Heaven is a safer place today....

Posted By Deebow

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.....

A respected member of the blogging community who also happened to be serving our nation was killed in Iraq Wednesday.

Frank Salvato, editor of The New Media Journal, sadly e-mailed his readers:

It is with a very heavy heart and swollen eyes from the tears that I inform you all that one of our fellow writers, Sgt. Eddie Jeffers who was serving in Ramadi, Iraq, was killed today. He was patriot, humble, kind and dedicated to his mission, his country, his family and his faith. (h/t Newsbusters.org)

I can say, as all combat veterans who have had death tugging at their elbows everyday and who have moved through the forests of the Somme, fought hedgerow to hedgerow in Normandy, fought their way out of Chosin, walked point on patrol in the jungle near the Cambodian border, or more recently, walked on patrol in the mean streets of places like Anbar or Diyala; you wonder if "today" will be the day.

His piece entitled "Hope Rides Alone" can be linked to here:

http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/e_jeffers/print/02012007.htm

I will hold you and your family in my prayers SGT Eddie Jeffers.  God Speed you on your journey to Heaven, for you have certainly earned your place there.

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Comments

[Some Soldier's Mom]

COME to his assistance, All you Saints of God! Meet him, you Angels of the Lord. Receive his soul, and present it to the Most High. May Christ who called you, receive you; and may the Angels lead you into the bosom of Abraham.

Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Into your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brother. In this life you embraced him with your tender love; deliver him now from every evil and bid him enter eternal rest.

[damn. damn. damn.]

[Old Tanker]

dammit

[Lands’nGrooves]

RIP Sgt. Jeffers

[mindy1]

Damn it, I hate losing our soldiers>:( I just wish they would not die. RIP

[NH Trooper]

God Bless the memory of another great American. He died fighting so that my kids won't have to

[texas]

...."every man's death diminishes me"...especially when it is one of our brave soldiers!! RIP Sgt. Eddie Jeffers.

I agree with above sentiment. With tears streaming.....damn,damn,damn.

[Teresa]

God Speed Sgt Jeffers.

Prayers and condolences to his family and friends.

[The WatchCat]

My fellow Oregon blogger Gazing at the Flag has some wonderful stuff up about Sgt. Eddie Jeffers, including a picture, radio link and more essays.

[Soldier's Mom]

May almighty God Bless and Keep You; may He hold you in the Palm of His hands; and may you dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen"

If you are not Catholic or Christian, I mean you no disrespect. With heavy heart I hope that his family and friends may someday find the peace of knowing what a great man he was and is and what a great deal he did to bring peace to a warring nation and a suffering people.

[johnston45]

Sgt Eddie Jeffers will live on in the hearts and minds of people who loved him. And his essays, especially "Hope Rides Alone", will allow us to forever hear his voice. I am so very sorry to hear about this tragedy.

[jordan]

I read some of his writings today. What an extraordinary, intuitive, and insightful young person. These soldiers fighting today are truly keeping the wolves at bay, and carrying the weight of the civilized world.

You often try to steel yourself "just in case" the worst happens when you have a loved one in Iraq, but there's just no preparation for it. My children will know about and remember him.

[Buzz]

I became close with the Jeffers family as I wrote War Crimes. Eddie Jeffers became the primary voice for the book and is one of the more articulate and passionate men I've ever known. He has been re-deployed to Heaven. His legacy and selfless service live on.

God Bless him,
Buzz

[JihadGene]

Eddie Jeffers sounds like he was one heck of a great guy and friend. I'm so sorry to hear this news.

[Cincinnati_Bob]

I just finished watching a piece on para-rescue of downed pilots on the Military Channel.

The BAT-21 story ended the piece. Many good men died trying to retrieve this pilot. I'm sure they would do it over 100 times over even knowing the outcome.

If you can't love a warrior you don't have the capacity for love.

Deepest sympathy for Sgt Jeffers family and friends.

Thank you for telling us about these people.

[Diwata]

jerry4837:

Indeed, God is good....very, very good, for you are now accursed in His eyes with your gloating evil.

The blackest of nights will contain your soul forever; you and yours will endure the direst torments of Heaven and Hell, here on earth and henceforth thereafter, wherever and whenever you go.

May you be cursed in deepest doubts, darkest sorrows and excruciating pain from this day forth.

Let it be as this has been written.

And so it shall be.

God is great.

[redc1c4]

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." -Gen. George S. Patton

God wears a light blue shoulder cord.*

my condolences to his family, friends and comrades.

redc1c4,
*(that's why they call it "Harmony Church" %-)

[mindy1]

To jerry4837 leave this website and do not show up again. How dare you insult someone you don't know like that-you are nothing but a low life fool.

[jerry4837]

B5 Note: Comment deleted for inappropriate language and for attempting to denigrate the honor of Eddie.

[tankerbrosbrat]

Soar through the heavens, Sgt Jeffers. My prayers and gratitude are with you and your family.

B5? Thank you.

[OldSoldier54]

As the Lord is my witness, I hate hearing this kind of news. What words can give solace?

Grace and peace upon your loved ones, Eddie. Thank you, brother. See you in a while.

[warvet48]

My heart and soul ache for you Sgt Jeffers, may you RIP.

Prayers to your family and friends.

[Rich Casebolt]

Another Man … a Man who "gets it" when it comes to defending life and liberty … whose family will receive folded colors way too early, because he stood up to defend me and mine.

Thank you, SGT Jeffers … and to your family … for answering the call.

May we always remain respectful, of what it cost you … and continue to strive, so that fewer and fewer have to pay that price.

[CitSAR]

I had not thought of the "Heaven is safer tonight" point of view. In a "light bulb suddenly turned on" kind of way, I love it. Thank you for expressing the sentimate.

[Cave Bear]

Requiem

UNDER the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie:
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you 'grave for me:
Here he lies where he long'd to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.