Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Jeff Webster added 2 new photos.

May 2, 2016 · 

Jeopardy Question:

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was
"How many steps does the guard take during his
walk across the tomb of the Unknowns?" 
All three contestants missed it!

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his
walk across the tomb of the Unknowns
and why?

21 steps:
It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which
is the highest honor given any military or foreign
dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face
to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if
not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the
rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the
uniform or the tomb in any way.

After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.

The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as
they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.

The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor
watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery .A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are:

President Taft,
Joe Lewis {the boxer}
Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.

Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty..

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of
the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded
to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them. We can be very proud of our men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God of Grace, I give thanks for your generous love.

From the Society of Saint John the Evangelist - "Brother Give us a Word"

Thanks

God of Grace, I give thanks for your generous love. All that I am and all that I have comes from you.

Teach me to give thanks in all circumstances, and to express my gratitude in worship and loving service, to the glory of your Name. 

Amen.

Things to think

Things to Think

Robert Bly (born 1926)

Think in ways you’ve never thought before.
If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message
Larger than anything you’ve ever heard,
Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats.

Think that someone may bring a bear to your door,
Maybe wounded and deranged; or think that a moose
Has risen out of the lake, and he’s carrying on his antlers
A child of your own whom you’ve never seen.

When someone knocks on the door, think that he’s about
To give you something large: tell you you’re forgiven,
Or that it’s not necessary to work all the time, or that it’s
Been decided that if you lie down no one will die.

“Things to Think” by Robert Bly from Eating the Honey of Words. Harper Collins, 1999.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23

Dominus regit me

1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

SermonWork ~ Easter 3 ~ The road to Emmaus

I have always found the post-resurrection stories in the Gospels fascinating.  At the same time unbelievable and totally believable, both other-worldly, and also so grounded in our own world and our own experience.  The story of the "Road to Emmaus", as Luke 24:13-35 has become known, is full of truth in my own understanding of the way that Jesus comes to us in our own lives.  Beginning with two disciples walking along, not staying in one place, not hiding in fear as the disciples were earlier, going along, outside in the fresh air and they were talking and discussing.  The Hebrew for this "talking and discussing" can be translated as "throwing words around"...they were interpreting the last days of Jesus, and the first days of the risen Christ.

They were trying to understand what they had experienced in these past days.  And then, in the midst of this wonderful place, in the midst of this conversation (argument?), in the midst of this dynamic moment, Jesus shows up - Jesus shows up as an unknown visitor.  Jesus shows up as a fellow traveler on the way.  Jesus shows up as as stranger.  And Jesus asks them to tell the story, Jesus asks them to share what they have seen and heard.  And they tell him the story, they witness, they give testimony to what they had seen and heard.

Mostly, Jesus listens, and the disciples talk.  When they finish, Jesus then interprets the story that they have told, and wraps is up in a deep discussion and interpretation of "all the scriptures."  Here, Jesus exegetes himself! Pretty amazing.  And then, after this teaching, after this interpretation, they welcome him to have dinner, and just as we do in worship, after the scriptures, and the prayers, and the exegesis (sermon), they broke bread "and then their eyes were opened."  And then, just as they began to understand and see, Jesus vanishes.

Jesus is always there, but our vision is not always clear.  And, at times, we feel his deep deep presence, his tangible reality, but then, seemingly, we can't grasp it as we could a photo, or a recording, or a podcast, or a snapshot.  My own understanding of God's grace in my life is that it has clearly always been there, but there have been some tangible and earthy moments when I could very nearly see Jesus with me, but Jesus is not to be caged or grabbed, but is always with us.  Just as God's prevenient grace  - his Amazing Grace - is always with us, Jesus is with us, guiding us, interpreting our lives for us, and teaching us the ways that our own stories are bound up in the grand story of God.

On our own journey of life, when we find the time to "throw words around" and tell the story of Jesus, and this grand story of God, and break bread and share wine, Jesus becomes tangible to us, and our eyes are opened to the ever-present reality of God in our lives, every moment and every second of our lives.

~Peter+

Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.

Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.