Yesterday in church I led my congregation in a minute of silence in memory of all those men and women who died in military service to our country. Often I have thought that pausing in silence to remember a fallen individual was a rather lame way to show respect. After all shouldn’t we do so much more? But I have changed my mind.
Pause to Remember
As I led us to be silent for an entire minute, I felt the power of the moment. I really thought about the hundreds of thousands of our Americans who died on the battlefield defending our country’s freedom. I thought about the gravity of that sacrifice. Of course there is the gravity of the sheer numbers of people, but even more than that it is the gravity of even just one of those lives lost for a country.
Those men and women actually fought for us and then they were shot or wounded in some way that caused them to breathe their last. For some it all came in an instant…a blast and then eternity. For others the wound was such that their death came slow. They were able to think about what they were losing and why.
These men and women were giving up years of their lives on those battlefields. They would never again hold spouses, play with their children, walk their daughters down the aisle, and so much more. They did that for you and they did that for me.
I thought about all of that in that brief minute in church. That is when I changed my mind. Pausing for a minute of silence was powerful. Very powerful. I really did remember, gratefully remember.
So today, would you do just that? Stop, even if for only a minute and think about what was done for you. Really think about it. Don’t just think about the hundreds of thousands of soldiers over the centuries. Think about that one soldier and what he or she surrendered fighting for you and your way of life. Think about how personal it was for them.
And then pause again, for another minute and remember what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the cross that day. Soldiers died that we might have an American way of life. Jesus died so that we might have life eternal, the Heavenly life.
Let’s remember.
Question: Do you know someone who gave their life for our country? Tell us their name and something about them. Let us remember them together. You can leave a comment by clicking here.
SFC. Brandon Mullins
His father and I are close friends and brothers in Christ. Brandon was killed in 2011 by an IAD. In their loss I got to witness the power of Christ in the way they handled everything.
Spencer,
Thanks for sharing. We grow so much from watching others hold on to their faith in challenging times.
Bill Hixson Vietnam . I only had one thing in my life i ever disagreed with my dad about. It was the Vietnam War and we argued with great passion. My dad had served in ww 2 going in at 17. Bill came home may 16 1969. He talked with my dad a lot. He told me little said no one needed to know what all had happened there. My dad and i never argued about the war anymore. Billy was so broken all the alcohol and drugs he could consume could not not take the nightmares away. He died in June 1973.
Wow. Powerful story. I am humbled that you would share it here. Let us honor his memory.
Tom Mcman a classmate and good friend from grade school thru high school killed in the Vietnam war
Nelson Biladeau my cousin killed in the Vietnam war
Barney Banaitis my uncle killed in World War II at Pearl Harbor
They were all christians
Thank you for honoring these men!
The moment of silence is perfectly appropriate. The only thing I’ve experienced more moving than total, respectful silence is the playing of taps. As for memories, the first brother-in-arms that I served with that was killed in action was Staff Sergeant Bill Sears. We served together in Europe. He was one of those killed during the attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran during the Carter presidency. SSG Sears was one of the most high-energy, fun-loving men I have ever known. Always smiling, always doing something. He was bigger than life to a brand-new 2LT. When I heard of the failed rescue mission, and that SGG Sears was gone, it acutely brought home to me that the possibility of war, and with it death, were not just theories, but the way of life we had chosen. I remember him each and every Memorial Day.
God bless the memory of Staff Sergeant Bill Sears! Thank you for honoring him.
His name is Tom, he is not dead but he gave his life. Life the he knew before the Iraq war. He joined at 40 years old. Explosive went off close to his ears so he has terrible ringing and PTSD . Never really understood what this was until bobby became friends with Tom. He has leg injury were muscle gone lives with lots physical pain, but worse is PTSD. His wife and family stand by him. Bobby and few friends get awful emails telling them things and they go visit him for support. So even though Tom didn’t die in physical since, to me he gave his life.
Thanks for honoring this man who has given so much!
Sgt. Richard Barry Trotter stepped on a landmine in Viet Nam in 1968. I never knew him because he died before I was born, but the same landmine injured my father who was serving with him. When Memorial Day comes, I think about Sgt. Trotter, and how I might have never been born if it wasn’t for his sacrifice that allowed my father to live. My father said Trotter was a good man, and I am thankful for him and his willingness to serve.
Wow! That is a powerful story. Your gratitude is inspiring and honoring!