November 11, 1918—the day that marked the end of the Great War, the war to end all wars. We will recognize that important even this Sunday as it marks the one-hundredth anniversary. As I said goodbye to my husband today with thoughts of what I would be doing that morning–leading the junior and senior high choruses in a program to honor veterans–I said, “I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to say goodbye to a husband or son who was heading off to war—to face someone who was trying to kill him!
How do I say, “Thank you” to someone who has lost a loved one fighting for my freedom?
How do I say, “Thank you” to someone who has fought for my freedom?
Can we, all the millions of people who have never served, ever understand their battle? I say no, but we can be thankful and show our appreciation.
My grandfather fought in the First World War and my father in Korea and a brother-in-law who fought in Vietnam, but I have never been directly touched by war. There’s only one word to sum it all up: sacrifice.
Why would a young man or woman leave this wonderful country, put himself through crazy physical tests of endurance, suffer deprivation, mental anguish, separation from loved ones, and possible death? I’m sure some might do it for reasons I can’t even understand, but whatever their reason, sacrifice is the call.
So, thank you to anyone, here or abroad, now or in the past, with honorable or privately undisclosed reasons, who served and sacrificed for the freedom we all enjoy! This American thanks you! Only One other has sacrificed more for a better freedom.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Hebrews 10:12
Beyond Common Sense 