One Day at a time, a daily reflection

by surprisedbyjoy@yahoo.com

December 7

Remember Pearl Harbor

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Remember Pearl Harbor! How could I forget? My beloved Grandmother’s birthday was December 7. One of her frequently repeated stories was about the day the Japanese attacked the North American base at Pearl Harbor. She and my grandfather had been celebrating her birthday with a circle of new American friends at their home. The radio happened to be on and one of the guests heard the horrible news of the attack. The party celebrations stopped as everyone gathered around the radio in horror and dismay. All of the party guests were immigrants to this new country. Many had sons who would soon be drafted and go to war. Some would not return. My uncle was one of those lucky enough to come home with minimal war wounds. He also came back with a lovely bride from England.

I remember both the Pearl Harbor stories and my dearly beloved Grandmother. She left a wonderful legacy for all her grandchildren. She taught us about life. We get sick, have accidents and lose people we love through death. She encouraged us to live our dreams. It was her own dream for a better life in the United States of America, which gave her the courage to leave her beloved Norway, family and friends. Through her courageous living, she showed us how to live with strength and hope in the darkest of times.

Sooner or later, all of us will feel powerless, faint, fatigued and weary. Old and young, men and women, we all become exhausted and may be too tired to even move. Sometimes it seems there are too many obstacles, difficulties and heartaches in life. There are times when we are doing far too much, for too long, with too little rest.

Yet, my Grandmother taught me that God wants to give us amazing strength. It is the great strength exchange. When we give God our puny strength, God gives us amazing strength for the present moment.

When we wait with hope, we will find ourselves soaring with the eagles.

A number of eagles live about ten miles from my home. I love to go see them feed at low tide. Sometimes they soar high in the sky and I think about today’s promise from God. When we wait for the LORD, we will find strength for our day and fly with the eagles of faith.

Prayer: God, help us fly like the eagles today. Amen.