Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. I am grateful for the men and women who are actively working to, if possible, delay this and maybe prevent some of it.

I never thought that I would actually be grateful for not growing up in this country and not having an "easy life" as I see so many have. The aftermath of Germany's war was emotionally traumatizing, food was still scarce when I grew up (though we never lacked), and hearing about people from East Germany being shot to death trying to swim to their freedom across the Werra river, which was the border close to my home town, was a common occurrence. A neighbor jumped out of the window - my dad was one of the people who helped remove him, "clean up" .... I do not believe that would have been allowed in this country, at least not now. I only remember hearing about it, fortunately did not see any of it.

Many of the streets we drove were right along the border --- and when you looked across it, it seemed you were looking at death. Such a stark difference between East and West Germany.

And people were traumatized, I do not remember seeing relationships or families that were what I would call "healthy" ---- looking back, there was only one person I remember that seemed to have peace. I briefly (3 months) worked as nurse/apprentice in my hometown hospital. It was an apprenticeship I needed to move on to the college I had selected where I was going to study lab work (that never happened, I got married instead). One of the hospital patients was the mother of one of the girls I went to school with. She was horribly ill, dying from cancer if I remember correctly --- and there was just a peace and gentleness about her I had seen nowhere else. We never spoke about that.

Most memories from my youth were blocked out until I went into some extensive therapy during my mid-30's. Some are still blocked, but have lately been coming back bit by bit - it always seems to surprise me when I think of something I had not remembered for so many years - some good things, mostly, coming back.

I have seen the horrible aftermath of war and grew up in a family where my parents (mainly my father) did not know how to deal with the deception of the past. I know what that does to people that do not know the Lord.

How will people in this country - younger ones, that never had to deal with severe adversity - handle what is coming upon us? It will be terrible.

Our only hope is in our Lord who loves us and cares for us. And I think you know that, coming from me, those are not empty words.

Steve, you are one of the people who actively works against what the enemy has planned - and you have my heart-felt THANK YOU for that.

B.

May 1, 2013