Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy

"He had hardly finished his last prayer when the door opened and two evil-looking men in civilian clothes came in and said: "Prisoner Bonhoeffer. Get ready to come with us." Those words "Come with us" - for all prisoners they had come to mean one thing only - the scaffold.

We bade him good-bye - he drew me aside - "THIS IS THE END," he said. "FOR ME THE BEGINNING OF LIFE."

For some time now, I've been drawn to books relating to the past events of World War II and more specifically to the time period of the Nazi occupation of Germany, Poland and France and the persecution of God's chosen people. I'm not sure at this point why my spirit leads me to an overwhelming desire to know of the events of the late 30's and early 40's but I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is God's desire for me to delve deeply into these matters.

Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy by Erix Metaxas is by far NOT a book I would seek out to delve into. For one thing it has a lot of pages, like 542! That's a big book for me and the subject matter is above my "barely college" level! But it is definitely an intriguing and powerful read and I am spurred on to know more and more about this incredible man of God who suffered well in the most horrific of circumstances.

Because of Romek

Grunow walked to the fireplace at the end of the room. He picked up a poker and stuck it into the red-hot coals that filled the grate. He held it there until the end glowed red. Then he came back to stand in front of my brother, Romek.
"This is the last time I'm asking you. Where are those plans?"
"I don't know about any plans."
Grunow stared at him. Then he pressed his lips into a tight line, lifted the poker and jabbed it into Romek's eye. . .

David Faber, Romek's brother was re-telling their story on Focus on the Family one morning on my drive into work. I was spellbound by his slight weak quiet accented voice; the terror and pain it still held some 60 years later. Yes, I had to get his story and read for myself of this adolescent survivor of such horror and devestation yet such boundless and unimaginable courage.

A MUST READ . . .

Zakhor. Al Tichkah.

Remember. Never forget. Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay is a most remarkable novel that I will not soon forget as it has imprinted a lasting yellow badge on my heart. As page after page turns, Sarah and Julia's stories are unlocked to reveal the interwining of their lives. A generational story of sadness, despair and loss introduces us to Julia, an American journalist living and working in Paris, investigating Sarah's tragic life from July 16, 1942 when the French police rounded up thousands of Jewish families and walked with them to their deaths obeying the demands and orders of the Nazis regime. In President Jacques Chirac's 1995 address he said, "France,home of the Enlightenment and the Rights of Man, land of welcome and asylum, France committed that day the irreparable. Breaking its word, it delivered those it protected to their executioners."

This book will leave a lasting mark on your heart and it is not one that you will want to lay to the right or left. No, it should long remain in the center of your mind, soul and heart as you remember and never forget. May God bless Israel and may His mercy's be new every morning for all.

Through the Years

52 is just around the corner. It seems impossible that I am over a half century in years now; that I have a 30 year old son and 29 and 27 year old daughters! Then comes a couple more girls of 21 and 15 and throw in the mix 3, 2 and 1 year old grandchildren with 2 more on the way and my life through the years has exploded -- or perhaps imploded would be a better term. I wouldn't say it has turned out anything like I had imagined as a young girl -- quite the contrary but as Psalms 16 says, my life has been good on this earth and God has shown me great mercy.

I say all this to say I am in the "fall" of my years as my husband is so keen on reminding me. The fall of my years has brought new and perturbing experiences; the least of which is daily and nightly hot flashes which in turn contributes to hours of sleepless nights. Nights when I visit with that digital beast by my bedside -- at midnight, 2, 3:16 (I generally quote John 3:16 at this point), 4 and 5. Most of the time my best sleep comes around 5:00 which leaves about 30 minutes before the "music" of my day begins.

Sweaty sleepless nights with one leg constantly in and out of the covers gives me a lot of time for reflection; prayer, meditation, readings. . . it all is part of my well loved life at this point. Time now is cherished. Cherished hours of talking with my Lord and going back and forth on the why's and the hows, the what if's, could of's, would of's and should of's.

So the older I get and the more I read the more I want to reflect and remember. Thus my new blog beginning today of "As A Page Turns". My hope is to continue to read, to learn, to reflect, to remember, to ponder, to grow and to keep a memoir of thoughts as I continue "through the years."