I am not sure how it happened – I think I will blame it on those six hours – but in recapping our trip to Hawaii I skipped over one of the most memorable and moving excursions of the entire trip. On day two the sun came out and we took a bus trip through the city of Waikiki. The trip had only one stop – Pearl Harbor.
We took a boat over to the Arizona Memorial and saw the oil still bubbling up these many decades later. We also read the names of those buried below. Later we walked through the Missouri and a WWII submarine. In the Air Force museum, we met a Blue Angel pilot and listened to his presentation. Through it all we remembered with appreciation those who sacrificed their lives on that day of infamy and over the years that followed.
Walking through the cramped quarters of the submarine I could not help but think of my Uncle Bill. He was 6’1” or 6’2” and served in the submarine corps during WWII! If my memory serves me correctly, he was actually in Tokyo Bay while the war was raging. His submarine, while he and his crewmates were on leave in Hawaii, was eventually sunk by the Japanese. Another event I remember with appreciation.
This week one of my visits took me to the home of a Vietnam veteran who takes care of his bed-bound wife. He recounted some stories to me about his twelve months in ‘Nam that I had never heard before. He said that the only good thing that came from his tour was the lady on the bed by which I stood (They met while he was overseas, but that is another story). Today I am also remembering him with appreciation.
Of course, it is not just those who have served in the military that I remember with appreciation. This week I heard about the calling home of two Lutheran educators who I knew. Each touched more lives with the Gospel than I can imagine. This same week I have the privilege of speaking at the funeral of two saints from Saint Thomas – both whose lives on this earth ended at an age younger than mine. All four of these individuals are remembered with appreciation in different ways.
St. Paul also speaks of remembering with great appreciation as he writes, “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”(1 Corinthians 15.3-4) St. Peter tells it this way, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3.18) We remember Christ with great appreciation because “he died once for all”(Romans 6.10) Or, perhaps I should say, I remember him with unparalleled appreciation because he did for me and has given to me eternal life.
Our veterans, including the ones who lived to come home, made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom. Every human life, in one way or another, is created by God with purpose and value. We remember with appreciation each and all who have gone before us. And leading the list of all these is the One who stands alone and leads us on the path of everlasting life … Jesus, our Redeemer, Savior and Friend.
“Jesus still lead on till our rest is won. Heavenly leader, still direct us, still support, console, protect us, till we safely stand in our fatherland” (LSB 718, v. 4) … and help us to always remember you (and many others) with appreciation.
