Remembering....................

God shed His grace on thee…….America the Beautiful!

When I was growing up we called this day Decoration Day, a day that was set aside to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers who died in defense of their country and we took the day seriously. From the Memorial Day Order:

“The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will, in their own way, arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit”.

A quote:
“I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.” ~Benjamin Harrison

I’ve always loved to watch movies about the wars that Americans have fought in, not because I like death and blood and guts but because the really good movies are based on truth. It is the truth of the bravery of men and women who actually fought and died for their country; I can’t begin to even imagine that bravery can you? I’m so thankful to God for causing men and women to rise up with passion and courage to fight to retain the land of the free and the brave.

That’s a picture of my house where we fly the flag on commerative days like today. What a blessing it is to live in America even today when everything around us is changing. We aren’t sure anymore if we will remain a democratic nation, the land of the free, but we can still trust that God is the one in control. God shed His favor on America from the nation’s inception when it was founded by men and women in search of freedom and liberty for their very souls, the liberty to worship Him as their conscience led them. Let us pray together that God will continue to shed His favor upon America the Beautiful!

It has also become a day to decorate the graves of family who have departed and so it was this year for me; a first time to decorate the grave of my husband on this Memorial Day. My husband told me once that he wanted his flowers while he was alive and could enjoy them and since it was summertime I was able to go out and pick a bouquet of flowers for him that very day. So perhaps the flowers I took today were just for me as a remembrance, a remembrance of that bouquet of flowers he enjoyed while he was here.

Grace and Peace!