An old, slender gentleman with a bent knee and a cane had slowly been working around the stations of the gym and now stood beside me. He wore the cap of a marine.

“Sir, I see you had a marine cap. Have you served our country?”

“I was a Marine from 1942 to 44.”

“Sir, that would put you in your 90’s.”

I suddenly found myself on holy ground, there beside the latt machine.

“I’m 95. I was at Okinawa.”

“There must have been half a million men fighting there.”

“I also fought at Guadalcanal and was part of the occupation in Japan.”

I was overcome with a sense of homage and reverence.

“Thank you, for your service, Sir.” There were 16 million men in boots during that war. Now less than a million remain.”

“Is that right – less than a million?”

“Yes Sir.”  I have a high regard for that generation, the generation of my father and uncles.”

He told me how he had gained a purple heart and other metals, with no trace of boasting, but matter-of-fact innocence. His knee had been broken in a bayonet battle when a man fell across it. He had two surgeries in a battlefield tent. He had lived, but seen men he knew have their heads blown off.

Here was a treasury of story, with so few still living to tell it, and I had stumbled on it!  I felt unworthy as the smoke of holiness filled this uncommon chapel. This man had truly seen, “active duty.” 200,000 died at the battle of Okinawa. It was the bloodiest we saw during the war. 26,000 died at Guadalcanal. And Clovis walked, or at least hobbled, away alive.

Most of the WWII generation has gone to their reward. There are just a few stragglers, a remnant, left on this half of eternity. Just a handful who can report first-hand the monumental battle against global tyranny. Sixty million casualties world-wide were part of that conflagration. So much of our security and prosperity comes from that story!

I told the Being standing before me – perhaps an angelic apparition, “The generations that follow you appreciate what you have done for us.” As I said it I hoped that it was true. But I know how history and its significance fades into the oblivion of cultural forgetfulness. In fact, I had almost forgotten, at least in part to be thankful for my father’s generation.

Lord help us remember and appreciate the gift given us, the legacy of a fading, great generation.

Steven C Johnson

A post script: Listen to John William’s “Hymn to the Fallen.” Moving!

https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+hymn+to+the+fallen&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS721US721&oq=youtube+hymn+to+the+falle&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.7407j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

THANKGIVING: Rebooting our memories

 Five years short of 400 years ago the English Pilgrims left their temporary refuge of Leyden, Holland.

 Nathaniel Morton chronicles their departure

“So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb. XI, 16), and therein quieted their spirits.

When they came to Delfs-Haven they found the ship and all things ready, and such of their friends as could not come with them followed after them, and sundry came from Amsterdam to see them shipt, and to take their leaves of them. One night was spent with little sleep with the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of true Christian love.

The next day they went on board, and their friends with them, where truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting, to hear what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound amongst them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other’s heart, that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on the Key as spectators could not refrain from tears.

But the tide (which stays for no man) calling them away, that were thus loath to depart, their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him, with watery cheeks commended them with the most fervent prayers unto the Lord and His blessing; and then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leaves one of another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them.”

There were many setbacks, and a long dangerous voyage, but they reached their promised land, with thankfulness to God.

Three months after their arrival half of the 102 pilgrims were dead of malnutrition and sickness.

 Here the amazing thing:

 Rather than having a shake-your-fist at God protest rally they had a day of thanksgiving.

 Rather than seeking professional therapists to help them through grief and trauma, they had a day of thanksgiving.

 They proclaimed a day of thanksgiving!

 We live in a historical amnesia that cannot comprehend the depth of Christian faith, the resolve and commitment of those daring souls.

 Our nation is broad but shallow, when those lives were narrow and deep.

 Gary Bergel says, “There is perhaps no sin of great consequence in America than that of thanklessness and ingratitude toward God and His goodness.”

 Let us take a lesson from men and woman who 400 years ago took their lives in their hands to risk a great venture – with determined faith in God, and an ethic of discipline incomprehensible to a society bent on instant gratification.

Let us, like them, give thanks, regardless of the hardships. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

This morning [Friday, June 26, 2015] our Supreme Court made an equivalency statement declaring there is no distinction between the marriage of a man and woman, and that of a man and man.

I feel shame and disgrace, fear for our nation, as well as indignation and resolve. This is not an issue of homosexuality, it is about the undermining of our constitutional integrity. Don’t get sidetracked by talking about homosexuality.

In a sweep the Supreme Court has overturned the timeless consensus that marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life. The marriage referendums of our states have been overturned in a stroke. The decisions of the people are negated. I am angry with the systemic virus drawing us from God, pillaging our nation, and making dark, light – and up, down.

What will be the progressive outcomes? I wrote the following prior to the first election of Mr. Obama. The reality of my prediction is manifesting.

“HATE CRIME”

“A few weeks from now what I am about to say may be a hate crime so I feel I need to get it off my chest; ‘I get queasy and sick to my stomach on roller coasters’. There, I said it!

Senator Barack Obama said, ‘I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepherd Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Nondiscrimination Act.’

A few weeks from now if I say that I get sick to my stomach and nauseated when my homosexual friends talk about their practices I may be prosecuted for hate speech. If my church refuses to hire a staff person because they are homosexual they will be prosecuted.

I wanted to say this now before a lawsuit impoverishes us or my family misses me because I was doing time.”

Decisions have consequence. If you haven’t already asked the “If…then” statements about this Supreme Court decision, now will be the time to anticipate the next steps of corruption to our constitution and nation.

I talked with three men at the gym over the Court’s decision. All of them made glib statements of acquiescence: “It was inevitable.” “I figured that would happen. “What a shame that this is happening to our nation.”

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

It is high time to become contenders, not weak benders! We must appeal to a Higher Court and take activism to a new level! For the sake of our constitution and nation and the God we once reverenced.

May our nation not acquiesce one more time! May this be the turning point of defiance -by refusing to comply in our States and Cities. It is time for civil disobedience! Let us take them to court, the Highest Court!

“Don’t tread on me!”

Steven C Johnson

SEE STEVE’S NEW BOOK, “Riverfront Property: Connecting at the River of Life” here! http://riverfrontpropertybook.com