The Beauty of Remembering

            Beauty 1: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit :  : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beauty

Remembrance : the state of bearing in mind; 2a : the ability to remember : memory b : the period over which one's memory extends 3: an act of recalling to mind 4: a memory of a person, thing, or event 5a : something that serves to keep in or bring to mind : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remembrance?show=0&t=1352644788

My Dad in his navy uniform

Pristine, clear, azure blue skies make a glorious view from my studio/home office window.  It has just gone 11:00 am on this Sunday, 11^th November, Remembrance Day/Veterans’ Day.  At 11:00 am United Christian Broadcasters http://www.ucbmedia.co.uk/home/ played “The Last Post” followed by two minutes of nature sounds as a period of silence.  I often wonder what other people think about in a 2-minute silence—as my mind wanders from one thing to the next.

   An “All Souls” service is a Christian remembrance of family and friends who have died.  But Remembrance Day/Veterans’ Day is a federal governmental day of honouring the men and women who served in the military to defend their counties. 

   In 1958 my parents got married.  My mother became the wife of an Air Force Service man.  The first eleven years of my life were spent near or on Air Force Base housing for families. 

   Dad was a staff sergeant, a parachute rigger, for the US Air Force.  For Christmas 1968 Dad used the industrial sewing machines at the base workshop to make sleeping bag covers for five brand new sleeping bags.  He made cases for tent poles for the new tent they’d ordered.  My dad was a clever man; a creative man who had not much confidence in himself.

Before Dad served with the Air Force, he served in the US Navy.  His brother also served in the Navy.  Dad was in the Navy three years.  All together, Dad had twenty-years of military service. 

"The Maverick" on patrol in Rhodesia

One of the things I desired in a husband was the he have some military back-ground.  One of the things I discovered early on about “The Maverick” was that he had served in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa armies.  “The Maverick’s” father was also a veteran, serving at El Alamein, Egypt.   

In the Bible, Paul wrote to the Philippians to think on things that are pure, noble, trustworthy, true.  The truth about war is that it is not pretty, nor fair, nor glorious.  

However, the people who served were often noble, willing to ignore the dirt, denigration and fear of living in trenches, swamps, jungles and deserts in order to prevent the furtherance of evil regimes.  Sometimes political decisions supersede the outcome of military victories.  This can leave Veterans feeling betrayed, frustrated and cynical.    

When we think about military service people, former and currently serving, we think of their noble acts.  We watch war films, such as Band of Brother, All Quiet on the Western Front, or M-A-SH, and discover the level of trust these men and women invested in their comrades and units.  We think of their sacrifice to leave home, family and friends, leaving behind jobs, education and vocations in order to live a different life.  Some came home with physical injuries.  Others came home with unseen wounds from trauma, un-expressed grief, and spiritual dilemmas. 

Bringing to mind the seasons of war our countries, states/counties, towns and families have gone through is beautiful, because we learn the meaning of what it is of have a love which is strong enough to fight for.  We take a few minutes to clearly think about what freedom means; the price it costs to earn it and maintain it.  As long as we have the ability to remember, to turn over the pages of our mind’s memories, we have the ability to learn of faith, courage, commitment, identity, and hope.  Hope for a better future for our progeny. 

My heart is filled with thanksgiving to God for my Dad, my uncle, my father-in-law and my husband for the time they gave to serve in the military. 

Whilst everything we remember is not beautiful, to remember is a beautiful action.  I pray your moments of recalling to mind those who have served family, country and hopefully God, are full of grace, mercy and joy-though it be bittersweet. 

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

"Lady Helene"