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Traditionally, on Memorial Day, volunteers often place small American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. Flags are raised and then solemnly lowered to half mast. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 pm. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day in 1861, as military personnel was honored from the American Civil War. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s believed the tradition of honoring fallen soldiers was inspired by the way Southern states decorated both the Confederate and Union soldiers graves with flowers, wreaths, and flags.

On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan issued an order to designate May 30 as an annual day of remembrance. AmericaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s compassion to remember its fallen warriors became prominent as monuments were constructed and ceremonies centering on the decoration of soldiersÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ graves were held in towns and cities throughout the nation.

After World War I, Decoration Day included all fallen soldiers, not just those from the Civil War, and the term ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMemorial DayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� started being used. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by an act of Congress. For all the grieving families that have lost loved ones to war we pray that God will continue to bring comfort and peace. 1Peter 5:7 promises, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œCast all your anxieties on Christ, for He cares for you.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind himÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥“ Gilbert Chesterton. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s estimated that over 1.1 million American soldiers have been killed since the Revolutionary War in 1775. May we never forget that freedom isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t free. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s often said, we donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t know them all, but we owe them all.

My uncle Kenny and his cousin Thomas were drafted for the Korean War at the tender age of 18. Two young men fresh out of high school who had their entire lives ahead of them. My mother admired her older brother Kenny who as a teenager worked in a grocery store after school and would give their mother a part of his wages to help the struggling family. Mom was the youngest and remembers the day when military personnel arrived and knocked on the door with the devastating news that Kenny had perished on the front lines. His body was not recovered, but his dog tags were found on the battlefield. My grandmother ran through the house screaming and stayed in bed for a week. Cousin Thomas was never found and is listed as missing in action. As the generations keep moving forward, there will come a day when no one will remember them, however, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s comforting to know that God will never forget them. Our flag doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t fly because the wind moves it, but because of the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.