This coming Monday, May 28^th, is Memorial Day. It is officially a three day weekend and unofficially the start of summer. School children have no school. The stores have great sales. Lots of people have barbeques. Towns have parades, usually with only a small attendance by the local population. That is all very nice, but what is Memorial Day actually about? A memorial serves to focus attention on the memory of someone, something or some event. Our Memorial Day has a definite and sacred focus that far too many Americans are either ignore or are ignorant about.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was officially proclaimed in 1868 by General John Logan. It began as a day of remembrance for those who had died during the Civil War. May 30, 1868 was the day designated for this memorial observance and decorating the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers with flowers. (Hence the name "Decoration" Day.)

Over the years, Memorial Day became a day of remembrance for all those military members who have given their lives in the service of this country. In 1971 the National Holiday Act changed the official celebration of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May.

Every member of the military takes an oath when entering the service. The oath is: "I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; AND THAT I WILL OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME, ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE. SO HELP ME GOD."

Our military members are the defenders of the same principles that made America a great country. They defend and protect the principles, ideals and sentiments in our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. They are the preservers of freedom. The vast majority of our military, whether they join for only one enlistment period or make the military their career, continue to honor their oath after leaving the service. These patriots agree with John Adams who said, "Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives." America is blessed to have many fine patriots.

"At countless funerals and memorial services for those who lost their lives in the service of our country, I hear the question, 'Why is such a good young person taken from us in the prime of life?' Plato, the Greek philosopher, apparently sought to resolve the issue by observing, 'Only the dead have seen the end of war.' I prefer to take my solace in the words of Jesus to the Apostle John: 'Father, I will that those you have given me, be with me where I am.’... Those now in uniform deserve our thanks, for no nation has ever had a better military force than the one we have today. And no accolade to those presently in our country's service is greater than honoring the veterans who preceded them on Memorial Day" - Lt. Col. Oliver North, ret.

A 15 year old girl named Lizzie Palmer put a YouTube program together about our military that I feel is appropriate to share for Memorial Day. I suggest that you watch and remember this short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

This Memorial Day, be one of the Americans asking God to bless these heroes we are remembering. They never set out to be heroes. A relative of a fallen soldier once said, "Each loved his life as much as we love ours. Each had a place in the world, a family waiting and friends to see again. They thought of the future just as we do, with plans and hopes for a long life. But they left it all behind when they went to war, and parted with it forever when they died so that you and I might enjoy freedom today."

We are the beneficiaries of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives. This Memorial Day take time to honor and remember those who have given their lives for you and for freedom. Robert Orr wrote, "To live in the hearts of those you leave behind is never to die." Show you care, honor their sacrifice not only this Memorial Day, but every day. Honoring our military heroes assures their memory does indeed live in our hearts.

• Visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on fallen soldiers' graves.
• Fly the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon.
• Fly the POW/MIA flag as well.
• Participate in the "National Moment of Remembrance" at 3 p.m. – pause and think about the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
• Make a pledge to aid widows, widowers and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.