The Last Full Measure of Devotion

Heavenly Father, Your eyes have seen the sacrifice of every one of the fallen. Every man. Every woman. Every casualty of war. Every friend, every spouse, every parent, every child and family member, every comrade who has lost a loved one both past and present– You’ve seen their tears and grieved alongside them all. Not one moment in battle has escaped Your attention. You are intimately aware of each dying breath and the measure of full devotion that was poured out through their ultimate sacrifice.

Father, we take a solemn moment now to join our attention with Yours. We honor the men and women who so selflessly gave their lives, and we honor those family members and loved ones who feel the loss most deeply. For those still mourning, would You wrap your arms of comfort around them and make Yourself known to them. For those lost far in the past, help us to never forget their sacrifice. For our own hearts, Lord, we ask that You impart to us a deep gratitude for the great cloud of witnesses who’ve paid a price so we can live in a land of liberty. Fan aflame the fires within us to continue to advance the unfinished work of our ancestors.

On this Memorial Day, we ask You, Lord, to remember the fallen and all that they so nobly fought for – we join our prayers with theirs and ask that You would bring a new birth of Freedom to the United States of America.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Veterans' Day

And to all the sailors, soldiers, airmen, and Marines who stop by this corner of the 'net, may you have the best day you've ever had, today. This old sailor salutes each of you, and thanks you for the honor of serving with you.

God bless you!

Definition of a Veteran

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life'. That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

 
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

~ John Stuart Mill, English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)

h/t Stormbringer

Election Day, 2012

Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country. 

~ Samuel Adams


Found at The Maritime Sentry