THINK ABOUT IT 5-26-25
“Brother Stone, I received this today from a friend that I served with in Viet Nam. He was the last one of the six of us that made it to the copter that got us out of Laos. This comes from someone who has his own opinion of this day. If you would like to share this feel free to do so, if not I understand.
Brother Willie Bingaman”
Bro. Bingaman is a faithful member of Lakeway Baptist Church and a dear friend– a true hero in my eyes. HDS
Memorial Day
Please do not wish me Happy Memorial Day. We hear that phrase “Happy Memorial Day” every year because as Americans we have forgotten the significance of this day. We are deluged with advertisements to buy TV’s, Mattresses, Hot Dogs, Cars, Boats, any and all sorts of merchandise. Picnics, Family reunions, beach vacations are the standard of the day. I asked a high school student working at the local Publix if she knew the meaning of the day when she wished me a Happy Memorial Day she said it has something to do with veterans. I asked if they discussed it in school and the answer was “not really.” We should all find the previous disappointedly sad. Of all of the American Holidays this day is our most solemn. While we should thank our Veterans and active duty personnel every opportunity but, this is not their day. Nor is it a “Happy” day.
Memorial Day is the day we should honor and celebrate those who are no longer with us. those who gave their lives during their service to insure our liberty. Those who made their last trip home beneath the precious flag, draped over their simple casket. Today they make the final journey on something called Angel Flights. In the past they returned upon ships or have remained on foreign soil where they fell or at sea placed reverently by their shipmates. That soil will forever be part of America. Some have never had the dignity to be interned for they are those “Missing in Action” or still in the hulk of ships lost. These fallen are the empty chairs at the table, the ache in the heart of those who loved them. They are the true heroes of America. They are the ones we celebrate on Memorial Day.
Today we pay our respects to the over 1,354,664 American heroes who have given there lives so that we can live in the freedom we all enjoy. They gave their lives so that we may all have the opportunity to succeed, to pursue our own happiness, to live without government controlling our lives. To confuse Memorial day with all veterans is to dilute the true meaning of the day.
America has changed since it’s founding. Some change is for the better but unfortunately many have not been. Media people freely admit they are uncomfortable referring to our service personnel as heroic. In the recent past Democrat politicians referred to soldiers in combat as acting like Gestapo thugs. Groups are suing towns and cities to remove crosses erected to honor the fallen and have received favorable rulings from some courts. There is even a group that wants ALL crosses removed at military cemeteries because it is public land and crosses promotes religion. American flags have been removed from schools because it may insight violence by those in this country illegally. Finally, some Muslim groups (not all Muslims) want all American flags removed because it is offensive to them. On many college campuses conservative speakers are attacked and shouted down because the only free speech is speech approved by leftists. And we live in a country deeply divided into left and right camps. We are losing basic freedoms because there is a lack of knowledge about the rights granted by God and enumerated in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. The rights being eroded are the very basis of our liberty fought for by those that surrendered their lives.
It has been said that the strength of a nation can be measured by honors bestowed by it’s citizens to those who died protecting them. If this is in fact true we are a nation in decline. But, this may not be our future. Teaching the young our history, what our Constitution means and why it is written the way it is will be a start. Importantly understanding that many gave their lives to not just protect them from foreign tyranny but also from corruption within our own government.
So today I ask that everyone reading this take a few moments to remember the fallen and say thank you for your sacrifice. You may not have a family member or know anyone who gone but know this, a soldier somewhere gave their life for you and they never knew you. Just a moment is not much to ask, for they have no more moments…
Anyone who wishes to share this message feel free. It has already been paid for…. God Bless America…
Thomas Blas
Memorial Day 2018
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
