Memorial Day 2009

It's Memorial Day 2009. Unlike Veteran's Day, we don't have school on Memorial Day. Are we teaching our children what Memorial Day is really all about? Is it only a day off from school? A day for barbecues and playing on the lake or the beach?

As for us...we went to the movies. We saw Race to Witch Mountain at the dollar theater. We spent $4 on tickets and $10 on popcorn and drinks. What's wrong with this picture? But it was a good dollar movie. The boys enjoyed it. We were invited by friends from our ward and then saw two other families from our ward. Cue music...it's a small world after all.

When we got home, I watched the NASCAR race that was postponed from yesterday. It was a pretty boring race, but I was so glad to see this one particular part. In case you weren't aware, President Obama asked us to pause at 3:00--wherever we were and whatever we were doing--to stop and remember our fallen heroes. Now honestly, I had forgotten. But while watching the race, they threw the caution flag. (If you don't know anything about NASCAR or any kind of car racing, just go with me on this.) All of the cars slowed down then stopped on the front straightaway. All of the pit crews came out of the pits and stood in a line along the pit boxes. The flags were lowered to half-staff. And they requested a moment of silence. The cars turned off their engines, the people stopped talking (most of them) and for one minute an entire sports "arena" was in relative silence. It was amazing. It gave me goosebumps.

I am grateful for those men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country--for our freedom. My brother is a veteran who served in VietNam. We were blessed to have him come home safely, but there are thousand/millions in our history who have not. I pray for the safety of our country. I pray for the families of all of those men and women who are currently serving and for those families who are remembering a loved one on this day. Thank you.