After spending the last week watching our country go up in flames, the bigger cities like war zones, even my own home town hit with painful sights of push and pull, my heart is heavy and my mind is boggled. Have we not learned any lessons from the past? Apparently not! These are troubled times, for great reason. But these outward bouts of aggression are reminiscent of life in the 1960’s, and even farther back to the years of The Civil War, the 1860’s. I was here for the 1960’s, a little child, just like my dear granddaughter, asking “why?” Why can’t the grownups get along? Why are they mean to each other? Why are they beating those men? I remember watching it all on the big box television (black and white, of course) still wondering the same thing as I do now.. why?

I tend to wonder the same thing about the Civil War… How did they (us and them) bear arms against each other? Just walk across a state line and there was a bad guy…why? This was a massive world of hurt, for our own people, not from the outside, but us against us! Why? Of course, there are too many answers to give and I’m no scholar. But I do know what I do know – it’s Sin. Wrong is wrong, and weather you are a believer in God or not, you still know when it’s wrong. For any man/women/child to own another man/women/child is wrong, unjustified and breaks the heart of God. Any man/women/child who assumes they are better than any other man/women/child is wrong, unjustified and breaks the heart of God.

I was not raised that way, and I’m as “southern” as “southern” can get. But my parents were not evil, gave respect to their fellow man and never once impressed on me to live any different. I thank God for them and their legacy. I read about and even see documentaries, as well as major motion pictures about the Civil War, and it’s hard to watch. But it adds to my education and understanding of how people were pulled into this war of aggression. The definition: “A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense, usually for territorial gain and subjugation. UGH! Also… as a breach of the law of armed conflict, violates the right to life of every person it kills…” Violates the “right to life”…. we are killing our own. That’s what happened way back then for territorial gain (slaves, as well as land) and to subjugate the very lives of people who are born to live free. In the 1960’s Martin Luther King marched (not killed or stole/burned businesses) in the name of equal rights, because we/us never learned a lesson! People still thought it was ok to oppress others, different races, as well as women. We were all in the same boat. Fast forward to now, with all our so-called smarts, we are still killing each other. And it is still sin. I’m sure there have been times in my life that I have judged or not given respect when I should have. That is also sin! Who am I to point a finger in judgment? But I have grown enough to know when it’s wrong.

Sadly, much of this hurt has been on the reasoning of financial gain or power. God help us all. These wars of aggression are happening all over the world, and countries are divided – north/south or east/west – because of such wars. But in our country, supposedly here to have freedom from British Rule, we did not learn or do much better. When are we gonna get a clue? This is a heart disease that runs rampant. And that’s the issue! It is a hate issue, hate in the heart that builds up and gives us the “justification” to hurt others. Some have even done this in the name of God(God forbid!). And yet, it is Sin. To see people with (I hope) hearts that call for change marching and protesting how people are being treated is our right in this country. But the retaliation of those who only want to steal kill and destroy (demonic) while our police are told to let it happen… well it’s just blasphemy in the face of God and all who’ve stood for justice and have died as martyrs.

Our country is being manipulated before our eyes. But there will come a day when we will see those who stir the pot get their due reward. Being from the south is not a terrible lot in life. It is a way of life that has so much good. There are hardships along the way of course, but it is our history. The beautiful way of life here is not all bad, just like the other areas of the country and their unique histories. I detest the terrible parts of our past history, but I’ve raised my children to love everyone, and to know they are not above any other human being. Hopefully, with wisdom, they will grow to understand from whence they came, and to be people who make the future better for us all.

It is not over, and won’t be, until all people are free and live accordingly with one another, arm-in-arm, willing to love and not judge. The heartbreak is that while man hungers for power, control and financial gain, we may not see this kind of world anytime soon. But, I have a HOPE! And that hope is in the GOD in heaven who knows exactly what is going on. The “god” of this world, Satan, knows its about to be over for him, so he is ramping up his tactics. Good luck old boy….your days are numbered, and this war of aggression that you choose to flourish your hate will be no more.

I would like to say that I hope the world gets it, realizes why we are here, and its not for this kind of life… But patterns prove that people choose their lot in life. They choose to be the master of their own destiny. They choose to take lives, and carelessly throw them about as if nothing. He has given us choice, that’s for sure, and we are left wanting, never enough…..just like a little child who continues to want more, without boundaries or limits. Woe be to We the people!