Posted on 09/17/2006 6:20:23 PM PDT by The Mayor
We had rain..Wonderful rain!
I also had a terrific , busy visit with my Navy grandson so I have had a great weekend .The rain may come again,it is cooler.. I feel so blessed!
Beautiful..God bless them all.
God bless them all.
September 18, 2006
| LISTEN TO ODB RADIO: Real | MP3 | WMA |
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. —Matthew 6:21
On a teaching trip to Togo, West Africa, I noticed hundreds of abandoned buildings that were only partially built. I asked my missionary host why so many structures were incomplete. His response was striking.
Apparently, Togolese law allows an injured party to demand payment from the available cash of family members of the person who injured them. Even distant relatives are not exempt. To prevent their cash savings from being attached to a legal action, people will purchase land instead. Slowly, sometimes over decades, they will build a house on it with any extra cash. The hundreds of unfinished buildings were testimony to how easy it is to lose one’s material possessions.
This was certainly part of the reason our Lord taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matt. 6:19). Treasure that is of this world is vulnerable to being lost, stolen, destroyed, or devalued. If that is our focus, we will only experience frustration.
If our hearts are drawn instead to the value of the eternal—godly character, relationships, souls—we won’t be disappointed. We will become rich in the things of Christ. And treasure in heaven can never be taken away!
Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year; Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
Thank you Dolly..
   |
This has been going around the net:
YOU and a SOLDIER
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes. He stays up for days on end.
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again .
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told.
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him!
If you support your troops, re-send this to everyone you know,
If it gets to another veteran who hasn't received it yet, it will bring back memories.
For the first time in about four years, the Battleship North Carolina is raising admission prices.
Beginning Oct. 1, adults must pay $12, up from $9. Kids ages 6 to 11 will be charged $6, up from $4.50. Senior citizens and active and retired military personnel will pay $10, up from $8. Children 5 and younger are still admitted free.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. David Scheu, battleship director, said the increase brings the cost more in line with fees at similar large ships in other parts of the country, as well as other tourist attractions in the Wilmington area. The Battleship North Carolina gets most of its revenue from admissions and gift shop sales and isn't supported by local, state or federal tax dollars.
Battleship attendance has dropped since Sept. 11, 2001, although the recent dip in gas prices has caused attendance to pick up, Scheu said. For more information about the battleship, visit www.battleshipnc.com or call 251-5797.
- Patrick Gannon
Group gives veterans, others chance to recall those harrowing days
WWII Remembered
Jim Holdford can tell you about the time he spent eight hours floating in the sea after his ship was sunk by three Japanese destroyers in the early morning hours of Sept. 5, 1942.
Thor Ronningen is proud to tell people he served in the infantry during World War II. After all, he says, infantry members are the ones who really do the fighting.
Their stories, and the experiences of other World War II veterans, are shared over coffee and donuts at monthly meetings of the World War II Remembered group. Now in its 10th year, this group has grown to about 140 members. They've even made a DVD, giving their personal accounts of the war, and dispersed it to area schools.
"It's a beautiful situation," Holdford said. "I think it's just been one of the greater experiences of my life."
The 84-year-old Holdford, through the help of many others, formed the group at the suggestion of the New Hanover County Department of Aging.
When first approached about heading up the group, the native Wilmingtonian began thinking about the 27 years of his life he devoted to the military. He fought in World War II and Vietnam. The battle was over when he was sent to Korea.
"I realized we were unique because we all had something in common," he said of his fellow World War II veterans.
Sharing their stories, their thoughts about the differences between their generation and today's, their families and laughs along the way has formed a bond between the members.
"When I was 18 years old, I was trying to kill people and people were trying to kill me," Ronningen said. "We realized at 18 and 19 that we were making world history. How often does a person get a chance to do that? We're not as philosophical about that as we were when we were 20 years old. When you're 80, you realize you're not going to change the world."
At 81, the Scotts Hill resident is one of the younger World War II veterans in the group. A month out of high school, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Europe in the winter of 1944. When he moved to Wilmington more than 10 years ago, he was a stranger. World War II Remembered gave him a chance to make new friends. "At one meeting, it got pretty emotional, and I was surprised that I felt so close to these guys," he said.
There are a few women in the group. Lee Hart-White attends meetings with her husband, Miles, who served in the Coast Guard during World War II.
Hart-White joined the Women's Army Corps in hopes of getting into nursing school. But she was needed to work in the front office of a hospital in Louisville, Ky. She achieved her goal of becoming a nurse later in life.
She may not have war stories to share, but she enjoys listening to the veterans talk about their experiences. "It's just beautiful to see them when they come in. They're so happy to be together," she said.
John Nelson, the group's coordinator, was a child when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, essentially thrusting America into war.
"To me these things were bigger than life when I was a kid - the war and guns and airplanes and Audie Murphy," Nelson said. "I've had an interest in World War II since forever."
Murphy became the most decorated soldier in the history of the Army, awarded the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor, and 32 other medals for bravery and service.
When Kitty Maret, co-chairwoman of the group, saw a small advertisement about the group in the Star-News years ago, she decided to pop in on a meeting. She was a teenager when the war began.
"I just dropped in and have been going to it ever since," she said. "I really do admire these guys. They talk about what they did and their harrowing experiences. They're a friendly and a funny group. I just enjoy it because it's so positive."
World War II Remembered is open to veterans of all wars and anyone interested in World War II. The group is holding its annual "SOS" breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the New Hanover County Senior Center, 2222 South College Road. Tickets are $6.50 and may be purchased at the door or in advance.
Trista Talton: 343-2070
trista.talton@starnewsonline.com
|
Amen!
Seems there is a lot going on in Iraq over the weekend.
Indeed.. Prayers for our troops.
It's so wonderful to see you Colonial :) I hope you and Mrs. Colonial are doing well! :)
God's Blessing on our Military
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
