Sometimes I think we forget about just how good we have it. Often times in history it takes losing our freedom to realize how wonderful it is to be free. In A.D. 64 the city of Rome caught fire and then blamed it on the Christians, ushering in a wave of persecution across the empire. Suddenly being a Christian became dangerous. It wasn’t safe any longer to mention your faith in public. Even today in many parts of the world believers have to worship in secret places. If you are caught with a bible, or wearing a cross it can be very dangerous. This is one of the reasons we are grateful for the men and women who have died for our freedom whom we honor Memorial Day. You and I can worship freely because they have risked their lives and died so we could be free.

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock , Arkansas did something not to be forgotten.  On the first day of school, with the permission of the school Superintendent, the Principal and the building Supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period students entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. Some of the students asked, 'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?' She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'     They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'  'No,' she said.    'Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'     And so, they came and went. The first period, second period, third period, etc. Still no desks in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.     The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'     At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, then walked over and stood along the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place, those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.  Ms. Cothren said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. They placed the desks here for you today. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'     Ms. Cothren was awarded Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year for the State of Arkansas in 2006.  She is the daughter of a WWII POW.

Thank a veteran this week that you were able to go to school and get an education and then come to church this Sunday and thank God that you live is this country.

Will I see you this Sunday?

Scripture – Psalm 5:12  Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;     you surround them with your favor as with a shield

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the men and women who died so that I can go to school and church. Amen

Pastor John (513)-867-5411   www.thepresby.org