. All rights reserved. |
