Tag Archives: Flag

Her First Phrase

1 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

                   JUDY

 

 

 

Our oldest daughter, Karen, was born in Germany, just two months after we arrived in country. We, of course, doted on her. The German lady who was the church nursery worker doted on her, as well. On our last trip in Europe before heading back stateside, Frau Katie stayed with Karen while we were gone. They both had such a good time together, that we weren’t missed at all.

As Karen was learning to speak/talk, we discovered that she was not only speaking English, but she had some German words mixed in there as well! Apparently Frau Katie was speaking to her in German! That was quite a revelation.

I really don’t remember Karen’s “first word” the way many children do. But I do remember her first phrase. Here’s how it came about:

My Mother came to visit us in Germany, while Karen was just 22 months old – a good time to be learning to speak. We squired Mom around as much of Europe as we could in the time she was with us, and usually took Karen with us. We had a great time together. As we would be driving along, Karen and Mom – in the back seat together – would be “conversing” together. And every now and then I would hear Mom say, “Karen, look at that flag!” We would be passing a building or house that was sporting a flag of some type, and Mom was pointing it out to her.

2

Mom’s time with us came and went far too quickly, and she returned to New Mexico. We had another year of our tour in Germany, and we returned to our routine. And as we would drive here and there, we would hear Karen say, “Look at that flag!” as she saw flags on buildings, just like when her “Oma” was with us. Gave us quite a chuckle to hear her say that, with the same inflection that Mother had given the phrase.

And that is what Karen’s first phrase was. What a fun memory that is!

 

 

 

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Folded Flag

29 Mar

Great post today by DiVoran. I enjoyed it, hope you do too.

Folded Flag

My Take

We are at a funeral in a church. The wife of the deceased holds out her hands for the folded American flag. We’ve seen it on T. V.many times. What we have not seen is the prayerful ceremony that precedes it.

Earlier, one of the woman’s sons brought an uniformed airman to her and introduced them. The straight-backed military man said respectfully, “I am sorry for your loss, Ma’am.

After taps, played on a solitary trumpet, two air force men walked to the front, one carrying the flag, which he slowly and ritually began to unfold. He handed an end to the other man who backed up the length of the flag, opening it with great ceremony and care. They stretched the beautiful stars and stripes full length and opened it like a sheet that would go on a bed. Later we learned that it would have gone on a coffin if there had been one. They folded it again and tucked in every end. No mother has ever folded her baby’s clothes more lovingly. One of the airmen hugged the triangular bundle to his heart with white-gloved hands and bowed his head. The other airman seemed to be on watch. A reverent hush fell over the gathered family and friends and God was honored. I call that prayer.

We hear someone is trying to take prayer out of military protocol just as it was taken from our schools long ago allowing murder, suicide, and all manner of licentiousness to run rampant among our impressionable young people. No one with good sense wants that for our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. True patriots don’t want it for our country. But some politicians are given more power than they deserve. Do as they will, however, God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us, so obviously no one can take the Holy Spirit away. He is here to stay, no matter what. Hebrews 13:5.

DiVoran Lites

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