I want to personally thank all the men and women who have given of their time, labor, and lives in the service of the United States of America. Please know that I'm saying a special prayer of gratitude to those soldiers who have died defending our great country, and for those family members who have given up their loved ones.
Here's a special prayer I found online at http://www.usmemorialday.org/. It beautifully sums up my thoughts, and I invite you to visit the rest of the site for further information.
By Rev. Dick Kozelka (ret)
First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN.
Eternal God,
Creator of years, of centuries,
Lord of whatever is beyond time,
Maker of all species and master of all history --
How shall we speak to you
from our smallness and inconsequence?
Except that you have called us to worship you
in spirit and in truth;
You have dignified us with loves and loyalties;
You have lifted us up with your lovingkindnesses.
Therefore we are bold to come before you without groveling
[though we sometimes feel that low]
and without fear
[though we are often anxious].
We sing with spirit and pray with courage
because you have dignified us;
You have redeemed us from the aimlessness
of things' going meaninglessly well.
God, lift the hearts of those
for whom this holiday is not just diversion,
but painful memory and continued deprivation.
Bless those whose dear ones have died
needlessly, wastefully [as it seems]
in accident or misadventure.
We remember with compassion those who have died
serving their countries
in the futility of combat.
There is none of us but must come to bereavement and separation,
when all the answers we are offered
fail the question death asks of each of us.
We believe that you will provide for us
as others have been provided with the fulfillment of
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
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