Napalm Girl, the Problem of Suffering, and the patient transforming love of Jesus Christ.
Fascinating article -
https://world.wng.org/2018/04/through_fire_to_forgiveness

Interesting article about an veteran army psychologist who, after many years of counseling others through the stress and shock of wartime horrors, couldn't handle the stress in his own life any more.  http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130316/DA52C2OG1.html

One phrase stood out to me as I was reading about his life - "He used irreverence as a balm."  

And it didn't work.

By contrast, Psalm 37 relates the thoughts of David, the Israelite warrior king of 3000 years ago, who took the opposite approach.  When he saw evil plots and atrocities, David reminded himself that the wicked seem to be winning for a short time, but God is real and will bring just judgement / retribution / restitution at the end of time, which is really the Beginning of the true life, the Kingdom of God.

How to handle hearing about daily events of random horror and oppression?   Don't use the "balm of irreverence."  Instead,

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil     or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither,     like green plants they will soon die away.  

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord,     and he will give you the desires of your heart.  

5 Commit your way to the Lord;     trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,     your vindication like the noonday sun.  

7 Be still before the Lord     and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,     when they carry out their wicked schemes.  

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;     do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,     but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.  

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;     though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land     and enjoy peace and prosperity.  

12 The wicked plot against the righteous     and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,     for he knows their day is coming.  

14 The wicked draw the sword     and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,     to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,     and their bows will be broken.  

16 Better the little that the righteous have     than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,     but the Lord upholds the righteous.  

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,     and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither;     in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.  

20 But the wicked will perish:     Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,     they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.  

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,     but the righteous give generously; 22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,     but those he curses will be destroyed.  

23 The Lord makes firm the steps     of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,     for the Lord upholds him with his hand.  

25 I was young and now I am old,     yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken     or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely;     their children will be a blessing.  

27 Turn from evil and do good;     then you will dwell in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves the just     and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;     the offspring of the wicked will perish. 29 The righteous will inherit the land     and dwell in it forever.  

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,     and their tongues speak what is just. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts;     their feet do not slip.  

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,     intent on putting them to death; 33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked     or let them be condemned when brought to trial.  

34 Hope in the Lord     and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land;     when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.  

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man     flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, 36 but he soon passed away and was no more;     though I looked for him, he could not be found.  

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;     a future awaits those who seek peace. 38 But all sinners will be destroyed;     there will be no future for the wicked.  

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;     he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;     he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,     because they take refuge in him.

... a day to gratefully remember those who have given their lives in service to our country and who are currently serving.  I am thankful.  Yet I can't help thinking that our country needs hardship more than it needs peace, to straighten out many of its problems (i.e. by pointing it back to God).  May God's will be done (in the coming election and beyond).

... a day also to remember one's own life.  God has been so good to me.  Loving and God-focused family, physical provision, many friends and especially a few very close friends, but most of all, The Gift of Jesus Christ coming to earth and dying for me / to pay for my sins, so that I could live with Him and the rest of the redeemed people in heaven forever.   Wow.

... one year ago today, life was extremely exciting, and also confusing and stressful.  Today, life is still confusing and stressful, but it is rather more 'bleak' than 'exciting'...  except for heaven, which is hopefully coming soon.  God lovingly removes the (relatively) cheap treasures of our lives so we can better see the value of the genuine treasure He has already given to us (those of us who are believers in Christ)....

"...God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

...thinking a bit about patriotism tonight.  Here are some interesting links:

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2007/10/easy-to-be-hard-easy-to-be-cold.html - Real versus imaginary patriotism...

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-country-tis-of-me.html -  'designer love' and other things...

http://www.pajamasmedia.com/2007/10/pride_and_shame.php - 'America' - a real culture, or only an abstract ideal?

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/americas-identity-crisis/ - is nationalism wrong?

http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/10/obama_will_no_longer_wear_amer.php - why Barack Obama says he will no longer wear an American flag lapel pin.    What would you think of a husband who said he would no longer wear his wedding ring because it was "only a substitute for true loyalty and love"??

and finally, http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=27427_UK_Debate-_We_Should_Not_Be_Reluctant_to_Assert_the_Superiority_of_Western_Values&only - a debate on the proposition "We should not be reluctant to assert the superiority of western values."  What do you think?

My own situation - I grew up nominally/untestedly patriotic, then went through four years at college of extreme discomfort at the apparently unquestioning 'God-and-country patriotism' mentality being promulgated, then began to think 'deeper' and ponder more whether there might actually be a place for true patriotism.  I like the twofold contrast given by the top two links above: patriotism might be a commitment to sacrificial loyalty to one's homeland/country (the older conception), or it might be a commitment to 'ideal' behavior, as in, 'I will support whichever country or leader operates with the best morality/legitimacy at the moment' (the newer conception).  But since all men and all countries without exception are deeply flawed and sinful (and since many actions of countries are so vast as to be hard to analyze - e.g. were the Americans in the World Trade Center "little Eichmanns" as Ward Churchill claimed?), the latter definition of patriotism usually seems to simplify down to treason: aiding the enemy.

Yet what to do when one's country pursues actions and policies which seem very wrong, and all the (typical) legal ways to change the country's course seem ineffective?   E.g. Vietnam...?  Dietrich Bonhoeffer?  Peter and John?

Is America actually worth dying for?  If so, how does that fit with our higher allegiance to the Kingdom of God (which is unquestionably worth dying for)... ?

Here's an interesting poem (in video format).    notable quote: "...freedom was never free..."

This short animation from Iraq is amazing and very thought provoking.

Wow.  You'll never hear this type of story from a New York Times reporter ensconced safely in 'the green zone.'  Or from a BBC reporter traveling with terrorists.   Because this report portrays the coalition fighters as skillful, gentle, and very courageous.

Is freedom worth fighting for?  For others, and for ourselves?