PATRIOTISM AND TODAY'S YOUTH

Our church celebrated Independence Day on Sunday with a special patriotic service. I had the honor of singing in a special choir assembled for the day. We were blessed to have the Frontier Brigade Band to help lead the worship. A highlight in the service for me was an interview with a World War II veteran. Don Graves was 17 years old when he enlisted in The Marine Corp in 1942. He served in the Pacific, and was one of the Marines who captured the Island of Iwo Jima. He had a powerful story to tell. 80% of those involved in the battle were killed. During the attack he made a commitment to God that he followed through on several years later. When I spoke with him after the service he confirmed to me that he believed he was spared death at Iwo Jima because God had a higher calling for him.

There is more to this story, however. Don's participation in the service was the result of a unique relationship between him and an eleven year old girl from our church. Virginia Kobel will be a 6th grader this fall. She plays guitar and writes music. She entered and won a contest through the Grapevine/Colleyville Independent School District. The district was partnering with Freedom Flights, a program that allows WW II veterans to fly to Washington D. C. to tour the sites commemorating that war. Contest winners were paired with one of the veterans for that trip. Virginia's partner for that day was Don Graves, hence the relationship with her family. During the service, Virginia spoke of how the trip and meeting Mr. Graves made history real for her.

One of the criticisms of today's youth is that they lack patriotism. As with faith, patriotism is better caught, than taught. We can teach all the history from textbooks that we want, but it's not going to be real unless it becomes personal. In the case of WW II, the individuals who can make that real for us are dwindling in number. I have an eighty-eight year old uncle who served in that conflict. Only now is he beginning to open up and talk about that experience. The patriotism that I have can be traced to what I learned from my Uncle Don and from my wife's father, Gilbert Brown, another WW II veteran.

I would encourage all parents to seek out a World War II veteran. Take time to introduce your child to them. If you don't already know one, find a nursing home or senior residence. My guess is that you will find one. Get to know them and the stories they have to tell. We have been blessed as a nation, but our freedom has come with a price. You can't teach that. It can only be caught.