War and Rebellion

The combat (or recon, I guess I should catch up on these things) helicopters fly low over our house. Sometimes I think I can reach up and touch them. There are men with big automatic guns sitting at the side of them sweeping their gaze back and forth looking for enemies. The birds who have camped in our tree are all scared and fly quickly up and then back down so they don't get caught up in the rotors. They come in threes, these helicopters, and they are so loud that conversation automatically stops, the ground shakes and your body vibrates. Then, they are gone. The birds automatically nestle back into the trees and continue their singing and preening, as if nothing had happened.

A big boom is heard, our house shakes, the windows rattle. A couple of hours later we hear there was a rocket attack, and many Italian soldiers are dead. Husbands and sons who will not return home. But the kittens outside on the balcony continue to roll around and tumble and cry for milk.

A bomb (IED if you are technical) goes off, though foreigners are targeted, many civilians are killed. Yet, the sun continues to rise. The birds continue to sing, kittens continue to arch and purr, and children go out and play soccer.

God's creation is rebelling against war and pain. The sun will continue to rise every morning to remind us of the light that is there, and the HOPE that will never ever end.