A Tribute to My World War II Heroes

I wrote this a couple years ago and decided to post it in honour of Memorial Day. :-)

Upon the Californian dock
The soldier stood erect;
And one who saw his youthful eyes
Strong valor could detect.
He turned and looked upon the place
That he had always known;
And though a tear shown in his eye,
He knew, “I’m not alone.”

The months have passed. The soldier now
Prepares for fearsome fight.
“I’m now a man, and I must do
What I believe is right.”
And with great courage, this young man
Stoops down and grabs his gun.
He’d face the grave and fight the fight
Until his country won.

And now a white cross lifts its head
Upon a foreign hill.
The body once so full of life
Now, in the grave, lies still.
But this young soldier’s sacrifice
Across the stormy sea
Was not a waste, or to no use—
Because it we are free.

So many more white crosses stand
Each marked with name and date.
While some did live, the others died,
And many met their fate.
Brave men, whose lives were silenced there,
Your country is still free.

I thank you for the step you took
To conquer tyranny.

Oh, may my heart ring true to you
Who gave your lives for me.
If you’d held back in cowardice,
I might not now be free.
To you who died, to you who lived,
Who joined the army ranks,
My heart still gives in gratitude
Ten thousand million thanks.

"Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends."

The men of our nation's past, and their self-sacrifice for other's freedom, reminds me of the spiritual freedom we have in Christ, through HIS sacrifice of Himself. That is, indeed, the greatest freedom. May we follow in His footsteps, and in our forefather's footsteps, to be willing to sacrifice our own lives and interests to spread freedom-- true freedom-- all around the world.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!