The Heymann Family Journal

I would never vote for Trump. He is too rude. I do not think I could vote for Rubio because he is not experienced enough. But now I#m looking at Ted Cruz. I don't know anything about him, but he looks like he may have a chance.

The ground is covered with a heavy frost outside. I boiled water to put in the water container of my chickens. They waited for me to give them extra food today. They need it because of the cold. And I will not be leading the prayer group I usually lead on Fridays. Instead I need to shop for cloths for my kids to wear to their Opas funeral. The cold dark weather seems to mimic my mood. I am really sad. I’m making a slide show, and buying cloths, and it all seems real again. And the feelings of loss and gratitude are with me again. I seem to keep busy, and push these feelings aside. But they are with me and I guess that is just part of being human. We feel love, and we feel loss. But we also know hope, and the strongest emotion I feel at the moment is gratitude. I am thankful for knowing such an amazing, good man like Richard Heymann. I thank God for the life that he has lead.

Thank you for your prayers. Juergen was stuck in traffic and it took him 7 hours to arrive at his dads. He got there at 10pm and his father died at 11pm. He died peacefully. Juergen was very grateful to be there to thank him and pray for him. Richard was one of the best persons I have ever known. I am so grateful for his life and the gift he was to all of us. He loved Jesus and I have total peace about where he has gone. And I know I will see him again. Jürgen’s dad was a very special person. He was raised on a very large farm near the border of Holland. One of his brothers died in a farming accident, his mother died early from sickness, and his father was killed by the Nazis after he stood up at a town meeting and questioned them. So his life was not easy. He was forced to serve in the German army at the end of WW2. He was only 17 years old. He was sent to Holland. Once they were walking on a road when the road was bombed by the British. Everyone on the high side of...

Please pray for my husband Juergen. He is driving to North Germany to be with his father. We do not think his dad Richard will live much longer now. And the weather is not good. I am a little nervous about the trip. But Juergen will be with his brother and sisters. And we know Richard loves God and will be going home.

Yesterday Jürgen and I went to breakfast in Heidelberg. As we drove past the fields that are near Patrick Henry Village (a camp that now houses 6000 refugees) we saw dozens of people walking to Heidelberg. It is a very long walk. And it made me think of the miles they have walked over the past months. The weather was nice, but it is supposed to snow this weekend. I guess I can understand the fear I hear in the US press. But you should really understand the people who planned the Paris attacks were not refugees. They have lived in Europe for a while. And there are angry and disenfranchised people in America. You are not safe just because you close the door on people, who for the most part are fleeing war. I do not know if allowing 1 ½ million Syrian refugees is a great idea for Germany. I know this is a complex issue in the short and long term. I pray for our leaders. But I hope my Christian brothers and sisters would at the very least express some compassion and understand...

Sarah came home from school just now, anxious to tell me what happened. The entire school flooded the hallways at noon to pray for an entire minute for the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris. And the kids were talking to each other afterwards. And she told me about how some mean men had suicide vests. And I told her I was proud of her for praying. I remained calm on the outside as she tried to tell me what she had learned today. Sarah is off doing her homework. I am shaken and crying. I wish my 12 year old did not have to know there was such a thing as a suicide vest. I wish I was not sure we will see World War 3. I wish my sons were 6 years old, and not 18. But God has not given us a spirit of fear. And I am moved that millions of people all over Europe stopped and prayed. I pray we all know the comfort of the Holy Spirit. I pray God gives our leaders wisdom.

Juergen just got our tickets to see it in English! I am looking forward to it!

Sometimes I think the media is working with ISIS to stir up fear and anger in the population. There is a tragic reality that ISIS fighters could be entering Europe with the refugee population. But will we punish the entire refugee population (traumatized hurting families) because of a hand full of cowards? And where was America when the 2 million Iraqi Christians were being forced from their homes, many being tortured and killed? Why did we stand back and do nothing? Even now, why do we allow millions of Syrians to be displaced by their own government and ISIS, but we say no...They cannot come here! I remember reading that ship loads of Jews tried to flee Germany during WW2 and they were turned away by the British government. And I shook my head in sadness and unbelief. But now I read the posts of Christian friends on Facebook who are advocating putting up walls, and reposting the most awful and mean spirited propaganda condemning the entire Syrian refugee population. ISIS has already ...

We have Amazon Prime. I just started to watch their free Christmas movies. Jessica is so happy because they have Elmo’s Christmas DVD. Oh, and today the coolest thing happened. Jessica loves candles. So at lunch I light tw o candles for her. And she wants to blow the candles out but has never been able to blow them out. But today my 24 year old daughter learned to blow out candles. So I figure she has earned some wishes!