Ferndale Tonight: Memorial Day

A Different Perspective on Memorial Day

TheBeth says Happy Memorial Day and introduces Jay & Sara:
.

.I’ve know Sara since she was seconds old. In fact, I cut her umbilical cord. Jay is my son’s best friend.

Their parents, Frank & Tiff are very good friends to David and me.

I think that every parent out there would agree that the birth of a child is one of the greatest highlights in life. Being there to witness the arrival of such a precious miracle- is a gift itself.

So how did it happen that I was in the delivery room with Tiff- and not Frank? How is it that I saw Sara’s bright, blinking eyes- heard her pissed off cry- before her own father?

Frank is in the United States Air Force. He found out that he was being deployed overseas when Tiff was eight weeks pregnant. He left for a six month tour when she was four months along....

Be sure to read the rest. It's common to talk about death and injuries but y'all civilians rarely bring up what business folks call "opportunity cost." The price of missing major family events and just plain watching your kids grow up. After awhile you stop counting the funerals, weddings, anniversaries, holidays, births and birthdays...

We retired from the Navy and discovered that while we'd been following Uncle Sam around the globe, y'all had been building equity in your houses and getting on a cycle that made that second (or third) car fairly easy. Y'all had been building up a nicely stocked household while we'd been having to ditch the iron, the fans, the mixer and such 'cause they'd only work on the local electricity supply we were leaving behind.

I'm extremely grateful that I was there for every one of our kids being born but I've got strong memories (and extreme gratitude) of a night when some folks escorted my wife and (then) two daughters into a conference room for a Valentine's Day videoconference. My wife says the ~20 month old went around for weeks pointing to the TV and wanting to talk to Daddy!

So one more reason to stop that person in uniform and say "thank you." And cut 'em some slack if you see them eying that iron at your yard sale! ;-)

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More for Memorial Day: God of the Living

No only will we remember them but none ever are forgotten by God.

I learned of this hymn because it shares a tune with The Navy Hymn. I often recite it at the graveside service for funerals and it seems especially appropriate for Memorial Day.

God of the living, in whose eyes
unveiled thy whole creation lies,
all souls are thine; we must not say
that those are dead who pass away,
from this our world of flesh set free;
we know them living unto thee.

Released from earthly toil and strife,
with thee is hidden still their life;
thine are their thoughts, their works, their powers,
all thine, and yet most truly ours;
for well we know, where'er they be,
our dead are living unto thee.

Not spilled like water on the ground,
not wrapped in dreamless sleep profound,
not wandering in unknown despair
beyond thy voice, thine arm, thy care;
not left to lie like fallen tree;
not dead, but living unto thee.

Thy word is true, thy will is just;
to thee we leave them, Lord, in trust;
and bless thee for the love which gave
thy Son to fill a human grave,
that none might fear that world to see
where all are living unto thee.

O Breather into man of breath,
O Holder of the keys of death,
O Giver of the life within,
save us from death, the death of sin;
that body, soul and spirit be
for ever living unto thee.

A great reminder that none of us ever passes from God's mind. He's always watching over us no matter what our human perception of the circumstances might be.

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The Navy Hymn

The original four verses of The Navy Hymn. Many more verses have been added to cover the Navy's various communities.

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

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Why Memorial Day?

Here's the order that made it official:

HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868

I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If our eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.

By order of
JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commander-in-Chief

N.P. CHIPMAN,
Adjutant General

Official:
WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.

I don't have any original sources to cite but it's my understanding that General Logan was formalizing something good that folks had started doing on their own initiative. I've seen claims for both North and South as the originators of the tradition, going out to tend the graves of the fallen "enemies" in the hope that wherever their boys had fallen someone was doing the same.

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