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| From my blog (that has since gone the way of the dinosaur). Posts dated June 19th and 20th, 2006. |
Taken
Shivers ran though me when I heard the news. Two soldiers taken. At the time I didn't know either
man, didn't know the situation, didn't know anything. This morning I found out one of them is from
Oregon.
Two of our soldiers have been taken and are now being held hostage by our enemy. And our
enemy has no redeeming qualities. Nothing to give even a hint of their humanity. Of their concern
for anything in the world outside their agenda.
Now, I'm usually not one to get into politics and policy. Truth is, I tune it out quicker than a stupid
sitcom. I don't know what's happening up to the minute in our world, and I like it that way. There
are some things that are just too great for my feeble mind to put its paws around. I tend to try to
stay focused on what really matters to me in the long run, and I'm talking about eternity. But it
almost seems as if we are seeing the end of life as this world has known it for 15,000 years, and
we are now, finally, standing on the edge of the rest of eternity. Looking ahead, at least we are
15,000 years closer to that day than what we were when time began.
Yikes. Drivel. Sorry.
Yeah, I don't know what to say. Just that . . . hang in there, guys. Not all of us are shaking our
fingers at you and saying, "See? That's what happens when we put our troops in harm's way for
nothing." Because I'm saying, "I don't care why you were sent there. I only care about you. Where
are you? Please, please, please hang in there. Don't give up. Your brothers and sisters will find
you soon. This will pass. We care about you. We will not forget you and leave you behind."
Please help us, Lord. You are the God of Eternity. The One and True Living God. Our enemy
thinks they know You. Our enemy calls You by a different name.
Our enemy hasn't got a clue. But . . . someday, they will. When they stand before You.
Thank You, Lord, for being in control of this insane world. Thank You, for being who You are.
Who You are . . . is enough for me.
VcD,
donna
And Then The News
They're gone. Brutally, horribly murdered.
Sets an ugly weight in my gut, simmering, overwhelming.
Questions.
What does it all mean, what will happen now, how will this affect our soldiers, how will this
affect the war, the nation, the world . . . ?
Questions.
How are the families? How will they get through this?
Questions.
WHY????????
I'll leave the analysis for someone else. But may I just say this:
Hoo-ahh, gentlemen. Thank you for your service, for your ultimate sacrifice. How many hundreds
of Iraqi civilians did you keep safe for months as you manned that checkpoint? How many of them
also owe you a debt of thanks?
Lord, some things I simply cannot process. It's as if my mind shuts down, gives up, and cowers
into the corner of my head. This is one of those times. All I can do is cry out to You. But, in You,
I know all hope, mercy, Truth, and love exists. This war is not about oil, or about ousting Saddam,
or even about defeating terrorists. This war is about all the evil in the world rising up to attack
Your Truth. We, as Americans, stumble and fail. We're not perfect ambassadors of Your Truth.
But, because of our heritage of faith in You, You have instilled in us a sense of what is right and
wrong. That sense is fading—the line is shifting every day. But yet, we still know evil when we
see it. And we're willing to sacrifice our money, our time—even our lives—to defeat it. To at
least attempt to restore peace in lands where peace has been a fantasy for far too long.
How can we deny the significance of this war? Fought in the very spot where You once formed
man from the dust of the ground. Now, that ground, that dust, covers our family, our friends, our
brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers—covers their khaki leather boots. Their desert camo BDUs.
Covers their booney hats, gets into their eyes, crunches between their teeth.
That same dust You used to form man, now covers us all. In one way or another.
Dust to dust.
Lord, please lay Your hand on us. Please strengthen us as we get up each morning to hear what has
played out across the world through the night. Help us to see Your hand, to feel it, and to be
strengthened by it. For we still know evil when we see it. What happened to Tom and Kristian is
evil in its purest form. For our enemy, this is all about "religion." For us, it's about duty, honor,
and country. And, yes, if pressed, most in our country would admit, for us, it's a bit about religion
too. Our country's religion is one of mercy, generosity, working for peace, and helping our fellow
man. Oh sure, because of bad politics and policy, we don't always see eye to eye on how to treat
and react to our fellow man and his plight. But there are some basic tenents to being a human—
You engrained these tenents into every human being when You created him or her: peace, mercy,
grace, love.
Our Enemy is not about any of these things. Our Enemy has twisted the minds of his followers.
The basic tenents of humanity don't apply to his followers. Because our Enemy is the father of
lies. He deceives and destroys all that is good. Especially the minds of his followers.
So, yes. This entire thing is about religion. All that is good against all that is evil.
Oh, but they get mad when we call them evil.
But, after what just happened to Tom and Kristian, what else can we call them?
Forgive me, Lord. Help me to hold close to You and Your Son. May I cling to You always, for
You alone are Truth. In You is mercy, peace, grace, and love. In You is Hope. And Truth. In You
is all that is good.
Thank You for being so good.
with love to Tom's, Kristian's, and David's families,
with love to the hurting members of the 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault) based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky,
with love to everyone hurting from this war,
with love and thanks to all who gave their lives in this fight,
my love and thanks to you all,
donna
P.S. Vaya con Dios. Always.
Shivers ran though me when I heard the news. Two soldiers taken. At the time I didn't know either
man, didn't know the situation, didn't know anything. This morning I found out one of them is from
Oregon.
Two of our soldiers have been taken and are now being held hostage by our enemy. And our
enemy has no redeeming qualities. Nothing to give even a hint of their humanity. Of their concern
for anything in the world outside their agenda.
Now, I'm usually not one to get into politics and policy. Truth is, I tune it out quicker than a stupid
sitcom. I don't know what's happening up to the minute in our world, and I like it that way. There
are some things that are just too great for my feeble mind to put its paws around. I tend to try to
stay focused on what really matters to me in the long run, and I'm talking about eternity. But it
almost seems as if we are seeing the end of life as this world has known it for 15,000 years, and
we are now, finally, standing on the edge of the rest of eternity. Looking ahead, at least we are
15,000 years closer to that day than what we were when time began.
Yikes. Drivel. Sorry.
Yeah, I don't know what to say. Just that . . . hang in there, guys. Not all of us are shaking our
fingers at you and saying, "See? That's what happens when we put our troops in harm's way for
nothing." Because I'm saying, "I don't care why you were sent there. I only care about you. Where
are you? Please, please, please hang in there. Don't give up. Your brothers and sisters will find
you soon. This will pass. We care about you. We will not forget you and leave you behind."
Please help us, Lord. You are the God of Eternity. The One and True Living God. Our enemy
thinks they know You. Our enemy calls You by a different name.
Our enemy hasn't got a clue. But . . . someday, they will. When they stand before You.
Thank You, Lord, for being in control of this insane world. Thank You, for being who You are.
Who You are . . . is enough for me.
VcD,
donna
And Then The News
They're gone. Brutally, horribly murdered.
Sets an ugly weight in my gut, simmering, overwhelming.
Questions.
What does it all mean, what will happen now, how will this affect our soldiers, how will this
affect the war, the nation, the world . . . ?
Questions.
How are the families? How will they get through this?
Questions.
WHY????????
I'll leave the analysis for someone else. But may I just say this:
Hoo-ahh, gentlemen. Thank you for your service, for your ultimate sacrifice. How many hundreds
of Iraqi civilians did you keep safe for months as you manned that checkpoint? How many of them
also owe you a debt of thanks?
Lord, some things I simply cannot process. It's as if my mind shuts down, gives up, and cowers
into the corner of my head. This is one of those times. All I can do is cry out to You. But, in You,
I know all hope, mercy, Truth, and love exists. This war is not about oil, or about ousting Saddam,
or even about defeating terrorists. This war is about all the evil in the world rising up to attack
Your Truth. We, as Americans, stumble and fail. We're not perfect ambassadors of Your Truth.
But, because of our heritage of faith in You, You have instilled in us a sense of what is right and
wrong. That sense is fading—the line is shifting every day. But yet, we still know evil when we
see it. And we're willing to sacrifice our money, our time—even our lives—to defeat it. To at
least attempt to restore peace in lands where peace has been a fantasy for far too long.
How can we deny the significance of this war? Fought in the very spot where You once formed
man from the dust of the ground. Now, that ground, that dust, covers our family, our friends, our
brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers—covers their khaki leather boots. Their desert camo BDUs.
Covers their booney hats, gets into their eyes, crunches between their teeth.
That same dust You used to form man, now covers us all. In one way or another.
Dust to dust.
Lord, please lay Your hand on us. Please strengthen us as we get up each morning to hear what has
played out across the world through the night. Help us to see Your hand, to feel it, and to be
strengthened by it. For we still know evil when we see it. What happened to Tom and Kristian is
evil in its purest form. For our enemy, this is all about "religion." For us, it's about duty, honor,
and country. And, yes, if pressed, most in our country would admit, for us, it's a bit about religion
too. Our country's religion is one of mercy, generosity, working for peace, and helping our fellow
man. Oh sure, because of bad politics and policy, we don't always see eye to eye on how to treat
and react to our fellow man and his plight. But there are some basic tenents to being a human—
You engrained these tenents into every human being when You created him or her: peace, mercy,
grace, love.
Our Enemy is not about any of these things. Our Enemy has twisted the minds of his followers.
The basic tenents of humanity don't apply to his followers. Because our Enemy is the father of
lies. He deceives and destroys all that is good. Especially the minds of his followers.
So, yes. This entire thing is about religion. All that is good against all that is evil.
Oh, but they get mad when we call them evil.
But, after what just happened to Tom and Kristian, what else can we call them?
Forgive me, Lord. Help me to hold close to You and Your Son. May I cling to You always, for
You alone are Truth. In You is mercy, peace, grace, and love. In You is Hope. And Truth. In You
is all that is good.
Thank You for being so good.
with love to Tom's, Kristian's, and David's families,
with love to the hurting members of the 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault) based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky,
with love to everyone hurting from this war,
with love and thanks to all who gave their lives in this fight,
my love and thanks to you all,
donna
P.S. Vaya con Dios. Always.
| U.S. Army Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, Texas, left, and U.S. Army Private First Class Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Oregon. |
| A Prayer for Us Transferred from my blog, posts dated June 19th and 20th, 2006. © 2006 Donna A. Fleisher |