Good Friday is the Christian's "Veterans Day"

We remember. The veterans who served us through their many selfless sacrifices. One such veteran enlisted in February 1942 into a war that would end 3 1/2 years later. His trip begins in Dallas and Brownwood, Texas. He had to cut short his education at Texas A & I in Kingsville to serve his country. While at Brownwood he helped two friends, Kirby & Slim. They hadn't made it to high school so they needed help writing letters home. All Kirby & Slim knew was hard work on the shrimp boats. September came and the veteran was riding the rails to Fort Dix, NJ. A week long trip and then onto a South African banana boat headed to Birmingham, England. Three weeks packed like sardines, they dodged German submarines. 120 ships heading across the North Atlantic.

All they knew was that they were there to stop the evil that had already swept Europe. They weren't ready to lay down their life for family, friends and country, but they did their best to prepare themselves for this possibility.

Almost 2000 years ago another prepared to lay down His life for everyone. The day is Friday and the darkness of the world would soon signal the death of this lone Man. What our service veterans did for us closely parallels what Jesus did for us on the cross. We own much to those fallen soldiers but we owe everything to Jesus. Freedom comes with a cost that can only be satisfied through humility of mind and thoughts about others. That was Jesus' way. He left us the memory of His life to give us the life that we enjoy today.

Whether World Wars, conflicts or operations, there will always be a time to remember those who made our life possible today. Don't waste their sacrifice. Don't ignore the life of our Lord Jesus.

Oh, the "veteran"? He's my Dad. Thanks Dad. Perhaps more later on his experiences.

A special thanks to Amber Magness for her interview with my Father.