What joy! How small my world had been and I never knew it. Letters from Iwo Jima directed by Clint Eastwood is something Americans can be proud of. Its release perfectly fits the Lord's plan for my life at this particular phase of it. How very little I had understood about Eastern cultures. I had painted what I thought to be God's face with wide brush-strokes across the planet as I understood it. But God is capable of no less than an intricately detailed masterpiece on every level. How often I like to think what a great Christian I am, following Christ's footsteps as long as it doesn't interfere too much in what I've got going at the time. But really, when do I step out and challenge my own thinking? God loves every soul ever born, every face in every country. Haven't I said many times, like a mantra He loves rich and poor, black and white and on and on, and so I love them because I am commanded to. But can I love them as more than theory or cliche? Haven't I said, "Yes, yes, I love everyone", but inside think they are somehow less favored or of no real interest or consequence to me since they are not living within the golden shores of America? What a world I have missed! And how can I even paint with that wide brush the word "them" and mean, the rest of the world?
In His unfathomable wisdom and inexhaustible grace He has shown me so many wonderful things. So many of them in the last few months. The life given to each of us by our Father is like us giving crayons and paper to our kids. Whatever they do with them we will keep, just because our children did it. Do we choose to use our lives for fighting? Going outside the lines? Do we try to create works of art to please our Father? Iwo Jima. What is it? A part of Japan such as Colorado might be to us. From the comfort of my place in history I can only speculate about the feelings swirling at the time of the battle. The movie shows the battle from an unfamiliar viewpoint for most Americans. No doubt every battle is fought by people. Just people. Farmers, business people, taxi drivers and bakers. People who have lives apart from war. During this one life we're each given, we hope to experience peace and comfort outside of the horrid jaws of war. Every nation has its farmers and taxi drivers. "They" are "us". If you don't think so then give up all your favorite "foreign" foods. You are what you eat, Friends. Sushi, anyone?
Greetings of Peace and Friendship to All in 2007.
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