my experience yesterday afternoon

I was sitting in front of the CVS in my town. Across from the big graveyard, and traffic was all jacked up. I was stopped right at the entrance for the graveyard.

I have to believe God put me there. At the time, I was frustrated though, a funeral procession was coming and I was late getting to the church. Car after car turned into the cemetary.

There was a family standing along the road at first, they had American flags in their hand and it looked like they were waiting to cross the street at the entrance to the cemetary. I though thtey had just visited a grave or whatever. Then more people started to walk up, each carrying American flags. As some of the people in front of me in the traffic got frustrated and turned down the side roads, I pulled up a bit further, looked down into the cemetary and saw two lines of soldiers standing at attention. My heart dropped. About 10 days ago, a soldier from the VA national guard was killed in Iraq by an IED. He was 24 days from coming home, had taken his wife's place to go (she was called up and he rejoined so that she could stay home since she was pregnant with their second child). The guy was part of my brother's battalion. They trained at the same time about 8 months ago. I looked further down the road. Jon's group was trying to get back to their base about a week ago to make it to the memorial there overseas. It was strange to think I was at the other end of a funeral that started in the Middle East. As I looked up, I saw the Patriot riders... the motorcycle guys that stop any protesters from showing up at military funerals and send-offs. They are there to protect the families of the soldiers.

The tears started to fall then as they are falling now. I then saw the TV cameras coming to the street from the graveside - Then, the hurst with the coffin, I could see the American flag draped across the coffin through the window as it passed by me. As it passed, and turned into the cemetary - the tears flooded my eyes. Time was standing still. Then Someone behind me honked their horn, as the traffic in front of me started to go and I was just sitting there, watching, wishing I had known it was happening in time to go as support, wishing I could hug his family and say Thank you.... Anyway, please pray for this guy's family.... I don't know how they are handling it... and please continue to pray for Jonathan... He is so close to the end of his tour... don't let up on the prayers for his safety!