There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NLT

Today is Memorial Day. Do you have the day off school? Do your parents have the day off work? We usually spend the day with family and friends or take a short trip because of the longer weekend. Many people see this last Monday in May as the beginning of summer. But Memorial Day is more than that.

The first Memorial Day was in 1868, over 150 years ago! It was a day to remember and honor all of the soldiers who had died in the Civil War. It was originally called Decoration Day because women would decorate the graves of all the Civil War soldiers with flowers.

After World War I, Decoration Day was changed to Memorial Day and it was a day to remember and honor all the men and women who had given their lives in all wars, not just the Civil War.

It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day became a Federal holiday, which means a day off of school and work.

Fun Fact: There is a town in Ohio, Ironton, that has had a Memorial Day parade every year since 1868! That’s 158 years of remembering and honoring the men and women who laid down their lives so that we can live in peace.

That’s a lot of information about Memorial Day. Now I want to go back to our Bible verse. Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He tells them that the greatest love anyone can show is when someone is willing to lay down their life, to die, for others. Jesus was about to lay down his life for his disciples and for all of us.

Today, talk with your parents and take time to remember the men and women who “laid down their lives” so that we could be free and live our lives here in our country. You or your parents may even know someone or have someone in your family that you can remember and honor today for their sacrifice for all of us.

Blessings and peace as you remember and honor on Memorial Day!