Happy Memorial Day!

I love traditions…and I especially love traditions that teach our children what the days we celebrate and remember are all about. A few years ago, I told Rich that I wanted to spend days celebrating their true meaning—and Memorial Day is no different. SO…instead of grilling out…instead of going to the lake…we go hear from the veterans who have risked their lives for our freedom.

We listen to them.

We learn from them.

We salute them.

We hear their stories of loss.

We shed tears as they remember.

And as always…when we sing “God Bless America” I get a lump in my throat. And my kids look at me with a pecular face wondering why this moves me so. I am living in a country that offers freedom. And I have lived on the mission field where I had to speak in code because their government didn’t welcome missionaries or offer the religious freedom that ours does. After that experience, the song “God bless America” took on new deepness and meaning. And I salute the soldiers who fought with a whole new respect.

And I pray we can raise our children differently. With a sense of understanding and respect for the freedoms they have. And I pray—I pray deeply on my knees—that they will USE the freedoms they have been given for the glory of God. Will they use this freedom to advance themselves OR to benefit and bless others? Will they take for granted their 3 meals a day or will they make sacrifices so that others can have a meal a day too? Will their heroes be missionaries and servicemen or rockstars and celebrities? I pray as we teach them what these days we celebrate mean…that they, too, will understand.

Use our family, Lord, to make an impact in our world and in your kingdom. I pray that we will go anywhere, do anything when you call us. And bind us together to walk this road toward you together…

And while we remember those today who fought for us…my sister-in-law is spending her Memorial Day doing this…She taught a lesson to the children today and then spent the rest of the day training teachers at Wiphan schools. So thankful to be on this journey with family!