Memorial Day - 2006

to pray for him. He remembered Timothy’s pain in life. He recalled his tears. And remembered that he was a man of faith in the Lord. Timothy was important to Paul.

PROP.- On this Memorial Day weekend we need to think about people. God put us here to remember people!
1- remember the deceased
2- remember the living

I. REMEMBER THE DECEASED

Rom. 1:8-9 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you.”

ILL.- Someone has well said, “Say goodbye to me, but not to the thought of me.” We need to remember the deceased.

This Memorial Day weekend we should look back and remember people. We should remember the deceased: deceased veterans, deceased family members and friends.

Originally, Memorial Day was instituted to remember the Civil War dead, but over the years it has become a time to remember all deceased veterans and all our deceased loved ones.

This is one reason why it has long been called “Decoration Day.” Many people still go to the graves of their loved ones and decorate them as a sign they haven’t forgotten them. HOW COMMENDABLE THAT IS!

ILL.- I have read that on an average day about 750 people will visit the USS Arizona in Hawaii and on Memorial Day weekend about 4,600 people will visit that memorial. And on an average day some 3,000 people will visit the Vietnam War Memorial and on Memorial Day weekend 7,600 people will visit it.

God bless those who remember our deceased veterans. God bless those who remember any of their deceased loved ones! People count.

We need to remember our deceased loved ones. When we leave this world would we want our children and perhaps our grandchildren to forget us? I don’t think so.

Please allow me the privilege of remembering my family.

I can only remember one great-grandmother and my memory of her is rather poor. She passed away while I was quite small. Her name was Mimie (Rebecca J. Jones). My sister Sharon remembers her better than I do. She said, “She fell down the stairs when she was 75 and broke her hip. She never recovered from the fall and was in the hospital when she died. I remember going to the funeral and seeing her in the casket wearing a nightgown. She went to the Nazarene Church.”

Others on mom’s side of the family are few:
- Papa George McAda, born April 13, 1893 - died June 1969 – 75 years
- Muddy, Alma Jones, born April 7, 1900 – died Jan. 1986 – 85 years

Dad’s side of the family:
- James Alvin Shepherd, born May 23, 1882 – died Jan. 15, 1940 (Married Nov. 23, 1903 Sadie) – 57 years
- Uncle Charles Raymond Shepherd, Oct. 8, 1904 – died Sept. 15, 1940 – 35 years
- Grandma Sadie Gertrude (Smith) Shepherd, born Oct. 26, 1884 – died Mar. 27, 1970 – 85 years
- Uncle John (Lloyd Edwin) Shepherd, born July 16, 1914 – died Feb. 19, 1975 – 60 years
- Mayme Shepherd, born April 4, 1921 – died April 24, 1994 – 73 years
- Pelmer Burlison, born Feb. 5, 1912 – died June 1, 2001 – 89 years
- Now Aunt (Anna) Marzell Shepherd Burlison, born Oct. 12, 1919 – died May 3, 2004 (married June 30, 1980 – 84 years

- Dad, Georgia Leo Shepherd, born July 13, 1910 – died Dec. 11, 1982 – 72 years
- Mom, Juanita Evelyn McAda Shepherd, born Nov. 28, 1919