HONORING OUR MILITARY
Veterans Day for Busy Families
By Stacie Ruth Stoelting
Guest Columnist
CBN.com –
The 93-year-old soldier’s eyes expressed a young soul and a brave past. I cherished the time in his cozy living room. (His sweet daughter, Kay, included me in a visit to her father’s home.) Prior to my leaving, he lent me a special spiral-edged book. Between its worn covers was his personal story:
“The head sergeant walked first, I was next, and there was a mechanic behind me. Somehow the man behind me set off a mine and was blown to bits. All we found of him was a small piece of his fatigue uniform. I have often wondered what his folks were told.”
The brave WWII veteran, Wayne Gaston, represents more of his fellow soldiers more and more. Why? Well, he loses fellow WWII veterans every day. WWII veterans continue to die faster than researchers can count. According to Fox News, approximately 1,000 WWII veterans die every day.
Veterans Day commands priority because of the shrinking number of our brave WWII veterans. (All veterans of all wars warrant gratitude. But, this article's purpose is to honor our oldest veterans.) Yet few actually reach out to the ones who stretched beyond their fears to fight for our country.
Ways to Recognize Veterans
- Email veterans living in nursing homes. Many nursing homes and hospitals offer this service. Email your gratitude now instead of waiting until later. Later may never come.
- Call and thank a veteran. Offer to pray with him/her then and there over the phone.
- Send a bouquet of patriotic-colored flowers or bunch of balloons. If you can’t afford it, send a card. Even a postcard would be an encouragement to our aging veterans.
- Accompany your expression of gratitude with a warm handshake or hug. There’s nothing like making eye contact and thanking someone while employing the power of human touch.
- Have your picture taken with a veteran and send him/her a copy. If you can afford it, frame it and send it to him/her.
- Find out if the veteran has ever received a special note from his/her U.S. Congress representative. Many politicians are willing to send letters to veterans to recognize them on their birthdays.
- Give a veteran a CD of old-fashioned bands playing patriotic music.
- Share the Gospel with a veteran. This is the most important way we can honor our veterans. We’re running out of time to reach out with Jesus’ gift of salvation. Most of all, depend on God’s Holy Spirit to lead you. Go into the situation thoroughly bathed in prayer.
OK, now we cannot say, "I'm too busy to even think about doing something on Veterans Day."
Go share God’s love today!
If you don’t know God’s love and peace yet, get to know Jesus for yourself.
 Going through a rough time? Join Stacie Ruth’s prayer group at www.prayingpals.org. After Stacie Ruth met Jesus, her life blossomed with true joy and purpose! To get in touch with her ministry for women, visit www.brightlightministries.com.
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