Final Approach

On July 21, 1944 the 304th Bomb Wing of the 15th Air Force took the final approach to shortening the war. Their target was the 4th largest synfuel plant in the Third Reich — the Sudentenland Treibstoff Werke — located between Brux (Litvinov/Most) and Teplitz (Teplice) in the Sudentenland, now the Czech Republic.

During this raid several B-24 Liberators were shot down. One landed near Teplice and the crew all evacuated safely and were captured and sent to German POW. camps. A second, named "Final Approach" crashed near the farming hamlet of Mukov. Seven crewman parachuted to safety but were quickly captured and sent to German POW camps.

Three airman did not parachute out of "Final Approach" and were killed. Lt. Leon Polinski was killed when he was ejected from the aircraft's cockpit. Sgt's Robert D. Finley and Flight Engineer Teunis Gaalswyk were killed in the wreck.

The destruction of the synfuels plants was one of the key elements of the Allied strategic bombing campaign. Without the synfuels the Germans had to ground their advanced ME-262 fighters, without the synfuels only limit fuel was available to German panzers for the Ardennes offensive known as the battle of the Bulge. The panzers stopped within sight of their target, the Meuse River bridges because they had no more fuel. The destruction of the synfuels plants probably was the most efficient and effective thing the Allies could do to shorted the war.
It was an effort that was individual and then cumulative. Lt. Polinski, Sgt's Finley and Gaalswyk made the ultimate sacrifice and today, over a difference of 66 years we can say they made a difference.

On July 17, 2010 representatives of the United States Embassy, Prague, laid a wreath on a plaque in Mukov. The plaque commemorated the sacrifices of Leon, Robert and Teunis. The townspeople had erected the plaque in 1993. The representative stated that it was an honor to see that the sacrifices these men made was still celebrated in a small corner of a place so far away from their homes.

Who were these men? Teunis Gaalswyk is buried in Ft. McPherson, Nebraska, close to the banks of the Platte River. Did he have family? Did they know the details of his contribution and sacrifice and that these details are still remembered to this day by the freedom loving citizens of the Czech Republic?

Yes, we remember. Teunis was my Dad's first cousin. He was greatly missed and his sacrifice never forgotten. Today, we thank all those who serve and have served. You are not forgotten.

For My Friends

SANDS OF MY HEART
Rod Walford

The autumn turns to winter and the leaves blow through the door
The seagull turns her icy glance along an empty shore.
The beach is all deserted now, the ocean cold and bleak
Its blues and hues have turned to grey, all muted, quiet and weak.

Now more than thirty years have passed since last I saw your face
I wonder if you’re near, or if, in some far distant place
You ever sit and reminisce, in quiet thoughtful pose;
And ponder all your memories as you trace the path you chose.

Do you gaze downward from the bridge, where time’s fast waters flow,
Along the pathways of your life... how fast your children grow!
And do you spare a passing thought for absent friends you knew
In far-off days... in summer haze... when cares were far and few?

When spring turns into summertime, blue skies return once more
And laughing children build their castles on the sandy shore.
Tho’ sunkissed lovers surf the waves, with lovelight in their eyes;
The test of time will surely find regret in long-lost ties.

For friendship’s hand is precious, and its hold will life enhance
I wish I’d held yours tighter, when you first gave me the chance;
And yet somehow, I look back now, and though we’re far apart
You’re still there... right beside me... on the warm sands of my heart.

Jehovah — YHWH — Tetragrammation

Jehovah is an English reading of (Hebrew) יְהֹוָה, the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton יהוה, which is the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. It is Tyndale’s (1530) erroneous, direct phonetic transliteration.
By long tradition, in modern Jewish culture the Tetragrammaton is not pronounced—the full name of YHWH being too sacred for utterance. Instead the above vocalization indicates to the reverent Jewish reader that the term Adonai (Lord) is to be used. In places where the preceding or following word already is Adonai, the reading Elohim is used instead, indicated by a different vocalization of the Tetragrammaton. It is generally agreed, in line with Jewish teaching, that יְהֹוָה is a "hybrid form," created when the Jews added the vowels of Adonai to the consonants of YHWH. [this works in the Hebrew, with slight modifications, not in English]
Early English translators, unacquainted with Jewish tradition, read this word as they would any other word, and transcribed it (in very few places, namely those where the Name itself was referred to) as Jehovah. This form was widely used in the translations of the Protestant Reformation, and although it was later regarded by both Jews and Christians as a mispronunciation, it has nevertheless found a place in Christian usage.
In the New International Version: the divine name YHWH, commonly referred to as the Tetragrammaton, the translators adopted the device used in most English versions of rendering that name as “LORD” in capital letters to distinguish it from YHWH, another Hebrew word rendered “Lord,” for which small letters are used. Wherever the two names stand together in the Old Testament as a compound name of God, they are rendered “Sovereign Lord.” When YHWH and YHWH Sabaoth occur together, they are rendered “the LORD, the LORD Almighty or Lord GOD.”
God has MANY names. Check out this website: http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/El/el.html

When Moses asked who spoke out of the burning bush, (Exodus 3:14) “God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM: This is what you are to say to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you.” And all the Jews KNEW WHO Moses was talking about. When Jesus was asked who He was, He said that he, also, was the great “I AM” as we read in Mark 14:61-64 “Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I AM,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy.”
Jesus was claiming to be the same “I AM” who spoke to Moses in the burning bush—that is why they crucified Him. We know He was claiming to be Yahweh or Jehovah God of the Old Testament because the high priest tore his clothes and stated that Jesus had blasphemed—which is to say that you are God.

Define Judging Please!

Define the judging we are and are not to do.
Is this about condemnation verses discernment??

DO NOT JUDGE
Mt 7:1-2 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.”

Jn 8:15 “You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. Jn 8:16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.” That's pretty plain!

Jn 12:47 “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.”

Lk 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.”

Ro 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Ro 14:1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. (Hmm. This sounds like humanism!) 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ ” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.

1Co 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. (What about Lk 12:57 and 1 Cor 11:13?)

Jas 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

JUDGE
Judging myself:
Lk 12:57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?”

1Co 11:13 Judge for yourselves.

Judging those in the church – but not the world:
1Co 5:12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Judge those in the church AND the world: AND the angels:
1Co 6:1 If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 5 Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?

1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.

Rev 20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.

All of Jude:
How can we know who to “snatch” if we haven’t judged?
Jude 1:22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

How can we do this unless we have already “judged”?:
Gal 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.

Mt 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. …17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” This tells me that we can know if a person is a follower of Jesus Christ by their behavior or by what they "produce."

Grandma

One of the best things about being a Mom is that you "get" to invest your life, heart and soul into your children. That is also one of the best things about being a Grandma!
You get to.

Ella Kate: 3 months

Ella Kate: 4 months

Ella Kate: 5 months

Ella Kate: 6 months

Remembered Joy

Remembering Mom...

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free!
I follow the plan God laid for me.
I saw His face, I heard His call,
I took His hand and left it all...
I could not stay another day,
To love, to laugh, to work or play;
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
And if my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss...
Ah yes, these things I, too, shall miss.
My life's been full, I've savored much:
Good times, good friends, a loved-one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief—
Don't shorten yours with undue grief.
Be not burdened with tears of sorrow,
Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow.

from Irish Blessings

In My Arms

Holding a child in your arms. Loving them.
Feeding them. Nurturing them. Rocking them to sleep.
What a priviledge. What an honor. What a gift.
Oh Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of children!
There is no higher calling. There is no greater joy.


Eight weeks was not enough. But it was sure something.
And I will see you again soon.

Science vs: Faith

Do YOU believe?

'Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ.' The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely.'

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes.'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment.

'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent.

'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

'Let's start again, young man, Is God good?'

'Yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student : 'From...God...'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes.'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

The student: 'Yes.'

'So who created them?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom.

The class is mesmerized.

'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice is confident: 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not.'

'Have you ever actually felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes.'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God.

There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own.

'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'

'Yes,' the professor replies. 'There's heat.'

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.'

'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.'

The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter.

'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

After what seems an eternity, the professor answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'

Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.

God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

Daughter

Parents hold their children’s hands for a while… and their hearts forever. — An Old Proverb

I want you to appreciate your uniqueness.
Acknowledge your talents and abilities.
Realize what a beautiful soul you have.
Understand the wonder within.

You impress me with all the things you have learned,
all the things you care about, and all the things you understand.

If I were given a chance to be anything I wanted to become, there is nothing I would rather be than your parent. And there is no one I would rather have as my daughter. We have shared so much together, you and I. I have spent more moments than you will ever know hoping, praying, worrying, wondering, reminiscing about the past, projecting into the future, and always feeling incredibly privileged that the gift of being your parent was given to someone as thankful as me. You are on my mind so often. I think about our joys, our tears, our talks, our hugs… our bond that has been with us from the very beginning and that continues on, loving and strong, to this day. I am thinking of you now, and remembering you back then, with wonder in my heart.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I want you to know that I would gladly drop whatever I’m doing, at any time of the day, just to have a chance to give you a hug, and to say how much I care, and to share a few moments with you. I take comfort in knowing that the caring and closeness between us will never change, and that you will always be in my heart.

I am amazed at how the seasons have flown by, how you grew so quickly, right before my very eyes. When I look at you, I see someone I cherish. I see someone I love with every heartbeat, every remembered smile, every hope, every prayer, and every treasured memory. When I look at you, I also see someone who has so many paths yet to walk, opportunities to explore, and stars to keep reaching for. As the years go by, my prayers will travel beside you on all your journeys.

I love you so much. I want you to remember that every single day. I want you to know that these are the things I will always pray:
That the world will treat you fairly.
That God will give you favor in the eyes of those you meet and work with.
That you will be safe and smart and sure.
That you will make good choices on your journey through life.
That opportunities will come your way.
That your blessings will be many.
That life will be generous to you.
That you will always be patient with the problems of life.
Happiness. Whatever direction your path may take.
Serenity.
Wisdom.
Courage.
Strength.
Success.
Close and caring friends. The kind that keep getting better & better
Love that never ends. The kind that blesses you forever.
Present moments and Special memories.
A thankful heart.
May you hold on to your sense of humor.
May you brighten the lives of those who know you.
May you go beyond the ordinary steps and discover extraordinary results.
May you keep on trying.
May you meet every challenge
May you recognize every opportunity.
May you be blessed with the knowledge that you have the ability to make every day special.
May your needs be met.
Dreams. Strong enough to keep them alive.
Peace. Deep down in your soul.
Joy.
May you never lose that sense of wonder.
New beginnings.
May you always be gentle enough to understand.
Understanding.
The Abundant Life.

Your are a tremendously extraordinary person. All the different facets of your life—the ones you reveal to the rest of the world, and the ones known only to those you are close to—are precious and rare. As people look even deeper, I know they cannot help but see how intrinsically beautiful you are.

There are gifts that are far above priceless.
There are memories that are made of pure love.
There are special miracles that really do come true.

All my life, you will always be a wonderful gift, a treasure of memories, and an amazing miracle. What an honor it has been to watch you grow and then blossom into someone I admire and adore with all my heart. Thank you for enriching my life beyond imaginings. Thank you for the grace and the goodness, the hopes, the memories, and the joy. Thank you for bringing so many priceless gifts to me.