On this Veteran's Day we honor those who have served in the armed forces. Today, many will take
moments to give thanks honoring God and our great country. Elmer Holmes Davis, an American news reporter, author, and the Director of the United States Office of War Information during World War II once said, "This nation will remain the land of the free only as long as it is the home of the brave." Take a moment today to thank and honor the brave men and women who serve, have served in the past, and who have gone before us and sacrificed their lives for the call that came upon their lives to serve.
"As we express our gratitude,
we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,
but to live by them."
- John F. Kennedy
One of the beauties of social media is the opportunity to see and share with family and friends far away from us the growth and activity of young families. Some I see who are serving in the armed forces or have served in the past are now young mother's and fathers and a few now becoming grandparents.
These family and friends have made an influence on our lives or we too have had the opportunity to encourage them in life's journey. The beauty of this is that throughout time we have been able to develop relationships, maybe for a short period of time, and for others the long term relationships have made a difference in our lives. These relationships have wielded influence. This influence has seen seasons with those who have served in the military that have included "a time for war and a time for peace." (Ecc. 3:8) While there is time for one there is a time for another. Ecclesiastes 3 goes on to describe many seasons that include tearing down and building up, weeping and laughing that give us the image that God has made everything beautiful in His time. We may not understand or conceive fully what God may be doing in different seasons. However, we can know that to discover His peace is to seek Him first learning to accept and appreciate God's perfect timing.
Today, honor and thank those who are serving, have served and are still with us or considering those who have served and gone on before us. Some we see may still be struggling to find peace and you may be the only encouragement that moves them toward peace. As they reminisce their service to our country, thank them for not only the season they served but for the value they bring to our country and lives today. Claudia Pemberton, an author and lifelong resident of Huntington, West Virginia stated, "America without her soldiers would be like God without his angels."
To all our angels and soldiers, we may not know each of you by name, but we owe you our all for the freedoms you have provided to us while serving God and country. Thank you.