A Memorial Day Unction

And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

~Ezekiel 34:26~

            On this Memorial Day Weekend, when public minds are bombarded with everything except remembering veterans (sales at stores, cookouts, picnics, special entertainment events) this old veteran wants to give unction to the real reason for Memorial Day...a day when we remember those who gave the last measure of their devotion.  This soldier, Army Medical Officer -  just as when he went to college; just as when he joined civic-secular groups,  took his faith with him in uniform.  The other officers in the B.O.Q. saw me go to regular religious services.  Since the military congregates from all areas of the country upon separation from service, you seldom come in contact with those with whom you are so close.

            Once, a medical officer with whom I was very close as a friend and colleague in the service, came by to see me at my home here in North Carolina.  David and I were the very same age, having been born on the very same day.  Anytime I had pressed him about spiritual things, he would say, "I am atheist".  That particular day, in my home, about to leave (and I have never seen him again since) he said to me, "Tom, don't change.  You are the only hope I have."  I believe he wanted to impress upon me that he trusted in my faith.

            Our forefathers, who landed on the shores of this uncivilized hunk of real estate, were already accustomed to the hardships of their native lands.  They came to America for opportunity.  They were willing to undergo the rigors of harsh climate and hard work.  They were not scary-cats; real men and real women.  These real men protected their homes, their wives, their children.  They built barns, houses, the church house, the school house.  Working together, they built the roads in their communities.  Most of the villages did not have a jail.  Everyone was expected to behave and if not, they handled things themselves.

            The early defenders of this republic, in uniform and out, would never have thought of putting women on front lines.  The thought would never have occurred to our early ancestors to kill babies; that such an abomination as same sex marriage could enter the mind of man. 

            My own ancestors landed on the shores of New Jersey in 1677, off the good ship Kent.  They founded Morristown, NJ and then my immediate antecedents (the poor side of the family), hard working farmers, moved south, bringing their work ethic and religious principals with them.  My great grandfathers were just boys during the Civil War, but were around to rebuild.  Several cousins were killed during that bloodiest conflict (600,000 were killed during the Civil War).  This writer was raised in a house which survived that war.  The house in which my mother was raised, my father was raised, are still standing.

            The church in which I was raised, built on family land, was built just after the Civil War since the original one was destroyed (1874).  I gave the message at the 100th anniversary.  How well I remembered during WWII the large red and white flag at the front of the church; a blue star on the flag for each son from the church in battle.  I still remember how those old folks would go to the pulpit each Sunday morning, praying for those in service.  At the end of the war, there was not one gold star on the flag.  All had survived and come home.

            My mother's only brother was in the south pacific.  On the day of his funeral (he died at age 80), sitting next to his wife, Sarah, she said to me, "He never missed a day where he did not go and spend time with his mother.  He said, during those bleak days of war, 'I always knew my mother was at home praying for me' ".

            Since WWII, and this writer was in the military during the Korean era, because of our political correctness,  war becoming a money-making matter for big industry and big Pharma (each vaccination to a serviceman costs $5,000), think of the worlds wealth spent on drones, bombs...the insanity of war, we have been unable to WIN ONE WAR.  Our forces have been taken over by political correctness, the gay agenda, feminism.  Most politicians have never known war (Clinton, Obama, Biden and other members of the present cabinet).  They have never witnessed young men and women, fresh from loving homes: emasculated, vaccinated with poisons, homesick and scared.  Only the medical officers and a few regular officers know the horrors of military service. 

            Survivors,  those who are fortunate enough to return from indescribable horrors of war, returning to a nation that cares nothing for them.  They were used-abused, like clinics (tissue) now, ready to be thrown away.  Perhaps this is the reason one veteran commits suicide every day.

            The government never considered for one minute, what this veteran went through to get his education.  And yet, although blind, never given a white cane. 

            Some of us have seen the military cemeteries across the world where veterans are buried (the 18,000 graves in Manila, Philippines).  The 126,000 buried on foreign soil were not buried in a satin-lined casket; just wrapped in the flag which they served.  Metals, pensions and monuments cannot make up to those who only had one life, too. 

            Only those who know Christ understand the sacrifice.  Jesus, our kinsman redeemer, died willingly for all the sin-disease of the world.  His blood poured out to cover our sins and sicknesses.   The Passover is still observed, the death angel seeing the blood.  Our first parents, Adam and Eve, chose the spirit of death instead of life.  There was no sickness or sin in the garden, they chose such.  God gave us Jesus to redeem those who would believe in Him...simple as that.  Next to Jesus shedding his blood, the greatest act of mercy is soldiers shedding theirs for their country.

            In this writers youth, one man in the community was known for having "Gone over the hill", deserted the army during WWI.  He came home after the war but no one ever had any respect for him.

            Truth is truth whether anyone believes it or not.  The acts of the apostles, Paul, Barnabas, Silas and other New Testament characters were known for proclaiming and defending the truth.  We may not believe in the truth of "exploitive" warfare (many people getting rich from war).  We know it is the sons and daughters of the poor who go to war.  On this day, Memorial Day, we honor those who gave the last measure of their devotion in spite of everything.  They thought they were doing what is right and honorable.