Day 209 Storming the Beaches

Dear friends,

Today is the anniversary of D-day. On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces invaded the beaches of Normandy, in what was indisputably a whopper of a blow to the Axis powers and their plans to destroy the free world. So many things played into the outcome of that fateful battle: weather (not as good as hoped, but bad enough to put the Germans at a false ease); Rommel’s wife’s birthday (he decided to take off to celebrate that week); tides and moonlight, (the water had to be deep enough to keep the ships from smacking into mines placed closer to the beach by the Germans). A conservative estimate says 10,000 allied lives were lost on the beaches and in the air over Normandy. But the result of the bravery and self sacrifice of those young, precious lives was the cracking of the Nazi grip on Western Europe. Things would never be the same for Hitler and his minions after D-Day. So of course, here comes an analogy…(feel free to log off if you just can’t take another one!)

I’m just about the biggest wimp ever. I get anxious about calling school to tell them my kid is out sick. But I understand that every inch of spiritual ground we wish to gain will not come without a fight. Our land mines are pretty subtle, and not always intrinsically evil. You know what yours are. Mine are things like radio (I am a talk radio junkie), a pessimistic outlook, an ear for gossip, too much food, and some I’m not brave enough to mention here. My first request of the day with the Great One is always for eyes to see my own folly, lest I keep walking in it and the hindrance turns into a prison. The battle for internal light takes place not on the beaches of France, but in our cars, our kitchens and in front of our computers. Freedom will cost us something, for sure. But what we gain might possibly change the world. I’m not kidding. At very least it will change us. And in my case, that is no small war to win. Good thing the General is the Undefeated Champion…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

It will take endurance, it will take sacrifice, it will take pluck. But what the heck are we here for? The Great One wants every one of us to be truly free. He’s with us in the fight, one hundred percent.

I’ve watched my husband and daughter go through a long, difficult recovery, and fight the daily battle against self pity, depression and denial. They storm their beaches every day with character that makes me incredibly proud. It makes me want to deal with the “Nazi’s in my closet”, and push past my own hindrances for my sake, and the sake of those I love. It’s a wild road, isn’t it? Challenging, and not for the faint of heart.

Pick one thing you want to beat up today, and tell the Great One all about it. Don’t get overwhelmed, He loves us while we’re figuring out our mess.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

P.S. Couldn’t remember for the life of me where I parked my car at the hospital tonite. Wandered about in the parking lot til the light bulb went on. Forgot I had the Honda… Who was it that bonked their head on November 8?