Memorial Day

      When I was young we went to every Memorial Day parade -- my dad was a vet.  And as I grew older the youth organizations I was in had us actually march in the parades, and now as a pastor I am often asked to pray when the parade ends at a cemetery where veterans are buried or there is a memorial.
     What I notice is that the crowds get smaller and smaller.  More folks can be found around the barbeque or at the ball field than at the parade.  And yet we still send our men and women overseas to die so that we might live in safety and worship as we feel led.
    My nephew joined the infantry in the Army in these last few years and I find my heart is torn more than ever as I learn of the death or injury of one of own.  But I am also thankful that there are still women and men who follow the call to serve and protect their country.
    I invite you to join me this Memorial Day in remembering those in the military who have died serving our country and for their families and friends and saying a prayer for them.  After all, Memorial Day is a holiday just so that we can do just that.  And, join me as well, in thanking those vets who managed to come home to us but who were changed forever by the experiences of war -- physically, spiritually and emotionally.  Many of them find it tragically hard to put their lives back together again.  I just learned this startling statistic:  Over the course of one year (October 2008-September 2009), 136,334 veterans spent at least one night in a shelter or transitional housing program, more than 5,000 of them alongside their families.  If you want to help, you can go to: http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=10&link=ctg_vet_home_from_ths_home_sitenav.     It is a site where your click will be free to you but give help where it is needed.  Check it out!