World War 1 Friends and Lovers, Soldiers and Nurses

Today, is the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day and the end of World War 1.

In late October, I promised to post pictures from the rare World War 1 photo album I picked up at a local flea market. Here is a picture from the first page of the album. Click here to read the post.

There are so many miracles in these pictures.

Growing up, my father had dozens and dozens of history, theology and poetry books in his personal library. I loved picking through them all to find precious gems like this poem In Flanders Fields. It was written by Lt. Col. John McCrae, a Canadian physician who served in World War 1. He wrote it in 1918. I have always loved it.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.