When The Battle Dawns

      Rob Wesley with Linda Schellhaas

      Dedicated to the servicemembers, families and loved ones
      involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom

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      VERSE 1:
      When the battle dawns,
      All creation stills its reverent spirit-song.
      Trembling stillness nears,
      Reaching for the strength and holding back the tears.

      CHORUS 1:
      Far away the music sings.
      Far away the battle brings,
      Far away on eagles' wings,
      Many loved ones to its dawn.
      Lord please hold them in your arms,
      Bring peace within my trembling calm.

      VERSE 2:
      When all nations rise,
      And fill the clouds with dust of battle o'er the skies,
      All nature fears.
      Yet from the pains of birth we pray all truth appears.

      CHORUS 2:
      Courage may your spirit bring,
      All whose hearts cry freedom's ring.
      Peace within my trembling heart,
      Peace for loved ones far apart.
      Peace within our nation's soul,
      Peace above the battle's toil.

      (REPEAT CHORUS 1)

      Copyright © 2003 R W Schellhaas All Rights Reserved Creative Alternatives Music (ASCAP)
      Published by Creative Alternatives Music
      A division of Quality Reviews, Inc. (ASCAP CAE/IPI No. 334.76.94.39)

      Written March 22, 2003

      In Memory and Honor of Marine SSgt Kendall Waters-Bey

      HOW THE SONG CAME TO BE--- Rob Wesley 3/22/2003:

        I use the performing-name "Rob Wesley," but I'm also a retired U.S. Army Chaplain (9 years 1980-1988).

        From Feb. 1980 - Dec 1982 I was chaplain for the spearhead taskforce of the 2nd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, GA-- basically the same taskforce headed toward Baghdad now as the 2nd Bde, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartan Brigade."

        I've been watching this war build for months (I even got a call in January, asking if I'd be willing to serve if needed), and I've been watching live coverage as much as possible since its onset. Watching my "old unit" drive forward into Iraq brought the distant battle close-to-home. My concerns were with the soldiers and servicemembers, yet also greatly so with the families and loved ones, as well.

        On Thursday night (before 2 a.m. Friday) I was watching MSNBC's coverage and I was startled to see reporter David Bloom interviewing the chaplain of my old task-force, on the front-lines! This was quite startling to me, since this was "my old job."

        On Friday night, 3/21/2003 we were told that my daughter's partner, a former Marine, was good friends with one of the Marines killed in the first helicopter crash, Marine Staff-Sergeant Kendall Waters-Bey. That seemed to be the last straw, so to say-- the war was even closer to home now, and all so quickly.

        I sat in silence, feeling this dead-calm, and this song came to me. I began to record the idea that was in my head, and then the next afternoon I drafted my wife to do some harmony-vocals, and lacking a drummer on short-notice, I added a moderately acceptable tambourine/hand-drum track.

        It is my hope that this song can offer some sort of comfort and solace to the military families and loved ones, as well as our nation as a whole, and the other nations involved as well.

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