Bonus posting-No Greater Love

“He has made everything appropriate in its time.  He has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end”   (Ecc. 3:11). 

Hey Gang,   We are currently tucked away in the mountains of Missouri in a place called Branson that honors Vets all the time and turns the city over to veterans one week each year.  Last night ,at the opening ceremony, more than a thousand vets and their brides gathered to join arms in one accord -that we love this country and were proud to place our lives on the line to protect it.

But, on this election day, there is a difference of attitude than in the previous years we have been blessed to participate.  I detected a mixture of rage, anger and sadness among the troops.  The rage over the memories of lost buddies that laid their life down to protect our Constitution and  and our Flag.  There is a rage that many young people of America do not have a clue what price the America GI has paid to give them the wondrous freedoms that they enjoy each day.

There is a sadness in their faces (and mine) that this once great Nation has and is dragged through the dirt fields of the world and we no longer have the respect and awe of other nations.  There is a sadness that four of our fellow warriors were sadistically murdered and our government is more concerned about covering it up than responding with all of our might to show the world that we do not take lightly to killing our men at arms.

They honored the veterans of each of the past wars by having them stand and the others standing with them as fellow warriors.  There were a few from WWII, each year that number dwindles, and then Korea was recognized.  I was pleased to stand with those who I identified with.  Then the Viet Nam warriors stood, followed by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans.

There were many high points where tears flowed freely and memories of fallen buddies could be seen in the eyes of these hardened warriors but there are some feelings that cannot be contained,      

We were truly blessed when Yacov Smirnof,a comedienne t who immigrated with his family from Russia many years ago, talked of this wonderful country that he has had the privilege of living in for some 38 years,   His jokes and stories about arriving here were just the right prescription for the moment. But his electrifying ending that brought the house to its feet was as he quoted with great passion and feeling:

        The lyrics from "Proud To Be An American"  by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there's pride in every American heart,
and it's time to stand and say:

I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A. 

Soooo,  A little long but I just wanted you to know how this Airman first class feels about this country we are privileged to live in.

Blessings,

Gramps