May 13, 2008
In Deuteronomy chapter 6 is Israel’s Declaration of Independence: “Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad” (Hear, O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord alone, He is One) “Baruch shem kavod mulchuto la’alam vayed” (Blesed be His glorious Name, Whose Kingdom is forever). And that declaration is for all those who will come under the headship of the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, claiming that salvation which He had poured out as He promised to Abraham, “I will provide for Myself a Lamb”.
Today (well, tomorrow in my time zone but it’s just crossing over midnightinto May 14th as I type this) we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the restoration of the homeland of God’s chosen, Israel. I’m lucky and humbled to count among my friends many who have lived and were born there, and as a Christian the land where Jesus walked and taught and Resurrected is as sacred to me as it is to any Jew. I ask that any reading this give a moment’s prayer to those who’ve suffered way more than their share of chaos and indiginity and pain, for the mere sin of EXISTING and daring to dream of a return to their ancestral homeland.
I, for one, am with them all the way.
May 7, 2008
On the 7th of May, 2003, Israel Aaron Raia was born. While duty constraints (was in a hot, dry place at that point in time) prevented me from holding my younger son til he was two months old, I nonetheless learned that evening when I got the e-mail & pictures. Adorable (and knows it!) and loved beyond words, Israel presents something of a puzzle to people…his multi-ethnic mosh has people guessing…Sicilian, Napolitano, a hint of German and American Indian believe it or not, and Filipino…Catholic, and with a Hebrew first & middle name. Which name, I might say, was chosen for a reason but still is full of coincidence. It means “wrestles with God” in Hebrew, and first appears in the book of Genesis. If you knew everything I had gone through in the months and even years theretofore the significance would be no mystery, I assure you. His middle name, Aaron, likewise is from the Bible, this time from the book of Exodus. Aaron was the brother of Moses, and Moses was nothing like the loud, bombastic portrayal by Charlton Heston in “The Ten Commandments”. Rather, Moses was introverted and slow to speak, and is speculated to have stammered. Thus it was given to Aaron to speak FOR Moses and be his advocate much of the time. My older son Joey is introverted and completely gentle and non-aggressive, much as Moses is depicted…and, much as with Moses, has a brother who loves him and has no slightest hesitation to say what’s on his mind! And get this, Israel was born a week before his due date. That’s right, May 14. For those who don’t know, that was the birthday or anniversary rather, of the restoration of the NATION of Israel to the Earth…also foretold in numerous Biblical prophecies! No, the timing WAS purely coincidental but I still think it’s cool.
Happy birthday again.
You’re loved so much more than you know, by so many people.
My boys, and Santa
from Pete
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Jean Paul, my best friend, and me goofing in the arcade
from Pete
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In the gym
from Pete
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I'm the one with the FAMILY JEWELS :)
from Pete
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So THIS is what the Navy was like, way back when...
from Pete
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It's a toss-up who was enjoying himself more!
from Pete
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On the flgiht deck of the USS Bataan (LHD-5), in the Arabian Sea
from Pete
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Mr. Dames, the BEST teacher anyone could ask for.
from Pete
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