MEMORIAL DAY
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Hey!
It’s Memorial Day!
Another three day weekend
To party and play —
What about what it really means —
The reason for Memorial Day…?
Huh?
Hey!
It means whatever you want it to!
What about those
Who gave their lives
For our country?
Whatever! —
If that’s what you believe,
That’s OK!
But for me it’s just party time…
And I only hope
You won’t call it a crime!
No crime, man,
But think of it this way:
We remember those
Who gave their lives
So that you could party hardy!
Hmmm…
I never thought of it like that…
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DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
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Will you still remember me?
I gave my life for you…
But you don’t even hear my voice —
You never asked me
To do anything for you —
It’s true.
Whatever I did, it was on me —
It’s got nothing to do with you…
I consider your words and I recall —
I was once as cynical as you;
It’s true —
You never did ask me to…
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TALKIN’ WITH THE LORD ON MEMORIAL DAY
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Greater love has no man than this,
Than to lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
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I’m talkin’ to the Lord
On this 2019 Memorial Day —
Lord, please help me find
Just the right words to say;
So many of our young men
Have sacrificed their lives
To ensure that our nation
Would continue and survive!
Is one day a year sufficient
To honor what they gave?
How can we pay homage
To these bravest of the brave?
Medals awarded posthumously
Bring us little solace,
When we know that there are none
Who can ever take their place…
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Lord, when I hear the statistics
I can’t help but be horrified!
Every day twenty-two veterans
Are driven to suicide!
Combat vets live in two worlds,
Often not knowing where they are —
What they saw, and what they did
Just pushed them way too far…
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I had a friend named Steve,
A Marine Corps veteran of Viet Nam;
His thirteen month tour of duty
Did forever destroy his calm;
You see, Steve was a sniper,
And the faces of those he killed
Haunted him until a heart attack
Overpowered his will to live…
He told me once in confidence
They made a murderer out of me,
This once innocent young man,
In Sunday School he did sing…
A prisoner of his own conscience…
Death was his final escape…?
I only pray that the Lord received Steve
Into His glorious Heavenscape…!
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As far as I’m concerned, Lord,
Every day is Memorial Day;
So many of those I’ve loved are gone —
Time has swept them all away…
I don’t know where they are,
But I know I love them still…
My one and only hope is
That blood-stained cross
On a distant, faraway hill…
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Thank You, Lord,
That I can talk to You,
All these times of grief and hurt,,
When I so desperately need You!
Thank You, Lord,
That You keep loving me,
Although I sure don’t know
How that possibly could be…
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I thank You, Lord,
For all the friends you gave me —
Especially for the One
Who gave His life to save me!
What most of us don’t realize
Is when we’re born, we’re dying —
We shed so many tears —
We don’t even know why we’re crying…
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WHO WILL REMEMBER ME?
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Somehow we just know,
This ain’t how it’s supposed to be,
With our inner eyes,
Glimpses of another world we see…
Our only hope is Jesus,
He is the Way, the Truth and the Life —
And it is only in Him
We’ll find rest from all our inner strife…!
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As I lay here slowly expiring —
The fighting has moved past —
Don’t know how long I got
Until I breathe my last;
I am between two worlds,
Between the living and the dead,
What they say, it turns out true —
My life’s a flashback in my head…
I’m filled with profound regrets —
Please forgive me just the same!
And if it doesn’t pain you much,
Once in a while, say my name…
I am dying for my country,
And for my brothers in arms —
(Better me than them, Lord!)
Hope they don’t come to any harm…
Swiftly this fallen world is fading away,
I have no fear as I breathe my last —
I know He waits for me,
As from this realm of death I pass —
A glimpse of His Glory I see!
Please save and protect my loved ones
Is my final earthly prayer;
I thank the Lord with all my heart
That this chief of sinners He did spare!
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Nestor Jaremko
ness=mess/nj
5/27/2019 AD