Sea bags–just looking at the picture of one makes me flash back to our son’s deployment. If someone close to you is in the military, you’re familiar with the green canvas bags they use to carry all their gear.
As family members, we have our own sea bags. They may not be the physical equivalent of the ones our soldiers use, but we all have them. And we pack them with what we need for our loved one’s deployment.
Today I’d like to share some things that I packed in mine to help make our Marine Corps son’s deployments more manageable.
1) My own personal prayer team.
For me this wasn’t a formal team. It was a list of all those I could call on to pray regularly for our son. They were also people I could text or call if I was worried about something.
2) My deployment journal.
Through both of my son’s deployments, I kept all my thoughts in a specific journal. I still have it to this day, and the prayers in it served as the basis for my new book, While My Soldier Serves (Worthy Inspired 2015). The memories locked in that small leather book are precious and I’m so glad I saved them through journaling.
3) Business cards with our son’s mailing address.
During our son’s first deployment, I was amazed at how many people wanted to send him packages and letters. Early in that first deployment and during his subsequent deployment, I found an easy way to handle this. I printed up business cards with his mailing address and kept them with me in my purse. I bought blank business card sheets at the office supply store and did them myself for very little money. It was so helpful to be able to hand someone a card when they asked for his address.
4) Others who know what I’m facing.
These would be people who’ve also had a loved one in the military. They can be close friends, or people in your church and community that you can reach out to. Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. was an invaluable resource for me. This group of mothers with children in the military has chapters all over the country. You can find one nearby by visiting their website.
5) A list of devotional books, blogs, websites and other resources.
There are many good resources out there for those with a loved one in the military. It’s important to connect with others who have dealt with the specific stresses of having a loved one deployed. Some of my favorites include, Journey Through Deployment by Kathryn Sneed.
