Memorial Day 2022

Dear Friends,

This Memorial Day, let us remember and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. Let us remember their sacrifice, and pray for their family members, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. 

I came across a Memorial Day poem written by Tamsen Butler, titled "A Memorial Day Prayer," and wanted to share it with you: 

There's no comfort in battle,

No joy in the field.

Though exhausted and rattled,

Did they know their fate was sealed?

Did they know the end would come?

Were they scared or were they strong?

Were they willing to do it all for freedom?

Did they mutter, "No, this is wrong"?

No, they grasped the flag;

They ran forth with no fear.

Their bravery did not lag;

They held their faith near.

The Lord gave them strength

And held them close in His arms.

They were willing to go the length

To rage forth despite alarms.

Did they know it was the end?

Did they know their battle was lost?

They knew what they were willing to spend

And what would be the cost.

Thank You, Lord, for hearts that are brave,

For sacrificial love and those who serve.

We appreciate everything they gave

And their unshakeable nerve.

-Tamsen Butler

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families.

Jonathan A. Lu

Memorial Day 2021

Dear Friends,

This Memorial Day, let us take a moment to remember and pray for those who have given their lives to protect our country. Let us remember their sacrifice, and pray for their family members, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. 

I recently came across a Memorial Day poem written by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Lombardo, and wanted to share it with you: 

This is Memorial Day

In our land of the free.

It's because of those who sacrificed

Whose graves you're here to see.

They fought on foreign lands

And across the open sea

And paid the ultimate price

To keep you and I free.

So put all things aside

And honor this important day

Which we have dedicated

As our Memorial Day.

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families.

Jonathan A. Lu

Veterans Day 2020

Dear Friends,

This Veterans Day, let us take a moment to remember and thank those who have served to protect our country. Let us remember their sacrifice and pray for their family members. 

I recently came across a Veterans Day poem written by Cheryl Dyson, and wanted to share it with you: 

On Veterans Day we honor all,

Who answered to a service call.

Soldiers young , and soldiers old,

Fought for freedom, brave and bold.

Some have lived, while others died,

And all of them deserve our pride.

We're proud of all the soldiers who,

Kept thinking of red, white and blue.

They fought for us and all our rights,

They fought through many days and nights.

And though we may not know each name, 

We thank all veterans just the same.

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families.

Jonathan A. Lu

Memorial Day 2020

Dear Friends,

This Memorial Day, let us take a moment to remember and pray for those who have given their lives to protect our country. Let us remember their sacrifice, and pray for their family members, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. 

I recently came across a poem called "Remember Them," written by Megan Sprigg, and wanted to share it with you: 

We will remember them,
The ones who stood tall,
Who fought for their country,
The ones who were willing to fall.

We will remember them,
The ones whose lives had shined,
Who were mighty and bold,
May the world be defined.

Look at all our nations,
Oh how far we've come,
As every person will stay in our hearts,
We shall stand one by one.

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families.

Jonathan A. Lu

Memorial Day 2019

Dear Friends,

Today is Memorial Day. A day when we remember our brave servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

I came across an article written about Flanders poppies. These flowers spring up just around the time of Memorial Day, and it's traditionally been a symbol of fallen soldiers. 

Eric Scheie shared a poem by John McCrae called "In Flanders Field"

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

The poem was published in 1915, and became an important symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers. Today, the poem reminds us to never forget the sacrifices made by our brave servicemen and women. 

This Memorial Day, let us take time to remember and pray for those who have given their lives to protect our country. Let us remember their sacrifice, and let us pray for their family members, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. 

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families.

Jonathan A. Lu

Veterans Day 2018

Dear Friends,

Today is Veterans Day. A day when we commemorate our brave servicemen and women for their courageous service.

I came across a poem by Cheryl Dyson, it’s a beautiful poem in honor of our nation’s heroes:

On Veterans Day we honor all

Who answered to a service call

Soldiers young, and soldiers old

Fought for freedom, brave and bold

Some have lived, while others died

And all of them deserve our pride

We’re proud of all the soldiers who

Kept thinking of red, white and blue

They fought for us and all our rights

They fought through many days and nights

And though we may not know each name

We thank ALL veterans just the same

If you meet a Veteran, please take the time to thank them and hear their story. For many of our heroes in uniform, the battle doesn’t end after they return home. Some veterans suffer from PTSD and homelessness – let’s do our best to support our heroes in uniform. Whether that’s through sending care packages, volunteering, or just saying thank you in person, we can all work together to appreciate our nation’s servicemen and women. Let’s make a promise to thank our brave soldiers, not just on Veterans Day, but every day!

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families!

Jonathan A. Lu

Memorial Day 2018

Dear Friends,

Today is Memorial Day. It’s a day when many Americans take time to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect our country.

Laying down your life for others. As a civilian, it’s hard to imagine the amount of bravery and selflessness it takes to make such a great sacrifice. It’s one of the many things that we admire about servicemen and women. That they have the courage, patriotism, and selflessness to put themselves in the line of fire to protect others. Every day, our servicemen and women lay down their lives for people that they might not even know and may never meet. People who might not even be aware of their sacrifice. People who might have never stopped and said thank you.

Memorial Day is a day that reminds us just how amazing our servicemen and women are. They sacrifice themselves for people like you and me, and they never ask for anything in return. No recognition, not even a thank you.

A friend of mine shared a heart-warming story about a WW2 Army Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient. His name is Bill Crawford, and he worked as a squadron janitor at the US Air Force Academy during the 1970s. Mr. Crawford worked diligently, keeping the entire dormitory spotless. He did his job diligently and with honor. Unfortunately, due to his humble position, many people overlooked him.

This all changed when one cadet found out that Mr. Crawford, was in-fact a WW2 Army veteran who received the Medal of Honor. After this discovery, all the cadets took the time to say hi to Mr. Crawford. They even began to invite Mr. Crawford to formal squadron functions.

One cadet asked Mr. Crawford why he didn’t mention receiving a Medal of Honor. In response, Mr. Crawford said: “That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago.”

Mr. Crawford was a silent hero. He didn’t ask for recognition, he never even mentioned his valiant service.

This story reminds us that there are unsung heroes among us. They might be a neighbor, an acquaintance, maybe even your janitor. Keep an eye out for these heroes among us. Let’s honor the example of Mr. Crawford by treating everyone with respect, and by thanking and supporting our brave servicemen and women.

God Bless,

Jonathan A. Lu

Here's a link to the full story of Mr. Crawford: 

http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_crawford_10lessons.html