Memorial Day

1218 HRS. 05/25/08 (Sunday afternoon for you civilians)

It's strange how things work out. I had no real intention to post for a while as my family has been tied up in the ICU for the past week. ABNMOMMA's father had been ill. Our family was sadden when he passed away Thursday morning. He was a good man and a Veteran of the US ARMY. Nothing seemed right and I was resigned to not post on this important day. I returned home and read some emails and to my surprise a couple of my fellow bloggers mentioned my not posting. I had a couple of ideas but they just didn't seem right.

It's been said I have never had an original idea. So today I am borrowing from a man I will call a friend of mine, (he might disagree) but, here goes.

I went to a local church today, pastored by a retired ARMY Chaplin. He had invited me previously and today seemed appropriate. Here's a plug for you Pastor (Chaplin) Flesher, http://www.greencastlebiblechurch.org/. It was a good service started off by the Pledge of Allegiance being led by Sgt. David Grubb, and Iraqi Veteran. A moment of silence for those who gave their lives for us. Then a prayer by an Air Force retiree who in his prayer gave blessing for living in the greatest county in the world and being allowed to pray in any church or way we wished. This struck me as exactly what the thousands of Veterans who have died did for us.

How do we, the living, say Thank You to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice? How do we, the living, say Thank You for allowing us to pray in any way and any church we want? How do we, the living, say Thank You for those who never returned to the county they died for while in places named, The Argonne Forest, Pork Chop Hill, Omaha Beach, the Mekong Delta, Mosel or some unnamed mountain or valley in places like Afghanistan? The answer is we can't. I truly believe we can't. Saying Thank You is not enough, but it's all I have! May you find Peace in Heaven.

We go out wave our flags, go to the cemetery watch the parade and then off to the barbecue. I was in a major retail store yesterday and the display for grills was bigger than the display for flags. What has this county become? Folks, it is NOT about money, big houses, or fast cars. It's about Freedom, it's about Democracy, it's about being able to pray in any church, at any time, in any way.

A soloist sang a song, entitled "How can it be (he died for me)". Today, I will change that slightly and ask myself, Veteran, How can it be you died for me?