Along the Way

Nevada 140 somewhere between Winnemucca and Oregon.

I have always been attracted to the journey. Some of my earliest memories involve a Volkswagon Bus and road trips with my older brother. I couldn't have been more than five years old when he started taking me on the road and I caught my first glimpses of America. I began to learn about other places when I was young, and I am still a bit of a wayfarer today. I learned it from my older brother, the traveling fool.

The way I see it, there's something really good to be found for a man on the open road. I believe we learn a great deal about ourselves and how things are when we are removed from our familiar surroundings. That's one of many reasons why I love taking youth on trips outside their own culture. We learn that the rest of the world is not like us. Our senses get awakened, we learn to adapt to others -- making us less about ourselves -- and our spirit's come alive as we see the presence of God everywhere we go.

I used to tell our visiting mission teams in Ireland that "it is not unlike the Lord to bring you thousands of miles just to do a work in you". Almost without exception, he did. Most of our visiting students had encounters with grace and community, purpose and people like they had never experienced before. This had little to do with us and more to do with an awareness that was made to these things that already existed. They were simply in a position open to receive because their senses were alive. After all, the Father is just as present on their college campuses as he is in rural Ireland.

For a country whose history was written by the explorer, the revolutionary, the pioneer, and the inventor -- all travelers of sorts -- we are certainly conditioned to "settle down" and "root". I am aware that there are many nomads who are isolated in their meandering to find themselves or get lost, but I do not believe that all who wonder are lost. There is a tremendous difference between the detached nomad and the pilgrim whose journey seems filled with purpose. While the nomad may be running away, the pioneer and pilgrim is on a journey of discovery. America's pioneers understood "why" they were going, even if they didn't know exactly "where".

Sometimes blessing comes from leaving home. Abraham was told to leave his Father's household eventhough he didn't know where he was going. Even the disciples of Christ left home, father, and the family business to follow a homeless man. No one would argue that their journey was without purpose. From Genesis to the New Testament, the biblical narrative tells the story of the people of God on the move.

There is a remarkable little promise Jesus made to his followers in Matthew 18:20. He said, "Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." Equally ground-breaking is the precious encounter Jesus had with a Samaritan woman in John 4 when he said to her, "Believe me woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain" (referring to the Samaritan holy place) "or in Jerusalem" (referring to the Temple). Both of these statements of Jesus were quite revolutionary. The Jewish people were a people connected to place -- the Temple -- and they had a hard time worshipping God when they were not in that place.

Something dramatically changed when the curtain of the Temple was torn in two upon Jesus's crucifixion. No longer was the presence of God tied to a place. We find our home with him wherever we go along the way. In fact, followers of Christ were known as The Way before they were commonly called Christians. Today, we often think of our church buildings as places to meet with God, and millions do. We have been taught to expect to meet with God in these places, but we must remember that the Spirit of God is not bound by bricks and morter. His presence can be found in the coffee house, the church house, and in my house.

All too often, we legitimize churches because of their building (their place). Why do forget that our legitimacy comes from Jesus, and he is present with us "as we go"? I recently read an author who said that a church filled with God's Spirit is never allowed to settle down. Settling down seems attractive, safe, and right to us -- and it is certainly easier to control. I'm just not so convinced that following Christ was ever meant to be confined to a place. We are the living Body of the living Christ, and just as the Father would not allow himself to be contained by Temple walls, neither should we be. He has determined for his grace and mercy to move across the world on the backs of his traveling fools.

The work of God -- nor the worship of God -- should or can be contained by a building. There must be a fluid movement -- in and out of our buildings -- of the people who love God. As for the wayfarers in our midst? Don't discount their journey. They may be on to something very close to the heart of God!

Compelled

10,000

Now I realize that reaching 10,000 hits is small time in the blogging world, but it's a milestone nonetheless -- and one I am happy to be reaching. I know that many of you started with us while we were still in Ireland and still check in from time to time out of interest in us or simple curiosity about some of the things I write about. I would like to know who you are. So...if you have the time and interest, I would enjoy hearing from you by having you leave some feedback on this article. Tell us a bit about yourself and why you check THE WAYFARER from time to time. You can leave your comments by clicking on "Comments" under this article. We appreciate those who check in on us.

Narcissus

Narcissus

In Greek mythology, the story of Narcissus is told about a hero from Thespia who was known for his beauty. He was the son of the nymph Liriope and the river god Cephisus. For purposes of modesty, we will stick with the Roman version of the story told by Ovid since it leaves out the details of Narcissus being sexually attracted to his sister...

As the story goes, Narcissus had been on a lifelong journey looking for love but never seemed to find it. One day, while hunting in the woods, he became thirsty and went to take a drink from a stream. When he saw his reflection in the water, he fell in love with it, not realizing that the reflection belonged to him. He bent down to kiss the reflection, but as he did, it disappeared. He was broken-hearted as love eluded him once again. His thirst grew more intense, but he was afraid to touch the water because he didn't want the reflection to disappear. As the legend goes, he died of thirst and self-infatuation as he stared at his own reflection.

When Narcissus was an infant, his mother, concerned for her son's future, consulted a prophet named Teiresias who told her that Narcissus "would live to a ripe old age, as long as he never knew himself." As it turned out, it was his self-infatuation that cut his life short.

I'm not the type of person who draws his belief from mythology and legend, but I do appreciate how these stories were told within the context of their own culture to explain the human condition. I find the story of Narcissus to be particularly relevant for the times -- and relevant for the church as well. We use the term "narcissism" loosely today to describe the traits of self-love, vanity, conceit, egotism, or even selfishness. It is probably more accurate to say that narcissism is excessive self-love based on one's self-image or ego.

The lesson from Narcissus is clear: self-infatuation is deadly.

We live in a society that tells us our happiness comes from improving ourselves. The marketing kicks in to convince us that the key to happiness is found in everything we don't yet have (from rock-hard abs to rock-star possessions). "If I could only make my life better, I would be happier." Isn't it interesting how as our gaze turns inward, happiness seems more and more elusive? With the number of self-help gurus on the rise and the amount of stuff we now possess, you'd think we would be the hap-hap-happiest people on the planet!

And there is no shortage of these self-help gurus floating about in the church, either. With their mantras of "the Lord wants you to be blessed", you would think that the only thing that matters to the Lord is my personal prosperity and comfort. This is a hard message for followers of Christ to reconcile with a world infested by poverty, brokenness, and war. Apparently, it's only a message that we can afford! With any number of churches concerned only with their existence and the improvement of their existence, it would seem that we, too, may be paying too much attention to our image in the River Styx*.

I say "we" because I realize I am not too different from what bothers me (perhaps that's why it bothers me so much!). After all, I can be deeply torn between the pursuits of my own needs/wants verses a very different life in the Kingdom of God. I am certain there is no life to be found in the pursuit of self, so I am not sure why I keep pursuing it as often as I do. We do, after all, follow the one who seemed to tell us that if we want to find our life, we must lose it. His message of self-sacrificing love is the antithesis of narcissism.

We might be narcissistic when we are concerned more with our "image" rather than the authentic work of his grace. We might be narcissistic when we are concerned more with ourselves or our church than with his call to serve others. We might be narcissistic when we concern ourselves more with our own well-being rather than the well-being of those around us who are in need. The life Jesus promises can escape us when we obsess over our individualistic or corportate selves.

Thirsty, anyone? Don't be afraid to shatter that image being reflected back at you. "Whoever drinks from the water I give him will never thirst again" (Jesus in John 4:14).

*According to legend, Narcissus still keeps gazing on his image in the waters of the River Styx, the mystical river that separates Earth from Hades.

Conduit

Respectable Sin

* * *

I'm going to toss around a word from time to time in this article that I don't often use. That word? Abomination. I looked up the word recently and saw it defined as "anything abominable; anything greatly disliked or abhorred; intense aversion or loathing". I can't say that I have many opportunities to throw such a strong word into conversation. It is, however, a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in some Christian circles -- thrown at, more likely -- usually aimed at whatever lepers have been created in our heads.

Isn't it interesting how we use the word abomination to describe someone else's sin? Most of us would never think of attaching that word to our own sin habits. After all, our sin is -- well -- more respectable, acceptable, and tolerable. Turns out that word "respectable" means "of good social standing". We tend to think of our own sin as "respectable" because our sin is more socially acceptable. We've done a terrific job of hiding our vile stuff...maybe even the stuff that turns God's stomach.

In Revelation 3:16, the word that sticks out to me is usually translated as "spit". Although spit carries with it crude connotations for some, a more accurate translation might be "spew" or "vomit". Apparently, it leaves a bad taste in God's mouth when we are blinded to our own depraved nature and need for him. For some of us, we think "we don't need a thing", and we may assume that we've got our spiritual act together. At a minimum, we're glad that our sin isn't as bad as theirs.

On several occasions, I have had the opportunity to visit Trim Castle in Ireland. Film buffs will recognize Trim as the setting for much of the blockbuster movie "Braveheart". One on tour, I recall our guide telling an interesting story about a peculiar English noble habit at the castle. The English lord wanted to communicate English superiority in every way over the native Irish. There was a fella whose job was "The Keeper of the Dung". Every day, he would collect the feces of the nobles and smear it on the outside of the white castle walls. English poo was darker than Irish poo because of the richness of their diet...and thus, their superiority. It was a way of saying to the Irish peasants, "Even our crap is better than your crap." It's a barbaric fact of history. Thank God we're above that, right?

"My sin is better than your sin." "My crap is better than your crap." Poo is poo and sin is sin.

When we live under this air of superiority and are ignorant to what stinks about ourselves, we, in essence, are taking on the role of the "Keeper of the Dung" as we display what we feel is respectable and superior. We fail to miss how barbaric this act really is. Certain sins are an abomination, but our greed and our gluttony and our judgment are much more acceptable. Truth is...all sin is an abomination, and there can be no blurring of the lines between acceptable and detestable sins.

And there can be no mistaking the need for God's grace...

Religious sin certainly seems like an "abomination" to Jesus. In fact, all sin -- particularly the consequences of it -- was detested by Jesus. He, however, was driven by love to self-sacrifice and not by hate to condemnation! Shouldn't we be following his example rather than playing this game of "who's in and who's out"? I have a feeling we are more comfortable with lists and records than the Father is, and we are probably a whole lot more comfortable with our own "acceptable sin" than he is! I am certain that the only thing I have to boast or brag about is the love of God found in Jesus! I may look clean on the outside, but if you step closer, you'll get a whiff of reality!

The Good News isn't my goodness -- or yours! The Good News is his goodness! Any acceptability we possess comes from Jesus, so I'm not going to spend any time spreading my superior crap on the wall. The love of God changes the way I think about myself, and it certainly changes the way I think of others.

Our Best Laid Plans...

Somewhere we didn't want to be...

Two-thousand and eight certainly ended as unpredicable as it began for the Ray family. We spent some time with the in-laws over Christmas, driving nearly 22 hours one-way to be with the family. Our journey to Oregon was fairly uneventful, but almost everything that followed certainly was not. We woke Christmas morning at 6:00 a.m. to the blaring fire alarm in our hotel. Unshowered and bedraggled, we threw on our clothes, grabbed our camera, and headed for the parking lot. As the fire trucks rolled in and the smoke rolled out, we resigned ourselves to our dishevelled state and headed to my mother-in-laws for the day.

Our return journey to Colorado should have taken us just under 22 hours but ended up taking three days due to wave after wave of western snow and road closures. As we settled into a Super 8 in La Grande, Oregon and ate our survival food from McDonald's, I again had to resign myself to what was beyond my control. I needed to be at work Monday morning, but there was little I could do about it. Once the pass opened around 2:00 a.m., we made a break for it but had to encounter four more intense snow storms before arriving safely at our door in Denver. Throughout the whole journey, I was reminded about how seldom things are under our control.

If there's anything 2008 taught us, it's that the plans we make are subject to something or Someone else. We knew that '08 would be a year of transition and upheaval, and it has certainly been that. A year ago, we were beginning to pack up our home in Ireland and prepare ourselves for re-entry to the United States. We were facing the reality of good-byes and farewells, uncertain of what was ahead of us. Our best laid plans included Ireland, but those plans were obviously altered.

I was speaking to a woman in line at a department store in Roseburg, Oregon on Christmas eve day. The lines were massive, and I only had one item to purchase. She kindly offered to have me go ahead of her in line. I thanked her and said that I wasn't in a hurry. As she began to unload her cart onto the check out counter, she turned to me and said, "How come you are so patient and calm when everyone else in this place is in so much of a hurry?" I simply told her that I made up my mind before going into the store that I wouldn't be stressed. I resigned myself ahead of time to the inevitable delay.

Over the weekend, I headed to the mountains with one of our former interns who was visiting us from Indiana. We were driving through the northern Colorado Rockies when I saw a National Forest road that appeared to be plowed, so I took it in anticipation of finding some wildlife. All was going well until I got stuck in a snow bank and soon realized that my four-wheel drive wasn't going to be enough to get us out. All we had was a snow brush to dig with, so we spent the next couple of hours trying to unlodge my truck. Since we went off the road, the frame of the truck was resting on compacted snow, preventing my wheels from getting full traction. I resigned myself to the fact that we had to dig out the snow from underneath the frame of the truck (with a snow brush) and that we were going to get wet, cold, and tired. Did I mention it was 0 degrees, the sun was setting, and we had no cell phone coverage?

Resigned. Chuck it in. Give up. Abdicate my throne. Relinquish. Stand down. Surrender.

The word carries with it negative connotations, but there's an aspect of surrender and resignation that I have come to appreciate. I guess I would rather appreciate it than have it forced upon me! At some point in time, we all come to the end of what we can do, but in that place, it's good to know that there is something else of the Father's work that is on-going. Perhaps there's another purpose.

When I resigned myself to my dishevelled state on Christmas, I enjoyed a conversation with my sister-in-law that I might not otherwise have had. When I resigned myself to the weather and road conditions, I was able to enjoy the extra time I had to be with my wife. When I resigned myself to our international move, I was able to reflect back on our years in Ireland with gratitude and enjoy the new young people in Colorado that the Lord has brought into our lives. When I resigned myself to the crowds in the department store, I was able to enjoy a few moments of meaningful interaction with a stranger. When I resigned myself to digging out my truck with a snow brush, I could enjoy the memory that was being made with my friend.

I'm not sure what '09 has for us, but I don't think I'll be making plans anytime soon. For now, I want to appreciate the place we find ourselves in. I might dream a little too.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

May you and yours find hope and peace with God through his love, grace, and mercy found in Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Adding our love to His,

Mark & Brenda Ray

Peace

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

Peace. We bring this word out every year at this time and place it upon our greeting cards, but I find the idea of "peace on earth" to be a bit allusive for most of the year. Other than at Christmas time, perhaps we associate the word with pacifists and protestors. They own the word for most of the year, and we get to borrow it during the month of December!

It wasn't too many years ago that I remember having a discussion at a small group on the subject of "Peace and the Christian". The conversation was anything but peaceful! I am usually amazed at how discussing peace among believers can become so contentious. It is an infuriating subject for some. I once heard a man say "We are not called to peace but to justice!" I kind of thought they were one in the same, but for some reason, this man was more interested in doling out "justice" than he was "peace".

Of course, his idea of justice was to give to people what they deserved -- or at least what he thought they deserved! I -- for one -- am glad that God did not dole out what we deserved when he entered time as a babe in Bethlehem! When the incarnation of the Father came to earth, he brought peace -- and that peace is his idea of justice! Why does the idea of peace disturb us so much? Perhaps it is because there is something in the nature of man that is conflicted with God, conflicted with others, and conflicted with self.

Admittedly, I am not living at peace with myself lately. There are a lot of things whirling around in my head in regards to my state of being unsettled and the loss I feel in having left "home". Of course, I was amused the other day when I turned to Romans 12:18 and read this: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." The words "if it is possible" and "as far as it depends on you" struck me as particularly interesting. Since I didn't like the NIV translation of this verse, I did the usual search of a bunch of other translations to see which one made me feel better (yes, I am being cheeky here). The New Century Version put it this way: "Do your best to live at peace with everyone." That sounds nice.

The NIV translation stuck in my head, though, prodding me to take a deeper look. Could it be that peace isn't always possible? Paul's choice of words hint at the notion that peace with everyone may simply not be possible. Most of us have probably felt the sting of broken relationships through the years and still carry with us a lingering sense of disappointment or even regret. Even in the pages of the scriptures, we find stories of those godly men and women who went their separate ways because peace, for them in that moment, was allusive. I've realized that since peace must be dependent upon all parties involved, when someone chooses not to live in peace, there is very little we can do about it. We must simply "wipe the dust from our feet" and move on with love and forgiveness in our hearts.

While I cannot be responsible for the choices of others, I am responsible for my own decisions and actions. I believe there is something in Christ that calls us to work for peace, following his example of humility and selflessness to bring reconciliation. While I cannot resolve world conflicts from Cherry Street, I can strive to live at peace with my neighbor and love those in my proximity, serving them as the Prince of Peace did. There is enough conflict, alienation, and strife found in every square mile of the globe. Christ calls us to a different way of living.

The good news is that "as much as it depends on me" doesn't really apply to the peace we have with God. Fortunately for me, the peace I have with God is his gift -- one I gladly receive and am reminded of as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The nativity reminds me that his birth equals our new birth. Just as the shepherds who first received the news of the birth of Christ were terrified by the appearance of the angel, I would be terrified with the notion that my peace with God was dependent on my ability to acheive it. Thank God it isn't.

He is our peace!

"For he himself is our peace..." (Ephesians 2:14).

Book Recommendation

A Brethren Witness for the 21st Century by Brian H. Moore

For a few years now, I have been enjoying my conversations with Brian H. Moore, pastor of the St. James Brethren Church in St. James, Maryland. We share a common faith heritage which has grown into a friendship over the past couple of years. We have known the very real and practical love of God from Brian and his wife, Amanda through their friendship as well as their hospitality. They openned their home to us for a few months when we returned from Ireland needing a place to live, and we are grateful for the witness of their lives.

I care a great deal about the church, and I am concerned about the gap that exists between church culture and the rest of the world. Particularly, I have been interested in conversation regarding how the Brethren, people of the Anabaptist/Pietist tradition, can have a positive witness in these changing times. As the chasm between church and culture widens, what does the life and witness of the local Brethren congregation look like? Do we carry a unique message that resonates with the needs of post-modern society? Brian seeks to answer these questions in his new book A Brethren Witness for the 21st Century: A Search for Identity and Cultural Relevance. I am pleased to recommend his book to you.

In the first three chapters, Brian helps the reader to understand how Brethren thought and practice developed through the centuries by asking tough questions about our 20th century identity confusion and reflecting back on our origins in Germany and Colonial America. He clearly lays out the Brethren understanding of Scripture and authority as well as bringing to the reader an understanding of how anabaptism and pietism, persecution and war shaped the early Brethren.

In particular, chapters four through seven caught my curiosity as Brian explored four very distinct themes in Brethren thought that resonate with the post-modern society we find ourselves in. These themes include: authentic community, simplicity, peace, and the cost of following Christ.

Regarding Authentic Community: "No document, book or pamphlet can describe the Brethren; one must live the community experience in order to understand. A Brethren witness for the 21st century implies, then, an invitation: come walk with us. This is, if you please, our 'pre-evangelism', how we introduce people to Jesus Christ who lives in and through the community." (p.40). For the early Brethren, the church was not simply a gathering but a community. In our age of disconnectedness and isolation, the need for authentic community (not just a church service) is very real. Discipleship is not mere education but is an invitation for others to "do life with us" and be part of the community.

Regarding Simplicity: "...cutting out or cutting back will not, of itself, create the sense of wholeness or unification in life. One must also have a rationale behind the 'downsizing' of activity. True simplicity is about 'one thing'; what is the one thing one is seeking by attempting to streamline one's life? Is it simply to eliminate 'the sound and fury'? It could still signify nothing. The Brethren witness points to a purpose beyond one's self in seeking simplicity: 'Seek the Kingdom of God above all else...'" (p.49). Seeking simplicity simply to better one's own life is nothing radically new or different. The Brethren understanding of simplicity not only challenges the lifestyle of consummerism (of consuming and being consumed) but also disentangles our complications of Scripture, faith, and life.

Regarding Peace: "The Amish response [to the schoolhouse tragedy] is not indicative of how our justice system ought to operate. It is not indicative of how national policy ought to be formulated. It is, like Jesus' and Paul's teaching on the subject (e.g., MT 5:38-48; RO 12:19-21), a clear expression of personal ethics and personal responses. It is the way of peace in human relations. It is 'the better way taught by Jesus'...it is a call to live peaceably in a terrorized world." (p.58). It is not just nations who are at war. There is such an increase of interpersonal war and the loss of relationship that leads to increased isolation. Our witness for peace begins in our homes, our churches, and with our neighbors. Global peace gets the attention, but the need for restored relationships and loving your neighbor is stronger than ever.

Regarding the Cost of Discipleship: "We live in the 'comfort zone'. We assume that comfort is our right! If something makes us uncomfortable, we protest in some manner, perhaps silently by simply walking away, seeking some more comfortable place and experience. While our spiritual forebearers thought suffering was normal, we today consider it abnormal. Which do you think is a cultural value in contrast to a biblical value?" (p.63). I once heard Brian preach a sermon in which he identified comfort as "a god of the age". This god may be unknowingly worshipped in our churches, and our devotion to this god strips us of our desire or ability to follow Christ into the uncomfortable places, creating our bubble of comfort that keeps us isolated from the world around us. Brian goes on to say, "While the environment discourages suffering in any form, our heredity as Brethren, seeking to follow Christ, encourages us to be faithful in all things to the One who gave his all for us all."

I am delighted with Brian's offering, and I think it is a little jewel. If you are interested in getting a copy for yourself, they are available for $7. You can contact Brian directly at pastormo@myactv.net.

The Journey

Jesus of the Culture War

* * *

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read "Jesus Called. He Wants His Name Back". I chuckled to myself and pressumed that both the sticker and the car belonged to some fella trying to make an anti-Christian statement...that is until I saw his little fish decal in the window and came to the conclusion that both he and his car must be sanctified! Personally, I don't like to advertise my faith on my car. My driving wouldn't always give the best impression of the Prince of Peace!

It seems that almost everyone in Denver is using the bumper of their car to get some sort of message across. These valiant culture warriors are taking the "good fight of the faith" to the city streets and busy highways by sticking clever little slogans to the rear end of their car to provoke the thoughts of those stuck behind them in traffic. This, however, does not go unanswered by those in our community who counter with pithy little comments deriding people of faith or promoting their own humanistic alternative. Subaru's are almost sure to be carrying a pro-Obama or anti-Bush message, while trucks seem to sport their support of the Denver Bronco's or Bass Pro Shop. You can learn a lot about the person in the lane beside you by what he or she glues to their bumper...

With Christmas coming closer, the culture wars in America always seem to heat up a bit. There isn't hardly a day that goes by that I don't hear a story about an athiest group suing to prevent a nativity going up in a public square or a Christian group suing to get a plastic Jesus in a courthouse rotunda. There seems to me to be a lot of effort being made to dominate the culture. I'm just not so convinced that followers of Christ should be striving toward that end!

I'm not at all convinced that the King of kings is concerned about whether or not a plastic, illuminated image of himself as a baby will be permitted in the town park. I am also not satisfied that our efforts must go towards ensuring that symbols of our faith should be found in the halls of our government, but I am certain that the followers of Christ should concern themselves with the message of Christ!

I am also concerned about how easy it is for us to be sucked into these culture wars. It is easy for people of faith to feel like the "foundations of our faith" are being attacked when we hear about the lawsuits and other attempts to strip "Christ" from "Christ"mas in the public arena. But I find these cultural wars to be very unfortunate. All they really accomplish is to widen the divide and make enemies -- and I can't really see the spirit of Jesus in that.

There is no real "witness" gained by saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays". The real witness comes as we love and serve our neighbors in the spirit of Christ...a spirit that neither leads us to dominate the culture or create a sub-culture. Don't get me wrong...I say "Merry Christmas", and I've placed a nativity in the living room of our home, because I believe the message of Christmas is found in the gift of Jesus. If people are to see that "he is the reason for the season", it will come from the way we live as the followers of Christ and not by the prominence of our plastic, illuminated statuary.

Because of Jesus, I need to guard my heart and ensure that I am not an active participant in a culture war that makes unnecessary enemies in the process. I don't want to miss the "good news of great joy that will be for all the people" (Luke 2:10) because I am stressed about all the people trying to get rid of the good news. Everybody loses in a war.