Today is Memorial Day – a day of remembering those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.

God is big on remembering. He exhorted the Hebrew children to always remember how he delivered them from bondage in Egypt. The times they forgot what He did they got into trouble. He commanded them to remember – and to this day they still observe Passover.

Remembering is important. Can you imagine if you didn’t have memories? I’ve spent a lot of time remembering my father these last months since he went on to heaven. When my siblings and I have gotten together we have remembered with laughter and tears. Each of us remembers different aspects of the same event. It’s fun.

Today I am going with my oldest daughter to go through some of the things I brought back from my father’s home recently – like the dinning room chairs. Again, it will be a time for remembering. All the different people who sat around that table in those chairs, all the conversations, all the laughter, our favorite family meals…We’ll remember and are blessed with those memories.

Yes. Today is for remembering those who fought and died for our freedoms. And to celebrate those freedoms with a cookout or picnic or some neighborhood gathering…a fun time. I’ve put my flag out – waving proudly in the breeze.

I still get choked up at the sight of the American flag. It is a wonderful symbol of our beautiful land – not perfect but, still beautiful. We can be proud of this nation – even with it’s flaws – it is still the nation that so many around the globe aspire to enter.

Why? Because of our freedom. And our freedoms may be the undoing of us. Unless we have the courage to challenge those who seek to weaken our freedoms and resolve.