Remembering or Celebrating which is it? Is it both and ? Happy_______________?

Dear Family of  Love!

Today we have lots to think about and ponder! It's You Matter Monday along with Memorial Day, National Wine Day, Caregiver Monday, and  The Feast of Bede the Venerable. The first two are our points to ponder. We all matter and deserve to be remembered and that's why you matter Monday is so important and when we add Memorial Day to this day that we have every Monday in our Walk With Me On Our Journey weekly calendar it makes me ponder many things. This year Memorial Day is one of remembrance and not to be taken lightly nor should it in any year we memorialize it. This year I have seen lots of discussion about how do we greet people on Memorial Day on Facebook and on Twitter. Happy Memorial Day, isn't the best greeting nor is it the worst. Here is a  list of all of the possible holidays we  may celebrate in the United States, if your faith community isn't added please add it to our list  with the Happy to make it a greeting,  if you are from Canada do you add Happy to the holiday name?

Happy New Year
Happy Valentine's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Happy Passover
Happy Easter
Happy Ascension Day
Happy Pentecost
Happy Memorial Day
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Father's Day
Happy 4th of July
Happy Labor Day
Happy Halloween
Happy Veteran's Day
Happy Groundhog Day
Happy President's day
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Hanukkah 
Happy Holidays

I find it odd that no one wishes one  a Happy________________
 Oh yes this is the solemn list.
Ash Wednesday
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
All Saint's day
All Soul's day
Holocaust remembrance day 
Cesar Chavez day

I'm thinking that we move Memorial Day down to the solemn list because it is  reminder that we all need to honor our troops and who gave their lives in service to our country  This puts the day out of our pre-July 4 party mode. We all need to take stock on this day as we recognize that life is sacred and that blood that has been shed upon the fields of battle and in defense of our liberty needs to be treated as such.  On tonight's prayer walk I took a walk over to the Freedom Monument at the Abel Maldonado Youth Center and prayed for those who lost their lives locally in the service of our country. So many names but lots to remember. We remember them on You Matter Monday because they did matter and so do we every moment that we live. So do we celebrate this day or do we remember on this day? Which is it? I think we need to celebrate life, lives, and living each day that we live and remember our precious dear ones who lost their lives and celebrate them too. This isn't a time for happy clappy but with a reverent and introspective spirit towards the day. We must remember that freedom and liberty in this nation of ours was bought by the shedding of precious blood at the cost of many lives. So, this is the greeting I would like to suggest instead of "Happy Memorial Day "  "Have a Blessed Memorial Day" just like we wish our brothers and sisters to have a "Blessed Lent". What does your heart and spirit say to you this night? What is God saying to you in the peace and stillness of this moment? Do bbq's  and celebrations fit with being peace makers and praying for peace on earth? Again what is your heart and spirit saying to you this night?

Take time to meditate up these things and listen to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings


God we remember the fallen men and women throughout time who have given their lives in reverent and laudable service to our country and in the nations of the world, so that we may be free.

God help us we pray in the words of  the Prophet Isaiah :

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
   because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
   to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and release to the prisoners; 
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
   and the day of vengeance of our God;
   to comfort all who mourn; 
³ to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
   to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
   the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. 
⁴ They shall build up the ancient ruins,
   they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
   the devastations of many generations. 

God give us the strength to be peacemakers and to lay down our swords and spears and all forms of weaponry that seek only to divide and not unite.

God we pray for all who protect us from harm and those who are defenseless and vulnerable. 

God we pray for our many homeless veterans who came home not to glory but without a life line to services and understanding.

God we pray this night for ourselves and on behalf of all who have come to us seeking our prayers.

 God we pray for all who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. Remembering______________________

God we pray that all our family members may come to know that they matter and are beloved children of yours.

God we thank you for this day and lift up our prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen. 


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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! You Matter! I give God thanks for you this night and always!


With love and prayers,

Sara