Memorial Day Thoughts


       

       *Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  As a marker it typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

 By the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as people visited the graves of their deceased relatives in church cemeteries, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family gatherings, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 auto race, held since 1911 on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. *Wikipedia
   
As I reflect today on the many who sacrificed their lives for freedom, I am thankful, for Men and Women of valor who when duty called …answered! Sadly, no shopping or family gatherings or trips to the beach for them, we can go because they did,  and be sure we breathe freedoms air, because of them.

Memorial Day for me is also a time to reflect on the life of my sister Michelle, who departed this life to be with Christ in September 2009. She was (is) in a word…amazing! She was fun; she filled a room with her dynamic caring warm and infectious personality!   

She really cared about the people in her life, and oh how we miss her. I find myself thinking of her at different times in a given week. 

I think about her when the children of the church I pastor hug me…because children loved her, and she them. I think about her often in the middle of shared laughter with friends, because no one could make me laugh quite like her. I think about her when typing, and listening to music…because her life was full of harmony and sweeping vibrant crescendos of joy and love expressed to family and friends!

I think about her when I lay down to sleep…because I am hoping the Lord would allow me to dream of our times together…and I secretly want Him to take me to be with her because this world is often harsh and people are cold and she was always kind and warm.

I am comforted that with each Memorial Day observed, I am one year closer to being with her in the land of no more goodbyes…and those thoughts allow me to live one more day.

I look forward to not having to think about my sister through the limitations of memory, but to a time when we will again be together and laugh:)

This song reminds me of my Shell….

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