What memorial day is truly about. Both of my grandpa's were in the military, and growing up it was always all about putting flowers on family member's graves. Watching my Grandpa Strand's patriotism was how I learned what it meant to be patriotic. I have never felt so much emotion involved in this until it was his funeral services a few years ago. It was so amazing to see the respect and love that these men of the military showed for him, and they had never even met him. He was an amazing man but they didn't know that. But they did know that because they new that he was a Lt. Col. in the Air Force. That was all they needed to love him and show his the proper respect. The only other time I have felt so much love and patriotism was when I had heard about Dave.
I have a friend named Dave Lyon who enlisted as a Marine a few years ago. He has been fighting valiantly for our country over in Afganistan. He got hit by an explosive earlier this month and sustained very serious life threatening injuries.
His dad has set up a blog for him so that people can follow his progress. Below is a clip from his blog. I think it is truly a miracle that he is alive and doing as well as he is doing. The Lord truly does watch over his faithful people. I hope that God continues to watch over and bless him and his family.
"David has been hit by an expolsive designed to destroy vehicles and anything else coming near it, knowing that his left leg is now amputated about 4" below his groin, that his right leg is amputated about 4" above the knee, that his right arm, as described by the trama surgeon in Landstuhl, Germany, looked like it had taken a direct hit from a hand grenade, with the meaty area of the thumb - the meaty area of the palm, the meaty area and tendon on the inside of the arm just below the elbow all being gone. Knowing that the pinky finger and ring finger of his right hand may end up with only limited use, knowing that his pinky finger and his thumb near the wrist, and his pointer finger, and his elbow had all been badly broken and would probably need screws. Knowing that he had a contraption screwed into both hips holding several bars that crossed like KNEXs across the outside of his pelvis to hold it together, and knowing that his pelvis was badly broken and would need to be screwed together in an upcoming surgery, knowing that his abdomen was left open so they could continue to monitor an arterial bleed that needed repair, and knowing that the wounds to his legs were still open wounds so they could heal from the inside out with the fact that wyith every surgery they may cut another fraction of a milimeter of his leg bone off - and on top of all that knowing that the function of his kidneys was still not where it should be, requiring dialysis every few days to clean his blood, and knowing that his breathing has to be regulated by a machine, that he had feeding tubes and sucking tubes going in an out of him with a repaired hole in his lung."
Please when you see a member of any branch of the miltary thank them and let them know that you appreciate and recognize the sacrifice that they are making, but also that you know the risks involved with them being members of our miltary. What amazing men and women we have in our country that are willing to do the thing that means the most to all of us, or it should. They put their life on the line for all of us everyday. Please keep David in your thoughts and prayers, I know we will. Thanks Dave We love you!
http://themarinedavidlyon.blogspot.com
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