The Real Meaning of Memorial Day

The way I understand, this is not really Memorial Day. It was established to be on May 31 each year. However, it was moved to a Monday so folks could enjoy a three-day weekend. I hope we all realizes the huge (very huge) sacrifice that so many families endured so that we could even have a Memorial Day.

If you want a prime example, please check out the front page of the Birmingham News this morning. It shows a large color photo of Mrs. Monzia Upner of Anniston who has been hoping, praying and waiting for 44 years–hoping that the remains of her husband, Edward, can be returned to her for burial. He was killed in Vietnam.

Do we really realize what Memorial Day is all about? Yesterday, in our Men’s Sunday School Class at Huffman Baptist Church, we turned the last 10 minutes into a round-table prayer session for our Army, Navy, Marine and National Guard troops who are in danger around the world.

Not only them, but also their families and loved-ones.

Can you imagine the anxiety that family members have to go through daily? They never know when there may be a knock on the door, or a telegram giving them the awful news that their loved one will not be coming home alive.

Yesterday in our class, we also prayed for kin and family of those lost in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and more recently in Iraq. The American death toll was in the multiplied thousands.

Did you ever wonder how many of those that never came home would have made great presidents, senators, governors, mayors, you name it.

They never had a chance but they provided the freedom that we have on this May 25 to enjoy the day.

So, enjoy the backyard BBQ. It is not the real meaning.
Enjoy the ball games. It is not the real thing.

I sure hope that we will get into a habit of praying DAILY for our troops in danger in so many parts of the world.

AND, their families back home.

It is the least we can do and we owe them much more than that!

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