Today we awaken to Memorial Day. On this last Monday of May we honor the men and women who have died while serving in the military. We raise the flag in respect and our veterans’ graves are proudly decorated with small American flags.

The wearing of poppies in honor of American war dead is a Memorial Day tradition. Perhaps you were greeted by veterans outside your supermarket who asked for a small donation in return for one of these poppies.

But why poppies? You see, in war-torn battlefields, the red field poppy was one of the first plants to grow. Its seeds scattered in the wind and germinated when the ground was disturbed, as it was by the very brutal fighting during World War I.

The practice of wearing poppies was further inspired by the poem, “In Flanders Fields” written in 1915 by a Canadian soldier who saw the poppies blossoming amidst his battlefield in Belgium. To quote a portion of this well-known poem:

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

“We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.”*

So bow your head in respect for those who gave their all. Thank the Lord for their sacrifice that protected our freedom. Pray for the families that mourn their loss. And know that the Almighty God, the God of unconditional love, holds each in the strength of his tender arms.

If you mourn such losses within your circle of family and friends, never forget that God’s unconditional love holds you close, comforts you, and keeps you in His peace.

Judy

*In Flanders Fields, John McCrae, May 1915