Did you know that Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day? Its roots go back to the years following the Civil War. As the war came to an end, mourners in both northern and southern states began placing flags and flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. The first National Decoration Day was in 1868.
By the end of the century, the holiday was renamed Memorial Day. It's our most solemn holiday because it is designed to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It's appropriate that we take time to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to this great country of ours.
Countless others have served and, thankfully, survived. I'm thrilled that we have Veterans Day to honor all military personnel, but Memorial Day is a somber day to give honor to the fallen and to pray for those left behind and to lift up the ones grieving for their loss.
Celebrate our freedom with your family today. We have it because of their sacrifice. We are the land of the free because of the brave!
John 15:13 (NLT) - "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."