Passing out snacks at the homeless shelter on Christmas was an honor. To be able to give out to those not in a home bought back memories. Memories of a boy 12 years old going down to the city YMCA one Saturday, a few days before Christmas. Than returning home with a full belly, new pair of shoes and a complete new outfit with coat and hat. .

That’s my story. Why I would take time out on Christmas to go and deliver snacks to the three hundred or so that spent their time without a place called home. It happened to JESUS. He was born in a stable and wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger for a crib. Someday it could happen to you. I hope not. However, I wish I could provide a full week in a place where the homeless could be made glad and complete. Even more than that day that my siblings and parent saw me return with a big smile on my face because someone cared enough to make a difference. This is shared with hope that you too will seek out ways to make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate outside of the house of worship.

As my son drove me up the coastal highway from his home in Portland Oregon, I could only imagine the outcome of this long-awaited return  to visit the army base at Fort Lewis, Washington. This would be another one of those trips of a lifetime. To return to the base where I had heard the voice of God speak so clearly to me so long ago.  I had already served at the army hospital in Fort Knox, Ky. I had one year remaining of being drafted and with the nation caught up in the Civil rights struggle and the split over this police action. I had finally been given my orders to join the troops fighting in Southeast Asia. The base at Fort Lewis was the Overseas Replacement Station. Many soldiers would not touch American soil again. The three months I spent at Ft. Lewis would etch memories in my mind that a lifetime could not erase.

This had not been on my radar until my  son was relocated into the area through his employment .
I had been privileged to make several trips of a lifetime, by the grace of God since daydreaming in second grade classroom listening to the stories of travel and the world around us.
I had driven across the Columbia river after flying into Portland a few days earlier. Now in the state of Washington, I was looking for a place to pull over so Sam could drive the 130 miles into the base. My heart began to beat faster but everything was looking great on this bright Sunday afternoon with clear skies and 70 degree temperature. I found a spot to pull over and give him the wheel. He told me he had made several trips to Seattle but had given no thought to the Fort or Tacoma.This was one reason I was glad he came alone. I could never forget some of the experiences that would shape my life because of the time I spent there. The relief came the day I heard the voice of God speak to me. He told me I was being discharged and also another soldier. Two months later, at that base, where I saw the rest of those in my Company process out a couple of days later, I was placed on hold, and discharged after being examined for my faith in God. (The other soldier had reunited with me there, a year after we were in basic training. He was discharged within weeks behind me. I called him before my trip and he reminded me how we reconnected. he had asked where a chapel was on base and he was directed to the one where I worshiped and told what time I would be there.)

As we neared the base, I thought about the possibility of needing a pass to get in. My veteran card was in my wallet but I had no particular clearance for this visit. I hoped it wasn’t going to be a let down. Maybe I should have contacted a congressman or other official. At the gate the guard asked for, “identification and whats your purpose”. I dug my card out and was handing it over when I told him I was from Tulsa, Ck and my son lived in Portland so I wanted to show him where I served in the Army. He looked at my card and told us he was from Broken Arrow, Ok. Than handing it back he stated, “Have a nice visit.” And he waved us through. As my son glanced over at me while we crossed the check point, I told him that a miracle. Of all the troops and at such a distance, God sent a neighboring soldier to let us in the gate.

My son smiled and drove around as l tried to remember locations and directions to spots that I could call hallowed ground, today. Everything was changed. After a couple of hours and reading sign posts we stopped a man walking with his little boy and asked some questions. He was probably a soldier but off duty. When i told him how long it had been since my service days he concurred that mostly everything had changed. My son saw Mt. Rainier at one point and suggested we stop and take a couple of pictures. It had been on an airstrip,at the base, on a clear day, as I walked across that field facing the mountain that I heard His voice.I agreed to stop. So we did. With the mountain over my shoulder he snapped a couple of shots. Than we went looking for a particular chapel.  I saw one that reminded me of the one where I had spent many evening hours of worship and Bible reading. We stopped there and took pictures also. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast so I suggested we find somewhere to get dinner. My son found the visitor center. We stopped to get directions and a map.Inside we remembered the government was in shutdown and Columbus Day was being celebrated on Monday so there wouldn’t be anyone to help us. At one point the memories in uniform flooded my mind and I had to walk out of the center to maintain my composure. Later, as I explained to my son, he answered that he knew the experiences were surreal and glad the Lord had bought me through them. Though we had prepared to stay over it would be useless now that everything would be closed. I made a call to a relative living in Seattle, who had decided to meet up with us when we got into the area.
We drove into Tacoma for dinner and text-ed him of our location. We hadn’t seen each other since he (now in his 40’s) was a child. I wasn’t sure he’d remember except we had connected on Facebook. The visit was grand as I introduced him to my son. He said he couldn’t forget my towering height. After dinner we also talked about his dad, Roderick E. Tolliver, Sr. As I listened to Rod fill me in about his dad, I couldn’t help thinking of the men who came home to a civilian world, but could not get the war away from them. And for years have had to fight with those memories, dreams and diseases contracted due to the experiences.

On June 29th 1993, from the effects of Agent Orange & P.T.S.D. Rod Sr. passed away at a Veteran’s Hospital in St.Louis, Mo. He was rewarded a Purple Heart  for his service in Southeast Asia. *

My prayer is that when our time on earth is up and we stand before the Almighty, He will see in our hearts and judge us for accepting the things we could not change, and changing the things that we could and listening to his voice loudly or quietly to follow and obey his leading where ever it would be. AMEN

*This writing to dedicated to the memory of Roderick E Tolliver, Sr.

As the day approach, pays to be ready. You may ask- what are you talking about? And my answer would ring out as certain as we came into this earth without any will or work of our own doing, we will leave it without any help to stop us from going. There are those who exercise skills that encourage recovery from incidents, accidents and harm however not a person has been able to outlive the duration of time.
Each person has a story that could be told. And many more stories are being told with the technology that exist to produce and record stories. Yet a time approaches that the stories are about lives that have passed on into history.Concrening the duration of time, not one of these stories tell of a person to survive just a thousand years. With all the knowledge in the world today, we have less than six thousand years of recorded history.
And what has been learned is that all who lived before us perished. It becomes common knowledge that we are here for a time and will leave when that event takes place. Therefore, as would be presented in formula as a Geometric conclusion you best be ready.
It is interested to note that people avoid this reality like a plague. The life that is lived so many began to believe they have something to control. It is with reservation that many attend a funeral (death service) because of the impact on the emotions.
those who have been around now just forty possible thirty years may see the acceration of knowledge and evil on the earth. This has even become a growing phenomenom. Yet, with the many discoveries in the vast fields everyone is dying.

With 365 days in the year, how amusing to see the preparations for the holiday (Christmas) on the shelves before the end of October.

I  waited, and now it was also apparent that the new word for the season leading up to Christmas is “Black Friday”. It starts the Thanksgiving rush and ends who knows when…  All sales are printed with rush information to be the first to get your specials and super sales only available  during Black Friday. There is little information about why shopping and gift purchasing is done at this time of the year. It is all about the tradition to shop and buy gifts.

Will you be caught up in this frenzy and make the coffers full of your sacred cash so they can promote their anti Christmas agenda. Look at the ads. Will you let this sacred season become a memory to the generation to come? One thing you can do is shop at the christian stores if you must go.Look for those places that promote Christmas in their ads and decorate with christian symbols in their stores.  Merry Christmas!!!

I gave my heart to the LORD as a young 19 year old civil rights activist, the week after the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  It was on Good Friday, that year, in my grandfather’s church (where he was Pastor). Within a week I received my draft notice into the military and it prompted a letter I wrote to Congress about the unconstitutionality of the Draft for men unable to vote..

What I hated as a young man (To become a Soldier) would become the cornerstone of my life as a minister. I have had to fight battles ever since. As a soldier, I was trained, tried and tested in my new faith. Because I was tall I had to have an extra long bed an uniforms. As a Combat Medic, I was challenged with working on my Holy Day at the post hospital. My first guard duty on base prompted a confrontation because I had already made plans to be in church. Throughout,  I have had to respond to challenges and temptations and struggles.that had I not had personal encounters with our heavenly Father would not have seen any victories. .

Now I see the call for duty due to the culture redefining marriage and the family our national heritage and spiritual compass in this century. In my first battle,  The Congress of The United States was prompted to draft and pass the 26th Amendment to the Bill of Rights. That amendment gives an 18 year old the right to Vote. It was made law in 1971. (My state Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana pushed it through Congress.)

Today, we are faced with a choice to leave this country better or in ruins for our children and grandchildren. We are faced with redefining our inherited way of life or anchoring and deepening our historical posture. Either way, a series of battles will ensue. We have waited till we must act. Are you ready for some action?