What does this long weekend mean to you? 3 days to party or travel? A backyard barbecue? Time to get that project finished? These are great things for a long weekend. It's also nice if your workplace pays for holidays.
I am married to a veteran and also the mom of a veteran.
Each of these very special men fought bravely to keep our country free. They saw men killed, their comrades in arms and the enemy. Their hearts and minds are forever changed. My husband lost his daughter to brain cancer - supposedly because of his exposure to Agent Orange. What a load of guilt he has had to carry all these years! How people ridiculed him for going to Vietnam. They treated him like scum and called him a baby killer. No wonder so many of our veterans suffer emotional illnesses. My son was exposed to chemical weapons in Kuwait and has suffered long-term damage to his body. These two are the "lucky" ones. They have survived. Many others were not so lucky.
Our freedom as U.S. citizens is a hard-fought freedom. That fight is ongoing in many countries around the world. Our men and women are standing guard to keep our borders safe. They are willing to die so that we can be free.
Along with our parties, trips, projects and paid holidays, we need to take the time this weekend to think about our freedom and the men and women who so valiantly protect it. We need to thank a veteran and pray for the families of those lost in the service of our country. Make a list of our wonderful freedomsand thank our service men and women for the job they are doing.
Having spent 15 years in a 3rd world country, I know how precious those freedoms are. I know of a man in Mexico who has been jailed for about 12 years without being formally charged. It is known to an entire community that he is not guilty of the crime in question. He will likely live out his life in that jail because his family is poor.
If you were born here in the United States, you were
because a soldier of the U.S Armed Services died for that freedom. Bless them all, past, present and future. We owe them a lot.
Enjoy your weekend - be blessed in the Lord.
15 comments:
Dearest Penny,
Thank you for honoring our fallend service men and women this weekend wiht your beautiful tribute! and I think that we should hold them in our deepest esteem and thoughts too!Also, please send people to my blog entry about honoring the fallen soldiers . love,natalie
http://journals.aol.com/lurkynat/Interface/entries/1004
hugs and have agreat weekend!
natalie
We must never forget those brave men and women who fought and offered their lives to let us carry on living in free countries. Jeannette xx
HERE A SALUTE TO ALL THOSE BRAVE MEN!!!
Thanks for the reminder.
This is a beautiful entry and so so true!!
Love ya,lj
I know you feel very proud of both the men in your life and with good cause.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/
I am married to a veteran and I was born to a veteran. I am proud to stand up and say so.
Well said, Penny. My father was and my husband and brothers are veterans. There's no way I could ever take the military for granted. It is only because they are well trained, willing to follow orders, and serve their country that any of us can sit here in our living rooms and offices and blog about how well our lives our. Too many others cannot sit so peacefully and serenely because they are in another country making a presence, helping the citizens get back on their feet, or seeking out terrorists. I've lived in other countries far from the US, but always the military surrounded us to make our lives as close to home as possible. Inidividual soldiers became our friends. When they aren't carrying a weapon and in battle, a soldier is kind, gentle, funny, needy, moody, tired, ... like anyone else... your brother, your friend, your father, your son (applies to sister, mother, and daughters too). I've never lived in a third world country, but I've read personal accounts. I can imagine that, to those struggling to live in foreign lands, our American lifestyle seems too playful and pre-occupied with food, clothing, cars, and entertainment because we have so much time (and money) on our hands to enjoy such things. There is an abundance here, yet not everyone in the world gets to eat a meal once a day. Not everyone has medical care, or can feel safe in their homes. We owe it, at least in part, to our Constitution, and having an active military, made up of soldiers who are members of our families.
Great entry Penny! Thanks for the reminder. My father served in WWII and my brother in Vietnam - it did a number on him.
I'm proud to be an American and thankful for the veterans who fought for my freedom.
Hugs,
Gwynn
And not just our freedom......many peoples of the world have enjoyed freedom paid for by the blood and lives of US service men & women. - Barbara
I don't think most people really think of the men and women that have lost their lives so that not only the USA can be free but other countries as well. I think most people really do love our troops, but tend to think of them as just that "the troops" and not as indivdual men and women.
Kathy
Amen, wonderful tribute
angelrose
This is a great post, Penny. It is, obviously, well timed and meaningful in more than just a personal way. Your sharing of your connections to those who have served is a reminder to everyone that we are all impacted by the altruism of those who serve.
Charley
http://journals.aol.com/cdittric77/courage
Very nice entry!!!! I will be working in the yard today, tomorrow if it is warm enough sitting on the beach...no swimming the water temps are 50 :).
Betty
You are so right, Penny. We do owe them a lot. Let's hope that everyone finds a way tomorrow to thank our brave men and women in uniform for all that they have done for us... prayers in their honor would be a nice gesture, and well as a few words of thanks. Tina
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