All About Pocket Knives

Tomorrow in Church I will be making a speech on Memorial Day. It was to be the history of the occasion, but I've titled my presentation The Reality of Memorial Day. The reality is that someone died in service to our country and now it is our responsibility to honor that service, that sacrifice and to forever remember. In my Navy career I have been the one on a couple of occasions that gave the death notification to a family. When you look into the eyes of these mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and even children you seen the horror and the reality of what you are about to tell them. I have presented the folded flag at a funeral service, including my own father's. Here is the final couple of paragraphs of my speech.

"So, what does Memorial Day mean to you? Is it just a weekend at the lake, a backyard BBQ, or a day to sleep in late?
It means that I’m eternally grateful to every man and woman that has served this nation so I don’t have to fear our government like those I just described. I owe a debt that I will never be able to repay to those who have given their very lives for the preservation of freedom in this country and to others around the globe.
It means that all of us have an obligation to remember their sacrifices and to endeavor with all our resources, strengths, and our service, to continue to protect and defend the liberties and freedoms we hold so dear. It means to me that those that gave the “full measure” of service demand no less of me to preserve, protect and defend the freedoms that were given to us by the blood and sacrifices of those we honor on Memorial Day. This day is about courage, honor, sacrifice, and remembrance of all those that gave the “full measure” of devotion.
God bless America, those who serve this great Republic and all those who have given so much, let us all be forever grateful and may we always remember the Reality of Memorial Day."

So my fellow AAPK friends let us honor and remember those that have fought and died for our nation and the cause of freedom around the world. Let us never forget them.

Bravo David! That's written super my friend! Whis I could be there to hear the whole speech live and in person!

Well written and meaningful.

Bob

Very well said, Sir.
I know the Holy Spirit will be with you tomorrow as you present your speech in church, and that He, through you, will touch many.
God bless you..!!!
Mark

David you words ring so true. We owe so much to those who have given their all, their very lives, that we may be a free people. At the very least we can stop and give a prayer of thanks for the sacrifices they have made for all of us. God bless you as you speak to your congregation tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. We do have a Facebook page and a YouTube channel where they live stream and archive videos. Plainview Baptist Church Krum Texas.

Well I did it and I don't think I messed it up too much. I'm never comfortable in public speaking.
My part is about 19:40 minutes into the video.

https://fb.watch/5Q_S3LaWiC/

Excellent David!

Well done, and well said David.

Ken

Very nicely done!

Excellent David.

Very well said!

My grandfather was in the Philippines in WW2. he survived, but came back with horrible memories. My mother recalled seeing him sitting alone outside and she could see his shoulders quaking up and down from heavy sobbing. She once went to him and asked what was wrong. He'd say quietly "It's Ok, honey. Go on and play." She also told me about how he would wake up in the middle of the night in awful panic and my grandmother would have to throw blankets on him to comfort him. When he died in 2005, my mother and grandmother were going thru all of his belongings and much to their drop jaw shock, they found two bronze stars he never mentioned once.

The one thing that really, really bothers me about Memorial Day.... it seems the American Revolutionary soldiers get so overlooked. When you see film marathons on Memorial Day, it's WW1 or WW2 films. You will hardly ever see much acknowledgment to the AR soldiers minutemen.

MissouriGuerrilla wrote: ↑Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:02 pm Very well said!

My grandfather was in the Philippines in WW2. he survived, but came back with horrible memories. My mother recalled seeing him sitting alone outside and she could see his shoulders quaking up and down from heavy sobbing. She once went to him and asked what was wrong. He'd say quietly "It's Ok, honey. Go on and play." She also told me about how he would wake up in the middle of the night in awful panic and my grandmother would have to throw blankets on him to comfort him. When he died in 2005, my mother and grandmother were going thru all of his belongings and much to their drop jaw shock, they found two bronze stars he never mentioned once.

The one thing that really, really bothers me about Memorial Day.... it seems the American Revolutionary soldiers get so overlooked. When you see film marathons on Memorial Day, it's WW1 or WW2 films. You will hardly ever see much acknowledgment to the AR soldiers minutemen.

Thank you Sir.