ART & INSPIRATION BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Today is the 11th day of the 11th month – and on the 11th hour of that day in 1918 when the armistice with Germany was signed, ending World War I. A beautiful poem was written by John McRae called, “In Fields of Flanders.” The poetry uses the imagery of the poppies – the beautiful red flowers that filled a field which also carried the bodies of many soldiers who bled and died there. This is why veterans hand out poppies on this day – as a reminder of the blood that was shed by many heroes of that horrific war. November 11th was named Armistice Day and later changed to Veterans Day to honor those who gave their lives in defense of their country. We continue to pay respect to those who have served in the military to this day. Let us never forget the cost.

America gained its independence with a rag tag army of farmers and tradesmen. These ill-prepared troops went up against the most powerful fighting force in the world and won.  Throughout our history the cost of war has been well over millions of souls.  Today we honor those who have served their country and returned home to waiting arms, anxious spouses and children and often times no jobs, no gratitude for their service and little help in regaining the life they left behind.  To be a veteran should be one of the greatest honors, Those fellow citizens fought to defend us and to make the world a better place, but is it?

During the Civil War, about 500,000 lives were lost – the greatest losses ever in America’s past.  Brothers fought brothers and families were broken apart because of differences in opinions.  Today, we seem to be in the midst of another civil war.  Instead of being united as a nation, we have been inundated with sometimes violent protesting, ugly words of hatred and so much more. During the many wars that followed, we rallied as a nation. We came together. We are no longer a rag tag army, but a world power with great strength.

Have we lost our strength of the heart? I beg that we can take time today and I hope every day to thank those who were willing to put their lives on the line in defense of this great nation.  It’s the perfect day to put aside our political differences and express that feeling to those heroes. Many suffer from PTSD, lost limbs, lost jobs and income. Lives have been disrupted by their service.  Many families have been destroyed by mental problems, behavior changes and even divorce.  Somehow our veterans seem to suffer more when they return home from war than they did while engaging in battle.

There are times we may think there is no longer any sanity regarding politics, government or civil dissension, but we still have the right to speak our minds and the freedom to address our feelings.  As a believer in God, I have faith that the words of the Bible are true.  This book shows us our sin and declares our salvation through God’s love for us.  We aren’t worth that kind of sacrifice, but God thinks otherwise.

Today can begin the renewal of a distracted nation.  We should set aside our differences and think for a moment the cost of our freedom and those who fought to preserve it.  Also thank God for allowing us to live in a country that still respects the rights of its citizens.

“Greater love has no man than this; that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

“Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.” Ronald Reagan