Memorial Day thoughts

I visited my friend Amanda's blog today (actually, it's her daughter's blog), and found the most wonderful Memorial Day thoughts in today's message. So you may easily view it, I'm going to post it here because her posts cannot be indidividually linked to and it will eventually get buried after a few months:

Throughout the years...

How many little ones have told their mommies that they wanted to be soldiers?

How many of those little ones grew up and did just that?

It's easy to "clump" them together--because it takes so many hundreds of thousands for a victory.

But, behind each one of those soldiers...

are a mom and dad.

Hopes, dreams, health, strength....

Sacrificed in a moment.

These were not "sick babies" unexpected to live.

These were not "cancer cursed" bodies.

These were strong and healthy men and women--
who gave all.

Talking, walking, smiling, living--and in seconds--gone forever.

For me.

For you.

For my Haddon and Gracie.

For my protection and safety.

For my freedom.

For our future.....

even though they never knew us....

What a sacrifice for others!

What a story of hope to cling to!

We must not take our freedom for granted...

FOR IT CAME WITH A PRICE.

I can talk about the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice freely...

Because of the price they paid for my freedom.

They gave all.

Mommies and daddies gave all.

Wives and children gave all....

**Many graves will be visited today. Many memories will return of those little ones sitting on their mommy's knee saying how they wanted to be a soldier when they grow up...

Many mothers will go and talk to a stone today with silent tears and sadness.

Yes, to die is such a loss...

But, to not die in vain--what joy!

When we know that their loss teaches us of Him....

Gracie is remembered because of her life and how she

showed God's power.

Our soldiers are a beautiful picture of the sacrifice of Christ

for us all.

There is no better example of the sacrifice of Jesus for us as the sacrifice of our soldiers.

For freedom.

Freedom for today--

and freedom from fear of tomorrow....because

Jesus paid it all.

Many of the early victories our soldiers won were fought with the guidance of the Lord on the battlefield.

Today...we still need Him! To guide our leaders, to fight our battles, to comfort our hearts when we lose those we love.

Without Him--what cause would we even fight for?

LET MEMORIAL DAY BE A MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO GAVE ALL...AND TO JESUS CHRIST.

I do strongly encourage you to visit her blog, and learn about her precious daughter Gracie. Gracie was born a month after Jordan, and lived six months longer. Her testimony is nothing short but amazing as God showed His amazing power through this "heart baby".