A Fall Trip to Baltimore

About a month ago my wife, Cathy, asked me if I thought we should try and fly out to Baltimore to visit our son for the long weekend of Oct 14-16. Now, understand we have never been known as a couple that flies off for weekend getaways. Our lives have just been too busy as there always seemed to be something going on to keep us near to home. When I heard myself answer, “Sure, let’s go,” I knew something had changed in our lives. So early Friday morning, long before dawn; we were up and off to Milwaukee to park our car and hop on a 5:30 flight to Baltimore for a new experience. We arrived at Thurgood Marshall Airport at around 8, and our son picked us up shortly thereafter, and off we drove towards Washington D.C. Since this year neither Cathy nor I will be chaperoning the Eighth Grade trip, we thought it would be cool to take in a few of our regular sights without having to worry about 70 kids to look after.

Our first stop was Arlington National Cemetery, where I wanted to find the grave site of my first cousin, Dale, who was a Corporal in the Air Force. He passed away from cancer one year ago. A wonderful grounds keeper hopped off his tractor when he saw us looking for the grave. He whipped out his smart phone and asked me for the name of my cousin. In about two minutes he had found the number that was on my cousin’s grave, and we were standing at his marker. What a powerful experience that was, as I thought about my mom’s oldest brother’s son, Dale, who was about 15 years older than I, and all the years of service he gave to his country. When Dale was a little boy, he was the miniature groom at my parent’s wedding; and I grew up seeing his picture in my parent’s wedding album as a little boy all dressed up in a tux. Dale left behind a wife of 40 some years, his own grown children and about a dozen grandchildren. He was a wonderful family man, who died way too early; but, oh how proud I was to see his grave at Arlington of all places.

After we left Arlington we drove to the Holocaust Museum, just off the mall, and spent a couple hours going through the four floors of memorabilia concerning one of the darkest times in all of history. It’s a solemn and intense place to visit for sure; but very important to spend time reflecting on how easily influenced people can be, even when it is for evil. The entire world became anti-Semitic during the World War II years it seemed; as millions of Jews were rounded up and slaughtered with no one to help them. We then walked to the Ronald Reagan Building and on down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Whitehouse. I prayed silently for our nation as I leaned against the fence looking across the lawn where so many presidents have lived and led our country in times of trouble and blessing. The next day was Saturday and we spent the day at Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore; where we visited the famous Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star Spangled Banner” from a ship in the Bay as he stared towards the land watching the cannons bombard his beloved country. He was actually on a British ship trying to bargain for the release of an American prisoner at the time the British sailed in and started bombing the Fort. In the early morning light he saw that the giant flag was still flying high above the Fort, and our country had won the battle. We were also able to take in a fantastic Navy Blue Angel Air Show right there in the Bay by Fort McHenry. After our time there, we had a nice supper with my son’s host family; and then enjoyed an incredible Cub’s victory over the Dodgers before getting to bed.

On Sunday we visited a great church, worshipped there with fellow believers; got a nice tour of the beautiful New England countryside, and then headed to the airport. When we got back to Milwaukee and started down Interstate 43 for home, we couldn’t help but say thank you to the Lord for a great trip and to top it off the beautiful color of the leaves right here in Wisconsin. God never ceases to amaze me with his splendor.

Psalm 145:5 reads Oh the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. God’s splendor is seen in our nation’s history and in his creation. We don’t deserve them, but we are so thankful.

Until next week, God bless.