Here is a guest post by Louise Thaxton. Louise is one of the top commenters on ChrisLoCurto.com. You can guest post as well! Read how to here.
This Friday, 11-11-11, is Veterans Day. It’s also called “Remembrance Day” or “Armistice Day.” It is the federal holiday where we honor our military veterans and is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
World War I was brutal. One of the human angels who walked among the fallen, bruised and broken soldiers was Eleanor Roosevelt. She flew on an un-insulated military aircraft before there was such a thing as “first class.” She flew through combat airspace to Guam, the Philippines and other islands. It was NOT to vacation but to work for the American Red Cross to serve the American troops. She walked hundreds of miles in hospital halls, worked in emergency rooms and sat down and ate with the troops. She saw the wounds of war. And she wanted to REMEMBER. She began to carry a prayer that would stay with her for the rest of her life:
Dear Lord, lest I continue in my complacent ways, help me to remember that someone died for me today. And if there be war, help me to remember to ask and to answer, “Am I worth dying for?”
As we go about our daily activities on this day of remembrance, may we remember that we ARE a nation at war. May we remember that today there are men and women of the United States military who are fighting somewhere on foreign soil for our freedom. May we remember that freedom is never free. May we remember to ask ourselves the question as Eleanor Roosevelt did … “Am I worth dying for?”
My question to you today is this……will you REMEMBER this Friday?
Thanks for the opportunity to be a guest on your blog – what an honor! And a thank you to all of the men and women of the United States military for their service to our country so that I live in freedom.
And may I REMEMBER to ask myself the question -“….am I worth dying for?”
I thank God for His GRACE and for Jesus who paid the price for my spiritual freedom and through HIM I have redemption!
Sorry – wasn’t logged in! That was my comment above!
Very nicely done Louise. I wish more people would ask themselves that question: “Am I worth dying for?”
Thank you, Tom – and you are right – more people (me included) need to REMEMBER to ask themselves that question on a regular basis. Easy to forget……
Thank you Veterans and thank you Louise for the reminder of the humility of those that serve and those that pray.
Ray – you are so right – those who SERVE and those who PRAY.
Great post…a History lesson with a military twist…right up my alley.
Thinking of my boy today as he is out there somewhere serving our country. Counting the days until he comes home.
I know you are!! Tell him again how much we appreciate him!!
Thanks Chris. You think I’m joking when I say counting the days? 🙂 92 🙂
Oh not at all!! I know you are!!!
Kim – I will be thinking of your boy also!
Thanks Louise. He’s a great young man…very proud of him.
Amazing how just a few words can profoundly change ones perspective and vision, of who we are and what we do. We all need to live our lives at a level deserving of such an honor that has bestowed upon us all.
Thanks Louise
Dan – you said it – “…..living our lives at a level deserving…”. Wow – just think about it. If we truly thought of that every morning and said that prayer of Eleanor Roosevelt……..
Nice way to Honor the people who have given so much for the freedoms we enjoy today, Today we give thanks to all the Men and Women who served us and their Country in military service. We truly HONOR you!
Our Country and the freedom we enjoy is worth fighting for. Well done Louise!!
Thanks, Steve – I know you are always looking for ways to honor our heroes! Thanks for all you do!
Most inspiring Veterans Day/Memorial Day etc. thought I have heard, thank you. Will share it with my Korean war vet friend today…
Thanks Kathy! And tell your friend thanks!!!
Thanks, Kathy – my step-father was a Korean war vet – tell your friend he is being thought of today.
Great thoughts Louise! It is so easy to be complacent, It is important to pray for and thank God for our fighting men and women every day!
Eric – I know you are so proud of that son of yours – and I thank him for serving today. And YOU for always being there for him.
And yes, complacency seems to come QUITE easy – we must remember to pray for our warriors daily.
Louise this is a great post… and this is great country, and thank you for reminding us how lucky and blessed we are today. I’m thankful for those that have given up their lives to allow us the freedom we enjoy today. I wasn’t born in this country, and i attribute a big part of my being here and being able to do what i do, and the freedom to do it, to those that have given up their lives for this cause. There are very few countries that give us the opportunities we have here and everyday when i wake up, i thank God for that and pray that he’ll protect all those out there fighting to allow us to keep enjoying this freedom.
It breaks my heart and sometimes just makes me so mad when i see people wasting this freedom or forgetting what we have here, but hopefully your post will serve as one more reminder that our freedom is not free.
Wow!! What a great perspective from someone not born here to keep us counting our blessings!!!
What a GREAT comment and thank you SO MUCH! You have a great point of view that needs to be shared. I breaks my heart as well – even though I know at times I have forgotten the cost and wasted my own freedom.
From the view of someone not born in the USA – I can only imagine that it does tend to make one mad (or breaks your heart) to see Americans “wasting” , disrespecting, or even forgetting the freedom we enjoy and the cost ……when you know – personally – that not every country offers such blessings.
Thanks again for sharing a great perspective.
Thank you Louise, one of this days, i’ll do a quick note on what it means to be a “A brand new American”, a lot of hilarious firsts (I think), but a lot of just looking at things through different lenses, and being able to process them in two different ways with very different results. Marrying those two is what makes life interesting.
Might make a great guest post somewhere! 😉
:):):)
YES, Chris! Can’t wait to read that! Sounds VERY interesting – and would probably give new “perspective” to us “old” Americans!
Thank you, Louise. Beautifully simple and simply beautiful. I didn’t know that about Eleanor Roosevelt; she was a class act.
Jana – the more I read about her – the more I like her! I have set a goal to read more biographies and hers will be one of the first I read!
Congratulations on being a guest post on Chris’ blog. I appreciate Veteran’s Day because of all the sacrifices that have been made by our veterans. Eleanor Roosevelt was truly a remarkable lady. We need more people like her who are willing to give like she did. I have a brother in the Army and he has completed 3 tours in Iraq and is coming home in Feb 2012.
SWEET!!! That’s good to hear!!!
Eric – amen to the statement we need more people like Eleanor – she truly had a servant heart
And what an honor to have a brother serving – 3 tours in Iraq? I have seen and talked to so many soldiers who have served 3 or 4 tours. Please tell him thanks from someone in Louisiana for his dedication and service. Has he ever served at Ft. Polk?
Louise…Thank you for reminding us once again that our freedom is not free. Thank you military service members for sacrificing your life for MY freedom. Thanks to the families of our service members for enduring these tough times as their loved one is away at war. God Bless you all…my prayers are with you.
Cindy – you are so right. Our military men and women are sacrificing THEIR lives for OUR freedom. Something we need to remember. And a special thanks also to the families who endure while loved ones are serving.
Great blog Louise you are an awsome writer always love to read your blogs and post they always inspire me.
Mona Westbrook
Thanks, Mona! I appreciate you more than you can know!
I agree Louise! Veterans all over the world are a great inspiration to patriotic citizens. They do a commendable and selfless job of protecting the nation at the cost of their lives. It is because of non stop vigilance across the clock, we are able to sleep peacefully in our homes.
“Am I worth dying for?” makes me think of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzIS1Y5DfgA I feel it is selfish to feel that I am worth dying for and this song made an impact to me on that very note.
Thanks for sharing the prayer. It definitely puts things in perspective!