5 Ways to Make Our Kids Rich by Memorial Day

by Sally Matheny
    

Memorial Day-Teach the Next Generation

Here's five ways to make your kids rich by Memorial Day. 

Begin by telling them about Memorial Day.

Memorial Day—it’s more than a day off, more than grilling out, and more than sashaying in the days of summer with store sales.

Originally, the holiday commemorated those soldiers who died during the Civil War. Over time, it has developed into a day of remembering every person who has served in the military and given the ultimate sacrifice.

     





Talk about what attributes the military must have. Do we desire to have these as well?

Courage,

respect, 

and a good work ethic. 

They preserve peace when possible and fight for what is right, when necessary.

Preserving peace when possible--
fighting for what is right when necessary.

It's important to share our sense of gratitude for those who fought and died to protect our way of life. We can’t rightly do that to those who are no longer with us. 

But, we can model for our children how to appreciate retired veterans and those currently serving in the military.

Take time to hear their stories through books, lectures, letters, and films.

Talk with veterans. Glean wisdom from them while we still can. What did they learn from their time in service? What do they want the next generation to know?

Say Thank You

Teach children to honor veterans with:

a firm handshake of gratitude,

attentive eye contact (whether the person is standing, or in a wheelchair),

and somehow, 
either in word or deed, say "thank you."

    

By God’s sovereignty, what our military has done, and continues to do, is one reason we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today.

Pray for them and ask God to bless our military, our veterans, and especially the families of those whose loved ones died while serving our country.

When children discover the value of freedom and the price that has been paid for it, they'll realize no matter what their circumstances, they are rich. 

The National D-Day Memorial: Clearly a Worthwhile Journey

by Sally Matheny

The National D-Day Memorial

The fog on June 5 of our family vacation, reminded me of another foggy June 5.

Our trip to Virginia, in the summer of 2015, began on a sunny note, but quickly immersed under thick clouds and drizzling rain. 

The dreary weather lounged with us almost every day in the Shenandoah Valley. 

The day of our departure was June 5. That morning the dense fog that had lingered all week rose just above the treetops. The rain ceased. Wondering if we could squeeze in an activity before checking out. we raced to the chairlift located on the property. By the time we reached the top, the weather had changed. The only view to behold was a veil of dense fog.

We decided we might as well head home. As we descended the mountain, I thought about how thick clouds caused problems on another June 5. 

Originally, WWII’s D-Day invasion of Normandy, France was scheduled for June 5, 1944. 

However, British meteorologists said the weather would not permit a successful invasion. Although it was sunny on June 4, Eisenhower trusted the meteorologists and wisely postponed the invasion until June 6.

Massanutten Ski Resort in Virginia

On our way home, I noticed the National D-Day Memorial was a thirty-minute detour from our route. Usually, the GPS is set for home and there are no stops except for the essentials—gas, food, and restrooms. But this year, we chose to deviate from our set ways.

By the time we reached Bedford, Virginia blue skies welcomed us. The admission tickets purchased at the Welcome Center included an optional guided tour. 

At first, we thought the price was a bit high. However, after discovering it is a non-profit and does not receive federal or state funding, we deemed it reasonable.  By the end of our visit, we all thought the D-Day Memorial was clearly a worthwhile journey.

Memorial Day: Respect and Remember

by Sally Matheny

Respect and Remember (Photo courtesy of flickr.com)

Respect and remember.  

They defended our right to worship freely and our right to speak publicly.

They carried arms in hopes that we would not have to; but also they protected our right to bear arms if so choose.

Even though most of them did not know us, they placed themselves as shields to prevent evil from entering our homes.

They fought with all their might for liberty even though it cost them their own.

“Greater love has no one than this: 

to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” 

John 15:13

Enjoy your day off from work. Relish the time spent with friends and family. Our fallen heroes would want you to enjoy the freedoms they fought so hard to protect.

But, surely, the least we can do is lay down our golf clubs, our T.V. remotes, and cell phones to respect and remember those who laid down their lives for us.

 

Please pause at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day and thank God for those who have served and died for our country and our freedom.

Respect and remember.

Photo by Sally Matheny

  

Wedding Day Security Checklist: Armor for the Bride

by Sally Matheny

Wedding Day Security Checklist:
Armor for the Bride

Your wedding day quickly approaches. Have you considered security for the event? 

Remember the enemy desires nothing less than to sneak in and crash a celebration. 

Consider the following Wedding Day Security Checklist, specifically with the bride’s armor in mind.

Wedding Day Security Checklist

Wedding Dress

You gave great consideration choosing your dress.

Let the dress remind you of the purity of God’s Truth and Righteousness. 

After the wedding, you'll find somewhere to store it . However, keep in mind the need to strap on God’s Righteousness every day and cinch it with His Truth. 

It’s essential to protect your heart and mind. Keeping them pure will

always make you lovely, no matter what you wear. 

   

Wedding Shoes

The days of waiting fill with excitement. You’re ready to run down the aisle to your groom! 

Wisely, you're breaking in your wedding shoes ahead of time so they'll be ready to serve you. But that one place on the heel still rubs the wrong way so band-aids are needed.

    

Let the shoes remind you to be ready to serve your Lord first.

Then, serve your husband before anyone else. This is not always an easy

thing to do. 

Sometimes he may say something that rubs you the wrong way.

Don’t allow disagreements to linger and fester. That only leads to unnecessary pain and can worsen by developing a calloused heart.

Resist worldly advice. Usually it's ineffective or it's only a temporary fix. 

When trying days occur, seek aid from your Comforter. Trust fully in Him and He will give you everything you need. Sometimes that is through the godly counsel of a pastor or another strong Christian.

Hope Presses Through Hardships

by Sally Matheny

Hope Presses Through Hardships

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your circumstances? Sometimes things happen beyond our control. When we have no power, we still have hope. Hope helps us press through the hardships.

Betty Patzke's story exemplifies this. 

When Betty Patzke’s brother, Jack, enlisted in the Army Air Forces in November 1942, her hope of seeing him again remained strong.

The first of many heartbreaking ordeals for the Patzke family occurred on April 8, 1945; the day German soldiers killed Jack. The end of WWII was only five months away.

One month later, Betty lost two more siblings to the war. Her brother Dick, age 13, and her sister Joan, age 11, died from the explosion of a Japanese balloon bomb. The bomb was the only attack on American soil causing death.

Betty’s pastor, Archie Mitchell and his pregnant wife had taken the Pantzke children and three other teens in their Sunday school class to the beautiful Gearhart Mountain of Oregon for a picnic. Arriving at Leonard Creek, Rev. Mitchell let everyone out while he parked the car. In a matter of seconds, lives changed forever when an explosion pierced the air.

Almost 10,000 balloon bombs were launched from Japan on November 3, 1944. The Japanese military designed the bombs to travel the Pacific Ocean via the jet stream. They hoped the bombs would wreck havoc on American soil. Only 400 of the balloon bombs, called fugos, reached North America. 

The one landing on Gearhart Mountain brought death to 26 year old, Elsie Mitchell and her unborn child, as well as all five Sunday school students ranging from age eleven to thirteen.

Reeling from losing three siblings in one month, how would Betty Patzke press through such devastation?