REMEMBERING OUR HEROES

I don’t know how many of you watched the Memorial Service last weekend, but it is always a memorable and beautiful service. Some of the songs that I remember being sung were, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Yesterday Morning They Let Me Know You Were Gone, America the Beautiful, Keep On Living, and He’s Still a Soldier.  Some of these were not only appropriate for the past but fitting for today’s times.

Pam Jones mentioned her father being in the service and away a lot and having to depend on mail. My father, and Guye’s father, were born around 1900, so were too young to serve in WWI and too old for WWII.  Guye’s brother served in the Army for 35 years,  serving two tours to Vietnam. I know a number served in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and other places. Some of your great, great, great -uncles or -grandfathers served in the Civil War, serving on either side, against each other.

When our oldest son, Mike, was growing up he was so interested in history and the Civil War. Since he was born in Alabama and lived most of his growing up years in Baton Rouge, he considered himself a Confederate, “rebel.” He later won a state social studies project on the “Civil War in Baton Rouge.” He was giving his little brother a history lesson about the Civil War, and as they were playing with their little lead soldiers, he said, “You and I are ‘rebels’ and mom and dad were born in Oklahoma and they are not anything.” I did have to laugh at his teaching lesson.

Today we have heroes who sacrifice every day to make our communities safe under these unusual circumstances. We especially thank our first responders, medical personnel, police, firefighters, those in the trucking industry, postal workers, garbage workers, volunteers, grocers, etc. If it weren’t for these people sacrificing for us, many of them giving their lives to make this a better place, this epidemic would have affected us even more.

Being a senior, I appreciate the many acts of kindness given to me, especially from my family as well as my church family. They also reserve their distance because my son is still working and figures he may have been exposed to the virus.

As we come back to our sanctuary to worship next Sunday, let us please wear your mask to not only protect yourself, but to protect others. If you do not feel well, stay at home, and continue to worship with our virtual service.

A special “Thank-You” goes to David, João, Crystal, Aaron, Ted, and the many others who have made each of our services so meaningful and beautiful.

Matthew 6:34 reminds us, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Offered by Phyllis Willis

Our devotionals are going out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, with an occasional lagniappe issue. Please look for these congregation devotionals in your email box at about 6:45 a.m.