So - It's Memorial Day - the "official" start of the summer season..... How do you honor the dead - the people who went to war and died - we presume for the higher good. But, I guess we all know too that many died lonely, scared and not at all sure why they were there. Is patriotism only wishful thinking? Is it a real and true feeling, motivation, reason for going to war? Why am I even thinking on these things? I am grateful that I live in America, the home of the FREE. I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to send me to a nice middle class family in middle America, with a nice home, a good Mom and a Dad who provided as prescribed by society of the day. Life would have been different if Dad hadn't had so much baggage from his life in his home of origin, but maybe Dad's personality type is just the one that will carry baggage - even attract baggage so that he could carry it. Isn't that a kind of family trait? I see it in subsequent generations. Oh well. Thankfully the Lord will help us deal with and reconcile our baggage so that we can live life abundantly. Anyway - Happy Memorial Day - or whatever. That doesn't seem the appropriate thing to say on this kind of a holiday, but I have nothing else.