One Hundred Years of Poppies - Lest We Forget

Today is 11th November, 2018. At 11am Paris time (10 hours after Aust.) 100 years ago in Compiègne NE France, WW1 - the war to end all wars ended. A Centennial Remembrance day is worthy of a blog post.

MB poppy die, Stamp set Inspired by Stamping, Creations Rectangle set Sizzix Dot Matrix EF DP snippets as were all cardstock, but base. 

Above card win over at Simon Says Stamp Wed Challenge HERE!, 

Oft quoted poem"In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in written during the WW1 by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He wrote it on May 3, 1915, after the funeral of friend and fellow soldier.
The poem & poppy are prominent Remembrance Day symbols throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, particularly in Canada, where "In Flanders Fields" is one of the nation's best-known literary works. The poem is also widely known in the USA, where it is associated with Veterans Day & Memorial Day.
Poem and more information found here.
Our family had one special uncle of my dad's who died in World War 1.

He was Charles, as was dad, curiously, and both were artists. See dad's work here.
I've uncle Charlie's sketchbook see below.

As you can see he had some skill with a pencil. He was killed a year and one month after he left NZ (Fern Hill); and a year and one month before the end of the war. His grave is in Belgium. He was 22 years old. As my dad only saw his NZ family once when he was four, he knew very little of them.. which is sad. So we really know only what his sketchbook tells us - that he had a sympathetic eye .. and also there are politically orientated jokes in it as well.

Possibly one of his four sisters.. but no idea really.
This verse below in Isaiah came to mind as I thought on the great sacrifice of so many in this war and even still goes so sadly today.
Many mother's father's gave the ultimate gift, their own son or daughter.
Our Heavenly Father likewise gave His only Son for us and these men women in generations before. The gift of His Son was that we might have eternal life through faith in Him, and know peace in the life to come. (Rom 6:23, 5:1)
These who gave their life in WW1 etc gave that we might know peace in this life.
God sees and weeps with us over our sorrows. The shortest verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept" in John 11:35. Jesus sorrowed over Lazarus' death, even though He knew He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead.

"... they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." Is 49
This verse in Isaiah is speaking specifically of Israel and Jerusalem, but it extends to all who are His by faith in Him too. "...for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted." Is. 49:13b
One day the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6) the Lord Jesus shall come and peace shall indeed reign (John 14).

 So let us each pause and remember and give thanks for the men and women who gave their lives that we might live in freedom. 
The following words were written by Rudyard Kipling in part of poem oft sung:

"God of our fathers, known of old,

   Lord of our far-flung battle-line,

Beneath whose awe-ful Hand we hold

   Dominion over palm and pine—

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

Lest we forget—lest we forget!

In the morning and at the going down of the sun, 

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Shaz in Oz.x

So very thankful!! This card won the Wednesday challenge at Simon Says voucher... very blessed!!
Linking up also to:
1. SNIPPETS playground Card all snippets.
2. Word Art Wednesday. http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/
3. https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/week-493-poppies-andor-colour-red.html
4. https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-thanks-thanksgiving/ we are very thankful for all who gave their all for us, & as my card says: " Remembering with you the life of someone so dear."