Friday, May 18, 2012

Sweets for Soldiers

Did you know that Israel uses a different calendar than the rest of the world?  They count their years all of the way back to Creation.  For us, the year is 2012 and for Israel the year is 5772.  Interesting, isn't it?

Israel celebrated their Independence Day April 26th, but the rest of the world observes their day of Indepedence as being May 14th.  This is due to the difference in the way they count the length of their years.

This is very captivating information but also helpful to understand why we had a two-week time frame that we spent congratulating Israel and their soldiers on their independence.  During those two weeks we stayed busy passing out these:
For those of you who participated, these were your notes to the soldiers!  And let me tell ya... you really touched the soldiers' hearts with your words of encouragement and support.  The Jews just do not hear that they have friends.  Unfortunately, that fact just is not widely published and they are genuinely grateful to hear that we really do love them and support them.

Israel, we support you!  We love you!  And there are a lot more people out there just like us.

My children enjoyed having a very active part in showing their support, as you can see in the pictures below.  On this particular day, they were able to go room to room, bed to bed, soldier to soldier to pass out their goodies.




I took oodles and caboodles of pictures that I would love to share with you, but I just can't.  We were able to see, touch, and experience all kinds of amazing "guy stuff," and I know I have several men who read this blog and would really enjoy it if I could embellish on those aspects.  However, for safety reasons which I am sure you understand, I do not want to give one itty bitty piece of information or even the slightest peek of Israeli weaponry to the wrong side.  Therefore, just suffice it to say that it was, as my children {especially the boys} would put it, "so coooooool!"

I have also been thinking how happy I am to bring all of my children safely home with me each night. I watch my little boys play with plastic soldiers and listen to them make machine gun sounds as the little plastic soldiers fall over, and I think of how grateful I am for the innocence of their childhood and the fearless nights that they lay their heads on their pillows each night.

And it is all because of soldiers who lose sleep each night to keep our borders safe.
{Above: my favorite picture of the day}

10 comments:

  1. What an interesting post. I love learning all that you are learning. I never knew that about Israel and their calendar.

    That last picture is a good one!

    A soldiers life is the same no matter where they are, I suppose, always on guard and always ready.

    ~Cinnamon

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  2. Lynne Edmonds NortonFriday, May 18, 2012

    I loved this, Jolene! That's interesting too how they are in the year 5772. Once again, what a great read! I love hearing from you!"

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  3. That is awesome! To think their soldiers are allowed such freedom of visitors, while ours are so confined by the 'freedom from' people. God chose Israel to bless the entire world. For that we give thanks to Him.

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  4. Игорь-Лена КобзевыSaturday, May 19, 2012

    This is sooooo cooooooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PTL!!!! (муж)

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  5. So thankful for all you do for our FRIENDS.
    Love the last pic too. Why is it that we like the pictures of the backs of our family? I have a couple of Larry and the twins that I just love.
    Have a wonderful day for this is the day which the LORD hath made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.
    Love to all,
    Vicki

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  6. Thank you for sharing. Please thank the soldiers for us.
    Much love to all,
    The Kelly's
    CCBC

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  7. Luba RokpelnisSunday, May 20, 2012

    What an amazing post! Thank you so much, Mrs. Sloan, for it; and thank you for what your family does for Israel.

    Luba Rokpelnis

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  8. That is so unbelievably NEAT!!! What an incredible opportunity your family is having there in Israel. You're making me fall in love with the country more and more through these posts. My parents have visited Israel three times and LOVE it there.

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  9. Made me cry!! LOVED this post! As a picture, the last one is adorable; but I think my favorite is the first picture of Brianna passing out candy to the soldier as he is smiling. I think it completely captures your whole story completely - the gratefulness and surprise of your family as you show your love and appreciation for them.

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  10. That's awesome - I'm so thankful for you guys!!! It's really special the difference you are making in the lives of others (: and ps: I think the tank WAS so cooooool ;D

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Thank you for your encouraging comments! "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25