Memorial Day 2006

My family is thankful that we've not lost anyone in war, but we pay tribute to and honor those families who have lost loved ones fighting our country's battles, so that we can live in peace here at home.

May God bless and comfort all of the families whose lives have forever been changed because of the unselfish sacrifice of their loved ones. We look forward to the time when war is an archaic horror of the past; when the armaments and implements of war will be refashioned into tools of peace:

Isaiah 2:4 "...and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

To say "happy Memorial Day" seems a bit obtuse. Rather, it's a day to soberly reflect on the high cost of freedom and a day of remembrance for those who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live.

We also honor and pray for the thousands of wounded personnel who fearlessly put their lives on the line in America's defense, who more often than not desire to head back to the front lines as soon as they are able to help finish the fight. Their terrific examples are humbling to those of us here at home.

And to those in active duty, we thank you for your service!

It's a good day to be appreciative. It's a good day to be nostalgic.

It's a day to be thankful that willing Americans came to the aid of the world in previous wars when civilization was threatened by tyrannies. It's also a day to realize that the future of the geopolitical world, as we know it, depends on the future of America. If America should ever fall, this world will be at the mercy of every corrupt dictatorship (and they are legion!) the U.N. has to offer.

Memorial Day is a day to realize that freedom isn't free.

Here are a few places you might want to visit over the weekend:

THE HISTORY CHANNEL is an excellent starting point to get a little perspective on the day and they also suggest some other sites of interest.

One of the newest war memorials, the National WWII Memorial on the National Mall, "honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people."

Here's a good site kids of all ages can enjoy. It highlights Memorial Day Facts, information and traditions with poetry and activities.