We MUST take the time to tell the children.....

We (parents, grandparents, son, daughters, aunts and uncles) must take the time to tell the children about the men, women, mommies, and daddies who paid for our freedom.  Freedom paid with time away from their families. Paid for with their lives.  Paid with injuries that changed lives into struggles with endless pain.  Go ahead....tell our nation's youth that these gallant people knew that there was a great possibility that they would not return home to their families in the same condition they left...or not even come home at all!  Not coming home would not be the worst thing in these lives....but possibly the worst thing for their loved ones would be America, if no one came to the war.  

 

I will be the first to admit that my heart languished as each of my two brothers and a grandson signed up with Air National Guard; plus one grandson and a great nephew signed up for the Navy.   Even though none of them have had to leave this treasured land, they were proud to step to the front.  My chest swelled with pride for their courage and bravery.....as all families have done all the way back to when 12-year-old Little David (armed only with five smooth stones to fit a sling-shot) walked to battle a 9-ft. Philistine named Goliath dressed in full battle armor.

There's not a dad (of any family I know) that would not capture the full attention of their children (of any age) while they tell of their own experiences; of foreign wars; of this land's civil wars; or of amazing battles like found in God's word (the Bible).  My grandfather, brothers, and uncles captured our attention as families crowded around the telephone with breaths held in anticipation for a story true life incidents.  Letters were passed around until tattered and we lived through their details of battles.  Then, when they came home, we gathered around the supper table hanging on every word of every episode.

 

We never miss a chance to shake the hand of a veteran; or acknowledge our troops; thank our policemen and introduce our children to them.  We wave "Old Glory" at all the parades.  I pray that our children and grandchildren can KNOW the real America.  Know America as told by the real Americans and those who walked the paths of our freedom.  Our children need to hear how freedom takes the contribution of every soldier (whether behind a desk, on foot, on horseback, on board ship, in a plane or helicopter.)  Each soldier doing his particular job or holding his position till death......and how important they are.  And, please.... we must take the time to tell the children about the God who continues to Bless America!