Normandy et Liberté

May 7, 2013
The weather was beautiful at Normandy today which is not always the case. In fact, it rains so much - like parts of Washington state - that there is a running joke that the four seasons of Normandy are pluie, pluie, pluie, et pluie (rain, rain, rain and more rain). But today the sun was shining and a gentle breeze was blowing. Barely a cloud in sight. Beautiful.

We visited about four different sights but the one that impacted me the most was the American Memorial Museum and Cemetery at Omaha Beach. This beach was the site of one of the toughest battles of D-Day and resulted in some of the highest casualty numbers. The museum was very touching. It pulled out specific examples of heroism and bravery among the individuals who fought that day. It also had several short clips to watch of real video footage of soldiers preparing for the war and General Dwight D. Eisenhower discussing the events surrounding D-Day. As I sat in the theater, I was moved with gratitude for the many sacrifices made by the men and women involved in the war efforts. These young men - some of them only my age or barely older - plunged into battle, to fight on soil that wasn't their own, knowing the dangers of war. In many ways I can't even imagine that type of courage. I think it's a bit scary to leave my family and travel to France with a large group. Heck, I think its a little scary to try the different food! And yet, these boys were willing to give it all, for people they had not even met. Of course they were fighting to protect liberty and friends and family back home but they were fighting in France! But firstly, they were fighting for the French people. What amazing courage. What amazing strength and determination - and character. It truly is inspiring. And they live on in our hearts as we remember them and recognize all that they've done.

Family members were given the choice of having their soldier's bodies shipped back home or having them buried in France. Some opted to have their loved ones buried under the ground they died fighting to protect and win back. Thus the large American Cemetery. The white marble crosses dotting the bright green grass in front of the shining blue ocean was actually a very pretty image. Of course it was sad, tragic even, to think of all of those young lives that ended so soon. Yet, it was a beautiful commemoration to those soldiers. Their rest is forever peaceful. And it's in a beautiful place by the sea.

The other place we went was a place called Point du Hoc, it's a monument out on a cliff that was especially treacherous during the fighting. The whole scenery was, quite frankly, breathtaking. However, scattered around the area nearly every four feet were large holes that were created by bombs during World War II and were now overrun with grass. In addition there were the remnants of old shelters used during the combat. It struck me as amazing that such a beautiful place was once the location of so much violence - and even more astounding was the fact that the place had not lost any of its beauty despite the physical scars. The cavities made by the bombs were still present and very frequent - yet in due time, the grass had regrown and the landscape was healed. Perhaps I was feeling a little sentimental because of the circumstances and subject of the day but that landscape to me seemed as though a metaphor for our lives as well.

We all will have scars in our lives - by this I mean emotional, internal, personal, not necessarily physical scars - from things that we experience. Each of us will go through rough and difficult times. Each of us will have particularly dark days that seem an intense struggle. Yet. After these struggles and difficulties and scars, there is beauty. Our lives can find peace and whole-ness and purpose and meaning. And in that there is beauty. I mean to say that we should never look at ourselves or our circumstances and think, I am too broken, I have too many scars, too many past problems, too many old hardships, to truly be normal and accepted, valued and appreciated, whole and beautiful again. I have my scars and they mar me. There is one to whom we need only look, and he will heal us again. The Lord Jesus Christ has promised us, "Come all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He has the power to not just make us equal to our old selves but better than before. Through our mistakes and imperfections, he can strengthen and complete us. There is never a sheep too far gone for the loving Shepherd. Come unto Him, for He is the Way, the Truth, and The Light. Amen.