Rapture fail as well as some Memorial Day thoughts.

Hello again blogosphere, my old friend.  It has been too long.  Seriously though, I think my last post was related to the NCAA Final Four.  I know Butler shot terribly in the last game, I know people, but trust me, it was still a fantastic weekend, the end result not withstanding.  So, here we go again with a long overdue post.  It also helps that I have a couple of big things on my mind at the moment. 

First of all, I've been thinking about the latest failed end of the world prediction to pass us by a couple of weeks ago.  When I first heard about the prediction I immediately dismissed it.  Like most Christians I read the Bible and feel like there is sufficient evidence that no one will really know the exact day and time of Christ's Second Coming.  I could point out specific verses and phrases but my goal here isn't to "Bible-bash" with anyone, plus most of you reading this probably already agree so it would be a wasted bash anyway.  What I've been thinking about is this: even if one felt they could predict the end of the world, and geared their time and effort towards that end, they would be missing the real point of what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  While we should be preparing ourselves for Christ's coming, that doesn't mean simply aiming towards a time when we feel He will come.  We should be following Christ's teachings all the time in all of our doings.  I'm not sure how good I am at conveying meaning, so I will fall back on something I am very familiar with, a good old football analogy.  So when I played football in high school and college we would sometimes run sprints in conditioning.  If, for example we had to run a 10-yard sprint, we knew that in reality we would be running about 15 yards.  It wasn't good enough to get close to the the 10 yard end line and stop right at it, that would mean we would have stepped off of the accelerator for the last couple of steps and that wasn't good enough.   You had to keep running full speed until there was no doubt in your mind that you had reached and surpassed the required distance.  I guess what I'm saying is that in our faith we shouldn't be looking for that moment when we can stop running full speed.  We should keep going and going, always striving to be a better person.  Those looking for an end point, are missing the main point of Christ's teachings.  We should always be looking for ways to serve and bless the lives of others not for a time when we can relax from doing that.  Hopefully that made a little sense because I'm switching gears..........Now!

Today was Memorial Day.  My family went for a drive up to one of the military cemetaries here in Leavenworth and walked around for a little bit.  It was an impressive sight to see an American flag in front of each headstone.  Some of the headstones represented those who had fallen in battle, some were of veterans who didn't die until long after they had seen their last combat.  Unfortunately, there are areas of the cemeteries here that are very active at the present time, too active simply for those veterans of wars long since passed.  I have friends from my old high school who have deployed in recent years and months.  One of my missionary companions drove an Abrams tank for the Marine Corps and was sent into combat a little while after returning from his mission.  To my knowledge, all those I know have returned safely home from thier service.  The cemeteries here are a reminder that not all are so blessed.  The cemetery today also reminded me of another experience.  Several years ago and half way around the world I remember walking past row after row of white crosses in Normandy, France.  At the time I could barely read the names on those crosses.  But they are the names of those who gave their lives for the many freedoms that we as Americans, enjoy today.  They were young men, near to my own age and in many cases younger.  They made the ultimate sacrifice.  They never got to see their homes, their family, or friends again in this life.  They never got to see the world at peace, the very peace that they were fighting to obtain. 
Today was Memorial Day.  While the lake, the pool, or the beach is a fun way to spend the holiday, while barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs are delicious, and while every car dealership in the country seems to get all decked out in red white and blue for their latest and greatest sale, let us remember what the day is truly about.  As the old adage goes, "Freedom is never free."  Let us remember our fallen fathers, mothers, spouses, siblings, and children.  Let us remember their noble sacrifices.  And let us remember to pay tribute on this special day set aside and dedicated to them.