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.