This coming Monday in the United States is Memorial Day, where we honor those who have sacrificed themselves in their country's services....you know, when I was younger and Memorial Day was mentioned, I would think of older people, such as my father's uncle, who served in the Navy during the Second World War and Korea (I remember going over to his house and going through the old VFW magazines...).
But now I am the older people and when I think of Memorial Day now, I think of my brother who served in the First Gulf war and others and seeing how so many of them are YOUNGER than I am and how some of them will never even live to 1/2 of the age that I am right now....
But the same thing is in both generations, and that is the willingness to volunteer to fight for the rights of their countries and other countries that either do not or never had the freedoms that we take for granted in this country and to borrow from Lincoln...to give the last full measure of devotion.....the sacrifice of their lives.
We honor them because of this and rightfully so, but where did that desire to give their lives come from? It is very simple, it is found in the words of Jesus, who not only said these words, but would in the next day after He said them would example them in giving the last full measure of His devotion in giving His life for an entire world....Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)....the desire to give ourselves for one another comes from the example of Christ on the cross and shows that divine spark which is in each and every one of us, whether we choose to accept it or not.....
And that is what I pray that we will remember on Memorial Day....those who gave their lives for their country and for others....and the example from which it comes from....
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
elections and God
No- this will not be one of those blog entries where I pound political beliefs...but rather pound something spiritual.....
Saturday was the elections here in San Antonio for our mayor and city council, so I woke up at 6:45 (a little earlier than usual) and walked all the way from my house to the voting places and all the way back (actually I got there so early that I was the first one to vote in my precinct).
But on the way back, I began to think....its interesting that I got up earlier than usual to perform a civic duty (which is very important, I encourage you to vote, no matter how you lean), but how often do I get up early to do something which is not a duty, but rather a privilige; namely spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word?
David wrote in the Psalms "O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee." (Pslam 63:1). And we also read of Jesus.."And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.".....Now if spending time in the early part of the day praying and seeking God was important to David and to Jesus, how important is it for us to do so as well?
I remember that while in the hospital; one of the first things that I would do is spend time in the word and I believe that is one of the things that would allow me to get through the rest of the day, becuase I would have my mind adjusted and given a fixed focus on the relative unimportance of everything else in comparison to God.
So if you get a chance, get up early and seek after God in prayer and in His Word....it is a choice more important than any political ballot you may fill out......
Saturday was the elections here in San Antonio for our mayor and city council, so I woke up at 6:45 (a little earlier than usual) and walked all the way from my house to the voting places and all the way back (actually I got there so early that I was the first one to vote in my precinct).
But on the way back, I began to think....its interesting that I got up earlier than usual to perform a civic duty (which is very important, I encourage you to vote, no matter how you lean), but how often do I get up early to do something which is not a duty, but rather a privilige; namely spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word?
David wrote in the Psalms "O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee." (Pslam 63:1). And we also read of Jesus.."And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.".....Now if spending time in the early part of the day praying and seeking God was important to David and to Jesus, how important is it for us to do so as well?
I remember that while in the hospital; one of the first things that I would do is spend time in the word and I believe that is one of the things that would allow me to get through the rest of the day, becuase I would have my mind adjusted and given a fixed focus on the relative unimportance of everything else in comparison to God.
So if you get a chance, get up early and seek after God in prayer and in His Word....it is a choice more important than any political ballot you may fill out......
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Mother's Day
Last year, I wrote about my mother....http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/05/mom.html
But I ask....how is your relationship with your mother? How do you remember her? One of the great things that I have seen this week on Facebook is how many of my friends there are putting pictures of their mothers on their profile page. That shows me how many of them had a close relationship with their mothers and remember all that they did for them.
And how about grandmothers and (in my mother's case) great-grandmothers....? To be able to share what they have learned and the experiences that they went through; sharing them to be able to help their sons and daughters raise their children.....
Being a mother is the hardest job that I can think of and they do it all alone in most cases....so let's appreciate and remember our mothers not only today, but every day!
But I ask....how is your relationship with your mother? How do you remember her? One of the great things that I have seen this week on Facebook is how many of my friends there are putting pictures of their mothers on their profile page. That shows me how many of them had a close relationship with their mothers and remember all that they did for them.
And how about grandmothers and (in my mother's case) great-grandmothers....? To be able to share what they have learned and the experiences that they went through; sharing them to be able to help their sons and daughters raise their children.....
Being a mother is the hardest job that I can think of and they do it all alone in most cases....so let's appreciate and remember our mothers not only today, but every day!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
National Day of Prayer
Today is the National Day of Prayer here in the United States....and while many of us have been or will be on our knees today...there are some who mock, ridicule or don't believe in prayer; deciding to trust in reason....well, I just thought I would provide a link to an earlier blog entry to let people know what I think about "reason".....
http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-reason-at-all.html
http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-reason-at-all.html
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Yom Hashoah
This evening marks Yom HaShoah...Holocaust Remembrance Day...actually my friend Chad Elliott says it better than I can in his blog entry..http://chadelliott.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/never-forget/
The key word however is Remembrance "to remember"...Remembring gives us the opportunity to teach the next generation of the things that happened, of the lessons learned, of testimonies of friends and loved ones...it helps us to combat the naysayers with proof of the things that happened, it helps us to keep the memories of loved ones alive, so that they never really die....
So on this day of remembrance, I encourage you to visit a Holocaust museum (if there is one near you) or go online and learn of these things so that the words "NEVER AGAIN" will not just be a slogan, but something that will be part of your life....
The key word however is Remembrance "to remember"...Remembring gives us the opportunity to teach the next generation of the things that happened, of the lessons learned, of testimonies of friends and loved ones...it helps us to combat the naysayers with proof of the things that happened, it helps us to keep the memories of loved ones alive, so that they never really die....
So on this day of remembrance, I encourage you to visit a Holocaust museum (if there is one near you) or go online and learn of these things so that the words "NEVER AGAIN" will not just be a slogan, but something that will be part of your life....
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