enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life: That's Enough For Me

Hamas is firing rockets at Israel. Israel is defending itself. It is a real war with real sirens, real bomb shelters, soldiers protecting 24/7, and a people living and waiting.

I do not know how the media is portraying the destruction that is taking place outside of Israel, but I am here experiencing and seeing it firsthand. This is not a battle. It is a terrorist attack. I fully support the military that is protecting Israel. Without a doubt, I see the hand of God protecting this land. There have been over 1,100 rockets fired at Israel from Gaza. Every rocket has been intended to hit the land for destruction and to take the lives of civilians. Up until this evening, not one death in Israel has happened. Sadly though, an Israeli civilian was killed by a Hamas mortar today. Again, over 1,100 Hamas terrorists rockets have been fired and Israel has defended its people from all of them. This is not a battle between one army versus another army. Israel is abiding by international standards, laws and regulations as it is fighting a hateful, brutal, terrorist organization that abides by its own standards. They are the only party that is abiding by international standards of laws and regulations regarding FAIR battle operations.

To minimize harm to civilians in Gaza, the IDF has:

1. Made thousands of phone calls and text message warnings

2. Dropped thousands of leaflets to civilians to "avoid being present in the vicinity of Hamas operatives" and for their safety (See the above copy of leaflet and translation)
3. Called off airstrikes when pilots spotted civilians - even when missiles were speeding toward their target

4. Done "roof knocking", which is loud but non-lethal bombs to warn civilians that they are near a target, giving them time to leave the site

I am not making this up. Any person could search the Internet right now and find out that this is the truth. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is making a massive effort to limit any civilian causalities. Hamas is intentionally exploiting their civilian population for their terrorist missions. In contrast to limiting civilian causalities, Hamas is launching rockets at civilians. They are trying to abduct, kill, harm and maim the people. They are intentionally putting the population of Gaza (their own people) in harms way for their terrorists missions. Even asking them to put themselves or sacrifice themselves in the line of fire to protect their weapons.

To put it bluntly:

The IDF uses weapons to defend civilians.
Hamas uses civilians to defend their weapons.

So, what does this look like on a personal level? It looks like a number of things. I notice ingrained fear on the faces of people. Children are not playing in the street. I hardly see anyone out on my morning walks. If an air-siren goes off, it doesn't matter what is going on; in the shower, on Skype, reading a book, cooking. You run. You run to that bomb shelter. Where I live, I only have a minute and a half to get to the shelter. But some only have half a minute. Some have less than that. If you're on the street or in your car, you get out and lay down in a "safe" place and cover your internal organs from potential shrapnel. So, personally, it looks like that.....but there is something more: This is what life is like for the people living here. We all have to keep going. Whether there are rockets and/or air-sirens, life just goes on. Time doesn't stop.

Amongst all the facts and truth, do you realize that I am referencing rockets? These are not the rockets we used in Science class or bottle rockets for Independence Day. These are real rockets. I am talking about real rockets. It is real, but is seems so, so unreal. Even last week, in lieu of classroom normalcy, all prepared "lesson plans" were thrown out the window. Instead, we has a lesson on War 101: What To Do. Now, this is a funny thought (How ironic: funny and war. The least ironic references ever), how does one talk about "War 101: What To Do" when they have never experienced the topic before(?!?)....as we were discussing all the aspects that revolve around war, a giant explosion went off outside. There was no siren. The explosion shook the house all the way down to the foundation. Within seconds, there was a second explosion that was louder and more powerful. The vibration went through the whole house, shaking it as if it was as light as a play dollhouse. The windows eerily rattled and reverberated in their panes. The widened eyes turned on me, searching my face for what to do.

When a moment like that comes, the person that you really are will surface. Without previous experience, faith and surrender or fear and freak-out is the only thing that a can person respond with. Like any person, I have the potential to respond in a wide array of ways. I cannot pretend that I do not have adrenaline whizzing though my body. But, in even a greater way, I have peace. Again, without a doubt, I see the hand of God protecting this land.

If He is protecting Israel (He is) and I am living in Israel (I am). Then, He is protecting me. That's enough for me and that's what I respond with.

Today, during our morning walk, the student's and I experienced our first air-siren away from the home and bomb shelter. I have always told the children that if a siren goes off while we are walking, in that moment we have to have faith. There will be a spot, we'll see it and we will go to it. That happened. There was a tall concrete wall and we quickly made our way to it. There were two loud and powerful explosions that happened as Israel intercepted rockets that Gaza had shot. We were shaken but completely safe. Although they're hard to find, you can see the contrails. There are four faint lines.

The link directly below shows the Iron Dome in action. This video is from today and is when the Iron Dome intercepted the rockets. This video is from the same time when we were protected, outside next to the concrete wall! The first two times I watched this video I cried tears of gratitude and tears of other emotions I have no name for. I am so thankful for the Iron Dome.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=809102665779272