Day Ten of Gulf War II
We received an e-mail today that our dear friend Tim has received the care package we sent to him last Saturday. It only took a week to get there!
I encourage everyone who knows someone in Afghanistan or Iraq to make sure they stay filled up on cookies and goodies. Just remember it may be pretty warm where your package is going, so lay low on the chocolate.
There is now constantly news of allied soldiers being killed in this war. I told my son that a lot of these guys are only SIX years older than he is (he is 13). I can't even imagine losing my son to war in six years time. It makes me hurt like crazy inside to think of the pain inflicted to large numbers of mothers and fathers right now. Some of these guys who just a short while ago sat on their parents' laps or played Monopoly with them are now dead or severely injured. Sometimes I feel that the pain of war is simply intolerable.
I saw a noteworthy (and really stupid) news blurb this morning in the German newsletter I receive daily. It came from Spiegel, a German magazine. They were reporting that a German doctor is refusing to treat American, British or any other "sympathizers" in his office. He has a poster stating so on his front door. I hope the German health insurances yank his billing authorization to them. The article says they have at least publicly voiced their bewilderment with his actions. In case you would like to tell him what you think, the article references him as Dr. Eberhard Hoffman in Rendsburg. I have found his contact information but will leave that up to your detective work in case you really think this is worthy letting him know your thoughts. I suggest a prayer for a change of his heart will be the better option.
I read a very cool passage in my Bible reading yesterday. It comes from Deuteronomy 9:4-7:
"4 After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people."
(Source: Bible Gateway)
I love God's Word - it teaches me to understand what is going on, i.e. to see the evil forces battling with the angelic forces of God even though we may not be able to see it with our own eyes.
Continue to lift up the troops in prayer. Pray also for quick delivery of humanitarian aid to the hungry Iraqi civilian population. Pray for our leadership to make wise decisions. Pray for the war to end soon.
In Christ,
Elke
posted by Elke at 11:05 AM