This was a recent devotion written by the chaplain from Andrew's company. I wanted you all to have the chance to read it.

THE AMERICAN WAY
5 JULY 2008

In New York City a mail carrier, shot by a sniper, is ordered from a building lobby because he is dripping blood. In Oklahoma City a woman gives birth unexpectedly—on a city sidewalk. Bystanders turn their faces. A taxi driver looks, then speeds away. A nearby hotel refuses a blanket. In Dayton, Ohio, a dozen people see a woman drive her car into the Miami River. They watch indifferently as the woman climbs on the car’s roof and screams that she can’t swim. The woman drowns. So many incidents like this have happened that the Chicago Sun-Times library now has a special file tabbed “Apathy.”1

In 2 Timothy, the author projects this judgment, “For men shall be … despisers of those that are good. I do believe that many today live in apathy, wary of doing good for others. Many are filled with a center of negativity that blackens every conversation about our nation’s politics, economy, the gas prices, and the neighbor’s dog whose girlfriend dog at the neighbor’s house is having an affair with the other neighbor’s dog. You get my point. It seems many spend too much time engulfed in negativity than the good.

Yet, I see many who are centered on doing good. Prior to our deployment, I heard a mom tell me that her major mission during this deployment is to coordinate the many who want to give support but just do not know how. What have I seen? Care packages galore. In those support boxes, I hear the hidden voice that that mom spoke of. I see the many doing good to reach out to Marines and Sailors who miss the comforts of home, the American way. This is the silent majority in America.

Let’s loudly proclaim our good. The American way is to reach out to others. The way of our country is to support those who need a hand dealing with floods, hurricanes, and other disasters. The way of our country is to provide food and shelter outside our borders to countries that experience tsunamis, earthquakes, and terrorism. The American way is rich with goodness.
My call to you is to continue doing good. Keep sending those care packages to your Marine or Sailor so that I continue to see their smile and hear their good stories about home. In addition, look out for each other. Support each other through emails or phone calls. Reach out to do good for each other. We are a country united that cares about doing good for others. It’s the American way.