May 23, 2007



“Memorial Day”, once called “Declaration Day”, at my work that day only means a gigantic sale week end! Of which I am not really surprised for when I asked why they did not fly the American flag on the 4th of July, for that extravaganza sale, I was informed it would be an insult to our foreign customers.
I am sorry lost my head for a moment! I forgot where I really was.

The first part of memorial is “memory”, a mental faculty of retaining or recalling past experience of person-place or event. Truly the only thing that leaves a cemetery is memories. No amount of sales, money, power or fame is going to stop that.

Yes “Memorial Day” is coming up; you will hear the harshness of ceremonial rifles barking in unison and the mournful sound of “Taps” fluttering out over those permanently sleeping beneath the sod, according to Wikipedia, that is all most 2 MILLION men and women died in the uniformed service of this country..

Taps started during the Civil War, not as glory but as remembrance, a remembrance c.a. is prone to shove aside for profit.

As a young chaplain I heard Taps many times and jumped every time the rifles went off, yet I still recall the first time I heard the mournful notes of Taps. I was being carried by my grandfather from a cemetery, and my mother was weeping and I did not know why at the time, but, to this day that image and the sound of Taps remains in the forefront of my memory.

In the United States May 30th was the original day set aside as a day to remember the young men and women who provided the freedom for this country, and who will no longer have the opportunity of the ripe old age.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us “to encourage one another and build each other up”

This is the time to do just such a thing for our citizen soldiers who are torn from their family’s in response to our leaderships determination that this “is the time of war” as so quickly stated in Ecclesiastes. It is not a day of capital gain but of remembrance of those who have gone “Home” and support for those still in the absurd attempt at peace for mankind.

Regardless of your political point of view, America and some of its allies have lost young men, women and civilians in Iraq-Afghanistan . I can not help but wonder if we are just to conveniently shelf the memories of God’s children who have died. (All the way from Bunker Hill to the time of this reading, in the name of freedom I might add.) Simply so the memory of their sacrifice, will not “interfere” with the big orange or blue or white sales.

I am a survivor and I will be the very first in line of all those that have walked through that valley to tell you there is no glory in that march.…there are un- human like behaviors, actions, cruelty far beyond anything that you can possible imagine, and those memories will live with the survivor as a permanent scar all their lives.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”

Take the time to build memories of joy with your family while you can! This day of memory.

This “Memorial Day” just say NO to that sale of greed, build some memories with the real number one value! The item that is not for sale,,,,, your Family!

Those memories are priceless and were paid for and are being paid for by sacrifice and duty of the young men and women of this country whom you do not even know.

“You” can say thanks to them by going camping, hiking, on a picnic, to the park or maybe to the shore and just watch a sunset.
Show them you appreciate their sacrifice, by being a sign of a free, united family not one worshiping upon the corporate alter of greed.

Build some family Memories you can “Take to the Bank” of love, remember big business only drains your bank of funds.

Pause for just a moment this “Memorial Day” in prayer, maybe you do not understand the whys of it all, but, ask God to send peace and understanding to Iraq-Afghanistan, to the Israel-Palestine region, all of the world where the tensions are causing so much darkness.

In a single day there are : 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. Surely we could afford just five (5) minutes this memorial day to offer a prayer for world peace, just 300 seconds.
That will leave 1,435 minutes or 86,100 seconds in the rest of the day for ourselves.

For just a moment hold the memory of love and strength in your mind, radiating it out to a grieving family struggling to hold on to the thought that God has blessed their missing son or daughter and that knowledge brings the family peace.

Enjoy the moment by holding the hand of a loved one ------ and not the purchase receipt of some conglomerates sale.

Align your heart with the golden warmth of love and not the pockets with gold of a CEO.

Welcome to our home hearts brothers and sisters.
Blessings
fred


A MILLION THANKS!

This Memorial Day I encourage you to tell a service person “thank you” for the job they are doing. And/or send a card to us at our address prior to Memorial Day and we will get them into the hands of Shauna Fleming sponsor of the Million Thanks Campaign.

In 1965 our team while was in Vietnam was a recipient of a whole mail bag full of letters, cards and pictures from school children across the United States, the joy and peace that simple note, or picture or colored what ever made for me and my fellow berets in that isolated camp; well, to just to have a caring contact from “back in the world” was beyond explanation.

That night that we received them you could have heard a pin drop in our team house except for the occasional out burst of chuckle, I can tell you honestly those tough men had wet eyes. (In fact as I write this I had to stop because I was choked up a couple of times just recalling that bag)
We shared those photos, jokes, pictures of those school children, teachers and concerned people just as if we knew every one of them. Someone cared! It is impossible to explain the JOY those cards can bring.

The rules are simple:
Do not use the words “kill,” nor ask “do you miss your family”
No food nor candy can be attached to the cards and do not use glitter
Any size card will do, the most favored are home made, pictures of taste can be included
For more information go to www.amillionthanks.org

UPCOMING
May 29th Memorial Service
June 3rd Jesus as a C.E.O.
June 10th Adam and Eve
June 17 Father’s Day
June 24th What is Music Really Telling Us


LINKS:
Recently while attending a Spirit Mind and Body show, we ran across a lady with some very interesting pillows embroidered with scriptural phrase and little prayer stools. The quality of workmanship was excellent For those of you “when life brings you to your knees” www.GODpillow.com

“Radiant Peace is the positive energy and goodness within each and every one of us”
William age 6, Baltimore Maryland. For more details of what time proven seniors and the youth of today think concerning Peace log on to www.radiantpeace.org

“the shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance of your knees to the floor” www.prayermasters@aol.com

Join Brenda and Sasha for an exploration of the mysteries of the Mayans Nov. 4-11
For information send an email to brendabrinn1@msn.com or 813-786-6311

WANTED: KEYBOARD AND OR GUITAR MUSICIANS to solo and accompany some dedicated singers, must be energetic contact Fred 813-748-7095

LADIES MINISTRY:
Do not forget your “JOY” jars as you join us June 16th at Perkins Restaurant at Stall Rd and Dale Mabry at 9:00 AM. We will be deciding on a future community service project.
Kat