Today is Memorial Day of 2017, and I thought it would be nice to remind myself on why I get a day off of work.

This Federal Holiday used to be called “Decoration Day”. It is a time of rememberance. A day to remember the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Services. The men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the Blessings of Liberty.

People used to go to cemitaries to decorate the graves of family members that have died while serving. They used to take their children and make a picnic and tell stories of those men and women. Now, this day should not be confused with Veterans Day where we honor any and all veterans of our military services, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guards. No, this unofficial start of summer is specifically set apart to remember the sacrifice of those of The Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Viet Nam War, the Iraqi war and otheres that don’t immediately come to mind.

Something I did not know until recently is that the Flag of the United States of America is briskly raised to full staff, then slowly lowered to half staff until noon at which time, the flag is raised back to full staff for the rest of the day. The meaning is quite emotional. The flag is raised to full staff then slowly, solemnly lowered to half staff to reverently remember more than 1 million men and women soldiers, sailors, marines et al that died on the battlefield. At noon, the flag is raised back to full staff by the living in rememberance of their sacrifice and a promise to not let their deaths be in vain and to continue to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and to secure the Blessings of Liberty for all.

So, I know this is a short entry into my blog, but it was still worth the time to write it, if for nothing else as a reminder to me not to take my freedoms for granted because they were bought and paid for by so many to give me the right to have a blog.

To our honored dead, your sacrifice will not be in vain as long as our hearts yearn for God and the freedom to worship him as we want, for there can be no true freedom without God. Rest in Peace and thank you all, our honored dead.