Praying to Get the Flag Up the Pole
May 25
Faithwalk, Personal 3 Comments
When a Canadian soldier dies in Afghanistan, or any where else they are serving in the world, the Legion branch I belong to lowers their flag to half staff. The usual protocol for a period of mourning is 10 days or the day of the funeral, which ever comes first. On this blog and one fo my other blogs, Out of the Shadows, I post a memorial entry which stays at the top of the blog for the same period.
The month of May has been a bit difficult to get that flag back to the top of the pole. In fact, we haven’t succeeded yet. We’ve had four Canadians killed in Afghanistan, which for my American readers is a very small number, spaced out so that 10 days has not passed without a death.
As some American friends have noted, if the Americans lowered their flags like we do, they would never fly at full staff. As much as I wait and pray for the day when the flag can be returned to the top of the pole, it flying at half staff reminds me that Canadians are putting their life on the line for me every single day.
Each of those ten days of flag flying at half staff means that I’ll be making a trip to the bridge to honour our fallen Canadian. As the motorcade makes its way from CFB Trenton to the coroner’s office in Toronto along the Highway of Heroes, I’m among the hundreds of Canadians who turn out to show the families, Canadians care.
The waves and acknowledgement from the military escorts mean a lot to those on the bridges but it is when the hands of the family waving as they pass by that we know, at least for this part of their journey, they know they are not alone.
Join me in prayer that the flag reaches the top of the pole and no more families will have to make that long journey.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
May 25, 2010 @ 17:28:35
Instead of praying why don't you send letters to your service men and women and tell them how you know that they are putting their lives on the line for you. It would make their day a lot better than asking for help from an invisible person. I understand that it would take more time to do this than just saying something before you eat but it would do more for the moral to them than you could even imagine. Stop passing the buck to God and make it your business to make their days that much better with your kind words. Sorry but nothing bothers me more than when someone says I'll pray for you I would rather have them write me. I'm here, I'm in danger I need to hear your words more than he does. As an ex-service member this is only one mans opinion but please heed it. As the old saying spit in one hand, well you know the rest. Don't only talk about it that does nothing take action, true action not just some symbolic action.
May 25, 2010 @ 18:30:35
You know, I was really tempted to simply delete your rather rude missive. The post wasn't about what I do or don't do to support our troops, you know that but took it as your opportunity to have your little rant while trying to put down my Christian beliefs. If I, and thousands of other Christians, choose to pray for the safety of our troops that's our right and is not for you to ridicule.
Course, you may have been having a really bad day and since you're probably too busy writing to the troops to do so, I'll pray you have a better day tomorrow.