As you can see, despite the fog, drizzle, and cold, I took it upon myself to nevertheless enjoy an ol' fashion BBQ and bust out my pipe for the first time this year.
I can't help but think of Nehemiah 8:10 (which talks about the restoration festival those in Jerusalem had when the city wall was finished, signifying at least the beginning of the end of exile [Deuteronomy 30]) among the myriad of other verses that talk about the joy God wants us to have in celebrating special days with food, drink, and family.
And [Nehemiah] told [the Israelites], "Go! Eat fat-filled foods and have some sweet drinks! And send some portions to those who don't have anything prepared for them! You see, our Lord has set this day apart. So don't worry, because Yahweh's joy is your refuge." (Nehemiah 8:10 DB)
I copy the following from Wikipedia as to this day's origin:
"Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. Service Members who died while in the military service. First enacted by formerly enslaved African-Americans to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War – it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.
Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 auto race, held since 1911 on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend."
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