Let The Flags Fly

It does my patriotic heart good every time I see a flag unfurled, whether at an auto dealership, the post office, the courthouse or in front of private residences. We keep a flag flying high at our house, regardless of the time of year. I enjoy the sound of it playing with the wind and the energetic shadow it makes outside my office window. But one of the best flag displays I’ve ever seen is the Wootens’ pickup trucks and flag on the Barnetts Creek curve between Pine Park and Thomasville, Georgia. At the risk of being hit from behind we stopped and took a picture of the scene yesterday. Three pickup trucks–red, white, and blue–are parked between pine trees under a huge American flag.

The Wootens use the advantage of their large yard on the curve to make wonderful displays year-round–pumpkins at Halloween, snowmen and shepherds at Christmas, an empty tomb at Easter. Summertime is flag time: Memorial Day and Flag Day are followed by Fourth of July and then Labor Day.

It is so good to see the flag honored instead of being totally disrespected by a radical few. At our family’s Memorial Day cookout we had a flag burning ceremony. Since we do fly a flag year round, they become quite ragged. We know we should never carelessly discard an American flag, pile it in the trash bin or leave it lying in the attic. So Charles asked our grandson, Charles Reeves, a former avid student of Cairo High’s ROTC and lover of the flag, to be in charge of burning two faded old wind-torn flags. He and my visiting nephew, Lt. Colonel Nathan Knight of the National Guard, very respectfully and gently folded the flags as if they were being presented to a veteran’s widow. Then they laid them one at a time on the fire pit flames. We all stood back and saluted, watching silently. Our ceremony also included a reading of the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae and a very brief history of the tradition of passing out paper poppies on Memorial Day, honoring our fallen war heroes.

Why do we so honor the stars and stripes? Because, in the words of Michael J. Cusick, Member of Assembly, “No other symbol captures the power and glory of our nation like the American flag. It has flown as our national emblem in some form without interruption since 1777.” To dishonor the flag is to dishonor the United States as well as all the brave men and women who have sacrificed everything for our freedom.

The history of our flag is an integral part of the history of our country. Here’s a very brief account.
Contrary to old word-of-mouth stories, Betsy Ross probably didn’t really make the very first flag. However, reports seem true that General Washington, for whom Betsy had sewn cuffs and more, commissioned her to make a new flag, distinct from the British Union Jack. In early battles of the Revolution the flag flown had a small rendition of the Union Jack along with stars and stripes causing serious confusion to friend and foe. When General Washington showed her what he wanted her to do her response was something like “I’ll try.” She was not only a seamstress, but an upholsterer. She supposedly advised Washington that he needed five-point stars instead of the six-point stars used at the beginning.

At first the pattern of stars on the flag was circular symbolising each state’s equal rights. Then it was decided that the stars should be arranged in rows and each new state would have its star added. Some thought the stripes, too, should equal the number of states but the concensus of thought was that they should be left at thirteen representing the thirteen original colonies.

If your eyes have filled with tears at the singing of the national anthem, if you have felt a thrill at the sight of a color guard marching smartly on the field before a football game, then you will want to preserve all that our flag stands for: freedom of religion, speech, and the right to bear arms and more. If you are touched by the stories of men and women who sacrificed life, limbs, and health for that freedom, then you will want to pray for our country.

The snapping of a flag in the breeze can remind us to pray for our country and to praise God who has brought us thus far. And every time I pass the Wootens’ flag display I’m encouraged to pray for our dear and wonderful country. Thank you, Wootens!