Memorial Day 2012 Remember to say thank you

Today is Memorial Day  and unlike what most people believe it is not the official start the summer. It is not a day to cook out. It is a day to spend with family remembering those who gave the ultimate  sacrifice to protect the freedoms that many people take for granted.  For as long as I can remember the Importance of Memorial day has been drilled into my head. 


For me Memorial Day 2012 also means my 25th birthday I feel blessed to be able to celebrate my birthday on such an important day. So today I will celebrate both events with my family. Going out to eat with my family to celebrate my birthday. Then a walk along our city's waterfront to see the Memorial day display then on to cemetery    to put flags on serviceman's graves, as well as on the graves of a few or our family members. 


I hope you all have a blessed and safe Memorial day, but remember the importance of the day and what it really means. 


I'll leave you with this 


It is the Soldier...
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the right to demonstrate
It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial
It is the soldier, not the pastor, who has given us the right to worship
It is the soldier, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote
It is the soldier, who solutes the flag, serves under the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives the protester the right to burn the flag...

by Charles M. Province, U.S. Army, The Patton Society

John 15:13

“Greater love has no one than, this that He lay down His life for His Friend.”

John 15:13

Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice of love when He went to the cross for our sins. A true friend is willing to lay down their lives for their friends. Jesus showed great love for His disciples and well as us when He with to the cross. His death on the cross paid for our sins. Allowing us to be saved by God’s Grace, we can’t do it on our own.

Even today there are people willing to lay down their lives for friends, families and even complete strangers. Our Service men and women, and our first responder’s police and firefighters.

Only two people have ever offered to die for you. Jesus and the American Serviceman. Jesus died to give you eternal life and the freedom to worship God and the American serviceman to protect the freedoms that we have as citizens of the United States. Remember that neither type of freedom is free.

Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God.”

Philippians 4:6

In my personal devotions and Bible study I have been reading through Philippians and reading through A Women’s Passionate pursuit for God.  I am learning so much from the Word. One of the verses that stood out to me was Philippians 4:6.  The verse tells us to not worry about anything instead pray about everything.

As Christian’s we don’t have to worry about anything or even tomorrow because God is already there. He will not give us more than we can handle, but if He does it is because He wants us to grow stronger in our Faith. So that we will lean on Him, spend time in His word learning what it is He wants to teach us.

If our Faith was not tested with trials and times of trouble then we wouldn’t grow as Christians. On the mountain top is when we rejoice but it is in the valleys that we grow. Jesus didn’t say that it would easy, but He did promise to never leave or forsake us, all we have to do is call out to Him.

Our prayers help us to grow our relationship with Jesus even though he knows are thoughts and what we need; He still wants us to ask. 

May

It's hard to believe that it is May or that it has almost been two months since I've posted.  I've finished another semester of college and if everything goes as expected I will been done in three semester. Plus I have been having trouble trying to figure out the new blogger layout. I am slowly learning how to use it.

This Saturday marks the greatest two minutes in sports The Kentucky Derby takes place in my hometown. This year has flown by. It's also hard to believe that my 25th birthday is in 26 days.  Where did the time go?  Seeing as how my birthday falls on an important day this year, I am not celebrating my birthday on my birthday. I'll celebrate either the day before or the day after.