All gave some...some gave all.

  Any holiday is a great time of year to set aside the busy "tasks" life brings you to help you re-focus yourself and your priorities.  It's like GOD's way of reminding you to stop for a little while, take the focus off of yourself and think of others. 

  Memorial Day is coming up and I decided this year to not only take time to be thankful for those who fought the battles that have awarded us our freedom in this wonderful country but to take time to remember all of those that have passed through my life unto death.  Because they too gave all they could to me before leaving and I really didnt thank them as much as I shoudl have.  Its so easy to be very grateful when you remember who has touched your life.

Years	Location	Killed
1775-1783	Revolutionary War	25324
1861-1865	Civil War, North/South	562,130
1917-1918	World War I	116708
1941	Pearl Harbor	2388
1941-1945	World War II	408306
1945	Iwo Jima	6503
1950-1953	Korean War	54246
1957-1975	Vietnam War	58219
1990-1991	Persian Gulf, Op Desert Shield/Storm	363

Just these totals from some of the biggest battles / wars through the years of this country sums up to over 1.2 million lives of folks who gave all for their country.  This does not count the many millions who gave what they could before being pulled from the battlefield due to injuries.  It shouldn't matter if you think that wars are "just" or "right", this is not the debate...its the fact that these men and women gave all they could so that this country could be what it is today.  They gave their lives so we can live ours...remember them and leave the debating to someone else.

As I stated above, I don't want this holiday to pass without also having it remind me to remmeber those that have touched my life in such amazing ways.  Many friedns and family have passed through this life and left me with so much to grow from.  Not many details here, just the names of some of those folks. 



Heather - for your pure joy and the love of life you taught me to have
Nana Alice - for your wisdom
Bro. Ryman - for your compassion and tender heart
Fern - For your giving spirit
Dave - I miss your stories
Papa Joe - for your stories
Papa Casmier - for listenting to me
Harold - for your witness that led to my salvation

Memorial Day should be a day to remember those who gave all to our country and those who gave all they had to us to make us who we are.  When you appreacite the past....you will learn to respect the future.

Enjoy the hot dogs, hamburgers, cook-outs and time together this holiday weekend!!!!!   Make it a special one for those you are with and make a difference in someone's life!

Verse application:  John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."