Under Seige

Most of my posts here are about Richie, but this morning's post is about me. A little known fact about me is that I am a huge World War II buff. I have no idea why, but I have studied at great length this time of conflict for our world. To me we are doomed to make the same mistakes as those in the past if we do not know our history.

In December 1944, the 101st Airborne Division was trapped in the Belgian town of Bastogne. For the first time since Frederick the Great, the Germans launched a an offensive the dead of winter, and in the worst possible conditions. The Germans launched 4 divisions (Sixth SS Panzer Army, Waffen-SS 1st SS Panzer Division and the 12th SS Panzer Division) at the British and American Allies in the hopes of splitting the Allies in half and capturing Atlantic port of Antwerp.

Bastogne was the a major crossroads in this offensive and had to be held by Allies or the Germans would succeed in their plan. With little food, little ammunition, not enough men, little winter clothes, and constant barrages by artillery fire the Allies held on.

This paints a picture of my life right now. I am surrounded on all sides by enemy forces. It seems as though I have been here for months, but the last three weeks have just been awful. I believe that I am doing God's Will in my career, my investments in my family and folks in the fellowship of my Church. I know Satan is behind the siege of my life. He so wants me to raise the white flag and say enough, I'll back off, if you back off. But in the words of General Anthony McAuliffe, my only answer can be "Nuts". I cannot back off, I must press forward. My struggle in this is the cost that is required of me. I so struggle with being self-reliant. When the going gets tough for me, I typically believe that I can only count upon myself. For so long, that has been the case. I would not let myself down, I would follow through and be totally committed to the goal. I would not say harsh words of myself, and be critical of my methods or be blamed for other short comings or others failures themselves. Most of all, I would not out of spite hurt myself.

Do I allow Satan to get this foothold in me again? Would I win the battle but yet loose the war?

For now, I feel as though I must press on. Emotionally I feel beaten down, but not defeated. I have a blank stare absent of joy. All I know to do is await Patton's Third army to come to my aid.



In closing a few quotes of George S Patton come to mind:

Give me an army of West Point graduates and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win the war.
You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals.
Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader.
Always do more than is required of you.
I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.
No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair.

For more information about the Siege and Battle of Bastogne: Battle of Bulge