Memorial Day Week

On Monday we celebrated Memorial Day.  There are three holidays which seem to cause some confusion for individuals: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Veteran’s Day.  Each play a special, significant role on the way we honor our military.  Armed Forces Day is a day set aside to remember those who are actively serving our country at home and aboard.  These men and women have given their time, through short term stints and those who have made the service a career, to serve us-the American People.  Veteran’s Day is a day established to remember those who have served our country by wearing the uniform of their respective branch of service.  These individuals “put in their time” and came home to begin a new journey with family and careers.  Both those who actively serve and have served are very important to us as American’s and I take my hat off for them and say, “Thank You!”

Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday in May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the military.

Yet, this week we celebrated Memorial Day.  A time we stop and think of those who have served our country, dying for our freedoms, giving the ultimate sacrifice for us so we might enjoy, “The land of the free and the home of the brave.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Standing Firm Devotion for Monday May 25, 2020 was about Memorial Day and a reminder of an individual giving the ultimate sacrifice.  The following are notes from that devotion:

A phrase which has been around for some time is: “All gave some, some gave all.”  It is attributed to a Korean War Veteran, but in 1992 the phrase was popularized in a song by Billy Ray Cyrus.

Some Gave All

I knew a man, called him Sandy Cane
Few folks even knew his name
But a hero, yes was he
Left a boy, came back a man
Still many just don’t understand
About the reasons we are free
I can’t forget the look in his eyes
Or the tears he cried
As he said these words to me

All Gave Some, Some Gave All
Some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some Gave All

Now Sandy Cane is no longer here
But his words are oh so clear
As they echo throughout our land
For all his friends who gave us all
Who stood their ground and took the fall
To help their fellow man
Love your country and live with pride
And don’t forget those who died
America can’t you see?

All Gave Some, Some Gave All
Some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some Gave All

And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Yes recall
Some Gave All
Some Gave All

Source: LyricFind: Songwriters: Billy Ray Cyrus / Cindy Cyrus; Billy Ray Cyrus; Some Gave All lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management

Today, we are reminded of how much families, friends, neighbors have given so we can enjoy our freedom. We honor and thank all who have laid to rest our hero’s; men and women upon which the foundation of our nation is built. “All gave some, some gave all.”

They gave their all; they gave their very life.  Allowed their blood to flow out for our freedom.  Jesus said, “No greater love has a man than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”

These who have given the ultimate sacrifice, signing up to enter military service for their country, know one thing is three: they may never come home.  Yet, willingly they give themselves.  They lay down their lives for their friends.

Freedom is not free.  It is a price that must be paid, and for us as Americans it is through the blood of those we remember today.  As we think of the things we will do this week, let us remember the price paid.  “All gave some, some gave all.”

But lest we forget, let me remind you as we celebrate the freedom we have as part of the USA, we also celebrate our freedoms as believers.  In history there is ONE and ONLY ONE who gave us freedom from sin and sorrow, eternal separation.  Jesus Christ gave all!  He gave His life for me to have freedom.  He left the throne of glory to live the life of a sojourner, to give us ULTIMATE FREEDOM!

Will you not celebrate today?  As an American we remember those who gave us freedom; as a believer we remember the ONE who gives us FREEDOM.

“For freedom, Christ set us free.  Stand firm then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

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