My Greatest Honor

Honored he was, when his alarm rang loud,

It was time to wake up, and do his country proud,

His thoughts were of others, not of himself at all,

He was happy to serve, glad to have answered the call,

He knew from the time, he was just a boy,

That serving his country, would bring him great joy,

He often dreamed, of that distant day,

When he could start, his debt to pay,

He felt a great debt, to his country he owed,

So many freedoms, She on him had bestowed,

Many before him, had given it all,

Now it was his turn, to answer the call,

Away to boot camp, he did depart,

For 8 weeks he trained, with all of his heart,

He quickly learned, how to serve his Nation,

While TRACEN Cape May, was his duty station,

The weeks quickly passed, and graduation day came,

A new title he’d earned, Coastie was now his name,

His first set of orders, he soon was given,

Aboard the Cutter Patoka, he was to be living,

He instantly asked, dear Lord just why,

I don’t understand, did my steps go awry,

Am I being punished, for something I’ve done,

Or do you have a greater purpose, as life’s race I run,

He soon came to realize, God was in control,

God had a plan, though his life seemed so droll,

He struggled to trust Him, as his job he carried out,

But it wasn’t a mistake, God had sent him this route,

His mindset soon changed, and he began to understand,

God had a reason, and was surely in command,

The Patoka’s crew, was now his missions field,

He daily prayed, a great harvest it would yield,

A great honor it was, his country to serve,

She had given him freedoms, he did not deserve,

But a much greater honor, it surely was,

To sincerely serve his Savior, and make Christ his cause,

He felt a great debt, to his Savior he owed,

So many blessing, He on him had bestowed,

But this debt he never, could truly repay,

Only Christ’s blood, could wash it away,

Now he was free, his sin debt was paid,

It no longer on him, so heavily weighed,

Paid for in full, on Calvary’s tree,

Christ’s blood was shed, that all might go free,

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

- John 15:13