Memorial Day. The long holiday weekend that marks the traditional beginning of summer. A day off work. Picnics, barbeques, and parades. The end of the school year. Such fun things! Memorial Day is indeed all of these things, but ever so much more. Driving by the cemetery, I get choked up every year to see all the flags in the military section, honoring our veterans who have died. Once I even found the flag flying in honor of my Uncle Billy. That was sweet. I found this blurb about the day on the web: "Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was instituted to honor Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the 
purpose of the day was expanded to include all men and women who died in U.S. military service." Though my Uncle Billy, and many other veterans in our cemetery, didn't actually give their life blood on the battlefield, nowadays we have somewhat adapted Memorial Day to honor all veterans, alive or deceased, for their service. As well we should honor them. My dad, my brother, all of my uncles, many in my church family, many friends, and spouses of friends, and the dads of most of my friends. To borrow a phrase from another, "All gave some, Some gave all." To those men and women who have given anything at all, whether it be short-term service, a lifelong career, their life's blood, their limbs, their mental health, their physical health.... and to the spouses and children who have sacrificed the presence of one so significant in their lives, I pause today to say... thank you. From the bottom of my heart- a heart that beats within the chest of a person who is free to worship where I please, free to live where I please, free to enjoy for myself the liberties granted to me by the blood spilled on New England soil so many years ago, the liberties still protected protected this day by those who wear the uniform of the U. S. Military. To those who gave all, to those who gave some, and to those will will give in the future: Thank you.
May the flags continue to fly proudly in cemeteries across the country, and on the doorposts of our homes, but mostly may our gratitude fly high in our hearts and our souls.
And boo-hiss to Google. I'm a huge Google fan. I use it many times, every day, both for pleasure and for work. I once watched a documentary on tv about how your graphic artists spend hundreds of hours to come up with the cute holiday/event-specific renditions of your logo. I am always amused by the cleverness, and look forward to seeing how you will incorporate the event in your logo. So today, a day in which we remember the soldiers who purchased your right to entrepreneurship and capitalism, today the only thing you can come up with is a small yellow ribbon on your home page? Shame on you!
purpose of the day was expanded to include all men and women who died in U.S. military service." Though my Uncle Billy, and many other veterans in our cemetery, didn't actually give their life blood on the battlefield, nowadays we have somewhat adapted Memorial Day to honor all veterans, alive or deceased, for their service. As well we should honor them. My dad, my brother, all of my uncles, many in my church family, many friends, and spouses of friends, and the dads of most of my friends. To borrow a phrase from another, "All gave some, Some gave all." To those men and women who have given anything at all, whether it be short-term service, a lifelong career, their life's blood, their limbs, their mental health, their physical health.... and to the spouses and children who have sacrificed the presence of one so significant in their lives, I pause today to say... thank you. From the bottom of my heart- a heart that beats within the chest of a person who is free to worship where I please, free to live where I please, free to enjoy for myself the liberties granted to me by the blood spilled on New England soil so many years ago, the liberties still protected protected this day by those who wear the uniform of the U. S. Military. To those who gave all, to those who gave some, and to those will will give in the future: Thank you.May the flags continue to fly proudly in cemeteries across the country, and on the doorposts of our homes, but mostly may our gratitude fly high in our hearts and our souls.
And boo-hiss to Google. I'm a huge Google fan. I use it many times, every day, both for pleasure and for work. I once watched a documentary on tv about how your graphic artists spend hundreds of hours to come up with the cute holiday/event-specific renditions of your logo. I am always amused by the cleverness, and look forward to seeing how you will incorporate the event in your logo. So today, a day in which we remember the soldiers who purchased your right to entrepreneurship and capitalism, today the only thing you can come up with is a small yellow ribbon on your home page? Shame on you!
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