{"id":116,"date":"2012-05-24T11:46:36","date_gmt":"2012-05-24T11:46:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/?p=116"},"modified":"2012-05-24T11:47:13","modified_gmt":"2012-05-24T11:47:13","slug":"memorial-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/2012\/05\/memorial-day.html","title":{"rendered":"Memorial Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we think of Memorial Day we think of the start of summer, 4-day weekend, cookouts, sales events…My granddaughter was watching TV with me this morning and an ad for a\u00a0\u00a0Memorial Day\u00a0\u00a0car sale was trying to entice us into buying a car. My granddaughter asked, “What’s Memorial Day?” I am glad she asked but it showed me how we tend to forget the reason for Memorial Day.<\/p>\n

A day to remember. Remember all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. Families who have an empty place at their table…<\/p>\n

We enjoy our holiday events – I love a good burned hot dog covered with mustard, katsup and relish – but perhaps we have come to emphasize\u00a0all the activities over the reason. I am touched each time I see the advertisements for the Wounded Warrior Project – what an important endeavor. For those of us from the Vietnam era, there was so much venom spewed out towards those who served our country because so many thought the war was wrong. Our returning veterans were spit upon, taunted, \u00a0jeered. And yet they answered the call to duty and served. They were not responsible for the political decisions yet they bore the brunt of it.<\/p>\n

This Memorial Day, remember…thank a service man or veteran. Remember all those that serve our nation – especially those who do so out of true love of country. Get a copy of our Constitution and read it. Thank God that you live in the greatest nation in the world. A nation built for freedom – a nation who birthed great men like George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan – men of principle and honor.<\/p>\n

Remember…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When we think of Memorial Day we think of the start of summer, 4-day weekend, cookouts, sales events…My granddaughter was watching TV with me this morning and an ad for a\u00a0\u00a0Memorial Day\u00a0\u00a0car sale was trying to entice us into buying a car. 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