The "CHAP"

I first met Leslie Nelson when she was attached to our Battalion for Annual Training a few years ago--at the time she was a Chaplain in Training, not quite finished with all the stuff a guy or gal has to do to become a certified homogenized pasteurized bonified Chaplain in the Military---besides being a Soldier. We could all tell even then that this lady was going to be great, and in no time she became a "real" Chaplain, or "Chap" as we sometimes call them--I liked her so much that we got her to conduct my daughters wedding just after her Chaplaincy. She has been like a member of the family ever since, and came to see me at the hospital during my recent stay. She is just good peeps.

Chaplain Leslie Nelson began today's Braves Caravan festivities that were held yesterday at our headquarters with this prayer...


"Today it is my honor to open our Braves Day here at the National Guard Nation in prayer... Pray with me please...

Lord, we thank you for this day and this opportunity to come together and celebrate America's Favorite pastime with America's Team! We thank you for Ted Turner's stroke of Genius in the 1976 when he broadcast the Braves to small towns everywhere and gave kids something to love more than apple pie. We thank you for the green grass of spring that reminds us that baseball season is upon us, for resin bags and pine tar, and for two of the sweetest words known to man...PLAY BALL! We thank you for nicknames like Hammer, Knucksie, Murph, and of course...Chipper! We thank you for Skip Carey and Bobby Cox and ...for Brian McCann and Freddy Freeman and Jason Heyward and the Upton Brothers, for Mike Minor and Eric O'Flaherty...for all of our hometown heroes who will be taking us to the World Series this year...thank you for guiding their hands to catch every ball headed their way, for giving them clear vision to hit em out of the park, and for blocking the sun from outfield flies...and that the umpires will know the difference between an infield fly and an outfield fly. Thank you for shut outs and home runs...for keeping the Disabled List short...and for keeping the stands filled with cheering fans who love America and Baseball...and the Tomahawk Chop!

And speaking of fans who love America and Baseball, when the Braves make it to the World Series this year, please make a seat available somewhere in the stands for LTC Fisher...and he should probably have a chaplain with him to make sure he behaves...so I'll take one for the team and be that chaplain...

Lord, as we come to the 7th inning stretch of this prayer today, and on a much more serious note, we would be remiss in not asking your blessings over the brave men and women who are fighting all over the world for the freedoms we hold dear. Please keep them out of harm’s way, wrap their loved ones in your grace and peace...and Lord bind their hearts together as the miles keep them apart. Let us never forget the sacrifices our service members and their families make daily in order for us to enjoy the freedoms that make this nation great...and for the victims of the storms that ravaged parts of our state yesterday we ask for comfort and provision...

Today and always...God Bless America... Amen"---

Thats OUR Chap. Great Lady, Soldier, Friend, Chaplain, and American.