And especially don't forget to tell 'em ...what?? Yes, what would you want 'em to be told??

Hold on, please ...let's back up a bit first.

They've known each other all through high school ...yet, his dream is to serve his country, and after graduation he enlists to join the military. 

He serves for two years, and is uncertain after that what he is going to do. But, one thing he wants to do is get back in touch with one of his best friends from high school.

There is nothing more endearing than this friendship, but the whole time there is a strong feeling to return to serving his country. His friend admires and respects this feeling, yet also expresses some equally strong feelings to be united with him ...by way of a request for marriage.

The wedding takes place, and everyone hears the vows for one to faithfully serve his country ...and the other to faithfully wait for the return of her soldier.

As her husband prepares to leave, she tearfully and lovingly looks her brave soldier in the eyes, "We'll be okay ...you just take care of yourself.  You know you have the bigger responsibility. You will be serving not only the both of us ...but the rest of our country."

Her husband has no doubt he has heard correctly, "We are going to have a baby?"

She lovingly touches his face, while gently resting her other hand against her stomach, "Yes, I am so happy ...and I love you so much!"

Tears come to his eyes too, "You have the bigger responsibility. If it were not for you, I would have nothing to fight for, or to defend. Now, I'm not only fighting for you and me ...but for the future of our child."

She squeezes him tight, "I don't ever want to let you go ...but we both understand that you feel you must. I don't ever want you to forget this moment ...and don't forget how much I love you!"

He gently rests his hand on top of hers, against her stomach, "Don't you ever doubt how much I love you too. And don't forget to tell our child each day that I love 'em. More often than that, tell 'em that you love 'em ...and especially don't forget to tell 'em that Jesus loves 'em."

She can barely get the words out, "I will ...but hopefully you'll be home again, so you can tell 'em too."

He holds her tight, "I hope so too ...but we both know, like every parent knows, and every soldier's spouse knows, that it is possible I will not make it home."

She cries, "I know, but I don't like to think about that.  I pray to God you will be safe ...and be able to come home."

He laughs, trying to not tear up himself, "I kind of prefer that too ...but if I don't make it home to you, I'll be waiting for you in our permanent home.  And if I don't make it back, make sure that our child knows Jesus ...so I can see 'em up there."

Three months later, the news comes ...that he will not be returning home. Vince dies in battle.

Vince performed bravely in battle ...he did not think he was invincible, to the contrary, he felt he was going to die.  He felt he had no alternative, since many of those serving with him stood to die if it had not been for his heroics.  Vince had no idea if he could save them, but he knew he must try.  He felt he had little chance to live, but they had a slight chance if he sacrificed his life.  And he died, not knowing that he'd saved many more than he'd ever anticipated.

Three years later, Cassie dies in an automobile crash ...but her and Vince's child survives in the protective child seat and harness.

This story certainly has much sadness to it, but the worst part is that their child, Chance, had no living relative to take care of him. Protective Services takes over at this point ...and sets him up in a home.

There are many good homes out there to provide for the homeless ...but, it so happens this is not one of them.

Chance is bounced around from home to home ...with seemingly the odds against him, not landing in any of the good ones.

Chance has a rough upbringing ...and does not have good examples to help guide his life. Discontentment and anger are not only familiar guides, they disguise all of life to be this way ...and the rule becomes not to trust anyone.

When someone tells Chance about God, he doesn't trust them ...and he certainly wasn't going to trust God.  How could he trust a supposedly loving God, who permits a life where no love is evident?

Chance gets in trouble, and trouble seems to be more prolific than rats ...reproducing and multiplying at an unbelievable rate.  And it seems to follow him everywhere ...as if he were the Pied Piper.

Chance had not been yet convicted of any great crime, so he is given a bit of advice from a person at Protective Services ...along with a tour of one of the prisons.

Chance knew he was not far from having to serve out some time for criminal behavior ...so he took the one option provided for him, to serve instead in the military. Protective Services also said there was one thing in his file that they had just found, that someone had evidently neglected to give to him.  It looked like a diary. 

Chance did not appear interested ...and just put it in his back pocket. But, it remained in his possession when he entered the military.

Chance did not find the military much different than he did the rest of life. He didn't understand the purpose of the war ...and all he could gather was that the enemy was much like he was ---discontent and angry.

This anger and confusion did not do well to assist Chance into battle. He felt that the other side didn't appear to care if they died or not, and he kind of felt he agreed with that sort of thinking.  And Chance's choices in battle reflected this attitude ...and not only jeopardized his own life, but also the lives of others.

Chance made one of those unwise choices, and he got badly injured. He would have died if not for the heroics of another soldier who lost his life in saving Chance's.

Chance had seen how the other soldier saved his life.  He didn't understand it ...and he honestly didn't know if he preferred it, as he looked down at his missing leg.  

He could move his other leg around well enough, but he felt no motivation to do so ...though the nurses told him he needed to exercise it, or the bed sores may seem even more intolerable than his missing leg.  Just as he was shrugging off that thought, he had got a pain on that side, and reached back to reposition himself ...and he pulled that little diary from his pocket.

He had never read it, and had mostly forgot he had it ...but for some reason he had always kept it in the back pocket of whatever he was wearing.

Chance opens it up, and is surprised to see very little is written in it. 

It reads:

"To Chance, from your mom ...Your daddy went off to war, not to fight, but to defend what we believe in.  You were not born yet, but before your dad left to serve, he asked that I tell you this: 'Don't forget to tell our child each day that I love 'em.  More often than that, tell 'em that you love 'em ...and especially don't forget to tell 'em that Jesus loves 'em.'  So, Chance ...your dad did not know what your future would be like, but he thought there'd be a chance he'd not ever see you ...that's the nature of the casualties of war. It may be difficult to grasp all this, but he knew if he never made it back home he'd still be able to see you some day if you could grasp the truth that Jesus loves you, and it is not by chance that He died for us ...to save our lives."

Chance looks down to where his leg is missing, and recalls how that other soldier was blown to bits to save his life.  He realizes at that moment that his leg is not the critical thing he is missing, but the understanding of the love that compelled that soldier to die for him ...and even more so, the love of Jesus that he feels he's about to begin to understand.

(Sometimes it makes all the difference when the love of those we feel should love us is revealed. If we can trust that love, we can more easily begin to understand love that is often lacking in other places.  Yet, if it is lacking in seemingly all areas that we know of ...there are still areas that we don't know of. Those moments when we are faced with kindnesses we don't understand ...we can reject them, or accept them.  If looked at with a slightly different perspective than we may be used to seeing, it can make a difference.  If we don't reject the love God has for us, in having sent His own Son, Jesus, to give His life ...it will make all the difference.  Yes, we can all accept the fact that we are indeed loved.)