What Will You Do To Honor the Men and Women That Have Served in our Armed Forces?

The Memorial Day ceremony at the lil' cemetery across from the GHS has been canceled for a couple of years now. Sad -- it was a very good way to remind all around us that Memorial Day is about more than a day off, yard work and a quick round of golf.

Paul, (I don't know his last name) a favorite writer of mine - most of us quote a bunch of his work (usually without even knowing it) - but one time he said something pretty close to "Give honer where honer is due."

Given it is Memorial Day (today) I'm just wondering how you will thank our current and past soldiers? We do still live in the greatest nation on the planet. We have unparalleled freedom and for this we owe a lifetime of gratitude to those that have served in our armed forces.

I'm always impressed with folks that I know from the military; in so many ways they carry with them the attitude of being a giver. Paul was like that. Paul was a giver. He raised money for the poor, he argued for the rights of women, he suffered abuse at the hands of the religious. He lived life on the edge; at one point he gets arrested and beaten by the very people that were supposed to be protecting him and his rights, and then you hear this amazing man (you know the type, the kind of person we all secretly aspire to be) say stuff like.. respect the "governing authorities," "obey the law," "give honor to whom honor is due."

That is a powerful message. This is something that should give us pause. It'd be worth considering this over Memorial Day. It just makes me think - when we see Paul setting an example of appreciation/honor and respect for people that have mistreated him and have misused their authority, we certainly ought give thanks and show appreciation for those that have given so much for us. And if there is any one group of people that have given for us, it is our men and women that have served in our armed forces.

So this weekend, be sure you stop someone in uniform and tell them thanks. If you see a soldier at a restaurant, pick up his tab. Let our brave men and women in uniform know that we do still appreciate their attitude of giving ... (NIV) Romans 13:7 ... Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.