Marilyn's Musings
May 19, 2026
“God Bless America” I’d like to dedicate my musing this week to all the men and women who fought and died during the wars we have fought in our country. Memorial Day is Monday, May25th this year. What do you do on Memorial Day to remember our soldiers?
On Sunday we will have a reading done of the list of soldiers in our church family who fought bravely and didn’t come home. I added my great-uncle's name who was a chaplain in one of the wars and returned home to be a Pastor for a church in Ridgefield Park, NJ. Now, comes the embarrassing part – I don’t remember anything else about him. His name was Reverend Alan MacNeil and he was my grandfather’s brother on my mother’s side. I think you all know me well enough to know I am going to find out what I can about him. He is buried in the family plot where my parents are buried in South Hackensack. With the request from Pastor Debbie to send in names of family members to be remembered, it came to my mind that I don’t have anything to remember about him, except his name. I wasn’t alive when he was and there is no one left in my family except for myself and my sister. I don’t want him forgotten so, thank you Pastor Debbie, for having these soldiers remembered because now he will be.
Earlier in my musing I asked what do you do on Memorial Day to remember our soldiers? I know my answer will be to go to church and hear their names read and sing patriotic songs (I hope). I might even take a ride to the cemetery on Monday to pay my respects.
I would like to share a poem with you that I have shared before.
A Soldier's Sacrifice
He fought for freedom, a warrior so brave,
He fought through the day, his spirit to save
He fought through the night, with courage untold,
In the story of honor, his tale unfolds.
He gave his all, in the field of strife,
His dedication cut through, like a sharpened knife.
His very best, in the face of the test
In the echoes of battle, where memories persist,
A soldier’s sacrifice, in the annals, exists.
His life laid down, a poignant display,
For Freedom’s cause, he found his way.
In the hallowed ground, where heroes rest,
His legacy lives on, forever blessed.
A soldier’s sacrifice, engraved in history,
In the embrace of valor, he found his victory.
As we all get together and celebrate Memorial Day, however we do – before we take the first bite of that hotdog or hamburger – say a quick thank you to the men and women who died so we could be here today.
Let’s sing a popular song by Lee Greenwood “God Bless the USA”
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=MYvUmhqa104&si=-I37MSysQfcXRmJ_
