Thursday, May 27, 2010

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day is a good time to reflect on the sacrifices and services of the American soldiers and veterans and the U.S. military men and women. The American military is, has always been and will always recruit the best and finest of the crop of young men and women of the country and we will continue to shower them with appreciation, support and prayers, as we have always done. Memorial Day is just an opportunity for us to express the special places they have in the hearts of American citizens and more by honoring the people who work in the various branches of the military.

image 

Freedom Is Not Free

- Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

**********************************************************

Ways To Observe Memorial Day*

Memorial Day reminds us of our duties towards the wounded soldiers and the bereaved families, orphans and widows of the dead soldiers. We should honor the dead by adorning their sacred remains with flowers and garlands and show our gratitude towards them in the following ways:

  • Adorning the graves of the soldiers with flags or flowers.
  • Visiting cemeteries and memorials.
  • Furling the American Flag at half-mast until noon.
  • Furling the 'POW/MIA Flag'.
  • Keep silence for a minute at 3 p.m., 'National Moment of Remembrance' and listen to Taps being played.
  • Make a pledge to aid the disabled veterans, widows, widowers and orphans of the dead and keep it.
  • You may support the efforts to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th.
  • Offering thanks to the veterans and appreciating the ultimate sacrifices of the soldiers to the bereaved families personally may help too.

**********************************************************

image

It is the VETERAN,  not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,  who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag,

image

It is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag,

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON  THEM.

image

**********************************************************

image_thumb1

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

God Bless Our Troops…those who have served before and those who are serving now……

**********************************************************

ADDED NOTE: I have been asked if it would be okay to borrow some of my ideas…. the answer is YES!!! (This is one of those times I don’t mind…..  our troops past and  present deserve our support!!!!)

 

Technorati Tags:

20 comments:

  1. This is a great post. I was wondering if I could borrow some of your ideas?

    I have two nephews in Afghanistan, one was aboard Marine One, the other is a West Point graduate. I have a niece who is a West Point graduate and served in IRAQ. My brother toured in the Coast Guard, my Grandfather was there during the Pearl Harbor attack and many relatives on my husbands side are, or have served.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is such a wonderful post! I have tears in my eyes as I remember friends and strangers who have lost their lives and/or who are now serving in our military, to preserve our freedom.
    I also remember the families who are left behind and all the sacrifices they, too, make. I am humbled...and am so grateful that these brave men and women love their country so much that they offer themselves as keepers of freedom.

    May God bless them...and their families. Keep them in the palms of His hands. And may God bless America.
    Jane (artfully graced)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for a heart touching post. We all need to be reminded of where our thoughts should be on Memorial Day. This was perfect! Keep your flag a wavin'! Joan

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hurray for the red, white and blue! Thank you for the lovely tribute to the American soldier. My husband is a retired AF pilot who served in Vietnam. We carted our kids all of the USA and other parts of the world, and I wouldn't trade that privilege of serving our country for anything. I pray daily for our nation and leaders. Oops! My daughter must be signed into my computer, because her blog name popped up when I tried to post this. The comment is really from underherwings.blogspot.com. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for the post cards for Memorial day. We so often forget what the holiday is really about.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You're right, we owe so much to our veterans. Your photos are very poignant, a good reminder to thank those who have served.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I got that the other day in an email..very touching! Come see my tribute if you have a minute..:)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great post and I hope you have a great Memorial Day. sandie

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is a wonderful post! God Bless America and our dedicated troops.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonderful post, Susan! Happy Memorial Day to you and yours...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Susan, this is a priceless post with beautiful sentiments from start to finish. The poetry you shared, the images, and even the cartoons gave me reason to stop and think. Thank you for sharing this with all of us for Memorial Day. All the best for a great weekend. ~ Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy Memorial Weekend my friend…Hugs and Smiles Gl♥ria
    Too funny Susan I just did almost this same post girl...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Susan,
    I felt lots of emotion as I read your post. The past 2 weeks we have been traveling through the East coast visiting historial and reverent places where so many men and women gave their lives for our freedom. We visited many battle fields and felt such awe at their sacrifice.
    You have spoken those feelings so well and I would love to borrow some of your ideas. Thanks for the permission. Thank you also for a beautiful and timely post!
    Enjoy a happy and grateful Memorial Day to you and your family,
    ~♥

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful post Susan! Happy Memorial Day to you and God Bless Our Soldiers!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Susan,

    Thanks for honoring Memorial Day the way you did it! Our military deserves our highest RESPECT!

    Greetings from Georgia/USA

    MariettesBacktoBasics

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a beautiful post, Susan! Thank you for taking the time to gather all of this together...I am sharing it on FB and on my blog! God bless the USA!
    <3 Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  17. Very touching post! Thank you for putting it together!

    Laura

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful Memorial Day post, Susan! My dad is buriued in a National Cemetery, as a vet if WWII and Korea. I remember him saying that fighting fir his country was the proudest days of his life.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Susan,
    Your post made me cry....God Bless our heroes!
    You are so right...FREEDOM is not FREE!!
    Thanks for enlightening.

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a great post Susan. As CS&N sing: The cost of freedom is buried in the ground.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment! I enjoy reading all your thoughts and will try to answer any questions you might have for me. Have a wonderful day....hope to "see"you again soon!