Jesus’ ‘miracles’ have always been heralded as examples of his supernatural status and the power of God. But were they really supernatural, and if not, what do they tell us about how we should live?

One particular miracle – the feeding of the 5000 – has always had an unknown quantity to it. In the story there are 5000 people who are hungry, a boy produces 5 loaves and 2 fish, Jesus is there, everyone eats till they are full. Miracle? Certainly. But let’s examine the story more closely. A natural assumption is that Jesus somehow made the boy’s food feed everyone, a very supernatural thing indeed.

However, another interpretation of this story would be that when the boy produced his food to share in fellowship with others, others also produced their food to share in fellowship. If Jesus facilitated this generosity of people in giving their food to others who had none then that would be a miracle, as people are often most reluctant to share their property with others, especially when they have little to start with.

It seems to me that to make 5 loaves and 2 fish feed 5000 people would have been a neat magic trick, but so what? A more powerful thing for me would be for a person to inspire those around him to share what they had with those who had nothing, to overcome their natural selfishness and think about others. That would be a true miracle in my mind. What’s more, it is a miracle that we can all take part in – we can all be the person who gives.

So the next time you’re thinking about Jesus’ life, ask yourself whether he performed miracles or magic tricks. Then ask yourself whether you are following his teaching, whether you are doing the what Jesus would do. For me, Jesus wasn’t teaching us to just pray and hope that God works some magic to make everything better, but rather that each person needs to do their own bit and practice what they preach and believe.

A true miracle seems to be overcoming our human selfishness. Selfishness is a powerful, natural instinct that we all have as humans. Overcoming it is divine.

If you want to see a true miracle, then be a true miracle. Forgive those who no-one else will. Care about others whilst all those around you are only caring about themselves.

I personally have never been big on devotionals and I’ve tried quite a number of them, but when a friend handed me a copy of Rebecca’s Daily in Your Presence, I immediately fell in love with it. This book is great if you are not used to having a devotional time, and it’s great if you are a “senior believer” and are really good at it. This is a great way to freshen up you time with the Lord.

Rebecca Barlow Jordan is a wonderful speaker and author, and some of her titles are: 40 Days in God’s Blessing, 40 Days in God’s Presence: a Devotional Encounter, Daily in Your Presence, Daily in Your Image, At Home in My Heart and Preparing a Place for His Presence.

The book focuses on the Names and attributes of God: one for each day. It has a verse from the Scripture that presents that name or attribute, a message From the Father’s Heart, a natural response to the Father’s message formulated as A Grateful Response and it concludes with a Simple Truth. There are 366 devotionals, but they are not dated so it doesn’t really matter when you start reading it. You don’t have to read a specific one designed for a precise day. This is especially practical if you’re like me and skip a day or two, here and there. The fact that it’s not dated allows you to read every devotional one after the other and not miss any of the blessings. As a reminder I like to write down the date myself every time I read. It’s also a great reminder of how God blessed me through that passage before.

The messages are like fresh water for a thirsty soul. They were especially a blessing for me when I was going through a rather difficult spiritual time and the short but full of essence devotionals proved to be like balm. They are short enough to read them in under a minute, but deep enough to build you and give you something to meditate on for a whole day.

I believe the key factor that makes these devotionals so special is the direct and personal way the author chose to address them. They don’t sound like a general or abstract thought, or as a philosophical explanation of a simple truth — it’s rather like the Father Himself addresses you and your needs in a direct and personal way.
These devotionals literally drew me closer to God and I highly recommend them to anyone: young or old believer, but especially to those who want to experience God at a new level of intimacy. Daily in Your Presence is the book to point you in the right direction!

Much like Ralph Waldo Emerson, many people haven’t even thought to read Henry David Thoreau, or they won’t because he is “too boring.”  Thoreau did something we today would cringe to even think about: he spent two years living in the woods, away from any civilization.  He spent those two years almost as a hermit living off the land and learning how to survive solely on the things that nature provided.  Why did he do such a thing; and then write about it?  He wanted to learn all that nature could teach him and he wrote about it so that future generations could understand his ideas.  Many of his theories and ideas came to him while he spent those two years in the woods.  He talks about different things in his book: “Walden.”  But barely anyone reads his work.  I hope to be able to help people understand his purpose more, and see into a mind that is long gone.  With his quotes we can understand why nature was so important to the transcendentalist movement, and the importance nature still has today.  Let us take a look into the world of Henry David Thoreau and see what he was talking about.

Of course the first place you need to start when looking at any work of literature is in the beginning.  In the very first chapter entitled Economy, Thoreau talks about people putting emphasis on minor things.  He states Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind…the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meager life than the poor.   I know what you are thinking: “what in the world does that mean!”  What he is trying to say is that luxuries of life things we consider the comforts of life hinder our own advancements.  How often to people say kids shouldn’t spend so much time on the computer or playing video games?  They should be outside or reading a book, this is a long the lines of what Thoreau is saying.  We have become too dependent on the luxuries in life.  We don’t NEED to computer to survive, sure some people make a living on it, but is it a necessity to survive?  Also we don’t need a television to survive.  I have heard a pastor say it perfectly “without a television I am forced to spend more time talking and interacting with my wife and kids.”  The so called luxuries of life takes away the personal contact, not just with our families but everyone around us.  Too often we are sitting in the house watching television instead of going out to the museum or catching a free show.

He goes on to say that the wisest man to ever live, lived a life of simplicity and a more meager life than those who couldn’t afford the “luxuries” of life.  Meaning the wisest of men knew that one of the richest of life would be to live simplistically because you are not focused on the luxuries and too drawn to them.  When we live by only the necessities of life, we learn more and learn to appreciate things more.  When you spend two years in the woods having to  hunt for your food and chop your own wood you appreciate the warmth and the taste of the food more.  When you need to work for what you have and earn you value it more.  We take for granted that the television will always be on, and too often when the electric goes out people are unsure of what to do.  Grab a book, light candles or camping lamps play a game of cards by the camping lam por just sit around a candle and TALK to each other.  Oh goodness we need to talk to each other sometimes.

We are led oftener by the love of novelty, and a regard for the opinions of men, in procuring it than by true utility.  These words also come for the first chapter of Thoreau’s book, several pages after the previous quote I used.  In this section Henry David points out that when we buy something whether it is a car, clothes, or even a computer (he used clothes but it could be applied to everything) we pay attention to the novelty of the thing, and then what others would think about the certain object.  When the iphone came out, how many people lined up for hours just to get one?  Why? Simply the novelty of it.  A phone should be something we use to keep in contact with people and cell phones in case heaven forbid, we get into an accident on the road.  Why do we need the iphone, the razor, venus, chocolate, chocolate mint, balckberry, etc I am more than content with a phoen called Sch-U500; a small phone that doesn’t do too much, just call and take pictures and I really don’t need to take pictures with it.  All these features on a phone in Thoreau’s eyes are so unnecessary and would be luxuries that we could do without and hinder us.  Too often we don’t care about having something for the utility of it just what others would think about us if we had it.

Thoreau emphasises this idea just a few paragraphs later when he says who can wear a patch, or two extra seams only, over the knee?  Most behave as if they believed that their prospects for life would be ruined if they should.  How many people out there would admit to wearing patches on their jeans or sewing up a pair of shorts because the pants got too short?  People often see things like that as a sign of poverty, when that isn’t the case.  People think that if they don’t have the latest fashions then they can’t make it or that they aren’t “in the know” or “cool” anymore.  Shouldn’t our clothing protect us from the elements and keep us covered?  Does God care about what we wear, of course not, so why should so much emphasis be put on how you dress?  Too often, in high school mainly, people will not even talk to some based on how they dress or even do their hair.  That is shear silliness!  It goes back to what Thoreau said about so called comforts hindering us.  It hinders our accepting others on the basis of who they are.  He adds fuel to the fire by saying We don’t worship the Graces or Parcae, but Fashion.  He is saying Fashion becomes such a high priority that we place it higher than God’s himself.

We are too quick to buy things we really don’t need, but struggle with things like tithing to church, or pay the minimum possible on our bills.  The country is too far in debt and I have to wonder why.  Could it be like Thoreau said and that we spend too much on luxuries and things we may not really need and not spend money on the important things?  We put too much emphasis on things that don’t have importance like our electronics.  What we need to do, and this is what Thoreau was getting at, is simplify life.  There is no need to have everything bigger and better than the next person.  Material things aren’t what makes us happy…it’s the relationships in our lives.  Well that ends part one of Taking a look at Walden.  Thoreau brought up so many different ideas throughout his book.  Each idea and theory can be applied to today just as Emerson is.

Vincent Robert Capodanno was a soldier of extraordinary courage.  He was born on February 13, 1929 in Staten Island, New York.  He was a catholic priest that graduated from the Maryknoll Seminary in 1949.   Father Capodanno initially worked as a Missionary travelling the world and serving in countries like Taiwan, China, and Korea.

After serving several years in foreign countries where he helped to build schools and establish catholic parishes, Father Capodanno opted to embark on a career much more challenging.  Father Capodanno requested service as a chaplain in the United States Marine Corps.

Father Capodanno attended Officer Candidates School and in the midst of the Vietnam war was assigned to the 7th Marine Division, in 1966.  His service during that year was at the height of the war, when the fighting was intense and casualties were high.

Father Capodanno was not your ordinary chaplain.  The majority of chaplains were kept away from the real dangers of combat, and usually served in areas of relative safety.  They usually conducted religious services and counseled weary and tired troops at base camps.

Father Capodanno was a different breed of Marine Chaplain.  He was always in the midst of the fighting, going out on missions with his beloved Marines.  There was no safe area for the chaplain, only the front lines where the Marines needed him the most.  As a chaplain, he led, inspired, and constantly exposed himself to enemy fire while attempting to console and administer the “last rites,” to critically injured Marines.  The Marines loved their chaplain and thus named him, “the grunt padre.”  The word “grunt” is a term used to describe combat infantryman.

Upon completion of his initial tour of duty in Vietnam, Father Capodanno requested an extension of duty and was then assigned to the 5th Marine Division.  Once again Father Capodanno, fearless and resigned to serve alongside his battle weary Marines, was immersed in some of the worse combat of the Vietnam war.

On September 4th, 1967, in the Que Son Valley, soldiers of the 5th Marine Division found and engaged a large unit of North Vietnamese, approximately 2,500 of them near the village of Dong Son.  It was only 4:30 in the morning, but the fighting was savage and intense, some of it at very close quarters.  The Marines of Company D were far out-numbered and in desperate need of reinforcements.  The casualties mounted and there were desperate attempts by medevac choppers to evacuate the dead and dying, but intense ground fire kept the choppers from landing.

As the battle continued, there were 26 marine casualties by mid morning.  The situation was becoming dire and in an attempt to avoid being overrun by the North Vietnamese, an additional Company of Marines joined the battle.  By 9:15 am, the fighting was so intense that yet another request for help arrived in the form of two more Marine company’s.

During the early hours of the fighting, Father Capodanno monitored the progress of his Marines from the Headquarters operations room at his base camp.  He felt helpless and isolated from his beloved Marines and boarded a helicopter with other soldiers heading for the battle.  Whenever his Marines needed him, he was always there, and this was no exception, they needed him now more than ever.

Father Capodanno and the troops reinforcing the already beseiged Marines joined the battle just outside the small village of Chau Lam.  They immediately came under horrific and intense fire from the large contingent of North Vietnamese soldiers.  They were caught in a large, open area and the fighting was fierce.  The North Vietnamese soldiers were so close that the Marines at times, engaged their enemy in intense “hand to hand” combat.

Father Capodanno completely ignored the danger of the situation, as he ran in the face of intense enemy fire to help his Marines.  Father Capodanno, undeterred in the midst of the battle, continued to tend to the wounded and dying.  Going from man to man, he prayed, cradled, and when needed, gave comfort and consolation to his dying Marines.   The soft words of comfort and prayer from Father Capodanno would be the last words some of these Marines would ever hear.

As the fighting progressed, Father Capodanno was severely wounded in the face and hit by a round that almost severed his entire hand.  Still the Chaplain continued on his mission.  Father Capodanno spotted a lone Marine that was gravely wounded only a few feet from an enemy machine gun position.  Father Capodanno started for the soldier but was hit and killed trying to save the wounded Marine.

Father Vincent Robert Capodanno, a Marine Corps legend, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on December 27, 1968 for his courage and service.

Langston Hughes is one of the best poets in the world of poetry.  His work says a lot about life as an African American and the struggles the culture had to go through to get where they are today.  Langston Hughes words leap off the page and make the reader think and contemplate what he has said.  He has many different types of poetry; one of which is called a blues poem.  Blues poetry have a strict pattern: one long line, repeated, and a third line that rhymes with the first two.  Sometimes the second line is repeated, but altered slightly.  The theme of the blues poetry are the same: being in the midst of trouble, friendliness, hunger, and disappointment in love.  Langston Hughes is probably one of the best blues poet I have ever read.

Hughes’ poem “Po’ Boy Blues” has every one of the themes mentioned above.  He talks about the troubles he finds and struggling to make it in the North.  Then he talks about meeting someone and falling in love only to have her leave him and “almost lose ma mind.”  He uses the dialect that African American’s may have used during the Harlem Renessaince.  He starts the poem out saying “When I was home de sunshine seemed like gold.”  To him everything seemed good and happy when he was home.  Where home was in this poem we are unsure of he doesn’t say, but it was probably in the south since he mentions the North being cold.  To him just having another day in the sun brought happiness and light to a world of darkness.  Sunshine is a symbol of happiness of gold of course a symbol of riches so when he was home with families and friends the narrator could have felt like a rich man.  When he was home the sunshine felt as abundant and as precious as gold.  Then being in the North or even simply America it didn’t seem as abundant or clouded by hatred and other things that would make the world around seem cold and heartless.

After the lines about the sunshine being gold he says “since I came up North de whole wide world’s turned cold.”   This line gives the sense that the world seemed completely different from what he knew at home.  It was cold and dark something that he wasn’t used to.  At this point the reader could always speculate why the world seemed cold; maybe he seen new things, things he never wanted to see probably more of how segregated everything was and the African Americans were being treated, not better than he had hoped.  The next stanza starts out saying “I was a good boy never done wrong….” and ends with “..But this world is weary an’ de road is hard an’ long.”  The reader gets the idea that the narrator did everything he was told, everything he was supposed to do and never did anything wrong or to get himself into trouble.  Now he is wondering why the road is so hard now.  It is like all of life is a struggle.  It goes with the idea that the grass isn’t always greener.  One could think that being free wasn’t really “free” after all because there was more struggle now than before.

Saying that the road is long and hard gives insight to the long road ahead to finally finding equality.  It will take years for the African Americans to get the equality they deserved and Hughes most likely saw how long and hard it would be which could be what this whole poem is about.  The struggles to find equality and that everything wasn’t always better as people may have thought.  His poem could have been a way to make people listen and see the struggle that was going on a take interest and try to make things better.  Hughes knew the struggle and pain his people would face in the future.  I think his saying “I’ve been a good boy” makes me think that he felt that doing as he was told and working hard to get to a certain point meant he and others deserved the equality for the work the did, and he was right!  His third stanza tells of how hard it was to get that equality and some of the consequences of trying hard to fight and get what he deserved.

The beginning of the third stanza “I fell in love with a gal” makes me wonder if the gal is really a gal and not a symbol for the idealistic American so many people look for everyday.  Many have referred to America in terms of a woman, saying “she is a powerful country” or “her people” so why wouldn’t one fall in love with a gal that is represented of America and the dream of the perfect American life.  The last line of the stanza he says “an’ almost lose ma mind.” Could it be that trying to achieve that perfect American life as an African American was such a struggle he almost lost his mind.  Or that realizing that almost no African Americans could achieve that dream during that time was possible could make one lose their mind.  I think Hughes was trying to make people see the damage the struggle had not just in a physical way, but also mentally and emotionally.  Struggling for your own equality for work, education, and more had to have been draining in all aspects that would make anyone lose their minds.  The third stanza as well as the whole poem could have been full of symbolism which is the point of poetry isn’t it?

Langston Hughes ends the poem saying “I’s so weary I wish I never been born.”  Could he be saying the hatred and pain he saw day in and day out for himself and his people made him just not want to exist, to never be born.  I have to wonder if Hughes knew of the impact of his poetry as he was writing it.  The last line is a powerful one, probably the most powerful of the poem.  He talks of struggle and falling in love with the idea of a perfect America, yet the struggle and hard work to get there and fight for what’s right was so draining, he felt it would have been better if he just had never been born.  What a feeling to have while struggling to achieve the rights and equality not just for yourself, but an entire culture.  The beginning of the stanza is simply “weary weary, weary early in de morn.”  Morning is supposed to be a time of being refreshed and rejuvenated.  A time when you feel reday to take on the world, but when you are really taking on the world or what seems to be the world, morning isn’t a time of being refreshed, but a time of being so weary of having to face it all over again.

Langston Hughes’ poem is one of many powerful ones he wrote contained in the book “Dream Keeper.”  His work made such a difference in the world; he changed the mindset of so many people.  He made people see what was right and what needed to be done.  Langston Hughes may not have know the power his poetry had, but he molded the future and made it a better place and opened the doors for many young people.  He showed with hard work and determination, anything and everything is possible.  Reading Langston Hughes’ poetry takes you into a world you have never known and seen.  You will see poetry at it’s best and what it should be, Langston Hughes is one of the best poets and his work will be remember for a long time.  Take the time and read at least one of his poem, you will never think the same and you will want to read more.  I guarantee it.

Every genre of music has their top singers that seem to have all the greatest hits.  Christian music is no different there are plenty of artists who are considered among the top artists within the genre.  They have songs that make the audience think and want more from them.  There are artists like any genre that could be one hit wonders, and there are others who will have hit after hit that top the charts as soon as it comes out and holds that position for many weeks.  These artists are ones that know what makes people think and will tug at their heartstrings, not to mention making them want to have a better personal relationship with Christ.

Jeremy Camp: His songs come from the heart and you can tell as you listen to them.  His words pierce your heartstrings and makes you really think about your relationship with God.  His song “Walk By Faith” can be a song of redemption for many, it could many make it through a hard time they are dealing with.  I know it has helped me.  He has ballads like “Walk By Faith,” and then he has rock like songs such as “Take My Life.”  Whatever your tastes in music are, Jeremy Camp has it and he will become one of your favorites as you listen to his music.

Natalie Grant:  Her voice is like an angel’s.  She has ballad like songs and can bring tears to your eyes as you listen to the words.  The melodies of her songs are soft and tender almost mimicking the personality of God, soft and tender.  Her song “Held” is an amazing piece.  The chorus goes “this is what it means to held how it feels when the sacred is torn from life and you survive this is what it is to be loved to know that the promise is when everything fell we’d be held.”  Gives hope to the audience because it helps us remember that we will be held and carried through some of the hardest moments in our lives.

Casting Crowns:  This group is probably one of the most popular.  Many people who listen to Christian radio will hear at least one Casting Crowns songs.  Their song “Who Am I” is another powerful song.  It talks about who am I that God would send his only son to die on the cross for us.  It really puts into perspective why Jesus died for us and the feelings and emotions the revolve around knowing that Christ died for our.  They are another group that has any form of music that people would be interested in such as pop like songs to ballad like songs which is what “Who Am I” is.

Nicole C Mullen: Nicole seems to be newer to the Christian scene, but I could be wrong.  She has a wonderful soprano voice that is unique from many others.  Her most popular song would probably be “My Redemeer Lives,” but she has many other wonderful and powerful songs.  I know I keep saying powerful, but how else would I describe these songs?  Her song “One Touch” is about the Samaritan woman who had so much faith that if she just touched the hem of Christ’s garment then she would be healed.  There are many people listening to her songs that feel the same way.  If we could just touch Christ’s robe, then we would be healed.  The first time I heard it, it made me cry because the song described how I was feeling.

David Crowder Band:  This group has a song that my church sings called “Undignified.”  It is such a fun song, and there are times when a Christian can be undignified when we praise God because we get moved and start to dance around and sometime jump in place.  Many people would think that non-conventional churches that promote dancing, tambourines and jumping that they are “undignified.”  The band is saying they are proud to be considered undignified if it means they are getting excited and energized about praising God.

Rebecca St. James:  St. James is probably the most known female Christian musician.  I know she was the first female artist that I have heard when I started listening to Christian music.  Her voice is very distinguished; you would be able to tell that a song is from her.  You can hear on of her songs on the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack, the song is called “Lion.”  It’s a great song I play it all the time as I am getting ready to go somewhere.  She is probably most known for her “wait for me” campaign which is about saving your virginity for marriage. She has a book about it and a song where she is asking her future husband to wait for her as she waits for him.  It is a great song to help encourage teens to wait for marriage.

Jay Menendes:  I read about Jay in a magazine called “Relevent,”  they were talking to him about his own campaign called “I Am Constance.”  He is trying to get the word out about human trafficking and that it still occurs and how horrible it actually is.  He is different from the others on this list because he is a rapper.  I think too many people have the mistaken idea that rap music is just about using swear words and talking about violence.  Jay is one of the artists that proves that stereotype wrong, and that rap music can make a difference in the world.  He has a soft voice that makes  you think he has felt some hardships within his own life to add to his songs and the words that he is singing.  You can tell he sings them from his heart and that he is truly invested into his work.

Pillar:  Pillar is a rock band.  Many of their songs can deal with fighting the addiction to pornography.  That is a subject that many people will not be so willing to sing about.  They have a sound that will keep you wanting more and the music really gets into your head.  You will find yourself bobbing your head to the music and after you hear a song, you will most likely be singing it.  ‘Frontline” is a great song about serving on the front line in the army of God.  Meaning that you are not afraid to declare you are a Christian.  Our battle cry is our faith and our songs.

Listening to Christian radio can help you hear some musicians that you haven’t heard before, but it also can help you know who are the most popular.  When you are starting into the Christian music, you want to try listening to some of the popular artists then looking for ones that may not be as popular that fit your musical style.  I think  everyone should listen to at least one song by everyone of the popular artists.  That way you will get a good idea of whose music you like and you can find people who have similar sounds.

Have you ever thought that the US ever had so many days we celebrate? I have written about 38, but going over and over again to learn about history, I’m learning there are many new holidays and days coming to our calendar soon. Here are a few of the calendar days as well as federal days.

a. Thanksgiving                                                              
b. Christmas                                                                      
c. Independence day                                      
d. Memorial day                                                          
e. Labor day                                                             
f. mothers day                                                
g. fathers day                                                       
h. Valentines day                                                     
i. Hanukkah
j. Kwanzaa
k. Uniform holidays bill
l. Veterans day
m. New years day
n. Martin Luther king Jr.
o. Inauguration Day
p. Columbus Day
q. Columbus Day
r. Washington’s Birthday
s. Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
t. Flag Day
u. National Grandparents’ Day
v. Wright Brothers Day
w. Patriot Day
x. Thomas Jefferson’s birthday
y. Peace Officers Memorial Day
z. Parents’ Day

1a. Law Day, U.S.A. (May 1)
2b. Leif Erikson Day                                                                        
3c. Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17)
4d. Child Health Day
5e. Ash Wednesday
6f. Groundhog day
7g. ST. Patrick’s day
8h. April fools day
9i. Good Friday
10j. Easter
11k. Boss’s day
12l. Earth day

There are many people who have written books about surviving one of mankind’s most horrendous events: the Holocaust. These stories are filled with courage and strength. There are so many stories that touch hearts and bring tears to your eyes as you read through the novel. Some of those stories include: Alicia: My Story, Night, and Misha: A Memoir of the Holocaust Years. The only thing is, Misha: A Memoir of the Holocaust Years isn’t a story of Holocaust survival. It is simply a story. The novel was written in 1997 and was published by Mt. Ivy Press. It was translated into eighteen different languages and was even produced into a French film. “Misha” was big in Europe and Canada, but not so much in the United States.

The story follows the life of Misha Defonsea and how she was able to survive the Holocaust. It talks of herself living with wolves, eating with them and protecting their young, as well as her walking 3000 miles in order to find her parents, wandering into the ghettos, and even killing a Nazi solider. The novel even talks of a love affair at the young age of nine. When her parents get taken away by the Nazi soldiers she is sent to a family and given the name Monica De Wael, then she runs away and begins her journey in search of her family and living with the wolves. Sounds like an amazing story doesn’t it? Does it seem a little too good to be true? Well, it is. In Febuary of this year, 11 years after it was published, the author has come out and stated that the story she wrote was in deed fake. She isn’t even Jewish, but Catholic.

The author’s name isn’t even Misha Defonsea, but actually Monique De Wael, the exact name she gives her character. Her parents were arrested and she spent the war in Brussles with her grandfather and uncle. She admitted that her story was all in her head and found it hard to tell the difference between her fantasy and her real life. According to the Boston Globe, they raised questions in 2001 about the truth of her story and De Wael insisted even then that the story was true. Yet before the book was even published, Mt. Ivy Press was warned that the story was not true by at least two or three people. De Wael didn’t just try to pass of the false story as truth in a novel, but she also presented it on the Holocaust Memorial as her own true story. Publisher Jane Daniel tried to sue the author because of “perpetrating a hoax” but the judge denied the claims.

Daniel and De Wael had a previous court case over whether or not the publisher marketed the book enough in the United States, that was in 1998 just one year after it was published. The author claims Daniel didn’t because the book wasn’t as popular in the States as it was overseas. The author also claimed that she was not getting the right amount of royalties, but that Daniel was robbing her. The court ruled in favor of the author at that time. The case was thrown out because the allegations were not included in that first case, which I would have to wonder how could it have been included when the author just announced it to be false? Many questions were raise in the years leading up to De Wael to coming clean. The story seemed to have elements that just didn’t seem to add up such as a love affair at the age of nine.

Writing a false story of surviving the Holocaust and trying to pass it off as truth is not only wrong, but also distasteful. It seems as if she just took away from the stories of actual survivors like Eli Weisel. The Holocaust was one of mankinds most horrific events, one should not try to capitalize on the popularity of real life accounts of this. Even if it was a story in her mind, De Wael should not have tried to pass it off as her own story. It is one thing to write a fictional novel about the event, but to try and pass it off as truth is another. Nothing about this story is right! The publisher should have the right to sue if they found out that a non-fiction book they marketed was false. I would see it as false marketing on their part, if they knew, but they didn’t. They should be able to get some sort of compensation for the work they put into it. De Wael needs to have an apology to those who have survived the Holocaust and kept their stories true and real.

I know there are always stories that are marketed as true, but end up being false, but trying to pass of a story of surviving the Holocaust is so terrible. No one should try to pass of a story of horror and terror as truth when it is false. There are so many people who have survived the Holocaust and deserve the recognition for it. It is a feat to have been able to survive the horror that the Jewish people were put through. To try and create a false story is terrible. I for one wouldn’t even want to attempt to read such a novel because of what it would stand for.

Is there such a thing as a real secret?  Secrets, those private matters that are hush hush and sometimes only known by one or two people are what has often rocked the world when revealed.  I remember distinctly being in a class a long time ago.  The professor was telling us about a group of people who met to discuss their unsolved crimes.  The purpose of the clandestine meeting was to tell how each person was able to pull off the “perfect crime”,  which had baffled the police and authorities to the extent that they remained  enigmas for years.  The people who committed these crimes were now bold enough to meet to disclose their clever schemes.  It was understood and agreed upon  that no one was to go outside of the circle and tell anyone, not even their spouses. 

Well, of course, because the schemes were too good to be kept confidential, each person was eventually arrested for the unsolved crime he/she had committed.  The pact to not discuss the schemes outside of the circle was slowly broken .  Some of them shared with their spouses what they had heard,  and their spouses rehearsed the gross scenarios with others, and they shared it with still others, until the widened exposure resulted in everyone’s arrest. 

  Why do people keep secrets?  There are several reasons for keeping secrets:  : 

a. embarrassment
b. punishment for  criminal behavior
c. shame and disgrace
d. indecency
e. family incrimination  or blots on one’s good reputation 
f. fear or reprisal
g. fear of rejection or hatred
h. personal or sensitive information leaks
i. compromising confidential or sealed information
j. the possibility that such information that can be used against you or another person        
k. threats if information is disclosed  

These are just some of the reasons people work hard to keep something secret.  Even small children keep secrets from their parents for any of the above mentioned reasons.  As a person grows and matures, they find ways to keep their secrets locked behind the vaults of their minds.  We call this putting things on the back burner.  But are they ever on the back burner?  I maintain that some secrets serve to function as plagues to our lives and progress.

Are there good secrets?  Yes, there are good secrets.  People who are philanthropists often request that their gifts and donations be given anonymously.  I call these good secrets.  Even Christmas presents are sometimes given anonymously by agencies who want to share in the Christmas spirit.  These good secrets hold the mystique for human curiosity, and wonderment.  Who doesn’t like to guess about the giver of  such gifts? 

Are there bad secrets?  Of course, many.  They exist like rushing water behind a dam.  If ever the dam is broken, the secrets flow out to cause embarrassment, collateral damage, and confusion.  Have you ever heard of people who decided to turn over a new leaf in their lives.  They, perhaps moved to a new location, changed their name, and made good their promise to themselves to reform their lives.  Even so, the secrets of the pass often come to haunt them.  They really can never live a normal life without the fear that someone from their pass may discover them.  This has happened, and again, a good life was exposed, and sometimes disabled.  On the other hand, others have been uncovered only to find that their new life has been so prolific, that it made little difference. 

When people wish they were a nail or fly on the wall, they are expressing the idea of listening in on conversations to which others are not privy.  They would be able to listen to many secret things.  Today, with technology, many people get their wish to hear those private conversations, or hear one  even talking to himself/herself.  That’s how advanced we have gotten, however, we still have not been able to discover every hidden or secret thing.   I use to worry about not knowing a lot of secrets.  However, the Bible gave me the assurance I needed.  “There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither nid, that shall not be known.”  Luke 12:2.  And then in Ecclesiastes 12:2 is the revelation that “God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”  Right before my eyes I could see that God knows everything– and that includes all secrets.  So, actually we are getting away with nothing even though we may not be rewarded or punished by our peers presently. God is our judge, and all of our deeds will be brought before him.  We are therefore, accountable to Him.  It makes complete sense then to have secrets, but it makes better sense to realize that there will a time of reckoning. 

Secrets, then, are not really secrets.  They are deeds and words that are simply buried for a time.   They are all exposed to God, though sometimes hidden from mankind.  Just as the criminals mentioned earlier felt confident that they had gotten away with their misdeeds, hidden secrets can lead us to deceive ourselves.  I don’t suppose anyone would like all of their secrets brought out of their boxes and placed on the table.  The greatest consolation I find when I think about secrets is that God alone will keep our secrets secure.  If our secrets have brought reproach and shame, we may tell Him alone, and He will restore and revive us.  And like happy parents who want to say, “Surprise!” to their children on their birthday, God will give us the happy surprise of forgiving all of our secret mistakes, and He will give us His love and guidance to transcend those mistakes of the past in order to live a life of dignity, hope and inspiration.    If you are talking about secrets– that my friends, is no secret!  

This Christmas, you can bring joy and hope to a child in desperate need by participating in a simple, yet life-changing, program called Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is an outreach ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Its name is based on the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37.

OCC works like this: pack a standard size shoebox with small gifts and personal items for a needy child. Include $7.00 for shipping, drop it off at any of their drop off locations and OCC will deliver the gift to a child in need along with the Gospel message of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed and shipped around the world, bringing joy to children who may not otherwise receive a Christmas gift at all.

Here are some guidelines for packing your box:

Use a standard size shoebox or small plastic container. You may wrap the box (lid separately), but this is not required.

Decide whether your box will be for a boy or girl in one of three age categories: 2-4 years, 5-9 years or 10-14 years old. You can print labels for the top of the box from their website.

Fill the box with a variety of gifts and personal items that the child would enjoy. Gift suggestions are: balls, dolls, stuffed animals, yo-yos, toys that light up or make noise, pens, pencils, paper, coloring books, toothbrush, toothpaste, hard candy, mints, gum, socks, t-shirts, etc.

Please do not include war-related items such as guns, knives or military figures, liquids, chocolate or glass items.

Include $7.00 for each box for shipping costs, place a rubber band around each box and drop off at any participating drop off location. You may also mail the box to

Samaritan’s Purse

Operation Christmas Child

801 Bamboo Road

Boone, NC 28607

National Collection Week is November 17-24, 2008, so be sure to have your box dropped off by that date to be included in this year’s shipments.

You can go to the Samaritan’s Purse website at www.samaritanspurse.org to find more information about this and their many other worthy programs, print shoebox labels, find drop off locations, read testimonies and more. This is such a simple, inexpensive way to eternally touch the life of a child in desperate need. Won’t you consider taking a few moments to pack a box and make a lasting, positive change in the world?