Sunday, January 13, 2002
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Sunday, January 13, 2002 |
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Your dogtags and your mark By DR. KNOX HERNDON Sadly, this past week America paid tribute to seven brave men who died in the cause of freedom. This is not new for families throughout America's history. Many have had to endure the pain and separation of loosing a loved one to the greater cause of protecting us and freedom here at home. When one of these tragedies occurs a very important part of what a family receives as part of the personal affects of a soldier are his or her dogtags. Dogtags are for me an emotional item for they tell the basic important pieces of information about the life of the soldier. They tell their name, rank, service or serial number, date of birth, blood type, and their faith group. I have, as all ministers of different faiths have done for centuries, conducted funeral services. I have noticed some similarities throughout the years of performing this sad responsibility. When a pastor sits with the family before the burial it is often customary to lovingly discuss the life of the deceased to glean bits of personal information that can be shared with the family and friends, at this time of sorrow. I have had to bury individuals that when I would ask the family for personal items like their faith background the answer would be "none that I know of" or he or she belonged to this or that church. I can remember situations when the family couldn't even tell me of a shred of evidence of faith or even any event or activity they could even remember about the individual that they felt was worth mentioning. I would sadly have to conduct the funeral of someone that there were no identifiable blips on the scale of life. What will our "dogtags" say? Will they say you were about the Father's business of resisting evil and doing good? The seven Marines who died on Wednesday Jan. 9 were resisting evil and doing good. Their dogtags will be handled lovingly by their families and a grateful nation. God bless their memory. Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev. Greg Mausz is senior associate pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School superintendent, Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is below Senoia on Ga. Highway 85 a mile south of Ga. Highway 16 on the right just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail KHERN2365@aol.com.
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