Thank a Soldier

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,HE LIVED ALL ALONE,IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,NOT EVEN A TREE.NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,SILENT, ALONE,CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.WAS THIS THE ROOF WHOM I'D JUST READ?CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,THE FLOOR FOR A BED?I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.SOON ROUND THE WORLD,THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,'SANTA DON'T CRY,THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,MY LIFE IS MY GOD,MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,I CONTINUED TO WEEP.I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.

'This poem was written by a Marine.

The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men,women, and Canadian Forces for our being able to celebrate these festivities.Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

I am glad to have my brother SGT Deric Long, 2-7 Cav., home this year, and I will hug him many times over. He was deployed last year and will be next year at Christmas, so I am going to cherish the time I have with him this year. If you know a soldier just tell them how much you appreciate them. It does not take much to go out of the way to tell them thanks! And it means so much to them, and helps them move forward knowing they are doing the right thing by serving our country. They are also doing a job that most will not do willingly, so a little thanks is a very small price to pay.

Thai Spring Roll 20-25 minute Recipe

4 spring roll wrappers you can find these in Asian Markets near you, I use 3 sisters brand.

8 medium shrimp, cooked and shelled, deveined

1 cup shredded red/green leaf lettuce

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber

¼ cup of matchstick carrots you can pick up at local market

Easy Thai Dipping Sauce:

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon of lime juice

3 tablespoons agi mirin

1/4 teaspoon grated ginger root

1 clove of garlic minced

4 tablespoons of water

2 – 3 tablespoons of peanut butter

1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro minced

Instruction:

1. In a large pan/bowl of luke warm water, soak a wrapper until it becomes limp. You will then remove the wrapper from the pan with water and lay the wrapper out flat. You will add 1/4 of each ingredient portion into the middle of rice wrapper, starting with lettuce. You will fold over each end and tightly roll the wrapper around the contents, as if making a burrito, then moisten at seam and press to close.
   
2. You will then lie all of the spring rolls on to a plate, and then cover them with moist paper towel and refrigerate until ready to serve, or you can eat these immediately. Then slice in two on a bias cut/sideways and serve with easy Thai dipping sauce.
   
3. To make the easy Thai dipping sauce, you will combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until it is a creamy sauce and then add to a small bowl and serve with the spring rolls.
   

 

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