On any given day, you could ask me what I was doing 18 years ago, and I would not be able to tell you -- but today, I can. It was 18 years ago today that my son Reuben called me to ask me to meet him at the MAPS station in OKC to watch him swear into the United States Army. He was 20 years old. The day is not without another story behind it, and I'll relate it as best I can, but I have also written it down, published it in my first blog book, and when it was happening (the first event) I wrote it in my son's baby book. It was that important.
On September 21, 1985 - I found myself pregnant with a baby whose sex was not known publicly, but I knew. I knew I was going to have a boy. God revealed not only the sex of my child to me on September 21, 1985, but He also told me exactly what my son would become; I just didn't realize it. It was a miracle in one way because it was a revelation of things to come. Time proved it to be true; so very true.
I slept, and in my dream, I saw myself at the Oklahoma State Fair, held at this time of year. I was not alone. I walked through the horse barns and saw where they were keeping the military animals - the word "Cavalry" was written in green on a barn door. I entered the room and called for my son, I used his name, "Reuben". I found him; he was a grown man, not a baby. He wore jeans, a red flannel shirt, boots, and a baseball cap. He was kneeling in a stall, and he was praying.
I told him, "Reuben, we have to go," his reply was, "In a second, Mom, I'm praying." Standing up, he was over six feet tall, strong, and handsome. He stood behind me and guarded me. When I looked up I saw my son, when others saw him they saw an amazing thing; they saw a black hooded knight with a swinging sword over his head - he was terrifying and they gathered themselves and ran away. I couldn't understand. I said, "Reuben, why are they doing that?" and he replied that his name was "Laurence Gregory." That's when I woke up.
I immediately looked up the name in my baby book; I had one. Laurence means "victory" and Gregory means "the protector". My son was saying he was a Victorious Protector. I told him his name was Reuben! (Reuben is my father's name, my grandfather's name, and his father's. It means "Behold my son". My son Reuben Andrew was born on March 22, 1986 -- and on September 21, 2006, he called me to meet him downtown to be with him when he swore into the United States Army to become a Victorious Protector.
When I arrived at the MAPS station, I walked into a room with a white door with the word "CAVALRY" written in green - - my son was in the corner with his new commanding leaders; they were praying. My son, Reuben, was wearing jeans, a red flannel shirt, and boots, and he held his baseball cap in his hands. This is the most memorable day of a mother's life - when her son becomes her warrior. When I was pregnant with Reuben, I watched Reggie White play ball, and I asked God to make my son exactly like that big, boisterous, wonderfully spiritual man, and He did.
When Reuben joined the military, he went to Ft. Knox to be trained to drive Strykers and other equipment. He spent nearly four years in Alaska, then was stationed in Iraq, where he went to different countries to protect us. He eventually came back and joined the Indiana and then the Oklahoma Army National Guard so he could deploy again, this time to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, he met another American soldier, the woman he would marry. Today, they have a home in Oklahoma and a baby girl, little Evie. In December, she'll turn one and receive a baby brother for her birthday. His name will be...wait for it...Reuben.
Eighteen years ago today—39 years ago today—either way, September 21 is a big day in my life. As a side note, the United States Army is also known by its nickname, The Black Knights. Their mascot is exactly what the people saw when they saw my dream son.
Photo Credit: United States Army - 2006
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