My little brother was born on Veteran’s Day a few decades ago.We called it Armistice Day back then, in honor of the signing of the armistice, or truce, that stopped the fighting in World War I. (100 years ago this weekend)
I remember my grandfather being especially excited that Kenny was born on such an auspicious day. I must not have shown the proper enthusiasm, because my grandfather said,
“It might not mean much to others. But I’ll tell you it meant something if you had a brother over there on a ship in the ocean that day.”
Yes, it did. I think those of us who live in a global culture can’t imagine what it meant for those boys to be taken off the farm and marched away to another world. It would have been traumatic and disorienting even without shells, bayonets, and bullets.
Thirty Days to Glory.
My grandfather’s brother came home from the war. And, my father came home from the next one. We are fortunate. Too many wars have scarred our world. Too many sons, daughters, fathers, mothers and brothers have not come home. The Bible tells us it will be that way until Jesus comes back to make all things new.
So, for today, we pause to remember. And, we join millions of other people around the world who say,
“On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your sacrifice.”