Of Birth, Death, ... and Life

Today is the anniversary of my birth. It's not a grand day, in the scheme of things, and over the years, I've often even forgotten it. Generally, if anything is done in acknowledgement of the achievement of another year, it's been something I've chosen to do for myself to celebrate. Not so here. Each year, a number of members and staff have gathered for lunch and hilarity. This year was no exception. It was all I could do to get my "inappropriate" birthday card back from one of my older members! She kept fanning herself with it, and I kept telling her that the hot guy on the front was the reason she kept feeling hot! *hoots of laughter!* I haven't laughed quite that hard in ages!

And yet, there's a weird cast over the day. I opened my paper to the picture of a dead Al-Zarqawi on the front. While I feel some relief at the end of this particular individual's reign of terror, I can't help but fear that we now have to deal with a martyr who will live on through the evil and terror of those who take up his mantle. It is a mystery to me that anyone could believe that God's will is the slaughter of anyone who does not hold to a particular set of beliefs. My own thoughts are that Zarqawi isn't enjoying all those virgins he seemed to believe would come his way upon his martyrdom. Yet his death is splashed across the pages of papers and news reports - a visible, truly evilness brought to a personal end.

Then there's the family I'm doing the memorial for tomorrow, basically invisible people. The wife has been a member of my congregation for years, but no one really knows her. I met her once and she seemed a nice lady, sad and accepting what was soon to happen (looking forward to it, perhaps?). I didn't know much about her then, and speaking was difficult for her, so she did not pass along much more. I feel guilt and sorrow that I don't have much to share. I realize that often I've had to do memorials for people I'd never even met, yet this one touches me deeply for some reason. I hope that I am able to do honor to the family and help in the healing of their loss. I trust that God will give me the words which help. That's all I can do.

And, then there's life. My brother sent me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! email. He's currently back in active duty in Kosovo. Part of his email said this:

I am safely back in Kosovo watching the peace break out around here. Other than some shootings and rock throwings and yelling at each other, it has been pretty quiet. It has been raining and cool almost every day since I have been back. Fortunately, most of the bad guys are fair weather rock chuckers so when it rains, it is quiet. Not much else to report from over here. Just alot of meetings and briefings and all the other wonderful things that represent bureaucracy and staff work.

"Watching the peace break out" - what a wonderful concept! That was a word I needed to hear today. Would that humanity could get their act together enough to 'watch the peace break out' everywhere! Then we could get about the business of living our lives without watching over our shoulders for the next person who feels that the only way forward is through hateful death and destruction. Oh, that we could find ways to convince them they are wrong before anyone else is harmed! *sigh*

One of my birthday cards said "Here's hoping all your birthday wishes come true .... even the embarassing ones!" My biggest birthday wish isn't the least bit embarassing - that the peace may break out everywhere and that all our family members may return safely home.