"Call Me Sir!"

Our grandsons, Klay and Karter DeFrees, just participated in a Memorial Day service project at their local cemetery in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Churches and schools have promoted the value of such projects to encourage students to “give back” to their communities. Our guys are active in their youth program at Paragon Church. I’m so proud that these beloved grands always “stand in the ready” to help and serve when given the opportunity!

Klay and Karter - hard at work!

Their church recently featured the guys with this “shout out” on the church website: “Today, two of our youth (Klay and Karter) joined Bob Monclova and Jim S. to clean eight hundred veteran head stones during six hours of service on Memorial Day. Karen, from Daniel’s Family Funeral Home, shared these comments, ‘The guys from Paragon were amazing, respectful, patriotic, and hard working! Thank you gentlemen for honoring our fallen vets!’”

There was a moment of levity that Klay, our fifteen-year-old, shared with me about when the guys showed up for the day. (Please understand that these boys have grown up with an ordered and disciplined home life.) Two veterans were on hand to guide the guys in their service. One named Bob, who fought in the Vietnam War as a bomber.

The other vet was Jim, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 82nd airborne for the US Army. To establish authority, he introduced himself this way, “Hello. My name is Jim, but you can and will call me Sir! We can be friends, but I need you to understand that I’m in charge!” The eyebrows of the boys may have been raised a little at his insistence, but I doubt it! Klay and Karter’s dad, Reece, has been building respect into these boys for years by telling them that he’s in charge!😊  

There was another detail that gave the boys pause. The oldest headstone they serviced was from a WWI vet, who at fifteen had enlisted in the Army. My dad also had “fudged” his age and joined the Navy when he was only sixteen. I know that there were several other young men who had enlisted in the armed services when they were only teenagers! It is sad to also note that some of them paid the ultimate sacrifice at such an early age!

I was recently invited to participate in an after-Memorial Day program during an opening session of the 104th Illinois House General Assembly on May 27th. I serve as an Illinois State Police Chaplain and was privileged to accept the invitation by Representative Stephanie Kifowit, of the 48th District, to bring the opening prayer for the second year in a row for this beautiful Memorial Service. This is the prayer that I offered in those brief moments:

“Our Father in Heaven, we gather today in this hallowed chamber as many throughout our state gathered this past Memorial Day Weekend. Our purpose is to pause, reflect on, and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country.

You have reminded us in Holy Scripture “be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget.” (Deuteronomy 4:7-9).

We are grateful to live with so many freedoms. Yet, we need reminders, like this service today, that blessings are not free! They come at a great price. We give sincere thanks for the courage and selflessness of all those who fought and died in defense of our values and freedoms.

May these moments of solemn reflection have your blessings today. We pray all of this in the name of our Lord, the Prince of Peace. Amen.”

Let’s not forget!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
©2018-2025 All rights reserved.
Serve by Design. mjkministries.com


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