I was walking around my little town on Christmas Eve and this group was just walking around singing carols ‘on demand’. Lucky for them I am experimenting with video!

In all seriousness, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I’ll let these great ‘kids’ tell the rest. Peace.

The Roaming Carolers of Wake Forest, NC from Frank Reed on Vimeo.

I did something a little weird today. Weird for me at least. You see back in my NJ days I used to really like the music of a Central Jersey musician Chris Harford. I saw him play a few times and I tried to keep up with his music as best I could in the pre-Internet days.

Well, I am now about 10 years removed from NJ but Chris Harford’s music is still played in my house and enjoyed by my family. The fact that the guy is really talented doesn’t hurt of course and I highly recommend checking him out for a real change of pace from the crud that is passed off as music these days but I digress. The other day was piddling around on Facebook and ‘found’ him. So I asked him to be my ‘friend’. Being a musician it was unlikely he would decline so he became my ‘friend’. Look, I know we’re not friends but there is a connection because he is willing to create and put himself out there for others to enjoy (or criticize). That’s risky business. Check out this live performance of one of my favorites.

So what’s my point here you ask since this is an Internet marketing blog? Ok, patience grasshopper. Well, through the ‘magic’ of social media I was back on Facebook today and Chris’ name showed up in the chat area. I figured what the heck, he’s my friend now so I pinged him.

What was my purpose in doing this? It was simple. It was to thank him and to encourage him. I honestly don’t know how successful or not he is. I don’t care. I like his music and I had a chance through social media to share some genuine appreciation with a genuine person. His music has made me smile for years and I think he deserves the satisfaction to know that his work is appreciated by someone he didn’t even know existed.

So take some time out from your busy social media efforts to pump up your own image and find someone to thank or encourage today that you wouldn’t have otherwise. I’d be curious to see what happens. I plan on doing it a lot more. Sure beats talking about me.

Stupid headline, I know, but hopefully it got your attention.

What am I giving to? World Vision. My family sponsors a child for $35 / month to help them get out of the abject poverty that they endure. Is this about me? Nope. It’s about helping someone other than me. Honestly, I get sick of me so this works out really well.

The child my family sponsors is Laetticia in Rwanda. We just started this in October as the result of being at a Third Day concert in Raleigh where World Vision was being featured. They did such a great job and I have been following them on Twitter and Facebook and I have just been impressed.

If you share my worldview or if you just would like to give to an organization that cares about seeing people get the basics in some tough spots in the world just check it out at www.worldvision.org

Oh, and if you have any issue whatsoever with World Vision and their mission there are many other options to reach those in need. Sometimes it’s best to leave the ideological barriers at the door and just do something.

Think about it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

FYI – This post has nothing to do with Internet marketing. I just wanted to be fair.

I have never served in the Armed Forces. My grandfather fought and died in World War II when my Mom had just turned 3 years old. The title of Frank Thinking belongs more to Frank Ianuzelli PFC 32594056 because I am named after him. I carry that name proudly. Below is the letter from Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding his death.

Today is a day to take at least a minute and acknowledge the fact that there are people doing truly brave and heroic things so we can be here in the US and carry on our daily lives relatively uninterrupted. There are true forces of evil in the world and they need attention. I am not even remotely interested in politicizing the sacrifice of our armed forces men and women. I don’t care if you bleed Democratic Blue or Republican Red these people actually bleed for you. That’s what matters.

Today I pray for the protection of these great Americans. Today I pray that they will come home to their families safely. Today I pray for their continued strength and perseverance in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Today I pray for them all to feel the grace, mercy and love of the Almighty God of the universe and the presence and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you if you have served. There are no words for what you have given to me freely. Thank you for those who support them; the families and friends of our soldiers that sacrifice for me as well. I can’t fully understand what you have done because it is greater than anything I have done.

Thank you and may God bless and protect you.

For those of you who have read my stuff in the past you know that there is a patriotic streak in me. It’s not the usual “Proud American” puffery that tends to tick off those on the outside looking in. It’s very personal for me. If you are interested in a quick personal story I encourage you to read on. If you are here for Internet marketing thoughts I’ll get back to that next time. I need to write this for Memorial Day weekend and you’ll see why shortly.

I wrote last 4th of July about my grandfather, Frank Ianuzelli, who was killed in World War II at the Battle of the Bulge. He is the reason that I am as patriotic as I am. His sacrifice mirrors the sacrifice of millions of others by death, injury or service to the United States to protect us. It is done regardless of ideological differences at home and today is done voluntarily (my grandfather, like so many others, was drafted into service). I marvel at these people and I thank God Almighty for them.

I always wondered about how my grandfather died because my grandmother didn’t talk to anyone about it. Through the magic of the Internet, however, I was able to contact some men who knew him and were there with him. I received two handwritten letters from these awesome Americans that told virtually the same account of his death so I am satisfied that I know the details.

What I learned later was even more amazing. I received the following e-mail in August of 2004 that has changed me in many ways. Here it is:

Frank,

I am responding to your request for information about your grandfather on the 100th Division website.

My father Francis Murray O’Malley served in the 100th Division with your grandfather, Frank Ianuzelli. While dad was like most veterans of WWII and didn’t talk much about the war, he considered his service an honor, he spoke of your grandfather every Memorial Day. Frank Ianuzelli saved his life.

The winter of 1945 was extremely cold. My dad was on lookout patrol on the night of January 7th. During his watch Frank Ianuzelli came out to my dad and told him to go back to the rear and get some hot coffee. It was during that watch that your grandfather was killed in action.

After dad returned from the war he tried to contact the Ianuzelli family but was unsuccessful. In his later years he told me he really regretted not making contact with your family.

Every Memorial Day dad would go to mass and pray for Frank. Dad passed away a few years ago. I have continued the Memorial Day tradition. Your grandfather has always been considered a hero in the O’Malley family. My sister and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your grandfather.

I now have a wife and three wonderful kids. As they grow up they will learn of their grandfather’s service and the ultimate sacrifice of your grandfather.

My larger extended family talks about Frank Ianuzelli as if he’s a member of our family. We can’t thank your family enough for his service.

A few months ago I was on the WWII Memorial website and sent an email to the customer service address in an effort to contact Frank’s family after seeing his name and photo listed on the memorial page. I didn’t hear anything back and was beginning to think I would not be able to contact any of Frank’s relatives. I received a call today from one of my cousins who was also looking for a contact.

She happened to see your message on the 100th Division website and called me.

I think dad would be pleased that I contacted you. Please feel free to give me a call if you wish.

Regards.
Mike O’Malley

Finally, today, after 5 years of occasional e-mails and almost phone conversations, I spoke with Mike O’Malley. Although we had just a brief conversation I could sense that;

• He is a good man because he cared enough to reach out in honor of my grandfather and his father.
• His family is one of honor because they still think about my grandfather every year.
• His Dad must have been special
• There is a family in this great country that grew in part due to my grandfather’s death and has thrived.

I am so happy today. I have no other explanation for things like this. I don’t believe in fate, chance or luck. I believe in an infinite, all powerful, all loving God who works out all things for good for those who believe. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I believe that despite the craziness of the world we live in that it all going to be OK in ways that I can’t even imagine. Lastly, I believe that my grandfather’s death served a greater purpose that I will not know on this side of Heaven but I got a glimpse of it in talking to Mike.

Thank you, O’Malley family, for giving me a gift all these years that I am finally starting to understand today. May God bless and be with you always. You will never know how much your concern means to me. Now I can relax with the idea that my life changed completely 19 years before I was born and that it will always be OK to miss someone that I never met.

Frank Ianuzelli, I love and miss you so much. Thank you.

The other night I was working after the kids went to bed and things quieted down. I had the TV on in the background and heard something that caught my attention. It was an ad for the Army. It was simple and effective. After thinking about it I Googled the term ‘army creed’ and there it was. Now here it is.

I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the
United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.

While I sit here in my cozy existence fretting about the economy, Internet marketing, social media and a million other rather irrelevant matters in the grand scheme of things, I thank God for people who have volunteered to carry out that creed to protect all of us here in the States.

Regardless of political, religious or cultural views I would ask that we all take a moment and pray (or whatever you do) for these people. Their commitment inspires in ways that humble the undertakings of most men.