saving face

I am reading a book called The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel. It is the true story of Museum curators who were put in service during WW2 to help identify and recover the art, sculptures and cultural items that had been stolen by the Nazis.

There is always plunder in war, but Hitler and the Nazis made a machine out of stealing the great works of art.

I learned a lot from this book about art. But I also learned some other interesting historical facts. In the last month of his life, with the war being lost, Hitler ordered the complete destruction of his own country. All bridges, canals, railroads and infrastructure were to be completely destroyed so to delay the advance of the Allied forces.

Destroy your own country? Why? It seems that he had some misguided sense of saving face or military defiance. It is the ultimate exercise in “I am not going to say I’m sorry.” Some people, even in the face of their own foolishness, can not admit that they were wrong.  Some are willing to destroy their own countries, their own families, their own lives rather than say "I'm sorry."

Fact is, we are wrong, we humans, more often than one might think. The path to a healthy life is not insisting that I am always right, but by making my way carefully, kindly and humbly along the daily journey, doing the best that I can and making course corrections along the way. What course corrections lie in wait for me today? Will I see them? Will I recognize them for what they are? Will I take them? I hope so. Will you?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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I am leading some trips in 2018. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land via Jordan
March 5-14 2018
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl18-brinkman-030518j-17768#eotours

Wesley's Ireland
October 8-17, 2018
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/wesley-in-ireland-2018-with-rev-jeff-brinkman#eotours