Memorial Day

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Memorial Day (or Decoration Day as it was called down South) has been around since the 1860's.  A time to remember those who lost their lives in war, particularly soliders.

Today it is still a "Patriotic-ish" holiday, even more so since 9/11.  However, it is a grill-out-drink-beer-on-a-Monday type holiday for most.

Growing up, our family spent every Memorial Day with the Van Aermun family.

We lived in Indianola Iowa in the 60's and my parent's met the Van Aernums.  They had Bobby and Suzy who were the same ages as Todd and I.  So we rotated houses each year for Memorial Day weekend.  My parents continued the tradition even after Todd and I were out of the house.

Richard Van Aernum did of a stroke in 2005.

My brother, Eric William Geil is buried in a cemetary in Indianola.  On the years that we would be at the Van Aernum's, we would place flowers at his grave.  The place in the cemetary dedicated to the children and infants is surrounded by a low hedge in the shape of a heart.

I think of my kids. Most of their lives we have been in an active military conflict based upon an attack against us.  Sure, we fiddled around in Easten Europe with the UN. But this has been our military fighting our enemies for over 10 years.

While I was very young, we were getting out of Viet Nam.  There were a lot of bad fellings surrounding that "conflict." And even today, while I technically understand why we were there, I have a hard time understanding it all. I do remember the troops coming home and my Dad making me watch the coverage on television. "You'll remember this for the rest of your life." He said. He was right.

My nephew is in the National Guard.  My Dad was a Marine. My Uncle served in the jungles of Viet Nam.  My mother worked with Veterans in a huge VA Hospital for a good chunk of her adult life.

So I guess today I'm going to take time to "remember."

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." I Samuel 7:12.

chris