And through his (Abel) faith, though he died, he still speaks.
Hebrews 11:4
On this Memorial Day, as I have for so many previous Memorial Days, I am reflecting on the life of two men. Those two men are my uncles, Charlie and Cecil Henley.
Though they are both deceased, they still speak. Their pictures speak volumes. Their uniforms declare pride. The look in their eyes is full of vision. And their lives still touch mine.
I never met Charlie and Cecil personally, since both were killed protecting our freedom in World War II. It is ironic that both men were killed within six weeks of each other. I am told my grandmother never fully recovered from their deaths.
Yet I know much about both of them thanks to my grandparents, my mother and her brothers. I am thankful for the stories they told of Charlie and Cecil. I have learned through the years that both men were very brave. One was recently married, while the other was engaged to be married just before they were killed.
Charlie and Cecil – like so many others – served our country fearlessly. As you can see from their photo, they were also quite handsome young men. More importantly, these two loved the Lord, their parents and their siblings.
And here I am 67 years later reflecting on their life, their service and their sacrifice.
It has been said that a “Veteran” – whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for the amount of “up to, and including his life.”
I am thankful for the men and women who are currently serving our nation in the military. I am equally thankful for the men and women who have served our country in the military. And I am eternally indebted to the men and women who paid the ultimate price for my freedom.