My Favorite Float

 
If my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my
face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will
I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.
                                  II Chronicles 7:14


    My heart raced and I stood a little taller as I watched our small town America Fourth of July parade. When the float carrying several of our WWII Vets passed by my heart ached for my father who has been gone way too long (30 years). He served in the Army - South Pacific. 
     The women were left at home to serve in other ways. They raised kids, worked the farms and many, like my mother, worked in a factory without knowledge that the thing they were building would destroy over 100,000 people in an instant and injure and maim 100,000 more. Those bombs would take lives and give life at the same time by ending the long-fought war.
     There have been many wars since WWII. Some have been called battles, some have been called skirmishes, some have been called conflicts. But, no matter the name attached, when one country takes up arms against another, it is war.
     Today I stand, hand over heart, head bowed in prayer and eyes filled with tears. I am proud of those who offer their lives in sacrifice to keep our country safe and free. I pray for the day when strife will end and battles will cease. In the meantime, God is good and I would not want to live any place other than the good 'ole United States of America.
     I pray God will forgive our sin and heal our land!

©JP 2013