Ansible-One

“All of us are happy — Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds on this day,” Waleed al-Bahadili said as he celebrated at the park. “The Americans harmed and insulted us too much.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090629/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

I saw this quote today and kinda chuckled to myself as I read through the rest of the article. Iraqis feel that they have succeeded in a great victory over the evil Americans. How interesting. Last time I checked, their elected government was running the show while our soldiers fought and died for the freedom of the people there. By fighting in Iraq they fought for us too. Yet, the new schools, roads, industry, services, and everything else American tax dollars funded seem to be invisible to these people.

I know that isn’t true for everyone in the country. But this kind of comment makes me believe Iraqis feel they are entitled to everything they have been given. How many times in history has one nation attacked another, wiped out evil and restored personal liberties only to pack up and go? In its wake, it leaves behind a well equipped and trained army and a new civilian infrastructure so the populace can get a jump start on renewing their lives.

I cannot imagine a single red blooded American that would take any of our loss back at the expense of Iraq loosing its new freedom. Yet, Iraqis seem to be fueled by this entitlement drive. If the USAF leveled a rotting school house because it was used by Sadaam’s military as a base, why should we rebuild it with state-of-the-art…everything? Because America is different.

Americans take the ripping the world gives to us and keep going. We understand what freedom is and what it costs. We truly believe all nations and all peoples of Earth should have that freedom. At least, we use to believe that. Our nation, built upon Christian principles is slowly rotting away like the Iraqi school house. As Christ fades from the mind of the selfish and personal liberty is chipped away, the few that still believe are holding to their faith. But when we are leveled, will there be someone there to help us back up?

For the last couple years I have been lucky enough to join the youth at our church as they go on their mission trips during the summer.  This year I get to tag along again.  What is different this time is that my real purpose is to just be a driver.  Unfortunately there are no guys going but there are enough girls that the youth minister still wanted me there to drive and help with any chaperon type duties.

I offered that I bring my family along this time and they accepted.  This actually really helps for numbers.  We will have three adults able to drive and cover various duties as needed.  While my family is there, we will be doing separate activities from the rest of the group however.  This works well too.  Most of the activities at the camp are geared for high school ages and my sons is about a decade shy of being able to enjoy them.

So wifey and I are planning out various educational\homeschool things that we would want to hit while we are in Glorieta.  We are also planning on time that we can devote our full focus to God and the marvelous things he has done.  In addition to that we are planning meals, car activities for the kiddo, and a ton of other things.  Planning, planning, and more planning.

I know that we aren’t alone.  There are some that go bonkers about planning for trips.  Others don’t plan at all.  Life isn’t exactly a perfectly orchestrated adventure.  But when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven, what’s the plan?  Thankfully God’s plan IS perfectly laid out for us.  Jesus teaches us how to love, and by loving God and each other we are fulfilling his command.  Everything else in this world flows around that.  So make plans, but realize that God’s plan is the one that always works.