Waiting for Caleb's Belongings

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death and I will fear no evil.
Your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Words cannot describe my feelings right now, as I await the arrival of the moving van with my son's belongings, his car and his motorcycle.

How can I do this?
How can I watch as this truck makes its way to my home with everything from my son's world?
The world he left a little over three weeks ago - anyway that's what the calendar says.
For me - time only tells me that he is not here.

I awaited the moving van's arrival a few years ago when he came home.
It was exciting and I anticipated the moment that truck would come rolling down my street.


It came again when he re-enlisted.
Not much to load.
"Travel light" was his motto.
I stood in the yard, and watched as the truck left...
he was off on a new adventure, this pathfinder son. He was following his dream, his destiny.
He was ready.

I was at peace. I knew it was what he was meant to do.
I prayed -
Godspeed my warrior son.

I don't know what to expect today.
Right now, I feel sick at my stomach.
Tears sting my eyes.
I'd like it all to be a dream.
But, I know it's not.

I know my son will not be coming home with his stuff this time, and that is
almost more than I can take in.
There must be some mistake.
Only I know there isn't.

I've never been down this road, and right now it seems like a movie being played out in the reality of my life.
I'm living a part I can't get away from.

The Lord is my shepherd.
It's not just a saying - he really is.
He has to be.
His rod and his staff they comfort me.

I know the meaning of walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
It is a valley right now.
It hurts.
But, I can't back out.
I can't walk away.
I have to walk through it.
There is a shadow...I don't like it.
I'd rather the sun being shining bright, and the world be like it was...
However, nothing is the same.

Death, where is your sting?
Love conquered all.
Hope lives in my heart despite the shadow.

My heavenly  Father has not failed me - ever.
He will be with me.
He will uphold me with the right hand of his righteousness.
His peace and his love envelop me.

It is where I am.
It is where I am called right now.
I can do all things through Christ who is my strength.
His words are life to my bones, and health to my being.
The healing balm of Gilead is mine.

Selah.

Thank You For Honoring Caleb's Life

Dear Friends,

Two weeks ago, Wednesday, Februrary 27, at one am in the morning two Marines came to our door. The news they brought changed our lives forever. It doesn’t seem like two weeks ago, because time stood still that morning.

“You have many decisions to make,” the company commander spoke to me on the phone. His soothing and assuring manner helped me gain my composure and know that I could do what I had to do.

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. Many decisions were made to honor my son, Caleb.

Today I am thankful for his life. I thank Caleb for being the giving person he always was. I honor and thank him for serving his country because he loved it and believed in what it stood for. I know he willingly gave all. I thank him and will always regard him in the highest of honor for being a man of integrity. Most of all I thank him for being Caleb. Our love for him lives on.

Our utmost thanks to so many people who showered us with love. To so many who showed gratitude for Caleb’s life.

My neighbors on Paradise Drive lined our street with flags. I have the best neighbors in the world. Thank you.

When, we arrived in Burlington following the funeral car, people holding flags lined Lincoln Street,  Rose Avenue, all the way to the funeral home.  Your allegiance to my son’s life meant so much.

I understand there were flags everywhere in the community. Flags were flown at halfmast in honor of my son. Thank you everyone.

The ride to the cemetery is something I will never forget. There were flags and people along the whole route. Children, elderly....I even saw a couple of bull dogs – the Marines mascot. Huge flags, small flags, children holding signs, people with their hands on their hearts, people saluting….

There were even flags on the fence around the cemetery.

Thanks to the VFW who welcomed our Marines and us and treated us so kindly, opening their doors to us.

Thank you to Pastor Eric Kilborn, Kirsten and Free Life Church. Thank you to Pastor Ron Lee, Kathy and E-Free Church. To Pastor Joe Berry and Sharlyn for commemorating Caleb on your churchsign. Thank you to Pastor Bill Viergutz and Daphne, Jon Reevers and Jenny, Doctor Jason Barnes and Amy – we are all the body of Christ. We were humbled and blessed by all you have done for us.

Thank you to all who came to our home and helped make things easier just by being here. Thank you for all the food, paper goods, and the many beautiful flowers and plants.

Thank you to all who called and for all the prayers. I know they have helped tremendously.

Thank you to Burlington High School – Superintendent Tom Satterly, thank you for working with us. Thank you to all the teachers who took part in helping make things go smoothly for the service-Eileen Jones, Andy Salvador, Russell Gramm, Steve Poet and his class, Miss Yowell and her class. Thank you Judy Rainbolt for watching out for us. Thank you Mason Witzel, MacKenzie Reeverts and Jon Reeverts for decorating the halls in red, white and blue.

Thank you to the students who lined the halls, and silently and respectfully stood, while the Marine Honor Guard brought our flag draped casket to the gym.

Thank you to Mason Witzel, Hudson Lee, Adily Hendricks, and MacKenzie Reeverts for videoing and taking pictures. Thank you Susan Corliss for taking pictures  as well. These will be priceless treasures for us in years to come. You all are wonderful. We go way back and you all are like family.

Thank you to the Police and Sheriff Departments and the Patriot Guard for having our backs and taking care of business.

Thank you Bryan Russell for working with us. Thank you for standing with us and making decisions on our behalf concerning the media.

 Gratitude fills my heart. Words don’t seem adequate. I am honored to be part of a caring, patriotic community. There is something about grassroots America, farm country - and her heart for our military, and our country.

Our Marine family was overwhelmed by the support our community paid to Caleb. “You don’t see this hardly anywhere, anymore.” Many of the Marines present have been to funerals of other fallen Marines. They had never seen such an outpouring of support and love.

We have been in touch with our Recon Marine family, and they continue to tell us how meaningful being here was. Those who couldn’t come have asked how everything was here. Our Recon Marines tell them about a community who showed their respect for Caleb, and for our country. To these men, it gives hope for our nation

 The memories you lent to these Recon Marines will stay with them a lifetime. You stood for what they fight for, for what they are willing to lay down their lives for.

Thank you to all who came to Caleb’s service to celebrate his life. We wanted to share the Caleb we knew. He loved his God, his family and his country. He filled our lives with laughter and challenged us to be more than we thought we could be– not by what he said, but by how he lived.

We plan on continuing to live that challenge.

I am proud and blessed to stand for that freedom, and am grateful to be part of a community willing to stand and honor a man who knew that freedom wasn’t free.

Caleb gave all.

God bless you all.

 Again, thank you.

Caleb Medley’s family – George and Diane Homm, Nathan, Josiah, Collen Medley, Melanie and Marshall Thomas