May 31, 2010

• Memorial Day, 2010

  This is a re-post of last year’s Memorial Day post, with a few changes for 2010. Matt 24:6-8….6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars , but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. NIV I’ve taken parts of my Memorial Day posts for the last 4 years, and combined them here. Thank you to those who lay their lives on the line so our country can remain free. These two songs, There She Stands and Freedom’s Never Free, are songs Beth, Laura and I have done for our July 4 service at church. If you ever get a chance, go to the Houston National Cemetery, our veteran’s cemetery. It is a beautiful place to see. These pictures were taken July 2, 2004. The first picture is at the front gate: The next picture is of the emblems on the wall of the office, showing all 5 branches of the military: Next is the outdoor chapel area, or rotunda, and bell tower, as seen entering the cemetery: This is the area where the funerals are held: The next picture is taken from the top of the wall of the chapel, looking toward the front gate. The funeral services are held in the area between the flags, and the men firing the “21 Gun Salute” stand in the grassy area. The top of the wall is off limits during funerals because the TV cameras are set up there. This is one of several walls containing ashes, called columbariums: These speak for themselves. When you drive into the cemetery, you see what appears to be acres of vacant land. What you can’t see from the road are the hundreds of flat headstones in the older sections of the cemetery. These pictures shows both kinds. Through the end of 2008, there were 67793 graves in this cemetery. Bethany and I attended the funeral of this young man, Scott Larson, in April 2004: Another Houston boy. This was taken just days after his funeral: Walt Moss was an Air Force EOD Tech. Ethan did not know him, but some of his friends did. One of the men Ethan was in Iraq with the very first time, drove to Houston from Florida for Walt’s funeral. This was taken right after Scott’s funeral in 2004. Beth and I have returned to the cemetery several times to take pictures. The same area, March 2007. Look at all the graves that have been added in just 3 years. Same area from a different angle. These are not all necessarily new graves from those killed in the current fighting, but many are. Some are veterans of other wars that died between 2004 and 2007. Funeral of Ryan Green, March 27, 2007: Ethan’s fellow EOD Tech, TSgt. Tony Capra, killed by a bomb, April 9, 2008: Also Ethan’s friend, another EOD Tech, Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki, killed by an IED in Iraq, January 7, 2007: My grandmother’s brother is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, but I have never seen his grave. I would love to have a picture of it. His name was Pat Fox Fulgham, and he was killed in World War II. If any of you are ever in Houston, I would be glad to take you on a tour of Houston National Cemetery. So while you are eating your barbeque, or lying on the beach, remember those who are being honored on this holiday. This isn’t just the beginning of summer. Love you, Ethan. Yes, still. (And this year in 2010, I am praying for your safe return from Iraq once again.) TRIPLES with EMMA

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