VETERANS DAY
WHY AND HOW
Photo by Anthony Quintano licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license at https://flickr.com/photos/22882274@N04/51216060584.
Veterans Day is our uniquely American holiday in which we show love and respect to our veterans. It began as Armistice Day, celebrating the end World War One and officially became Veterans Day in 1954.
German Kaiser Wilhelm II with his quick mind, quick temper, royal ego, swaggering militarism, and passion for being Supreme War Lord, facilitated Germany becoming the virtual military dictatorship which lead to WW1. That first world-wide round of truly evil German leadership (killing perhaps as many as 40 million people) ended on this day, November 11 in 1918. Unfortunately, the second round of truly evil German leadership was only twenty years away with yet another arrogant nutjob.
Our beloved United States flag draped over a coffin is the solemn and overwhelmingly meaningful tradition we use to honor the service of a deceased member of our military. The honor guard precisely folds that flag thirteen times:
· The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.
· The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
· 3rd fold: is in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave up a portion of his or her life to defend our country.
· 4th fold: represents Americans trusting in God; it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
· 5th fold: a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
· 6th fold: is for where hearts of American citizens lie. It is with our hearts that we pledge allegiance to “the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”
· 7th fold: a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through our Armed Forces that our country and our flag are protected from all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
· 8th fold: a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we may see the light of day.
· 9th fold: a tribute to womanhood, and mothers, for it has been through their faith, their love, their loyalty, and their devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
· 10th fold: a tribute to fathers for they, too, have given their sons and daughters for the defense of our country.
· 11th fold: represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and in Jewish eyes, glorifies the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
· 12th fold: represents a sign of eternity and in Christian eyes, glorifies God the Father, the Son and, the Holy Spirit.
13th fold or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost… in remembrance of our nation’s motto, “In God We Trust.”
Thank you for reading and honoring this. Please be blessed the rest of your day.
BK. DG.