SEVEN-FOOT BRONZE STATUE DEDICATED 

Dedicatory Prayer for the bronze statue at Patriot Field Memorial Park, Blackfoot, Idaho, 24 May 2019, by Leland H Sorensen

Our Father which art in Heaven, we are gathered this day to dedicate this bronze statue as an important and prominent part of this Patriot Field Memorial Park.  We are mindful of the talents and the skills required for the sculptor to create such an elegant thing of beauty.  We acknowledge both the time and the sacrifice put forth by Mr. Ben Hammond to develop those necessary skills.  May we also strive to develop the various talents that lie within each of us.

Father, we ask Thy blessing to be upon this park and its contents.  We pray that Thou wilt watch over and protect them from the elements, from vandalism, and from the devastation of time.

May those who visit here be able to feel peace in their hearts.  May they find these hallowed grounds to be a place of reflection, an inspiration for freedom, and a legacy for future generations.  May we never forget the great and costly sacrifice made by those who have given their lives in defense of freedom.

Father, we also pray for those who have not been able to leave behind their demons of war.  Please convey peace to their hearts, allow them to enjoy their futures, and help them to leave war in the past.

We now dedicate this monument here in this Patriot Field Memorial Park as a reminder to each one of us of the hardship, angst, and grief placed upon family members, especially young children, when they receive a folded flag.  We also dedicate this monument as a tribute to the great veterans of Bingham County—veterans who once signed their names to a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount of up to and including their lives.  Unfortunately, far too many of those checks were redeemed for their full value.  Father, we pray that those veterans are now at peace in paradise.

May we soon be able to enjoy the day when Peace and Righteousness reign here on the earth is our prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen