Parades were made for the 4^th of July. They’re fun whether you are sitting and collecting candy as the parade goes by, or you’re the one doing the walking…we are all smiling and enjoying each other’s company.

And, of course, July 4^th is our country’s birthday…it’s that day, back in 1776, when the thirteen original colonies declared they were done with Britain and their monarchy.  By God’s providence, America is the beacon of light for the world. No one gives, cares for and protects this world and those in need more than the United States of America. We were and are God’s chosen protector against the evil that would consume and destroy this planet.

The men and women that carry this great weight are and have been the 5 branches (and now potentially 6) of our military. They are entrusted with this overwhelming and dangerous task; there is no equal to the U.S. military.  They are second to no one…

We honor that which deserves honor. Our U.S. military has earned our honor through over 240 years of carrying out the monumental and honor-deserving task of protecting this great nation’s citizenry, and by keeping the world safe for other freedom loving countries.

At a parade, candy is tossed out…we search for our favorite – the best candy…And like the best candy given out at the parade, our nation’s veterans are sprinkled throughout the parade route…you can find them by the caps they wear, their shirts, or perhaps the ink [tattoos] they wear that signifies their unit…

Our Trail Life Troop IL0412 had the opportunity to find our veterans in this year’s parade in Palatine, IL…we wanted to honor these men and women because they deserve honor (high respect or high esteem).

The plan was simple; find a veteran, go up and say hello, ask a few questions, hand them a flag and thank them for their service.  The boys were then to give them a proper salute. Our desire was to honor those that are honorable.

I was not prepared for what happened…as we talked with each veteran, finding out which branch they served in, where they served, and to thank them, a wave of emotion came over me. Talks of Vietnam, Korea and other wars quickly led emotions to an unintended place of realizing the weight that these men and women carried on my behalf – your behalf – our behalf. 

Saluting the veteran was our final act, and the door to a greater realization of the immensity of gratitude that is due toward our men and women in the U.S. military …as emotion welled up, it was often met with surprise, and at times, tears held back by the veteran…on occasion those around us thanked us for taking the time to honor that which is honorable…

My final thought from all of this is how important it is that citizens vote, and vote for that which deserves honor – we can do this by looking to our founding fathers, who inspired by God Almighty, penned the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.