Battle of the Bulge
December 16, 1944 – January 25, 1945
Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle
Psalm 144:1
Hi Men:
Question: In the course of your day, is your mind on Jesus?
I was reading again about Bro. Lawrence. His quiet, faithful service and profound spiritual insight were later compiled into the classic work as most of you know: “The Practice of the Presence of God.” Lawrence was a soldier and then entered the Carmelite monastery in Paris. There he remained working in the kitchen, washing dishes and later repairing sandals.
His life reminds us that God can be found in the ordinary, and that the simplest acts — even washing dishes — can be an act of worship.
How about you?
PHOTO ABOVE
A Memorial Day Reflection: The Cost of Freedom
All of us know there are thousands upon thousands of stories of those who died in various wars, while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
My wife sent me one story from WWII that I wanted to share. It was by a blogger, who is in his late 50’s, reflecting on his wife’s grandfather. Even though Memorial Day has passed, I think it’s worth the read (below is a condensed version)
————-
Roland Keiser was 25 years old when he was killed in action the day after Christmas on December 26, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, one of the coldest and bloodiest battles of World War II. More Americans lost their lives in this battle than any other WWII battle.
Just two weeks earlier, Roland had been transferred to the 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division, as an emergency replacement under General Patton. By late December, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and other troops were trapped in the Belgian town of Bastogne, surrounded by German forces and exposed to snow, fog, subzero temperatures, and constant shelling.
On December 22, when the Germans demanded surrender, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe gave his famous one-word reply:
“NUTS!”
That same day, Patton ordered 250,000 copies of a printed prayer to be distributed to the troops, pleading for fair weather and divine help to “crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies.” [Note: The above verse from Ps 144:1 was allegedly one of Patton’s favorites]
The weather was brutal. Many American soldiers had no proper winter gear, slept on frozen ground, and endured frostbite, starvation, and relentless enemy fire — all while pushing through waist-deep snow toward Bastogne. Nature itself had become a third army against them. Remember: The average age of these soldiers was 18-26!
“Today, in 2025, most kids consider it a terrible trial when the Internet is out for a few hours.”
Roland was reported missing in action on the day after Christmas as his unit advanced under heavy fire to relieve Bastogne. Only 25% of his company survived. Three-quarters were killed, wounded, or captured.
As we enjoy this Memorial Day with flags waving and grills sizzling, let’s remember Roland — and the countless others like him — who didn’t come home. They didn’t ask for our thanks, but we owe them our deepest respect.
May we never forget the cost of freedom. And may we, who do not fight, always be the kind of people worth fighting for.
———-
Note: If you haven’t seen the 2001 series, “Band of Brothers” by Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks, Episode #6 does an excellent job of portraying the heroism and endurance of one of the most brutal battles of WWII.
My wife and I just returned from visiting our boys and their families in North Carolina. I will have a few interesting stories to share next time. Have a great weekend………
Overwhelmed by His Grace,
Dan
(Gal 2:20)
“You can bow your will in surrender to His authority now,
or you can wait until He rejects you.”
Men……. Your choice, what do you want to do?
Serving God’s Purpose, Whether or Not You Want To
Red Book Day 148
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he
READ THE PDF HERE / Send it to a buddy…
Joni’s friend Tim said,
“Were it not for my accident, never would I have met Jesus.”
I thought of my dear friend, Jorge Hernandez. I remember him saying the car he was in that exploded, “Saved my life!” He totally agrees with this short video (YouTube 1 min)
I thought this article would be a good one to review, in light of so much conflict these days with authority. Of course, you need to be looking at it through a Biblical worldview for any of this to make sense.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority.” 1Timothy 2:1-2
The New Testament authors agree that Christ’s followers must submit to authority. 1 In all of the New Testament, I find no reference to resisting secular authority unless the government compels the believer to break God’s commandments; in all other areas he must submit. God controls the activities of all in authority: “…the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 2 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will. 3
The admonition contained in this verse is especially applicable for those who disapprove of the authority placed over them. You pray for them; you do not resist them. This does not mean that you affirm wrong with your silence. Rather, you call to their attention that they are wrong if and when they give you opportunity. However, in such encounters, you must be ready to defend before God that you confront them because you have their best interest in mind, and not because you are defending yourself.
1 Cf., e.g., Romans 13:1-5 and 1Peter 2:13-14, 17
2 Hebrews 13:6
3 Proverbs 21:1
Men: Most of you know that Elisabeth Elliot was the widow of Jim Elliot, who was martyred in Ecuador. When I watched Joni Eareckson Tada’s short video above, her quote above came to mind.
Here is Jim Elliot’s quote:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Jim Elliott, 1927 to 1956 – Martyred missionary to the Waorani Tribe of Ecuador