On Decoration Day, decades ago, after church services on Sunday, we’d have dinner on the grounds. All the women would bring their best dishes, we’d drink gallons of sweet ice tea and hot coffee, finish with pies, cakes, cookies. Then, we’d gather the bouquets of field flowers, plastic flowers and some store bought flowers and we’d decorate the graves of those family members who’d served in war. Stories were told, people remembered, tears shed…good times, all, even in the sadness. Today, how many of us remember those service men and women left on foreign fields having given the ultimate sacrifice – their lives?
Now it’s called Memorial Day and not many people decorate graves or have dinner on the grounds. We’ve lost something and our lives are the poorer for it. We all talk about slowing down, how many do? We all talk about simplifying our lives, how many do? We all talk about eating together, how many of us do?
So very much, I miss talking with Dave. We’d sit and talk for hours or we’d sit and enjoy the silence for hours. We lived slow lives, quite lives, lives filled with grace and a lot of love. If your life needs more grace, more love, more quiet, more slow…it’s well within your reach. Today, promise yourself and your family the gift of time…time to slow down, to eat at the same table, together, every night this week. What is more important than your family and your family time together? Today, on Memorial Day, make a promise to make memories together. They don’t have to be monumentous memories; they can be as simple as greeting the day together with a hot cup of coffee or taking a quiet walk. Those simple memories will stand you in good stead when the cold winds blow and, trust me, you should be preparing now because those winds are gathering now.
Blessings ~ service men and women ~ Randy Travis ~ Decoration Day ~ Dave ~ Memorial Day ~ dinner on the grounds ~
Kim, you bless me with your gift of time and commenting, thank you. Yours is a difficult job, watching those lost souls wander through your office and go God only knows where. We have denied our young people the gifts of hard work, delayed gratification and, perhaps most importantly, our gift of time.
Kim, fight the good fight, stay the course and continue to do your best; children are counting on you and they don't even know it.
Whenever I come to visit, I never leave empty. My well is full and you give me so much to think about. Thank you for this post. I feel so sad that we are drifting so far from things that are so important. I am a college Financial Aid counselor and I have never seen so many students who are so lost and have no direction and little hope of where they are going.
Time is a gift forever gone. Thank you for such a precious reminder. Going now to wipe some things OFF my to do list!
XO
Kim
imgirlwithoutwings.com
Whenever I come to visit, I never leave empty. My well is full and you give me so much to think about. Thank you for this post. I feel so sad that we are drifting so far from things that are so important. I am a college Financial Aid counselor and I have never seen so many students who are so lost and have no direction and little hope of where they are going.
Time is a gift forever gone. Thank you for such a precious reminder. Going now to wipe some things OFF my to do list!
XO
Kim
imgirlwithoutwings.com
You're most welcome and thank you for visiting and commenting today.
This post spoke a deep sobering message. Thank you.
Beautiful Sandra, beautiful. A reminder of what is important, and it is NOT sales at department stores and car dealers.
The is a place of honor at my table, a place for an unnamed hero. But he will be respected, honored & we will all pray for the hero. I will never be his equal in valor, but he will know how much he is appreciated. May God bless each of them and their families. And, may we all slow down, stop, and smell the roses.
Sandra,
You make me stop and think. You are so right. We talk but do not act.
Friends are gathering late this afternoon at our house for barbecue and fixings.
Beautiful ((HUGS)) Things have changed and I will promise to make memories. Thank you.
A beautiful and timely post. God bless you.
Dear Sandra, you are a blessing and your words so true.
Wishing you a beautiful decoration day as you remember.
Big hugs my friend!!
So wise and so true and so needed. Here today right now. Putting the kettle on…