Memorial Day

I don’t recall, in my life, ever having been a part of any Memorial Day ceremony. Maybe I have, and I've just forgotten.

At any rate, Auburn has an event of this sort each year. I KNOW I haven't been to the one in Auburn, and this year I decided to go.

I’ll admit I had double motives. I needed a project for which I could shoot some video and brush up on my editing skills before starting my new job at The Alexander City Outlook next week. I thought Memorial Day might provide some great footage.

Unfortunately, I was nearly thwarted by my own lack of preparation. Here's a helpful hint for you: never assume your technology will always be ready and waiting for you. Ten minutes before time to leave, I decided to give my camera and video camera a once over.

Camera battery: dead. Video camera battery: dead.

I gave them a quick charge for ten minutes and then bolted.

Camera in tow, I walked on the scene at the intersection of Glenn Avenue and ... some other road. Ross, I think. The police had the streets blocked off, and several dozen people were gathered in the heat to observe Memorial Day.

The ceremony was much shorter than I had expected. Nevertheless, I was able to get some video and stills and pull together a project.

Sadly, I have been unable to figure out how to upload it to this blog. I think I must not have chosen the best method for exporting, because the file size is much too large to be compatible with anything.

So, if you want to see my one-minute photo/video slideshow, I guess you'll have to just come visit me and check it out on my laptop.

For now, you can enjoy a few of my still shots I incorporated into my project.

Memorial Day. It’s one of the three days out of the year when the nation puts a collective effort toward honoring our military (the other two being Independence Day and Veterans Day). This being the case, my dear fiancé decided to open a big slimy can of worms on Facebook by asking what part patriotism/nationalism has in the life of a Christian.

As you can imagine, the query elicited some varied comments, though not heated, I’m thankful to say.

In case you’re curious, I will give you my take on it.

I think there can be a place for patriotism in the life of a Christian, as long as love of country does not overshadow love of God and man in general (cf “the first and greatest commandment” and “the second is like unto it,” Matt. 22:36-40).

There can be a lot of different facets to this discussion, and I don’t really want to go as deep into it as whether it’s a sin to be in the military or whether or not all governments are from God.

What I will say is this.

I am proud to be an American, but I am blessed to be a Christian.

I love this land, but there’s an even greater Land of the Free where I hope to go someday. The USA is beautiful, but that Place is –out of this world.–

I am grateful to the men who have fought and died and are still fighting and dying to protect my freedom from oppression by other nations, and I pray that God will protect them. But I owe everything to the Man who didn’t fight and died to give me ultimate freedom from oppression by the Devil. They protect my life, but He protects my soul.

Paul advertised his nationality as a Roman, but he valued his citizenship in Heaven (Acts 22, Phil. 3:20). Memorial Day may only come once a year, but the day for memorializing our Savior, Sunday, comes every week. Let us always keep our priorities in order!