by Kim Ferrill and Donna Beth Cross

Each year in December, “Wreaths Across America,” a non-profit organization, strives to complete the mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach” by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as 1,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.

It was our privilege to take a small part in this ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery this past December.

With thousands of people (about 75,000) at the cemetery, you may think that placing one or two wreaths doesn’t mean much. But, it’s much bigger than that. You are surrounded by thousands of people who just want to show a little gratitude to those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom: their lives.

A convoy of over 50 different trucking companies donated their time/trucks and drivers delivering over 400,000 wreathes from Columbia Falls, ME to D.C.

As they began to enter the cemetery entrance and you follow them you see their decorated rigs with messages that read, “If You Love Freedom, Thank a Veteran,” and “We Make It Our Business To Never Forget”.

After we entered, we were told that when we place a wreath, to make sure to speak that service person’s name aloud so that they are never forgotten. We walked for several minutes to find one of the many semi-trucks carrying thousands of wreaths and got in line to get ours.

I remember being very excited to first, share this trip with my sister. She had this on her “bucket list” and we finally decided to go. But, also thinking, “What an honor do something so small for people who did something so great!”

We both placed our wreaths, and walked to the next truck and got another one. By the time we placed both of those and did a lot of walking–we looked around and all the graves were covered with a beautiful reminder that those men and women had not been forgotten.

Even though I had visited Arlington several times, this time was different. I was reminded of how seriously we, as a nation, should take the deaths of men and women who have given all to our nation’s freedom.

As we continued on through the cemetery I saw all those pristine white markers, I was also reminded of the greatest sacrifice ever given to mankind: God giving His only begotten Son to die for our sins–but, He doesn’t need a gravestone or a wreath. He’s alive! What He desires is all of me–He definitely deserves the highest honor, He is worth my life.

This experience has inspired me to respect our veterans and give them the highest distinction–we must never forget but continue to tell future generations that America is free because of our veterans and our souls are free because of Jesus Christ.

I would encourage you to visit wreathsacrossamerica.org to see the ways you can help with this year’s ceremonies on December 15, 2018. If we hold our freedom dear–we will continue to support those who make it possible.