How do we say thank you?

As each of the 56 men wrote their names on the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they implicitly penned the value they placed on the God-given (and therefore inalienable) rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness it contained. Its value was worth their lives and their fortunes should their endeavor fail and/or they be caught. As experienced by those men and millions of others who have donned the military uniforms of the United States of America, the protection of those rights is immeasurably expensive.

The men and women of the United States armed forces have stood in the gap for us for over 200 years. They have done what many of us have not. They have picked up the mantel worn by those sentinels and warriors before them. They do not know whether a conflict will arise during their time of service. They do not get to decide which conflicts they engage in. They do not get to choose on which foreign soil their boots land. They are always ready. When called to action, they just go. When they go, they leave behind families; moms and dads, wives or husbands, sons and daughters, all who share in the price paid.

As we approach Veterans Day in a little over a week, I want to encourage you to seek out those who have or are serving on our behalf and thank them. Be intentional and thoughtful. Require your children to participate in this with you. Teach them to value freedom. Introduce them to the reality of its cost, why it must be protected, and who has protected it for us. They may not fully understand these acts of appreciation. However, it is up to you and me to make sure that through our faithful guidance, our children begin to grasp more fully what that gratitude looks like.

On November 11, Heritage Christian School will host its annual Veterans Day Celebration in the school gymnasium. If you want the opportunity to specifically say “thank you” to those who have served our country, please join us. In addition, if you know veterans or currently enlisted service men and women who have never attended, invite them to attend! The event begins at 9:45am and will conclude at 11:15am. It will be an event worth attending. I have talked with more than one attending veteran who, through tears, told me this was the first time they had been thanked by anyone other than family since returning from Vietnam. Vietnam was 35 years ago!

Serving Christ,

Mike Annis

Heritage Christian School Head of School