The Army calls

Arena our nearly 17 yr old daughter, has received her army papers. Her interview/appointment/physical is set for mid November. She will enter the army within a year and a half. With this I have (and she has) mixed feelings. When we first arrived in Israel 4 and a half years ago, we assumed our daughters would not serve in the army. Now after some time here, we see that the young women serving brings on a sense of patriotism, and also benefits the country. Personally for Arena, as a new immigrant, this will help her feel more integrated into the country, and also help polish off her new found hebrew skills.

They have many options of doing things in a godly manner. From the way they dress to how/where they serve. The young ladies can opt to do community service, and serve at a hospital or school as a volunteer. They can request a desk job, or become a combat commander (this is something I don't approve of for many reasons), or become a social worker. Arena is toying with the idea of being an army driver. This would absorb the cost of us having to send her to driving lessons. Driving courses and tests and finally the license here to drive, can amount to over $1000!

Any young woman who is married is exempt from mandatory service. Young men are required a minimum of 3 years, and young women serve for two. But if she would become married, she can leave the army. If they decide to study first, the have to give additional time in the field they chose...for example, if they study medicine, they serve additional time, paid, to be involved as a medic in the IDF. Arena is considering photography or computer graphics. If she would chose to study first, she will likely be put in the Media Dept.


Whatever she decides, can change subject to the army's needs. My prayer is that she is in a safe environment spiritually, socially and physically. I also pray that she is close to home, and can return home often. She and I have always been close. As a baby, she was nursed three and a half years, and been by my side for 4 births, cutting the cords of her younger siblings and being my postpartum nurse. We have homeschooled her. She has been my personal secretary, my babysitter, my best friend. So this time now of her leaving the nest brings me both joy and pain.

Oh and By the Way

My son, an IDF soldier in a combat unit, doesn't get to come home often. I really miss him, but I've noticed when he is home it isn't that I am with him that gives me so much peace...it is just that he is home. My heart is at peace knowing he is not on an ambush or a guard post in the West Bank. When he is home, I sleep better, relax easier, smile more, worry less, and feel less stress.
Today as we drove into town to do errands for him, we talked about what he does from day to day. It varies and changes as his unit moves around alot with many different functions. We talked about the coins he shot holes through at the shooting range, and about the food being so bad at the base, about the 100F + heat we've had this week, etc. We joked about the holes in the floor of his truck trailer they live in, having holes in it so big that someone fell through. He tells me funny stories of how exhausted they are from so little sleep, that he often talks in his sleep or guys fall asleep on thier feet.
My son has an interesting gift of being able to make light of any situation, and to joke under pressure, to make others laugh at him, or at theirselves. He is very positive and upbeat taking life as it comes, with a measure of humor. So as we joked about some of the uncomfortable things he deals with in the army, he said, "oh and by the way..." He went on to tell me how the other day, they went into one of the most very dangerous arab villages in all of Israel. They had gone in to serve arrest warrants to those who hadn't come to court. They were driving in full armoured vehicles, in full gear, with him a driver in the rear guard. Suddenly I wasn't laughing and nothing was funny. The reality hit me again, that every day I am praying, I never know just where he is, what he is doing, but that I need to be praying. I asked if there was anything interesting that happened and he said that some arab kids had thrown big rocks at them and one hit his officer but otherwise all went well. He laughed it off, and went on to talk about the food again, or lack of it.
Last night began Ramadan, the month long muslim holiday. We are often on hightened security during these times, and as the mother of a soldier, I am on full time prayer duty. We were reading the Psalms last night and came across a favorite...Psalm 121...He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps... oh and by the way, this also goes for the mothers of those who watch over Israel.

He Hit Me First!

I have tried many parenting methods. I can't say any one works better than another. In all honest confession, I'm becoming much too lax these days. In the beginning, when the children had scuffles, I'd often sit them down and talk it out and get to the bottom of it, who started it, what punishment needed to be rendered, etc. Now I don't have the time or energy for a full investigation. When one child comes to me and says "he hit me" and the other says, "he hit me first" I simply say to the one crying to me, "Then case closed, you got what you deserved."

I'm here to cry to the world, (in hopes that the international community no longer has the time or energy for more investigations), that "HE HIT ME FIRST!" Israel in fact, has taken blow after blow, and one of these days, she isn't going to wait for mama UN to come and settle it. Its not news when our Negev is hit continuously with rockets from Gaza. Today Israel showed even more great restraint. Yesterday Eilat took a beating with rockets and today it is our northern borders with Lebanon. So now Lebanon cries "she hit me" to big brother UN, and I hope for once, they would just say, "so you got what you deserved!"

Its a good thing for these terrorists that I am not in charge of this army. I am afraid after all these years of scuffles, I might just run out of patience with the instigators and wipe em out. But then again, I'm waiting for an even bigger judgement....the God of Israel, (blessed be His name) will no doubt render the proper judgement at the proper time.