~*Remembering Memorial Day*~

This day, like all others of course, is a blessing from God. This one differs in that we honor those who gave their lives to make us free to worship our God and enjoy many other freedoms. How hard it must have been for them to be so selfless.

My own dear father fought admirably in World War II and, before meeting my dad, my mother had been engaged to a man who lost his life in this war. My late husband was in Viet Nam twice and got wounded both times. The first time was right before we were due to meet in Hawaii for his R & R (six months after he got to Viet Nam), so when he called me from Japan, one of the first things he sweetly said was that he was sorry that we wouldn't be able to go on R & R( as for me, his being okay and alive was such a blessing, that the mini vacation was then the LAST thing I was thinking about!) The next time Mario went to 'Nam, it only took him three and a half months to get wounded, so I used to tease him that he learned how to get home faster by getting wounded faster...both times were blessings because he did not lose his knee or leg (shrapnel) nor did he lose the use of his right arm (tracer bullet).

My mom got a flag like this when my dad died and then I got one when I lost Mario...it's a flag you never want to get, but which makes you proud for, as well as, of them!!!

Some interesting info on our Pledge of Allegiance:



"While the phrase "under God" was officially incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, it had been in earlier use. The first man to initiate the addition of "under God" to the Pledge was Louis A. Bowman (1872-1959). The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution gave him an Award of Merit as the originator of this idea. He spent his adult life in the Chicago area and was Chaplain of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. At a meeting on February 12, 1948, Lincoln's Birthday, he led the Society in reciting the Pledge with two words added, "under God." He stated that the words came from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He repeated his revised Pledge at other meetings."

Before I give you the jokes for today, let me tell you a family joke. My mom's brother, Uncle Richard volunteered for the Army when WW II broke out and my Uncle Jim, his younger brother, also desperately wanted to volunteer, but he had had scarlet fever as a child and was refused at first. Finally, the military really got anxious for more volunteers so Uncle Jim said he reported for the 'new and improved' physical which involved two doctors seated on either side of the candidate. They both looked into opposite ears and if they didn't see each other, you were in the Army!!!

Now here are some jokes, NOT intended to slur the military (esp. since I was a

very proud Army wife and teared up every time we went to the movies and they played the Star Spangled Banner!) in any way as they are our finest, but just to give a chuckle:

Joining the Army

As the family gathered for a big dinner together, the youngest son announced that he had just signed up at an army recruiter's office.
There were audible gasps around the table, then some laughter, as his older brothers shared their disbelief that he could handle this new situation. "Oh, come on, quit joking," snickered one. "You didn't really do that, did you?"
"You would never get through basic training," scoffed another.
The new recruit looked to his mother for help, but she was just gazing at him. When she finally spoke, she simply asked, "Do you really plan to make your own bed every morning?"

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An Army Ranger was on holiday in the depths of Louisiana, where he tried to buy some Alligator shoes. However, he was not prepared to pay the high prices. After failing to haggle the vendor down to a reasonable price level, he ended up shouting "I don't give two hoots for your shoes, man, I'll go and kill my own!" The shopkeeper replied, "By all means. Just watch out for the two Marines who are doing the same. "So the Ranger went out into the Bayou, and after a while saw two men with spears, standing still in the water. "They must be the two Marines," he thought. Just at that point he noticed an alligator moving in the water towards one of them. The Marine stood completely passive, even as the gator came ever closer. Just as the beast was about to swallow him, the Marine struck home with his spear and wrestled the gator up onto the beach, where several already lay. Together the two Marines threw the gator onto its back, whereupon one exclaimed "Damn! This one doesn't have any shoes either!"

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The chief of staff of the US Air Force decided that he would personally intervene in the recruiting crisis affecting all of our armed services. He directed a nearby Air Force base that will be opened and that all eligible young men and women be invited. As he and his staff were standing near a brand new F-15 Fighter, a pair of twin brothers who looked like they had just stepped off a Marine Corps recruiting poster walked up to them. The chief of staff walked up to them, stuck out his hand and introduced himself. He looked at the first young man and asked, "Son, what skills can you bring to the Air Force?" The young man looks at him and says, "I'm a pilot!" The general gets all excited, turns to his aide and says, "Get him in today, all the paper work done, everything, do it!" The aide hustles the young man off. The general looks at the second young man and asked, "What skills to you bring to the Air Force?" The young man says, "I chop wood!" "Son," the general replies, "we don't need wood choppers in the Air Force, what do you know how to do?" "I chop wood!" "Young man," huffs the general, "you are not listening to me, we don't need wood choppers, this is the 20th century!" "Well," the young man says, "you hired my brother!" "Of course we did," says the general, "he's a pilot!" The young man rolls his eyes and says, "So what! I have to chop it before he can pile it!"

~~~Lord, I thank you for all the blessings I received while being an Army wife, as well as the blessings showered on our country by the fine men and women who serve and keep our country safe.