In church on Sunday the person who MC’d the service had all the Veterans in the
congregation stand to be honored. Wubs didn’t stand even though he is a vet and
leaned over and said so only I could hear, “Memorial Day isn’t to honor the
living.” This nation runs in his veins. One of his tattoos is supposed to look
like rips in his skin revealing the American flag.
He
got that tat way back in the army when he was an army engineer. His feelings
run deep on all things American. This is what his facebook feed looked like
this weekend:
This day of remembrance should make a person think about how much some of us
take freedom for granted. I found myself wanting to throw things at the TV
yesterday when I paused from cooking to watch “War Stories” with Oliver North.
In almost every story when the vets returned home they were faced with a
country who opposed them rather than celebrating their acts of heroism. War is
an ugly thing but when others try to take away your freedom and someone is willing
to volunteer their life to defend it, we damn well better show them the respect
this sacrifice merits.
This
was my brother’s facebook feed:
These are men he fought along side in Iraq
who paid with their life so we could live another day in freedom from fear of
radical people hell bent on our destruction. They are not peaceful people. My
favorite apologist Ravi described meeting one such man and how he would walk up
a hill with his son every morning point to the west and tell him, “Your duty in
life is to eliminate those people from the earth.” That is what our armed
forces are facing. That is why thank you isn’t enough. How can you repay the
bravery that stares that kind of evil in the face without flinching and does
what needs to be done to keep it from our shores? I have no words. I only hope
this country does better for them than a crappy health care system. Not to
mention the number of times brave men and woman got thrown under the political
bus that is our government.
End rant…moving onto happier things…like
the fact that my brother came home from the war. He bears a purple heart now
and a few scars health wise but we still have him thank God and thank you bro
for your service!!
We celebrated with a BBQ:
The nephews helped shuck the corn:
And Wubby helped peeling potatoes
Then we ate the corn
Happiness I tell you. I made beans, corn
on the cob, cut up a big water melon, and also made a potato salad. My father in law lit up
the grill and made stakes and we brought Jonsonville garlic brats…which were soooo
good I must say. I had brought stuff to make some more strawberry shortcake but
everyone was so stuffed I didn’t get to it.
Freedom is a wonderful thing…brought to us
courtesy of thousands of brave men and woman’s lives.
Wubs and I ended
the day by watching this video of the changing of the guard at the tomb of the
unknown soldier in Arlington National cemetery:
The guards have been there since April 6th
1948, 24 hours a day 365 days a year…all on a volunteer basis.
