This is a day of remembrance. It is to honor those who serve our country. It is to remember those who have given their lives in the defense of this country. I am so deeply thankful for those who put on the uniform and give themselves to serve. I have a nephew finishing up his basic and advance training and is preparing to ship out to Germany. I am so grateful for his thoughtfulness in enlisting, knowing he went through a long process to reach the decision to serve.

As a believer, I am also deeply mindful of another Kingdom and another allegiance. One day does not do justice to remember our soldiers in the United States. But they get one.

I think of so many hundreds and thousands of men and women and their families serving the Kingdom of God in some incredibly tough areas today. Places where they come close to putting THEIR lives on the line on a daily basis.

I think of my dear friends I got to say “see you later” to yesterday, and it was all too brief. They head back to a place they love and the risks are obvious. But they go with joy.

Living in two “kingdoms,” one more “tangible” than the other, I think of these heroes.

And I live gratefully.