November 11th, 2010

It's been a couple years since I wrote a blog in Remembrance of our fallen and our troops over seas. I'm not sure what was up last year, well I am, but that's not for this post, but I feel like I dropped the ball so I'm back this year to continue to show my support for our men and women that have fought bravely to protect our freedom.

Military has never been a big thing in our family, but we know we owe our freedom to the men and women that protect it. However, my dad served in the Canadian Navy for a short time and both my grandfather's served in WWII. My maternal grandfather was even old enough to be overseas for WWI. Grandpa Hoberg in particular spent 3 years in Europe, away from his family during WWII. My mom was born just before he left and she had no memory of him, when he came home she thought he was a stranger and tried to kick him out of the house! Funny, and yet, sad too.

So today my tribute is not just for the troops, but for the families that have sons & daughters away from home, for those that have lost mother's and father's, for the spouses left alone to care for their children at home. Here's to you that hold the home fort while our brave men and women protect the freedoms of our country and try to help free oppression in other countries. God bless our troops and their families.

Who in your family do you remember or know that bravely kept/keeps the home fires burning for a loved one serving away from the comforts of home?

Mark Schultz, "Letter's From War"

Remembrance Day 2009

On Monday, November 11th, 1918, the Allies and Germany signed an armistice agreement in Paris, France at 5:00 AM (Paris time). At 11:00 AM hostilities ceased and WWI was over. On November 6th, 1919, Sir George Foster, acting Prime Minister of Canada, rose in the House of Commons to read a message from King George V, addressing "all the peoples of the Empire":

Tuesday next, November 11th, is the first anniversary of the armistice which stayed the world-wide carnage of the four preceding years, and marked the victory of right and freedom. I believe that my people in every part of the Empire fervently wish to perpetuate the memory of that great deliverance and of those who laid down their lives to achieve it.

To afford an opportunity for the universal expression of this feeling it is my desire and hope that at the hour when the armistice came into force, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, there may be for the brief space of two minutes a complete suspension of all our normal activities. During that time, except in the rare cases where this might be impractical, all work, all sound and all locomotion should cease, so that in perfect stillness the thoughts of every one may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.

We are 91 years since the end of the "War to end all wars", 20 years (plus two days) since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Lots to remember this year.

Remembrance Day has a lot of meaning for me. As a child it was an important part of our school activities. We drew or coloured pictures, we memorised, "In Flander's Fields", sometimes we had a field trip before the day at a war museum or special memorial, we had a service/assembly, and a moment of silence at 1100 hours. The assemblies continue at schools today, although there seems to be less emphasis to commemorate and teach about the importance of this day. It is now a general holiday in Alberta so we will take a moment of silence at home.

Today I will also take time to remember three special people from my life. My daddy, Andrew Ian McCann, who passed away on Easter Sunday 1996, My step-dad, Ivan Michael Zaitsoff, who passed away October 5th, 2008, and a beloved high school teacher, Phil McKay, who passed away yesterday of pancreatic cancer. Rest in peace, each of you have had a bigger impact on my life that you will ever know. To Mr. McKay's family I send my prayers and thoughts.

Green Day ~ 21 Guns

Songwriters: Armstrong, Billie Joe; Bowie, David; Pritchard, Michael; Wright, Frank E., Iii

Do you know what's worth fighting for?
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul

Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

Did you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home?
Did you stand too close to the fire
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone?

When it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

A Pittance of Time....

Remembrance Day – also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates) or Veterans Day – is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. It is observed on 11 November to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918.

Please take a few minutes to Remember those that sacrificed the comforts of home and their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms we have in our country. God bless all our troupes & Veterans!


Click on the logo above for the official Terry Kelly home page.

A Pittance Of Time
Written by Terry Kelly © Jefter Publishing - SOCAN

They fought and some died for their homeland.

They fought and some died, now it's our land.

Look at his little child; there's no fear in her eyes.

Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?

It's a pittance of time,

For the boys and the girls who went over.

In peace may they rest, may we never

forget why they died.

It's a pittance of time.

God forgive me for wanting to strike him.

Give me strength so as not to be like him.

My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips,

My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists.

But two minutes I will bide.

It's a pittance of time,

For the boys and the girls who went over.

In peace may they rest.

May we never forget why they died.

It's a pittance of time.

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home.

They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own.

There's a price to be paid if you go, if you stay.

Freedom's fought for and won in numerous ways.

Take two minutes, would you mind?

It's a pittance of time,

For the boys and the girls all over.

May we never forget, our young become vets.

At the end of the line,

It's a pittance of time.

It takes courage to fight in your own war.

It takes courage to fight someone else's war.

Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell.

They bring hope to foreign lands that hate mongers can't kill.

Take two minutes, would you mind?

It's a pittance of time,

For the boys and the girls who go over.

In peacetime our best still don battle dress

And lay their lives on the line.

It's a pittance of time

In peace may they rest,

Lest we forget why they died.

Take a pittance of time.