A different kind of Memorial Day tribute.

My backyard neighbors -- not the ones in their eighties -- have decided to shoot off fireworks this Memorial Day evening. They mean well, I suppose, but it seems a little bizarre to be celebrating the deaths of American military men and women with fireworks as though it were the 4th of July.

But since the ice has been broken, so to speak, my Memorial Day post this year will be in honor of all the children who played soldier and grew up to fight real enemies, some in the flesh, some in the spiritual realm. Wickedness in high places takes many forms. And the battle still rages.

Here, from years ago, is one of my all-time favorite songs by the Christian trio known as the Sharrett Brothers. You may not know it, but after hearing it you will not soon forget it.

"Soldiers Again" (6:32) by the Sharrett Brothers, when it was still a work in progress back in their college days. The best acoustics around were apparently in their dormitory’s showers.

In case you had trouble understanding the lyrics, here they are:

Backyard soldiers, little boys,
We fought the enemy with little toys.
Sticks for swords, hands for guns,
Every battle always won.

But as we grew and went our way
We forgot about our soldier days.
No more swords, no more guns,
No more battles to be won.

But we were wrong.
We did not see we still had an enemy.
So now we stand, Friend with friend,
We are soldiers once again.

We are soldiers again
In the army of the Lord.
We are soldiers again
And His Word is our sword.
We will not be denied; with Him by our side
We know the victory we’ll win.
We will fight till the end,
Soldiers again.

And we still can’t even see the one we are fighting,
But we stand with One who can, the Lord God Almighty.

We are soldiers again
In the army of the Lord.
We are soldiers again
And His Word is our sword.
We will not be denied; with Him by our side
We know the victory we’ll win.
We will fight till the end,
Soldiers again.

We will not be denied; with Him by our side
We know the victory we’ll win.
We will fight till the end,
Soldiers again.