Why mine?

Jacob lay in the grass with his friends trying to cool down after a quick game of touch football. Dad had brought Jacob to play with the guys, while he ran laps around the field. Jacob had been watching his Dad more than playing today though. Dad was leaving for Iraq this week and Jacob couldn't understand why only his Dad had to go fight. Dad had been before and come home safe, but that didn't happen every time and Jacob was scared the whole time he was gone. At 12, almost 13, years old Jacob knew he was suppose to man up and handle things, but thinking about Dad not coming back was not a good feeling. None of his friends thought anything about it and they thought he was weird for making such a big deal out of Dad shipping out. They didn't seem to understand service to people and country. Jacob knew his Dad did something special. Dad sure made Jacob proud, but it sure did hurt when Dad was gone.

He and Mom got along real good and his baby sister was too small to even understand yet. Jacob thought that was a good thing, but that only gave him something else to worry about. He and Mom could take care of themselves, but a baby was a lot for Mom and too much for Jacob. Mom cried a lot when Dad left before, but after a while she quit crying unless Jacob started asking her questions about Dad. He didn't like to make her cry, but Mom talked to Dad when he was gone more than Jacob did and he had lot's of questions about what was going on with Dad, especially when he was gone.

Well, he needed to get up, Dad was coming back around on his last lap. The boys were just sitting around talking anyway and he was ready to head home. Dad really enjoyed his running. Jacob wondered if Dad had a place to run in Iraq. He knew he didn't have a Chinese restaurant over there and that was Dad's favorite place to go out to eat. Dad had cooled down now and was heading his way. Jacob forgot how much he loved his Dad until he got his orders to ship out. That didn't seem fair to Dad, but other things got in his mind and he just didn't think about it. Maybe that was why God was sending Dad off again, because Jacob forgot to tell him how much he loved him.

Dad ruffled Jacob's hair like he always did and put his arm around his shoulder as they walked to the car. Neither had to say a word - they felt the love they shared. Jacob knew he had the best Dad in the world. Jacob just didn't understand why Dad had to leave again.