It wasn’t until I was an adult that I had a chance to read my Grandfather’s memories of WWII. I am pleased to present Journey to Lekhipani, my grandfather’s memoir. He didn’t see front line battles but he told stories that made me feel like I knew what it was like to be on a Troop Ship, and walk the filthy streets of Burma and try to sleep in the jungles of India. It’s not a long memoir but it was his.
I remember my Grandfather as being a laid back guy who didn’t mind hunting for ping pong balls for his grandchildren. He took me driving when I had my temps and tried to talk my dad into buying his car for me. I wasn’t too aware of his first battle with cancer but his last was hard to watch. I have fond memories of having him and Grandma over to dinner and climbing the lighthouse in our town and visiting the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) airshow together. I’m glad I made the effort to be friends with my grandparents before he died.
He’s been gone too long now. He never saw me get married and my children never knew him. The final chapter of the book was read at my wedding which was special. He was just a really special guy.
I asked my Grandmother if I could type up the journey and self-publish it and she gave permission. I love her to pieces! I did this mostly for family, but also because it’s a different view of that time period. So, here it is, Grandpa, I hope you would be proud and I wish you had written more over the years. You had a gift with words. Now the world can enjoy that as well.
Dear Susan,
I’m just subscribed to your blog. I like very much what I’ve seen thus far.
I discovered you while I was searching the internet, under the topic of “Christian forgiveness.”
The single greatest challenge to Christian forgiveness in recent years, as personified by an
individual person is Casey Anthony. In peoples’ minds, she has come as close as possible
to commiting “the unpardonable sin.” It was revealed just yesterday that she intends to
“dissapear” so she can evade the parasitical lawsuits. She will most likely flee south of the
border. (She seems to have an affinity for that culture.)
I think it’s so sad that people are “born again” in name only. To accept Jesus Christ as
your personal saviour means to become a new creation in Christ.
Hatred and fear are old covenent qualities. We shouldn’t even have the capasity to hate.
Does Casey have to have the “mark of Cain” where ever she goes for the rest of her life?
Are we her judges? Or did the precious blood of Christ cover her sins, as it does ours?
The gospel I believe in tells me that Adolph Hitler himself, if he recited the sinners prayer
one minuite before his death, would find redemtion in Christ. Jesus is a ransome for ALL
not for some.
Casey is simply like the woman caught in the act of adultury. When Christ said, “Let he who
is without sin cast the first stone, He wasn’t just refering to our basic sinful nature. You
see, before the adulturess came on the scene, Jesus was writing in the sand with His
finger. Suddenly, the mob arrived armed with the stones. Just before they let the stones
fly, Jesus directed thier attention to what He had written. It was the names of would-be
executioners and who THEY had been with! That is what persuaded them to drop the
stones.
Is it necessary to recount 1) The sermon on the mount (Just thinking about doing an evil
act means you’ve done it.) 2) The parable of the prodigical son (“How dare you forgive him”?)
The teaching that “It’s the things INSIDE the man that defiles him, NOT the things on the
outside. 4) The closing chapters of the Gospel of John (“A new commandment I give you,
that you love one another as I have loved you. From now on all the world will know you
belong to me by you’re love for one another.”) And finally,5) (“Father, forgive them for they
know not what they do.)
And last but not least, a child’s own reaction to it’s mother? If the Kingdom of Heaven is
made up of little children; if you have to be like a child to gain entrence into Heaven, you
simply can’t hate.
I have no difficulity saying, (With God’s Grace) “I love Casey Anthony.”
My question to all self-professing Christians: “Can You.?”
Thank you for posting. Just seems odd that your post is under my grandfather’s memoir. Blessings to you.