All the Gallant Men

I recently read All the Gallant Men by Donald Stratton.  This is a book about all the men and women at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  This was a great book, it gives a perspective that needs to be addressed especially with all that is happening in our country.  This is an excerpt taken from the book:

“…….it would be hard not to pray, not to realize how complacently we live our day-to-day lives, hard not to ask God for forgiveness for our forgetfulness.  We have forgotten so much, not just individually but as a nation.

A man died for me today.

That sailor, soldier, or Marine was someone’s son, brother, husband, perhaps, or someone’s father, nephew, cousin, friend.

A man died for me today.

Two thousand, four hundred and three men perished at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 from the Arizona alone.  Each of those individuals had a name, all of which are on display in the solemn shrine that stands above that ship.

A man died for me today.

He was there, on that ship, scrubbing the decks, painting, the steel, running the drills, and learning the skills to defend us, you and me.  This is what freedom costs.  And these are the men who helped pay for it.  Giving up their dreams, so we could have a future.  Sacrificing their lives, so we could live.

Of all the questions we could ask of God in times of war- from the protection we ask four our loved ones to the clarification we ask as to the why of it all- there is one we should not direct to Him but to ourselves.

Am I worth dying for?

Am I worth the sacrifice of who they were or someday would become? ………Am I?”

This excerpt needs to be reflected and asked by everyone in our country at this time.  Am I worth dying for? Check how you are behaving, not standing for our National Anthem, Race Wars??  We are one country and we need to work together to be the best not only for country and neighbors, but for ourselves.  Be your best this holiday season.