Memorial Day

It’s rather funny, but Memorial Day is one of my kids’ favorite holidays. I’m not sure why because I’m pretty sure that from the time Emry was born until we moved to Indiana, Ed worked every Memorial Day and we never did anything special. Except the year after Ethan was born and I remembered the tiny town we lived in actually had a Memorial Day parade. And since the main street was twenty feet from my back door, I dressed the kids in their most Patriotic clothes and we walked up there. Someone gave them flags to wave and almost every participant in the tiny parade threw candy at them. At the tender ages of three and one, I think they figured what wasn’t to love about Memorial Day? Flags! Parades! Candy! Best holiday ever!

 

We’ve been very careful with Emry, Ethan and even Ellyson to make sure they understand the reason for Memorial Day. The flags are wonderful. And we were sooooo grateful to be able to go to the parade this year that was so awfully cancelled last year by politicians who don’t understand Memorial Day, but…for all intents and purposes, Memorial Day is a very sad holiday.

 

We don’t sugar coat Memorial Day. It would be a little hard to do so when I have a large infrared photo of Arlington National Cemetery hanging above my rolltop desk. Since all that is in our “dining room” we have had many discussions about the picture and the place Ethan says he will go when he dies (and get a statue, he adds). For some reason, the discussion of Memorial Day came up on Friday as I took the kids out for a special treat of ice cream. I explained to them again how Memorial Day is a day to remember all the soldiers who have died for America so we can be a free country.

 

“But, Mama, where do the soldiers go when they die?” Ethan asked.

 

“Well, if they love Jesus they go to Heaven,” I replied. “If they don’t, they go to…hell.”

 

“Where’s hell?” Ethan asked.

 

“It’s dark there,” Emry pipes up. “You can’t see anything. It’s like the world before God created anything.”

 

“It is?” Ethan asked in wonder. “What else?”

 

And so, for the next five or six minutes before we pulled into Culver’s, I had a deep theological discussion with my six- and four-year olds about Heaven, Hell, salvation, and trusting Jesus. One of those conversations that can be a little hard as you try to put in their terms things that are difficult for you to understand, and yet also a conversation you wish didn’t have to end.

 

As last year, even without the parade, my kids drew flags, created Patriotic artwork, and talked about America even when I didn’t spearhead the creations or the conversations. And I’m glad. Because the conversation of Memorial Day is being taken away. The Vice President of this wonderful nation men and women have sacrificed their lives for used the day as a photo op – language-I-can’t-use her. Proving the point that Memorial Day is needed more now than ever. It’s a day we should remember. It’s a day we should tell our children about…and their children…and their children. Because the names on those markers at Arlington and other cemeteries all over this nation should never be forgotten. The flags placed on those graves should fly proudly. And we should get down on our hands and knees and thank God for their willingness to sacrifice everything for our freedom. 

Do not forget. Remember. And don’t let America fall without a fight.