Some thoughts for Memorial Day
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
These verses taken from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 define the seasons of life. There is a time for war, and a time for peace. Something that strikes me as we begin to honor our courageous soldiers who have passed on is how they are used by politicians in both times of peace and times of war to endear themselves to voters. As is the case with the current so-called Commander in Chief, America’s servicemen and women are less than a prop used for political purposes. He can say all he wants about not playing politics with the veterans, but the mere reality is that veterans are dying on his watch because of mis-administration of his socialist healthcare plan, and all he says is that he will hold people accountable.
Former Pentagon spokesman JD Gordon puts the president’s pandering in perspective. In a column for Fox News, Gordon documents that the patient to health care provider ratio for the terrorists at Gitmo is 1.5 to 1 while the ratio for those receiving VA health care is 35 to 1. He said of the Gitmo terrorists: “Doctors and medical personnel are at their beck and call. Got a cold, a fever, a toothache, a tumor, chest or back pain, mental health issues, PTSD? No problem, come right on in. Military doctors are waiting to see you.” Yet we have veterans who fought FOR the values of this nation and our security dying while waiting for treatment in the worst example of government run health care–the president’s own system.
This weekend is a time we celebrate our veterans with Memorial Day. As we share meals and fellowship with family and friends, let us have a time to remember. In your reflections, may you remember the sacrifice of our Messiah that we might live free of spiritual bondage. May you remember the blood shed by those valiant men and women who dedicate their lives that we might live free from physical bondage. Remember still those who are trying to take both from us. Reflect on how living life may be without such true liberty and what you would do should someone try to take it from you. We owe our freedom to veterans who sacrificed to protect us. What do we owe politicians who use and treat veterans nefariously?
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
