Monday, November 9, 2015

Veterans Day

n
This day, which began as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.'” This new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. In 1954, after having been through World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urging of the veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
A day to honor those who have served and now serve in uniform, as well as those who died in service to this great country.
Thomas Paine said, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”  Many of you here today have born that burden and experienced the fatigue of waging war in order to bring about peace.  To you I say thank you.  Thank you for setting the example that inspired me and my peers to raise our hands in voluntary service to this great nation.
That shared service joins us together like no other bond.  The camaraderie we share in military service helps define us. I can honestly say the time I’ve spent as a member of the United States Navy is the best of my life, even after I left the Navy, it will stay with me and define me till the day I die.
I’ve always thought Veterans’ Day got the short end of the stick, holiday-wise. For many Americans, there is no official day off work, as there is for the July Fourth holiday.  And many people view Memorial Day as the official day to pay tribute to service members from the various branches of the armed forces, who’ve given their lives in service to the nation.
And yet this day, Veterans’ Day, serves a very important purpose.  It is the day we recognize not just those who have given their lives in war, but all those who have worn the uniforms of service.  This day, above all, is an opportunity to celebrate the choice one makes to serve their country.  For some, it meant the world wide conflict of WWII, or a lifetime of peacekeeping missions, or the tense standoff of the cold war.  Others, in the jungles of Vietnam or in Korea, Panama, and other conflicts in which we have asked our military to serve over the years.
And of course we can’t forget that today, for many, service means multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, on active duty or as reservists, and Guard members who sacrifice twice when they give up their civilian jobs in order to serve our country.
Roughly 1 percent of our population serves in the military. And as we consider the impact those individuals have had on the world, defending freedom and protecting democracy, Winston Churchill once said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
So today, to honor that debt, I would ask you to take time to honor service members, past and present, in at least one of several ways.
First, volunteer to help a veteran or service member, regardless of whether you are a veteran or not.  We have many wounded veterans in our world who need your compassion and your support.  Find a way to help them, whether through Veterans Affairs offices or state and local government outreach programs.  Given that we as a nation are at war today, there are many families in communities all over the country who could use a helping hand.  For many of those on deployment, knowing their families are receiving support while they are serving in the armed forces can bring reassurance and peace of mind.  There are dozens of ways you can show your support to our nation’s heroes.
Second, make an effort to promote military service for our youth.  In a time of war, volunteers for service are hard to find, but I think promoting military service goes beyond that—we need to do a better job of letting our younger generation know that the military is a viable and valuable career option with unlimited opportunities.
And finally, if you are a vet, please share your story with others.  Let everyone know what you’ve done so they can see the many faces of military service and appreciate the personal service of their neighbors.  If you are not a vet: find someone in your life that is a vet and ask them about their service—or simply say thank you.
The more we talk about what we do and the impact military service has on our lives, the better able we are to hold it up as an example of excellence.
We have many, many examples of courage, service, and sacrifice to reflect on today.  Let’s use this opportunity now, and on Veterans Day in the years to come, to celebrate service to our nation, to demonstrate the appreciation we have for our military and to inspire future generations to dedicate themselves in the name of the many that have come before them.
As Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”  Today, we give thanks to live in a country where citizens from every generation willingly and courageously raise their hands to stand the watch.
For all those veterans here today—thank you for your service and your sacrifice.  I share the pride you feel in being able to count yourselves among that one percent — the greatest military in the world.
For all those not in the military, thank you for choosing to share this special day with us and show your support of our heroes, past and present.
Thank you.
 Chris    Sajnog United States Navy Seals





















                                                                                           C

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

You know you’re a Freemason if….

See if you can relate to all 22 of these Masonic traits. Take the test and see how many you may identify with.


1.  When you look at your vacation pictures, you realize that every day you are wearing a different Masonic tee shirt.

2.  Your neighbors think you are a waiter working at a fine restaurant because they see you wearing a tuxedo most evenings.

3.  You can keep a secret.

4.  When stopped by a police officer you hand him your dues card instead of your license.

5.  When you see an older building you scrutinize it for Masonic symbols and cornerstones.

6.  When you’re driving down the street  and you see a car ahead of you with a square and compass emblem, you race a head and pull alongside to see if you recognize the driver.

7.  When you open your desk top drawer or dresser you see your dues card collection.

8.  If you see a man wearing a ring or a lapel pin, you look to see if it is a Masonic ring or pin.

9.  The only home cooking you get is at lodge.

10.  When you are in church you say SMIB at the conclusion of a prayer when the rest of the congregation says Amen.

11.  You drive through parking lots looking for Masonic bumper stickers.

12.  Your favorite chair at home faces east.

13.  When you stop at a crosswalk and after you look to see if it is safe to walk you knowingly stop off as a Entered Apprentice.

14.  You have a love hate relationship with canned green beans.

15.  You Google historical figures or people currently in the news to see if they are Freemasons.

16.  When you knock on someone’s door you expect them to knock back.

17.  When you see your doctor for pain in your elbow, and he asks if you have been playing tennis, you say no, been flipping pancakes.

18.  If you start most sentences with the phrase, “when I was a Master…”.

19.  Your wife informs you she is expecting and you secretly (for a fleeting moment) wish to name the child (if it is a boy) Hiram or Mason.

20.  After coffee in the morning you look at your Masonic ring and say to yourself, compass points in or out today?

21.  You think real men wear aprons.

22.  You don’t like to walk counter clockwise.