Memorial Day

Statue of Liberty

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Known worldwide as a symbol of American freedom, the Statue of Liberty was actually a gift to us from the nation of France, with donations coming from around the world. When I had the chance to visit there a few years ago, I saw a plaque with words written by the poet Emma Lazarus. Emma originally used her poem to raise funds for the project and though the statue was opened to the public in 1886, she was forgotten. But friends of Emma remembered her words and continued to lobby for them to be included until finally her they were added in 1903.The second verse which we most remembered says:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus

Yesterday at our community clubhouse, we observed a moment of silence in remembrance of those who had given their lives in defense of the liberty spoken of on the base of that statue. But we must not lose sight that even more than those freedoms, Jesus came to offer an even greater freedom: and He, instead of raising a torch, was Himself raised up on a cross to die. Today, Jesus is calling out to you and me with words that are not written on a bronze plaque but are spoken to our hearts by Holy Spirit.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Remembering Dad

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 
Deuteronomy 5:16 ESV

I was quite moved at the Memorial Day event held at our community clubhouse yesterday. Though I myself have not served in the armed forces, I gratefully recalled all that my dad did during WW2. Dad, as a second generation Italian, had his introduction to Italy when he landed there during the battle of Anzio in March of 1944. Then in August of that year he was wounded, when his landing craft was sunk off the coast of St. Raphael,France. Because I grew up without my dad, I never realized or appreciated all that he did and had gone through that year. To me, dad was just a quiet stranger who didn’t seem to understand the motivations and questions of my generation. Little did I know how much he did know and just how smart he really was.

Today , I sit in wonder as I come face to face with how much he and thousands of other guys did and how much I miss him. Thank God for you dad. I know that you have found peace and ultimate victory in the arms of Jesus Christ but I wanted to take this little space to honor you. You were a quiet soldier, a simple man and a faithful father and I am thankful that God gave you to me.

Though all the honor ultimately belongs to God, I am not only commanded to honor my parents, but God backs this command up with a blessing. And though our moms and dads were not perfect(who is?), we are each in some way blessed as we honor them. God promises a special blessing when we remember them with gratitude and then pass on their story to others. For me, one of those special blessings, was bringing my dad to Washington D.C. for the dedication of the WW2 memorial. I snapped his picture there and then years later, my cousin gave me another photo of him from when he was still in uniform. When I held it up I was suddenly struck by how similar they were. Here was the same man, with the same smile and yet a lifetime of wounds and struggles, defeats and victories separated them. Today I have only a few photographs and memories, but I am grateful for all the good that my dad left behind. God is faithful to keep all His promises. So, let’s pause for a moment and give honor to our parents, so that we may pass along to our own children a life’s story of our own that points to the honor of the most wonderful Father of all!