Look…a man is free, but still he ain’t free. I mean, nobody can tell him he’s got to work, but if he don’t he goes hungry. It’s like that with a republic. It’s free from other countries, but it ain’t ever free from responsibility. It’s got to raise food or starve. It’s got to make its clothes or go naked. It’s goes to keep up an army or its enemies will run over it. In other words, it’s got to take care of itself. Nobody else is going to.”
–Elmer Kelton (After the Bugles)
“Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.'”
–Joshua 4:7 (NLT)
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IN FLANDERS FIELDS
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.
–John McCrae
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I just have to post my traditional Veterans Day poem. Yesterday, 100 years ago, the guns stopped, the bullets cease to fly, and blood was stopped from being spilt by the Armistice for World War I. Supposedly the “war to end all wars,” it was actually the beginning of the end. One day the swords will be beaten into plowshares, but not until the Lord rules during the Millennial.
The world was completely changed with that war. The concept of “what’s the use” became the norm and it still being played today. It was all the same, whether from the concept of F. Scott Fitzgerald of “party-hardy” we’re all going to die, so what’s the use. To the doom and gloom of T.S. Eliot’s, The Wasteland. Woe is me, we’re all going to die, so what’s the use?
One phrase in this haunting poem always concerns me: “If ye break faith…” This day signifies that we remember the sacrifice of all veterans. All gave time to serve this great country. Let’s remember them!
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Family Veterans:
Walter E. Baker — U.S. Army (World War II–Europe)
Carl R. Adkisson — U.S. Army (World War II–Pacific)
William Baker — U.S. Army (World War II)
Howard Baker — U.S. Army (World War II)
James Swank — U.S. Army (World War II)
John Swank — U.S. Army (World War II)
Ted Adkisson — U.S. Marine Corps (World War II) U.S. Air Force (Korea)
James Adkisson — U.S. Air Force (Korea, Vietnam)
Harold Jones — U.S. Navy (World War II, Korea)
Bobby Jones — U.S. Navy (World War II)
Kenlock Jones — U.S. Army (World War I)
and your’s truly — U.S. Air Force (Vietnam)
And direct ancestors from the past:
William Adkisson – Civil War – CSA
James Adkisson – War of 1812
Elias Butler – War of 1812
William Butler – Revolutionary War
Moses Winters – War of 1812
Edward McDonald – Revolutinary War
James Rowland – Revolutinary War
Robert Rowland – 1742 Augusta Co VA militia
Solomon Walbridge – Revoluiontary War
Henry Walbridge – Revolutionary War
Mark Robinson Mahaffey – Civil War – USA
Jacob Shoop – Revolutionary War
Johannes Roger – Revolutionary War
As you can see, my wife and I have quite a military heritage. So if you see a vet today — thank him.