D-Day, 60 Years On

Coming up in less than a month, on June 6th we will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy. I have been a student of military history my entire life, especially WWII. I suspect that is because my Great Uncle fought in that war and he has always been something of father figure/personal hero to me. Anyway I have been thinking a lot lately about the sacrifices the soldiers of that generation made. It has also occurred to me that we are loosing more and more of these men and women to history. The time is coming when there will be none living that remember the war, I mean really remember it, remember fighting, remember working double shifts at the factory, remember the shortages, remember the horrors of a world engulfed in total war, remember the individual heroism of normal everyday people. As this generation passes into history I think the reality, the concreteness of their achievements unfortunately is passing with them. I think we are losing the perspective of what it means to really sacrifice for what we believe. As the details in the picture become less clear what was once fact is now becoming open to interpretation. What was once known is becoming lost. What was once loved is becoming forsaken. This memorial day take a moment from your day off, from your picnic, from your home improvement project, from your day of rest, take a moment and reflect on the incredible debt we owe to these men and women regardless of how we feel about politics or the current war. What an incredible gift they have given us, and the horrible price that was paid for that gift, the gift of Freedom. We owe it to these men and women to keep this history alive. To remember what they have done in as much vivid detail as can muster.


And after you have thought about these things, think about the way you are living your own life. Thank God that he hasn't asked you to make that same sacrifice. What have I done for my fellow man? What am I willing to give up? My job? My wealth? My life? Christ calls us to die... to die to ourselves, to die to our desires, to our dreams, and to follow him. In light of those who have gone before I think that's the least we can do.