"A PERSPECTIVE ON THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND - THOUGHTS ABOUT CELEBRATING WHILE FORGETTING TO REMEMBER"

This past Monday we observed Memorial Day. I used to say "celebrate," but after reading the following comments by noted Christian author Henry Blackaby, I now think that it's a day that we should "observe" rather than "celebrate."

Blackaby notes that "Memorial Day was first observed as Decoration Day on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Civil War soldiers. Following World War I, the observance was set aside to honor the fallen heroes of all American wars. In 1971, the National Holidays Act passed by Congress took effect, making Memorial Day into a three-day weekend. I am saddened to see, however, that through the years that have followed it has become somewhat less a day of remembrance and more a day of holiday and celebration. Like Christmas, many have forgotten the history and true meaning of the day."

I agree. Of all of the "holidays weekends" on the calendar, the Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend should be one of the highest church attendances of the year for people to gather to thank God for the men and women who died in order that we might live. Instead, studies show that Memorial Day weekend always has one of the lowest church attendance of the year. Television, radio, and newspapers advertise Memorial Day weekend as the start of the summer season and many citizens celebrate it that way to the extent of ignoring the observance and remembrance of those who died to protect that celebration.

How do we, as Blackaby said, remember "the history and true meaning of the day?" Here are the stories of two heroes that I shared at our church Sunday that may help remind of us.

Audie Murphy, who became one of Hollywood's film starts in the 1950's, became the most decorated U.S. combat soldier of all time. In 27 months of combat action in World War II, Murphy received the Medal of Honor (the U.S. military's highest award for valor) along with 32 additional U.S. medals, five medals from France, and one from Belgium.

The official U.S. Army citation for Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor reads:

Second Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to a prepared position in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire, which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry.

With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad that was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire.

He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued his single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way back to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack, which forced the Germans to withdraw.

His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective. (End of citation.)

Murphy, like many other military men and women, returned home. Some returned to full lives, some returned wounded physically and emotionally. Some fell in battle. All should be remembered and never forgotten.

Take a moment now to think of someone close to you who served in the military and no longer alive. Perhaps that person died on the battlefield. Perhaps that person returned home. The person I am thinking of served in the Philippines in WW II.

Thankfully, he did return home and lived a full life. In 1953, I was born as his seventh child. In 1987, he was buried with a 21 gun salute as "Taps" played. One of the men in the honor guard handed me several of the spent casings and told me to be sure and give them to my children as a reminder of the military service of their grandfather. The flag that draped his casket is now displayed in a case on a bookshelf in our home. I hope you have some remembrance of one like my father in your life. If you do, take a moment to thank God for that person's willingness to risk health and life so that you now remain free. I know these heroes would want us to celebrate and enjoy life, but try to remember next year to "observe" Memorial Day and not just "celebrate" it as a long holiday weekend.

This is just one grateful citizen's, pastor's, and son's perspective.

“A Perspective on Worship Music - Thoughts about Music that Pleases Both God and People”

(Click on the cartoons
for a much larger image.)

Traditional and Contemporary. Old-Fashioned and Modern. Words and Tunes. The argument is as old as the Bible Psalms written hundreds of years ago to be sung and as new as vastly differing styles of hymns, gospel songs, and contemporary Christian music written within the last generations.

This past Sunday, our church enjoyed some contemporary Christian music by the band "LED" (www.infaithbydesign.com) from Cabot. Instead of our traditional piano and organ, the group featured their electronic keyboard, acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, drums, and bongos. Yes, the tunes were newer and louder. But, the words and music was just as biblical as the older, softer, traditional kind.

People have strong feelings about the worship music they prefer. God does, too. However, unlike many of us, He's not concerned with the tune but with the words.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California and author of the second best-selling book of all time, "The Purpose Driven Life," hits the nail on the head. If I may paraphrase his words, I would say it this way: it's not the sound of the tune but the sacredness of the words that matters. Remember, it's not about us ... it's about God.

Although the music (the tune) is quite different for the following two songs written almost one hundred years apart, the lyrics (and therefore the message) of both are quite similar. Although we didn't sing the 1899 one so familiar to many of us older folks this past Sunday, the band "LED" did invite us to sing the 1997 one.

"Open My Eyes (That I May See)"
Words and Music by Clara H. Scott, 1899.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

"Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord"
Words and Music by Paul Baloche, 1997.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You.
I want to see You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You.
I want to see You.
To see You high and lifted up,
Shining in the light of Your glory.
Pour out Your power and love.
As we sing holy, holy, holy.

We sing both kinds of worship music at our church. We use the traditional piano, organ, and handbells. We also enjoy worship videos and choruses with a keyboard and sometimes a guitar. We're trying to offer music that appeals to all ages and all tastes. But, most importantly, we're trying to offer music that appeals to God. As long as the words honor Him, I know He'll enjoy the tunes. The above cartoons are funny, but it's sad when worship music is offered or rejected with the wrong intent.

Let's not let the kind of tunes you prefer cause you to reject words that honor God that happen to be in tunes you do not like.

This is just the perspective of one who loves to sing many kinds of worship music.

“A PERSPECTIVE ON THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - THOUGHTS ABOUT BIRTH AND DEATH”

Usually I write from the perspective of a pastor, but two events of the last few days have prompted me to write from the perspective of one attending (but not preaching) two funerals.

Friday, I attended the funeral service for Brayden Sikole, whose earthly life did not last outside the womb. Monday, I attended the service for Mrs. Mildred Fisher, who earthy life ended the age of 92.

The services were conducted by two other pastors - one a “new” friend that I met that day (Chad Graves, pastor of Monticello Pauline Baptist Church) and the other by an “old” friend of many years (Robert McDaniel, former pastor of our church and now pastor of Otter Creek First Baptist Church). The two services contrasted two very different stages of life ... a baby's service led by a young pastor and a senior woman's service led by a pastor nearing retirement.

Something I’ve learned through my years both in ministry and in life is that grief is powerful no matter what the age of the person who had died.

I never met little Brayden, but I know his family. His England great grandparents are member of our church. His Monticello family is an active part of their church there. His grandpa Mark wrote and read the following poem at Brayden’s funeral service. With the family’s permission, I share it here with you. It tells you a lot about Brayden and his family.
“Prepared to Do My Part”
"This little boy came into my heart A difficult way with a difficult start.
But I was prepared to do my part. To give him to a family unknown That he may never be alone.
Parents, he will need To help him through this world - But this was not meant to be.
God was ready for him to be In heaven now and not with me.
But I do understand That God has made the perfect plan. Someday I’ll see this little man."

I did know Mrs. Fisher. Several of the ladies of our church would go with me to visit her after she became homebound. We saw her the day before she died. The time before that (a couple of weeks ago), she was well enough to visit with us and we talked about several things. She lived an active life until about the time I moved to England almost seven years ago. I loved to hear her talk about the past, especially her love for high heeled shoes. But, even more than that, I’m glad that she loved to talk about the Lord and the church.

Some would say that funerals are sad occasions. And, yes, they are. But, they can also be comforting occasions when we know that we haven’t really “lost” those who love Jesus ... we’ve just been separated from them for a time. Notice that I wrote “earthly life” at the beginning of this article. Brayden’s life did not end last week. Neither did Mrs. Fisher’s. God protects children and He protects those adults who put their trust in Him. As my mother once wisely told me about living with the death of my middle brother at age thirteen: “You never got over it, but with God’s help you learn to live with it.”

I hope you'll have this comfort when death comes to your family so that God can help you to “learn to live with it.” And I hope that you'll give that comfort to your family when death comes to you ... whether young, middle aged, or elderly.

Mrs. Fisher's funeral service ended with us singing the following words from a familiar hymn:
"When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.
When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory."
When I get to heaven, I will see Brayden Sikole and Mildred Fisher ... two whose earthly lives ended very differently but who heavenly lives have the greatest similarity: the love and protection of God.

This is just the perspective of someone who attended two funerals last week.

"A PERSPECTIVE ON CELEBRATING MOTHER'S DAY - THOUGHTS ABOUT A SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY GIFT"

I've posted this entry before ... but this time it's from a different perspective with a different photo. The photo is from 1983 with me and two of those grandchildren (our daughter Carrie and our son Jonathan) that my mother "hoped for" in the article that follows.

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day as a day for American citizens to honor those mothers whose sons had died in war. The day was soon commercialized to celebrate all mothers. Today it has become the one day that leads all others in flowers, cards, phone calls, and dining out. What's the best gift you could give your mother this Mother's Day? I gave my mom the following story several years ago.

I wish that I a nickel for every time that I heard my mom say, "I hope that I live long enough to ..." I guess that she was concerned that since she was in her forties when I was born that her time would be up before my adult life began to unfold.My mom would say often, "I hope that I live long enough to see you graduate from high school." I’m the last of seven children, born seven years after the sixth. My education was important to my mother. My parents missed the important spiritual foundation in my early years, but thankfully both they and I got involved in church when my dad retired and we moved to Arkansas when I was twelve. At age seventeen, I graduated from high school. A lot of credit must go to my mom.As time passed, my mom started to say, "I hope that I live long enough to see you graduate from college." Well, she did ... four times, in fact. She saw me graduate from college twice and got to see the pictures of me graduating twice from seminary. Her persistence in my childhood education instilled in me the need to continue.While I was in college, mom then started saying, "I hope that I live long enough to see you get married." Well, she did ... in 1975. God gave my wonderful wife who became a wonderful mother to our children. And that leads me to ..After Kay and I married, mom began to say (yep, you guessed it): "I hope that I live long enough to see your first child born." I remember that when we found out we were expecting our first baby, I called home and joked with her, "Mom, if you can hold on for another six months, you can die a happy woman!" She not only "held on" for the first baby, but she saw our second one born, too! My mom took great joy in her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

My mother passed away several years ago. End of story? Not quite. I think that if she could speak now she might say something like this. "I hope that while you live, you not only hope for things to come to pass but you do the things that pass along hope to your children." For a lady who, at age 40, began to "hope" a lot for me, she "did" a lot for me in the years before her death.I hope you have a blessed Mother’s Day. I will because of what my mom hoped would come to pass in my life. And, even more, I will because I know that some day I will see my mother again in God’s eternal Heaven because we both trusted Him. She wrote an account of her salvation experience for me years ago. It's framed with her picture in my office. Write an account of yours and send it to your mom. She'll think it's one of the best Mother's Day gifts ever.

This is more than just one pastor's perspective. This is one son's blessing. Thanks, mom.