GRATITUDE

Our pastor shared this story yesterday before the honoring of our soldiers, past and present, during worship yesterday.

An 84 year old man was traveling to France recently and was asked to show is passport. Unprepared for the request he had to stop and look through his things to find it among his travel papers. The french immigration official was impatient and irritated and rudely quipped, "Have you ever traveled to France before?" The elderly gentleman simply answered yes. The french official then said, "Well you should remember that you are required to have your passport ready for inspection when entering our country." To this the man quietly explained that he was not asked to present his passport on his last visit. "That is impossible" the Frenchman huffed. "All Americans are required to present a passport when entering France, NO EXCEPTIONS!" As the gentleman handed his passport over he calmly said, "When I last arrived in France on Omaha Beach to help liberate this country on D-day; June 6, 1944; I couldn't find a single Frenchman to give my passport. You could have heard a pin drop in that immigration office.

Thank you to all of the courageous men and women who protect our freedoms every day and help ensure freedom to others around the world. May we never forget the sacrifice others have made for us and our children.