Day 164
Before closing the door, this morning, Willie reminded me to go for my 20-minute walk. It was a timely reminder. Although I am at home more, I tend to get bogged down by whatever I do and miss a simple action such as a walk outdoors. The remainder stayed with me until I left the apartment at 10:30 and went down our 60 stairs to walk out to the park behind my building.
Raya is 86. |
A few hours earlier, during morning's prayer, I heard about the fighting in Shiva Hospital. The IDF was notified of Hamas directing their operation from inside there. IDF went in to secure the ill citizens, get rid of Hamas operators, keep the medical team safe, and take the hospital back into our hands.
They fought overnight and needed our prayers. IDF brought Arabic-speaking soldiers to the area so they could communicate. By morning most of Israel knew about it.
The sun is high in the sky today with 19 degrees heat. But I am cold even in the sun.
Willie says that everyone in our local hospital, staff and patients alike, is tired and cold. I wondered if the cold and tiredness were a part of the war. Maybe it is caused by the shock of it all.
Today is my mother's 37th Memorial Day. Today, 16 years ago, we landed at Ben Gurion airport as we returned to Israel. Today, Raya my friend turned 86 years old. Busy day.
Today, Netanyahoo had to talk to the world politicians who are attacking us again,
"And to our friends in the international community I say: Is your memory so short? So quickly did you forget October 7, the most terrible massacre committed against Jews since the Holocaust? So quickly are you ready to deny Israel the right to defend itself against the monsters of Hamas? Did you lose your moral conscience so quickly?"
"Instead of putting pressure on Israel, which is fighting a just war, against an enemy that cannot be more cruel, direct your pressure against Hamas and its patron - Iran. They are the ones who pose a danger to the region and the entire world," Netanyahu concluded. "We, in any case, will face all the pressures, and with God's help, we will continue to fight together until complete victory."
I asked God what I needed to do? How do I respond? What is my place in all this?
In the early morning, He reminded me of Micah 6:8 -
He
has shown you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of
you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly
with your God.
This is a tall order. Truly an assignment. Help me to fulfill this requirement, dear God.