On Veterans Day, we pause to honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of those who served\u2014offering gratitude and a heartfelt prayer for peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
November 11 invites us to pause \u2014 to remember those who have served and to reflect on the preciousness of peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my own family, the story of service spans generations. My nana\u2019s brother served in World War I and never returned home \u2014 a loss that left a quiet ache in our family story. My father and brother have both served, and now one of my own children serves on active duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So when I come to this day each year, gratitude comes easily \u2014 but so does prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We often take for granted the simple gifts that peace allows \u2014 the rhythm of ordinary days, the ability to gather freely, the safety of home. But peace has a history, and it often comes at great cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Behind every story of service is a story of waiting, hoping, and enduring \u2014 by those who serve and those who love them. Their sacrifices remind us that peace is not passive or guaranteed; it\u2019s something deeply sacred that requires courage and care to preserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, I give thanks for those who have carried the burden of service. For their strength, their discipline, and their willingness to protect what is good and true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even as we honor the peace we know, we can\u2019t ignore the places \u2014 near and far \u2014 where peace still feels distant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so, this day also becomes a prayer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMay peace dwell within us,
May peace surround those who serve,
May peace comfort those who grieve,
May peace guide those who lead,
And may peace, one day, fill the whole earth.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Everyday Call to Peace<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
While not everyone serves in uniform, each of us is invited to live peace<\/em> \u2014 in our words, our homes, and our daily rhythms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peace begins in the small spaces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
- A calm response instead of a sharp one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A forgiving heart instead of a closed one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A willingness to listen, even when we disagree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When we live from peace, we extend the legacy of those who have served and sacrificed \u2014 by carrying peace forward into our own generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nClosing Reflection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Today I hold gratitude and hope together \u2014 thankful for those who have served, mindful of what peace costs, and prayerful for where it is still needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cBlessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.\u201d \u2014 Matthew 5:9<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
May we honor their service not only in remembrance, but also in how we live \u2014 with hearts that seek peace and hands that help it grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Laura<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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