DAILY-E-VOTIONAL BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART Pastor Cecil A. Thompson May 25, 2015 “REMEMBERING!”  II Timothy 1:3-5 “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,  greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” I have often said that I am better at forgetting that I am remembering. I think this is more true the older I get. But it is so important to remember the things that will last for eternity. It is also important to remember the things that make us what we are today, as well as the people who have contributed to making our lives what they are today. We celebrate Memorial Day as a time of remembering those who have gone before us and have given so much to us, especially those who have given their lives in the service of their/our country. As a former military enlisted man and commissioned officer, I have stood ready to give my life for my country. Recalling those times when my life was ready to be given, I knew that it was worth it in order to protect and defend that for which I committed myself. When I took the oath to support and defend my country, I swore that my country was more important than my individual life. I would die rather than live as a coward. On this Memorial Day it is important that we remember those who have gone before us. It is also vital that we realize that those who come after us will remember us. We are creating memories by the lives we live and the faith we demonstrate. I pray that our children and their children and their children’s children will know that we were faithful to our God and our nation. Take time to reflect on this day and that our God gave us something to remember for as long as we live. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!  - - - Pastor Cecil