Remember

Memorial Day 2012

Run to Remember

We set out at 7:30 this morning.  Alison and Lucy in the car with us; Dannielle and her friend Stephanie in the car behind us.

We winded through the roads of DuPont and came to the park where all were gathered.  Shirts of blue, every shade of blue was worn.  Blue to say that we remember.  

We remember the ones who have Fallen.

We remember their families.

We remember their sacrifice.

It will not be forgotten.

We Remember the 6,460 Soldiers who have so bravely given their lives in this current fight for freedom, so that we might have ours, this day.

Wear blue: run to remember is a community across the nation, across the world, that meets to run/walk in remembrance of those who have ultimately served.  Visit their site here to see if their might be a run in your area.

6,460 Soldiers have given their lives.  There was a goal to meet that number with participants pledging miles.  Miles to remember those men and women of valor.  Before the walk began this morning, it was announced that over 13,000 miles had been pledged.  

Amen.

Indeed, their lives are remembered again and again and most especially on this Memorial Day.

And so as we gather again on a Monday, a Manna Monday, we gather to recognize the provision of 

FREEDOMs that we live in each day in this land we call America.

FREEDOM

to wake and worship in the early mon

to walk and show remembrance

to raise our daughter and nurture her freely in the admonition of the Lord

to choose our clothing

to choose our food

to write

to choose what I read

to walk in safety, publicly

to offer my voice, my opinion, even as a woman

to be fruitful and multiply

to pray

to call myself an American

to call this land, this land of the free and this land of the brave, my homeland.

As I step back and think about service, service to my Country, service to my family and friends, I must ask myself:

"Is service really service if there is no sacrifice?"

For on this day we remember too, that sacrifice of service that was given for us years and years ago.  Dying to set people free is an action worthy of God Himself.

As He went to the tree of Calvary and forever, 

for all eternity

has set us FREE.

Thank you to all of those who have served and indeed all those who are serving now.

We remember this day

Commissioning two years ago.
The passing of the baton of service in the Shear family: father to son.
Amen