December 1944 (2) Leyte

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Pacific Paratrooper

16 December – Douglas MacArthur was promoted to Five-Star General. It seemed that General MacArthur’s promotion to General of the Army would require assistance from many sides. It posed a problem in the respect that there was no such object as a five-star insignia in existence in the Pacific. A clever Filipino silversmith created one from a miscellaneous collection of Dutch, Australian and Filipino coins.

Deck of the USS Anzio during Typhoon Cobra

17 December – Typhoon Cobra hit the Philippine Islands. TF-38 was caught off-guard and the destroyers, USSHull, MonghamandSpencewere sunk and 22 other vessels received damage. While 150 aircraft were blown off the decks of the carriers, more than 750 sailors drowned.

19 December – Adm. Nimitz was made Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Areas, thereby promoting him to Fleet Admiral of the US Navy, a 5-Star Admiral.

USS Bryant

21→22…

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Fabulous Friends

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Peacock Poetry

I feel so lucky to have incredible friends in my life. Over the years some friendships have grown and evolved, some have come to their natural close but mostly friendship has been a very instinctive process. Whilst walking in the hills one night and reflecting on some of my most treasured relationships, I decided to dedicate a poem to the noun itself!

Friendship

I have always taken you seriously

and yet held you lightly

For me, you are neither a fair-weathered passing dalliance nor a weighty burden upon my back

Over the years I have created you and watered you

I have cherished you and lost you

I have needed you and offered you

I have leaned in to you and provided you

from the bottom of my heart

We have sobbed together

And laughed like a bunch of drunken hyenas.

I am so deeply grateful for the ease in…

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Plowing Through ~

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CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Some days I need,
the Holy Spirit
to help me to . . .
plow right through it.

For there’s too many,
obstacles in my way
and I need His strength
to get around the day.

Some days I need,
the Holy Spirit to inspire
so I can get through
all the worldly mire.

I need His power,
to dig through the muck
otherwise I know
I would only get stuck.

Some days I need,
just to plow through
and Lord I know . . .
I couldn’t without You!

~~~~~~

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things
through Christ
which strengtheneth me.

King James Version
Public Domain

Copyright 2021
Deborah Ann Belka

~ to GOD be the GLORY ~

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Happy Holly Daze

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It was a bright sunny day in late December. I was sitting on a bench reading a book glancing up from time to time to see what was going on around me. I was looking down at my book, and a strange feeling came upon me. I peeked and saw a beautiful red-haired woman with a bright smile sitting next to me. Her hair flowed from beneath her Santa hat onto the shoulders of her red sweater with lights that lit up on and off. She wore black leggings that went halfway down her calf, and she was barefoot with some mistletoe tied to her right big toe.

“Hello.” I smiled at her.

“Merry Christmas!” She smiled with a twitch in her face. “It is so nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” I said. “You are very Christmassy today.”

“Thank you.” She stretched her bare feet across my lap. “I am Holly Daze.”

“Holly Daze?” I thought it was a cute name for a cute lady. “I like your name.”

“Thank you,” she had a gleeful joy about her. “When I am happy, you can call me Happy Holly Daze.”

“What a very cute name.” I grinned. “I hope that you can get something good for Christmas.”

Another woman with bright red hair came to the bench wearing a red shirt, green leggings with red socks and black flat shoes, and she sat opposite of where Holly was seated.

“Oh,” Holly blurted as she was rubbing her foot across my lap, “this is Carol Ling.”

Carol gave me a kiss on my cheek.

“Now I see Christmas Carol Ling. You are not going to sing, are you?” I thought that I should ask the question.

“Nope,” said Carol. “I will give you something instead.”

She peeled off her right sock and handed it to me. “Whatever you pull out of my sock is yours.”

I hesitated, but then I reached in, and I pulled out a set of car keys.

“The Range Rover is right over there.” She pointed to a white Range Rover parked in a nearby parking space.

“Thank you,” I said to her.

She kissed me again. “You are very welcome.” She put her sock back on. “I hope that you enjoy it.”

“Would you both like a ride?” I shook the keys.

They looked at each other.

We got into the Range Rover. Carol sat in the back seat. Holly sat in the passenger seat. She took her shoes and socks off and put her bare feet on the dashboard. As we went off, I was enjoying my Happy Holly Daze and Christmas Carol Ling.

Be A Contender ~

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CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Be a contender,
strive for the goal
fight for your faith
will all your soul.

Hold on to your belief,
never let it go
despite the punches
at you others throw.

Be aware of preachers,
who think nothing of sin
for if you follow them
the race you won’t win.

For many will deny,
in these last of days
Jesus own words about
following in His ways.

Be a contender,
for you are in for a fight
be alert as you battle . . .
for what you know is right!

~~~~~~

Jude 3.1

Beloved, when I gave all
diligence to write unto
you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write
unto you, and exhort you that
ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints.

King James Version
Public Domain

Copyright 2021
Deborah Ann Belka

~ to GOD be the

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Clouds Without Water ~

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CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Clouds without water,
by the wind carried about . . .
causing in their listeners
a spiritual drought.

Doomed and depraved,
are these so called teachers
for they’re the church’s . . .
counterfeit preachers.

Gallivanting stars,
evangelist wanna be’s
coasting along . . .
on the waves of our tv’s.

Serving not God will,
but their own egos
follow false doctrine
wherever she blows.

Clouds without water,
leaving soul’s thirsty
for they wander into . . .
gospel’s dark and murky!

~~~~~~

Jude 1.12-13

These are spots in your feasts
of charity, when they feast
with you, feeding themselves
without fear: clouds they are
without water, carried about
of winds; trees whose fruit
withereth, without fruit,
twice dead, plucked up
by the roots;

Raging waves of the sea,
foaming out their own shame;
wandering stars, to whom is
reserved the blackness
of darkness for ever.

King James Version
Public…

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