Surge Summary: A renewed consideration of familiar verse moves the heart in unexpected ways on this day America honors those who’ve served her in uniform.
by Steve Pauwels
This Veterans Day – an annual memorial that gets not nearly enough attention – I recommend a fresh consideration of the lyrical text below. (Tip of the hat to Erick Erickson for sending it out to his email list today.) It’s a seasonal perennial, pretty familiar to many of us; but this morning I was stirred in a new way by its sentiments as I read it as through new eyes.
I encourage you to do so – peruse it slowly, reflectively; give yourself a moment to let what it is saying sink it.
I recited it to my wife and she teared up – admittedly, not hard to do with my sensitive bride, but still it visibly moved her; as it should all of us.
Lord, bless all those among us who’ve served America under arms that all of us might be safe and free!
“In Flanders Fields“
by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge
Image: Adapted from: Frank Lucien Nicolet (1887 – ?)Department of National Defence, Ottawa – Wartime Information Board, OttawaMcMaster University Libraries, Identifier: 00001805, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6383086
Surge Summary: A renewed consideration of familiar verse moves the heart in unexpected ways on this day America honors those who’ve served her in uniform.
by Steve PauwelsThis Veterans Day – an annual memorial that gets not nearly enough attention – I recommend a fresh consideration of the lyrical text below. (Tip of the hat to Erick Erickson for sending it out to his email list today.) It’s a seasonal perennial, pretty familiar to many of us; but this morning I was stirred in a new way by its sentiments as I read it as through new eyes.
I encourage you to do so – peruse it slowly, reflectively; give yourself a moment to let what it is saying sink it.
I recited it to my wife and she teared up – admittedly, not hard to do with my sensitive bride, but still it visibly moved her; as it should all of us.
Lord, bless all those among us who’ve served America under arms that all of us might be safe and free!
“In Flanders Fields“by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge
Image: Adapted from: Frank Lucien Nicolet (1887 – ?)Department of National Defence, Ottawa – Wartime Information Board, OttawaMcMaster University Libraries, Identifier: 00001805, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6383086
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Steve Pauwels
Steve Pauwels is pastor of Church of the King, Londonderry, NH, Managing Editor over at dailysurge.com and host of Striker Radio with Steve Pauwels on the Red State Talk Radio Network. He's also husband to the lovely Maureen and proud father of three fine sons: Mike, Sam and Jake.