Luke chapter 2 describes the biblical account of shepherds in Bethlehem who encounter an angel announcing the birth of the Savior. The angel’s message brings joy, encouraging the shepherds to visit the newborn Messiah. The Advent season leads to Christmas in the Christian liturgical calendar.
Shepherds and Angels
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.
“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.
Shepherds drawing by Bill Hart
Bill Hart-WWII veteran and artist
The late Bill Hart was a professional artist. He served in the United States Army during World War II and was part of the force which invaded and liberated France in 1944. You can read Bill’s story at this link.
Advent- four weeks before Christmas
The season of Advent, which comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming” or “visit,” begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year for Christians. [Liturgical — from liturgy, which means the forms and functions of public worship.]
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Veterans Day honors those who served in the U.S. military, including persons like the late Bill, a World War II veteran. His memoir recounts his grim role in Normandy and his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a common issue among military personnel. After the war, Bill used art to cope with traumatic memories, and was eventually diagnosed with PTSD. The National Center for PTSD is dedicated to PTSD research and education to help trauma victims.
The United States celebrates November 11 as Veterans Day, designated to recognize and honor people who have served in our armed forces. (This is historically Armistice Day, the end of World War I.) I remember the veterans in my life- my late father, my husband, cousins and many friends.
I especially remember my late friend Bill. Bill served in the Army during World War II , part of the force that invaded Normandy France in June 1944. I recently read a memoir he wrote about his military experiences.
As a 20-year-old he joined the Army in 1943, deployed to England and prepared for the invasion. What he thought would be a grand adventure turned into a nightmare which he vividly captured in his book.
Several days into the fighting on the beaches at Normandy, he was assigned to pick up and transport the bodies of fallen soldiers. Thereafter, as he worked his way across France and Belgium into Germany, he found himself dodging enemy soldiers, liberating concentration camps, dealing with angry and defeated POWs, and famished, humiliated civilians struggling to survive. Bill described what he saw and felt this way.
“At night I would think about the poor GI’s family when they got the news of his death. I tried not to think too much about this “dead guy” job. It seemed to go on forever. For the next month and a half I was really alone, not attached to any outfit. I found my own food, water, gas for the Jeep and slept alone beside the Jeep in an open field. I shaved with cold water in my helmet and used my Jeep mirror to see.
The Germans were always near. I was scared I would be killed or captured. “Who knows where I am? Who would tell my mother if I died?”
In the beginning it had been exciting being alone with the invasion action all around me. But now I have panic attacks and nightmares of the dead bodies waking me as I sleep in the open field alone. Most GI’s have other soldiers around them to feel safety in numbers. I had no one. I can’t get their dead faces out of my mind. I wait for the bright morning sun to erase the terrible images.”
After the war, Bill established a career as a commercial artist. Art provided not only a living for him and his family but also an outlet for dealing with the distressful memories of the war. He created an extensive portfolio of drawings and paintings depicting images of what he saw and experienced. By expressing his feelings on canvas, he released some of their distress.
“Later I forced myself to stop thinking about the “dead guys” experience and eventually forgot it. 62 years later, in 2006, when I applied for compensation for war injury during the Battle of the Bulge, the woman who interviewed me kept telling me I was leaving something out, something from my past. I finally remembered after much writing about my remembered events in the 1944 and 1945 war period and was diagnosed with PTSD.
I believe, the greatest event of the 20th century took place during the June 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion. I am very proud of being a small part of that great historical event that will always be remembered.”
Quotes and drawings from Bill’s memoir, D-DAY VET REMEMBERS NORMANDY (copyright) used by permission of his late wife Greta
Bill was proud to be a World War II veteran and I count it a privilege to know him. He was a kind, gentle man who loved God, his family and friends. He is missed by all of us who love him.
Once known as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue”, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, has become the most common post-military service disorder. Although it also occurs in civilians who experience severe trauma, it has been defined, studied, and treated among current and former service members.
PTSD develops after exposure to or experiencing significant traumatic events such as interpersonal violence, death or threat of death, serious accidents, disasters, and combat.
There are 4 types of symptoms-
Intrusions, such as flashbacks, nightmares
Avoidance- isolating oneself from people and/or certain situations
Negative mood changes, such as irritability, anger and depression
Hypervigilance- being easily startled, always on edge
PTSD can also lead to depression, anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse and suicide.
It is also frequently associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain.
The National Center for PTSD (Veterans Administration) is dedicated to research and education on trauma and PTSD, working to ensure that the latest research findings help those exposed to trauma. They offer extensive information and resources at this link
I didn’t want to ever go to Vietnam again when I came home in 1972 after a one-year tour of duty with the United States Army. I was stationed with the Americal Division, 3/18 Field Artillery Battalion near Tra Bong, a major village located about 25 miles west of Chu Lai, the headquarters of the…
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If you know someone affected by trauma, you may find this helpful.
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