I remember.....

This man, my dad, was willing to give his life when he voluntarily enlisted in the XII Manitoba Dragoons in 1941. He and hundreds of thousands like him, went off to some unknown land, rifle in hand, and fought against tyranny and injustice and evil. We'll just leave it at that.

He left his pregnant wife at home to wait for his return.

Many millions of others did the same.

So today I once again remember this particular sacrifice....the willingness of this one man to give everything up that he loved and cared for so that his children, granddchildren and great grand child could live freely....could go to the school of their choice, could involve themselves in whatever they wished, could read the books that interested them and have freedom to express themselves in any way they wanted.

Son, Matthew & friend, Greg - highschool grad 2001

Brittney and Shannon - both going to school - wherever and whenever they wished.

I thank God today for men and women in the world, who have and will continue to offer their lives for the good of the whole......and not necessarily the Armed Forces. There are people working with humanitarian aid groups, those giving selflessly to help in war-torn countries with food and medical services. I think of the missionaries and volunteers too, working in the Name of Christ, with the homeless, the poor and the marginalized.

So, tonight I shall stay awake for a moment or two and remember the sacrifices that have gone before and those that are happening today.

We are indeed a free people.