Christian soldier

Robert Raymond Cemetery Service

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• published: 16 Jul 2013
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Robert Raymond passed away on February 5th, 2013 and was buried at Tahoma National Cemetery. Officer Joe LaVoie officiated the ceremony, reciting the poems, "Bon Voyage", "Freedom is Not Free" by Kelly Strong and "The Watch" by William Whiting. If you would like to be a blessing to Robert's wife, Mae, and their son, please pray for them daily. You can also help financially by donating to the benevolent fund that has been set up for them at Boeing Employee's Credit Union. Call 206 439-5700 or stop in at any BECU financial center and let them know you want to donate to the Mae Raymond Benevolent Fund. If you would like to donate in another way, you can contact Mae at RaymondBenevolentFund@gmail.com for further information. Thank you so much, and may the Lord bless you for blessing this widow and her son. "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27 BON VOYAGE by Author Unknown There's a ship sailing onto a harbor, To a heaven of comfort and rest; It's a ship of God's fashion and making, And its voyage by Him will be blest. It departed with silence and beauty, With the Master, Himself, in command, As with dignity truly majestic It sailed out of sight of all land. There will always be clear skies above it, There will always be calmness below, There will never be storms to harass it, For the Master is on it, you know. And His wisdom will carry it safely To the port of His infinite peace, Where the light of His love will protect it With a blessing that never will cease. You have watched it sail onward and outward, With a tear of regret in your eye, For a loved one was sailing upon it, And there's grief when you're saying good-bye. But your tears would be tears of rejoicing, And your heart would be happy and free, If you could look for only a moment On that ship that is sailing to sea. For the one you have loved is at leisure, With no worry or trouble or care, There's contentment beyond understanding, In the way God's passengers fare. And you'd know from your own observation That the sailing was joyful - not grim, For it means a new life and new living, And a sweet, closer contact with Him. Oh, the solace there is in the knowledge, Life is life and it always will be, And it's simply a change of direction When we sail on His ship out to sea. And the tears that we shed for our loved ones Are in truth shed for us left behind, For it hurts to give up to the Master, Though we know He is gentle and kind. So believe in His great and good wisdom, Trust in Him, as you patiently wait; On His ship God is ever the pilot, And the one you have loved is the mate. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE By Kelly Strong I watched the flag pass by one day. It fluttered in the breeze A young Marine saluted it, and then He stood at ease. I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud With hair cut square and eyes alert He'd stand out in any crowd. I thought, how many men like him Had fallen through the years? How many died on foreign soil? How many mothers' tears? How many Pilots' planes shot down? How many foxholes were soldiers' graves? No, Freedom is not free. I heard the sound of taps one night, When everything was still. I listened to the bugler play And felt a sudden chill. I wondered just how many times That taps had meant "Amen" When a flag had draped a coffin of a brother or a friend. I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands With interrupted lives. I thought about a graveyard at the bottom of the sea Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No, Freedom isn't free!! THE WATCH By William Whiting For many years, This sailor has stood the watch While some of us were in our bunks at night, This sailor stood the watch While some of us were in school learning our trade, This shipmate stood the watch Yes ... even before some of us were born into this world, This shipmate stood the watch In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizon of history, This shipmate stood the watch Many times he would cast an eye ashore and see his family standing there, Needing his guidance and help, Needing that hand to hold during those hard times, But he still stood the watch He stood the watch for many years, He stood the watch so that we, our families, And our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety, Each and every night, Knowing that a sailor stood the watch Today we are here to say: "Shipmate ... the watch stands relieved. Relieved by those you have trained, guided, and lead, Shipmate you stand relieved ... we have the watch!" "Boats ... Stand by to pipe the side ... Shipmate's going Ashore!"