WEBVTT

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- Hi everyone. This is Chaplain Burson,

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and today's thought is on making room.

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Most of us remember that
on December 7th, 1941,

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Japan launched a surprise
attack on Pearl Harbor.

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But just a few hours
later, on December 8th,

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the Japanese also
attacked the Philippines.

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After hiding for three weeks,
Second Lieutenant Ruby Bradley

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a US Army surgical nurse, was
captured by Japanese soldiers.

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She spent the rest of the war

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as a POW in three different camps.

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And in all of them, the
conditions were terrible.

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She was given only one
cup of rice a day to eat.

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But still she gave part of her food

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to the hungry children who
were in the camp with her.

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As her weight dropped to only 84 pounds,

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she used the extra room in her uniform

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to smuggle more food for the children,

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and even surgical equipment

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to perform operations on sick prisoners.

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During her internment, she
assisted with 230 surgeries,

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and delivered 13 babies.

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Bradley was freed in
1945, but she continued

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to serve as a nurse.

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In 1950, she was serving in Korea,

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during the Chinese counter-offensive.

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And during the evacuation,
she refused to board the plane

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to safety, until she first
ensured that there was room

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for all of the wounded.

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Even though she was surrounded
by 100,000 Chinese soldiers.

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Finally, she was the very last
person to get on the plane,

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just as an ambulance exploded behind her.

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Colonel Bradley, retired as
one of the most decorated

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women in United States military history,

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including earning the Red Crosses'

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Florence Nightingale medal and
the title Angel in Fatigues,

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from her fellow soldiers.

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Seeing all of those
costs that Colonel paid

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to care for others, like losing weight,

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or losing her seat on the plane
that could saved her life,

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these are reminders of why
it's, so many of us fear

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making sacrifices for others.

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There's a real cost to it.

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But in "The Paradox of
Generosity", Christian Smith

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and Hilary Davidson show
through research a truth

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that has been in the writings
of philosophers, wise men,

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religious leaders throughout the ages.

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And you'll find it in the
story of Ruby Bradley.

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That in giving we receive, and
in grasping we actually lose.

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When we make room for
others, we also make room

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for more joy, and more
love in our own lives.

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As Proverbs 11:25 says, "A
generous person will prosper,

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whoever refreshes others
will be refreshed."

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Blessings this week.