Thank you to all the vets who have served and continue to serve. Memorial Day is a day that goes beyond saying thanks, it is a day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy. I had the privilege of speaking at the Veterans Day service at the village cemetery. I was amazed at the number of people that turned out. It was a nice crowd for 90+ degrees. Below is the transcript from my message. If it is too long please feel free to edit as needed.
Memorial Day Service May 28, 2018
Every spring we celebrate “Memorial Day,†a day which traditionally marks the beginning of summer. Although the true season change does not officially occur for another few weeks, based on the weather this weekend, you can see why today is recognized as the kick off of summer.
Memorial Day weekend is a time for families to congregate for a picnic or a barbeque; it is a weekend for camping and recreational activity; and it is a day when retailers promote sales at rock bottom prices.
However, not all Americans today are celebrating this holiday with spirited enthusiasm. For some families the gatherings may be more subdued as they remember a loved one that gave the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our freedom.
These are individuals we think of today, empathizing with their grief and sharing in their loss. Let us never forget the true meaning and reason for today’s holiday.
Each year we think of the thousands of men and women who have died in the service of their country:
• Revolutionary War (1775-1783): 4,435 died – 6188 wounded
• War of 1812 - Mexican War (1812-1848) 16,543/8657
• Civil War (1861-1865) 498,332/281,881 (North)
• Spanish American War (1898-1902): 2,446/1662
• WWI (1917-1918): 116,516/204,002
• WWII (1941-1945): 405,399/670,846
• Korean War: 36,567/103,284
• Vietnam (1964-1975) 90,220/153,303
• Desert Storm – War on terrorism (1990- Present): 4,756/53,146
• Total: 1,179,970/1,482,969
Memorial Day began after the Civil War, as a way for healing a nation torn apart and divided by one of our countries most brutal wars. Mothers placed flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers, regardless of which side they fought.
As I think of our country and the challenges we face today, we seem to be divided once again. Politics and ideology have become polarized: Left/right; red states/blue states; liberal/conservative; the list goes on with each side blaming the other for our countries ills and people from both sides equally sure that God stands with them.
With so much adversity, how can we possibly survive as a nation? To a certain extent, I believe in our adversity we can find our strength. Ecclesiastes 3 talks about a time and a place for everything:
3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
For every action there is a reaction. Life and freedom both hinge on a delicate balance, which often comes at a high cost. We owe a lot to the men and women of the armed forces. They maintain the balance that allows us to enjoy the freedom we have been given.
The soldier acts on faith. Faith in their superior officers who issue orders they must follow, regardless of their personal feelings. It is a commitment to the greater good; achieving and maintaining the core values our country was founded on. It is the ultimate act of patriotism. Patriotism is defined as devotion or love of one’s country.
For those of us who are civilians, we have an opportunity to show our patriotism and support those who serve.
Patriotism comes in many different ways. It is more than wearing red, white, and blue. It is more than bumper stickers, and waving the flag. Those things are ways of expressing love for our country and have their place, but true patriotism comes from working together for the common good. Patriotism comes from putting our faith into action, working for social justice and freedom for all.
Despite the divisions in our country I do believe there are more areas of common interest than not. There are goals that most everyone can agree are important such as freedom, justice, and peace.
If we can get past the rhetoric and posturing, and realize there is a time and place for everything under heaven.
Just as the scripture reminds us there is a time for war, a time to kill, a time to die. However, today is a time to speak up, to remember, to honor and to heal.
God gave us the example of sacrificial love when He sent Jesus to die for our sin. We have a God of love and a God of grace. It is because of His love for us that we are able to know true peace and freedom.
On this Memorial Day, to feel the full effects of the sacrifices our soldiers have made for us, I ask all of you to take just one moment to silently gaze upon the graves in our cemetery. Each one of those small American Flags represents not only that person’s service to the military, but also their service to each and every one of us. They gave all they had to give, and we owe our freedom, our happiness, and our lives in gratitude.
