Often, when I consider all the blessings that we enjoy, I thank God that I live in a time of freedom and relative peace, in the greatest nation on earth with the highest standard of living that any society has ever enjoyed. Yet on each Memorial Day weekend, I am especially moved to thank the many men and women of our nation’s armed forces who have given their lives to make this all possible.

From the Revolutionary War soldiers who marched barefoot in the snow at Valley Forge, to the soldiers who died defending Baltimore and Fort McHenry, to the entire towns of young men who fell at Gettysburg, Chickamauga and Antietam, to the soldiers who endured ambush and torture to protect settlers from the Jicarillas and Apaches, to those who blistered from German mustard gas at Amiens, to the brave men who stormed the beaches at Normandy so that their comrades could take Europe, to those who stopped the advance of Communism in Korea and Vietnam, to U.S. Navy Seal Danny Dietz Jr. from Aurora, Colorado, who after being shot five times in the neck and torso, continued to fire at the Al Qaida terrorists until he could fire no more, more than 1.3 million service men and women have died protecting our country from its enemies.

In the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, Jesus said, “No greater love can a man have than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” On this Memorial Day, let us remember those who were truly our friends.

To your success!