With Veterans Day coming on November the 11th followed by Thanksgiving on November the 28th, it’s a good time for a little reflection. I don’t know about you, but the fall season is my favorite time of the year. The weather turns a little cooler, the leaves turn colors, you can have a fire in the fireplace, and it is just is a happy season leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
In America, many people just don’t recognize what it took for us to be able to sit around a fire or hold hands with our family as we pray over a Thanksgiving meal or unwrap a gift at Christmas.
This past weekend, I was reminded of what a price our fathers and grandfathers and their fathers before them paid so we could be safe and live our lives as we decide. A couple weeks ago in Sunday school there was a question, if we had ever been persecuted for our faith or not? The answer is that no one in that room had ever been persecuted. You may have had your feelings hurt over faith but nothing that would approach persecution. I am reminded of Hitler who wanted to impose his socialist ideology on all the countries around Germany including the Jewish people. That was persecution. What we have experienced is maybe a little shunning from other people, hurt feelings now and then and the occasional bruised ego.
You think of all the past wars that were fought and the men and women waking up every day not knowing if they would be alive that night. Those soldiers watched their friends die around them and fought with all their hearts to simply stay alive and come home to their families and live in freedom. That is the price that was paid for you and me.
The image of being a parent taking your son or your daughter to report for active duty is an image that has played out millions of times for fathers and mothers across America. Thank God I never had to take my daughters to report for duty. I am so thankful for our lives.
My point is as you look toward the 2024 holiday season ahead, I believe we should all have a reality check on what price was paid so we can enjoy a peaceful holiday season with our families. I know I will, and I hope you will also. KT