Memorial Day 2019

The families are gathering for a day of picnics and games. But some of the chairs are empty.

A catcher’s mitt is tucked away safely in a box. It hasn’t been used in years.

Somewhere in the country a fishing pole hangs dry in a rack.

There are fathers who are in the garage detailing a car or truck that hasn’t been on the road in decades. He maintains it like brand new just as he promised for the child that’s never coming home.

A daughter will ask an uncle or trusted friend to walk her down the aisle on her special day because her father left one day and never made it home.

A little girl learns from her grandmother because her mother was lost before she can remember.

We enjoy the blessings of liberty because someone didn’t come home.

And yet all of those who paid the ultimate price for freedom would tell you that their sacrifices were in vain or you don’t enjoy life yourself.

I always encourage you to set aside a few minutes of quiet time each day to gather your thoughts and enjoy freedom in nature. Tonight I have one request. Please take a moment to quietly reverence the sacrifice of those who fell to win and keep your freedom.

Tonight instead of ending my post with instructions on how to request prints and such we’re simply going to have a moment of silence for the fallen.