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Make Memories This Memorial Day


Every summer when I was young until my parents sold the house, we would go to Cape May, N.J. The house was built by my great-grandmother. It had two three-bedroom apartments, a one-bedroom apartment over the garage and a studio under the garage apartment and next to the actual garage. My grandmother lived upstairs until she died. Then, my parents would rent the upstairs apartment and studio for summer rentals. The garage apartment was rented all year. On Memorial Day, we would go down for the long weekend to open the house for the summer and get it ready to rent. It was a lot of work, and it usually rained that weekend. We didn't get much time at the beach that weekend, but we did get some beach time. Just being there was more relaxing that being at home. The ocean was cold too.

My mother's birthday is May 29, which meant it usually fell near Memorial Day weekend, so we usually celebrated it. Her favorite cake was a strawberry shortcake, which we usually made for her. (Actually, usually Dad or my sister made it. My strength is preserving the stories and memories, not the baking.) My nephew is born on May 27, so we usually doubled the birthday fun over Memorial Day. Now, my daughter's boyfriend is born on May 25, so I now have three birthdays around Memorial Day, so lots of celebrations.

Honor Those Who Died

Besides the celebrations and the beach, we usually remembered the servicemen and women who died to protect our freedoms. My mother has a lot of uncles who served during World War II. My father served in the Coast Guard. My nephew is serving in the Coast Guard. My other nephew served in the Army. My brother-in-law served in the Army, and my father-in-law served in the Army. Therefore, we have plenty of people who have served their country, but none of them died while on duty. However, it still means a lot to our family to honor military veterans, specifically those who died fighting oppression and dictators. 

Often, we take our rights for granted. We forget who died so we could remain free. Right now, the government is slowly chipping away our rights and bringing us toward socialism. We must fight this. Writers can use their skills to protect our freedoms. We can write marketing pieces or blogs about specific veterans or the military in general. Benjamin Franklin believed the pen is mightier than the sword. Let's prove that before we can no longer say what we believe. Also, read Common Sense: Solutions for Better Government to understand how we are losing our freedoms.

Memorialize the Ultimate Freedom Protector

On Memorial Day, let's not forget the one who died so we all might live, Jesus Christ. Christians believe He freed us from the yolk of sin. We are free in this country to believe what we wish and to express it openly, but we wouldn't have any freedom if Jesus hadn't died and rose from the dead. So many books are published that helps us remember Him and get closer to Him. 

This also is the time to buy those books for summer reading or the cookbooks to make those summer recipes. Let this be a reminder to you to go and get them.

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