Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
War veterans
Charlotte Winters joined the U.S. Navy in 1917 when President Woodrow Wilson declared war against Germany for its aggression against U.S. ships. Although Charlotte did not serve overseas she did serve during war time and when she died Tuesday (March 27, 2007) at the age of 109 she was the last known surviving female veteran of World War One.
Charlotte Winters--last surviving female veteran of WWI
Photo by David J. DeJonge/Special to The Sun Only five known male American survivors of World War One remain. World War One is called the "Great War". Historians estimate that more than nine million soldiers were killed in the Great War also called the "war to end all wars". Many people believed that this war would be the last war and that the world would evolve socially into a more peaceful and civilized place. World War One ended almost a hundred years ago but the world seems more violent and dangerous now than ever. The hopes for peace seem further away and few people would be so naive as to suggest that the world is becoming more civilized. Charlotte Winters joined the Navy at a time when German submarines were attacking our ships and like her many brave young men and women continue to volunteer for combat. The enemy is a different enemy but the need remains for those who will risk everything for the sake of freedom. Uncle Sam is still looking for a few good men. There is another battle that is going on--the battle for men's souls. Into this battle brave men and women give their time and energy and sometimes, in hostile countries, even their lives. Missionaries have perished at the hands of violent men, and the world is not less dangerous today than it was when Jim Elliot and his companions were killed in the jungles of Ecuador fifty years ago. Jesus Christ is still looking for a few good men and women who will step up and enter the ministry. Jesus' voice calls out today just as it did two thousand years ago: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matthew 16:24-25, NIV)."1 Charlotte Winters was honored for her patriotism and when asked about why she joined the Navy during war time she would answer: "It was the thing to do, to be patriotic."2 In a similar way those who are veterans of God's war against evil would answer: "It was the thing to do, to be faithful." May God help all of us to be faithful in the war against evil and as did those early veterans of the war "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and . . . take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV)." Fighting the good fight, Pastor SteveFootnotes1 Matthew 16:24-25, NIV (New International Version). Unless otherwise noted all references to the Bible will be from the NIV. 2Associated Press, Last Female WWI Vet Dies at 109 [web site] The Daily News available at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBIT_WINTERS?SITE=
NCJAC& SECTION=HOME& TEMPLATE=DEFAULT. 2007 The Associated Press. Internet accessed March 30, 2007.
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