WEBVTT

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(bells chiming)

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- There are few places on American soil

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as sacred as Arlington National Cemetery.

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Politicians and Presidents
are buried here,

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astronauts and scientists,

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casualties of war and
veterans of wars past.

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And the souls that lie in
this place tell a story,

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like Norman Phelps Mason.

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His name is engraved here,

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the service in which he was
connected is engraved here.

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And so are the dates,
the bookends of his life.

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But I'm really curious
about the dash of his life,

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and how he lived his life
between birth and death.

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What was his character like?

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What was he made of?

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What were the moral fibers
that led him to live

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and to lead the way that he did?

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Chaplains and are RPs,
regardless of where you serve,

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the context of your ministry,

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it's your character that
carries you through.

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And I'm not talking about
the character that shapes

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the lives of the Sailors,
Marines and Coast Guardsman

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that you serve, I'm talking
about your own character.

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It's the moral distinctives of your life.

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It's the choices of your life,

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living your life

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the right way

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that matters.

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So as you contemplate ministry today,

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think about how you live the dash,

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how you lead in the dash,

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what separates you in your character apart

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and will have an enduring
impact upon the people you serve

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long past the point at
which Taps is played?

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Because that is what right looks like.

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(inspiring music)