BUT THERE IS A LINE SET THAT IT CANNOT DESTROY... THAT LINE IS COMPRISED OF THOSE WHOM I CALL PEACE KEEPERS... MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE MILITARY. EVIL MAY BREAK LINKS IN THE LINE BUT THE LINE WILL RECONNECT AND DEFEAT EVIL.
April 19, 1775... 234 YEARS AGO... The first shot of the American Revolution or the War of Independence was fired. Since that date a little over 1.7 million of our people have died in the service of the country to preserve that independence and this nation.
We human beings are a very greatly varied lot. Some are the worst of the worst. Some are the best of the best. A large number of humans live to satisfy themselves and their desires. Desires for the possessions of others are held in the Bible to be the basic reasons for all wars. Because the human being has the ability to think, make decisions and follow through to achieve the goals of those decisions and desires, the human being can be driven to do some very unacceptable things when attitudes and actions involve taking liberties, property and life away from others.
Cain slew Abel because Abel received an approval and a blessing that was not given to Cain. No matter to Cain that Abel had followed right attitude and actions... Cain could not accept that truth because his desires were to receive what Abel received without doing it the way that Abel had done it. Since he could not receive it that way he killed his brother... And people have been killing other people ever since, often for the very same reason... They want what they want but do not want to do the right things in order to get what they want by legal and peaceable means.
The United States of America was established because the people here did not want to be under the forced rule and dictates of other people. Our Founding Fathers wanted to build a nation that would allow each person to conduct his own business and seek his own happiness as long as the rights, safety and peace of others were not violated. They knew from the history of man that there had to be checks, balances and distribution of powers. They believed every person had a right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness without being dictated to by another as long as it was done peacefully and the rights and safety of others were not infringed upon.
We have had a violent history. We have been attacked by other nations. We have disagreed with other nations. We have attacked other nations when we disagreed with their actions. We have disagreed among ourselves and fought a war among ourselves. We are still trying to get it right... Or restore the right... Or preserve the right. We are still trying to present to the world and to keep for our own citizens a United States of America... And we are still involved in wars against the elements that would destroy our peace and our liberties.
And about 2 million of our people have died to gain it, protect it and preserve it...
Citizen soldiers who stood up, stood out from their contemporaries, and took whatever steps available to them to show what this nation is worth to them. They have come from all walks of life. They have been both male and female. They have come from varied ancestry, many colors and many systems of belief. They all said by their actions, I believe in this Country, therefore I act to protect and defend this Country with all that I have to give. Citizen soldiers serve in many capacities from Public Safety to the Military... From security in the homeland among citizens to fighting enemies that would destroy our homeland from outside it's borders.
Seldom does any member of the peace keeping forces know from where the life threatening attack will come. This week I received notification of five deaths in the line of duty, four of them killed by one man in Oakland, California in a very short span of time (another was killed in Montana). According to the news reports the four were executed because the criminal did not want to be hindered in his actions. We are still receiving news of deaths of Peace Keepers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Will it ever stop?... Not as long as people insist upon doing what they want to do, when they want to do it, even if it does damage to someone else.
Every Peace Keeper knows in their deepest consciousness that this is always an event that could overtake them at most any time... Yet they come and they volunteer for these jobs... They train hard and long... They accept the duty to which they are assigned... They go forth every day at home and in foreign countries because the oath they took said they would defend this nation and it's Constitution against all enemies whomsoever, foreign or domestic... And most of them closed their oath with the prayer, "So help me, God!
I did not personally know any of the five law enforcement officers killed, but they are my Family! I seldom personally know any of the military personnel killed, but they are my Family! We all share a kinship... We have taken a stand for peace and safety even if we must die to preserve or restore it. We do not go out to die. We go out to live and make sure that all other people get the full chance to live. A little over 1.7 million of us have died to keep our oath/commitment to our citizens... 1.7 MILLION!!! That is a mighty sure evidence of the attitude of the Peace Keepers of these United States of America!!!
Because people have the power to make choices, good or bad...
Because many people make bad choices that cost the rights and safety of others...
Because there would be no life as we know it if the Peace Keepers did make and keep oaths...
Peace Keepers live, and sometimes die, in dangerous circumstances so that this nation and it's citizens can go on enjoying the best possible way of life for themselves that is possible in this world today!
Evil may come but the Peace Keeper is there to face it and defeat it. Evil may come but it will not win because we have God-given men and women who take their place in the line of defense between good and evil to stop evil as soon as possible after it starts. Sometimes Peace Keepers give their lives for the good and welfare of all the rest of the citizens.
A loving God gave all people the ability to choose between being peaceful and doing good... Or being selfish and doing evil. He knew that some would choose evil. The first human family proved that. Therefore He provided this unusual group of people that I call Peace Keepers authorized under His government to be a blessing to people of peace and good will and to execute His wrath upon those people who will not live in peace and good will but seek to create problems and destruction for other people. All the rest of us live because the Peace Keepers live now giving their best every day... Or have lived and given the most they had to give for the good and welfare of all the other people.
THANK YOU PEACE KEEPERS!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! My Commander-In-Chief and I do so very deeply appreciate your service and sacrifice!!!
Peace Keepers, "BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!" ALWAYS be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary. Take the very best care of you as you care for and about others. See to the strength and well being of your spirit as well as all the rest of you. Your spirit must be strong for you to be successful.
Call or write if I may be of any service... Or if you just want to encourage me... Feedback encourages all who write... It helps to know we are reaching someone who reads the message.
This week I am running down. I am tired. My old, high mileage body is complaining.
My daughter is having a problem with retaining fluid and swelling. This could be a side effect of the long run on antibiotics. This particular one can do damage to kidneys. She has had a rough week. We appreciate the messages of good wishes and the continued prayers. Thank you.
"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN." Sun tzu
Training and practice are everything!
Without them, the best results are not obtained!
ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!
THEY SEE IT ONLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR ETERNAL
PAYMENTS OF SWEAT, BLOOD, TEARS AND LIFE FOR THAT VICTORY!
WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION TO BE ENVIED)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
[My injunction to be safe means doing all you know to do as you do your job... it means
doing the best you can with what you have where you are using all your faculties to get
the job done well and with good results conquering evil and keeping or restoring peace...
it does not mean to avoid duty and honor... it does not mean to cower or allow anything
to hinder you in the process of duty according to rules, law and ethics... it means that if
the demand takes your earthly life you destroy as much evil as possible in the process.
That is my definition of being safe... doing the best you can and leaving the rest to God
or whomever else is responsible... being best employed for the sake and protection of all
the things and people that we hold dear.]
I represent, write for... and give the credit to:
God the Father (my Commander-in-Chief),
Jesus Christ the Son (the Eternal Captain of my life) and
the Holy Spirit of God (my Eternal Teacher, Keeper and Guide).
In Christ I live... with Him and for you I serve...
And I rejoice that you are there whether you are Christian or not...
For God, Country and the Peace Keeper...
D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers,
Surviving Peace Keeper,
Virginia State Police Alumni,
RETIRED Police Officer Virginia Beach Police Dept.,
DCJS Certified Police Instructor,
Community Service Officer (Traffic Safety)
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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