Thank you, Private Ryan

i think it's been about 2 years since i've seen Saving Private Ryan.

if you're an American old enough to understand the concept of freedom, i highly recommend it. it's one of the best WWII visuals out there and says what i wish i could say better than i could ever say it.

on the bridge, where too many young people just died, instant friendships formed then ended in hours, families ripped apart, faces turned to memories- it rips your soul out and twists it up.

that last line from Tom Hanks…

"Earn this. Earn it."

I took the trash out to the dumpster and made it back inside in time to hear it.  following the story in my head as i walked, i stood a second to look.  right on the edge of the dumpster, about to spill to the ground was a pile of 5 cases of beer.

good thing we haven't forgotten what today was about, huh?

i wonder what the veterans are thinking about today. 

i don't know if we really can earn what we've been given. we received it, we use it-not nearly to its fullest potential, but we use it, we celebrate it… but how?

there are few, but there are still people alive who remember Normandy not from a textbook, who have gold or silver stars hanging up, folded flags, uniforms, badges and medals… if i met one, what could i say?  "hey, thanks for giving your life for my liberty.  i'm so proud to be free because i can drink beer on a monday?"

no. just..no.

i want my life to count for something.  i want to make this world better.

i want to see a people rise up who actually believe in something enough to make it happen, or to not shame those who step up and pay the cost. 

the next war will probably go the nuclear or bioterrorism route in about 10 seconds. we're past the rifles and sticky bombs, the time when hand to hand combat made the struggle close, unavoidably personal.  every single person who wore one of those dog tags knew they probably wouldn't enjoy the freedom they were fighting to keep- but they fought anyway, saying, "yes, freedom is worth yet another life- mine."  afterwards, we can see the final price tag- it's astounding.

my freedom is worth way too many lives for it to be wasted on a few beer cans. 

even more than the vets, though, there's Someone else who i want to please.  who went beyond infinity and made the ultimate sacrifice and turned the whole war around. 

because frankly, we were losing so badly it wasn't even a war.

freedom and life was at stake.  millions of lives, literally.  drowning in an ocean of sin and chaos, there was no hope.  until He decided to make it personal.  unavoidably so. he broke into the time-space continuum, got right up in Satan's face and said, "she's mine, and that freedom is worth yet another life-MINE."  knowing the cost, even more than we ever could, He said it was worth it.

He didn't say, "earn this." because He knew we never could, and i don't plan on trying to. 

but i refuse to waste it. there are some gifts that are just too large, and there's nothing you can do but say, "thank you.  thank you so much."  to say or do more would be pathetically insufficient, but to do nothing is unthinkably ungrateful.

i want today to be my "thank you."  in a way, it IS our thank-you; it's up to each of us individuals what we want to express.  what are you doing with your gift? would you really want a WWII veteran to see it? 

thank you, veterans and current  soldiers. for your giving, your serving, your sacrifices great and small and in-between.

thank you to all those who are defending my right to work, to live, to worship without fear, to speak. some of you are in courtrooms, some are in offices, some are in churches, some are simple Americans and some are super-important Americans with badges and security officers and big white houses.

i hope we never forget.

thank you, Savior.  for your giving and serving and sacrifice that makes every other sacrifice pale in comparison. you gave freedom to those who can't pay for it, your served those who had no right to even carry your dirty sandals, you shined a light so bright even a blind hopeless screw-up like me could finally see the way to You. 

i know i will never forget.

today is my "thank you."