American Role Models

Today I arranged two end of life memorial services for American hero's. I did not know either one of the two people for whom I worked to honor their lives, but there is no doubt that their passing represents the incredible moral values that are passing from this generation. The two deceased are not related, of opposite sex, lived in different places, and yet they are related in the sense of what they did helped to make America great a few decades ago. Tom Brokaw called them the "Greatest Generation."

The lady I speak of was 92 years old when she drew her last breath yesterday. When I asked her only daughter to describe the occupation that best described her mother's work she said without reservation, "She was a homemaker." You don't hear much about homemaker's these days. There just seems to be no glory in it. It is too far from the glitz, the glamour, the soap-opera scene to attract the modern lady. Homemaker's smell like washing powder and baby burp. They spend their days in the unsung heroic tasks of paying bills, keeping house, rearing children, washing clothes and taking pride in a home that is run with order and efficiency. The daughter of the deceased lady spoke how her mother always had a treat for her when she arrived home from school. The smell of popcorn filled the air and often the baby dolls were lined up a for a tea-party with mother and daughter. I kept pushing tissues across the desk for the dear lady to wipe the tears of love that continually flowed down her face. It was obvious her heart was full of the right kind of things. The things that every lady should desire to leave behind....and no I'm not talking about some fancy career, or tons of money, or awards for beauty contests won. I'm talking about leaving behind a legacy of love and of focusing on the home, that awesome place designed by God to be the seedbed of greatness for a nation that will honor their God-given roles.

This morning I was called to remove the body of a man who had passed away in his home. When I arrived, I realized it was the father in law of a childhood friend of mine. After some talk outside, we moved from the cold and went inside the residence. It was there I discovered the greatness of the man who had passed. There in the living room, surrounded by his daughters and room full of love, the old gentleman had simply appeared to have fallen asleep and transitioned to that place only the dead can know. Standing in the room I suddenly noticed a display case lined with medals of a soldier. I soon discovered this was one of the few remaining World War II veterans. I love those men. Many of them had to quit school to go to work and help make a living for the family. Such was the case with this gentleman. The sixth grade was as far as his formal education would take him....just like my own grandfather, also a WWII vet. This dear man had received a bronze star and a purple heart for the shrapnel he had taken in his back and neck. He had fought during that awful battle known as the Battle of the Bulge. If you haven't read of it lately, please take time to research it. The old man's feet were in bad shape....and had been since they had frozen during the war. The family told that he could hardly talk about all he had seen without crying. In his pocket was a coin, a silver doller, that he wanted to buy from a private during the war. The private wouldn't sell it to him, but instead gave it to him. The private died in the next battle. This old soldier carried that coin every day until the day he died. It was worn slick. They will bury it with him in a couple of days. Within the heart of men like this one is a hero. They live in meager conditions and expect nothing after laying it all on the line. This sort of thing...this decency...self-sacrificing spirit is going to the grave with this generation. Today, young people are rebellious and often disrespectful. It is more about themselves than serving others.

Today was a special day...a sad day...a day of honor. It was a day I helped prepared two American Role Models for their journey home. I hope we can all learn from them and be better models to those watching us. God bless America!