Posted to the holy room board on Nov 12th, 2014
Position yourself for Victory
17 July 1480; I was commanding the Tshien regiment of the Third Elven army at the Battle of Kimchek Plains. We were facing the Malgon, a fierce warrior clan who fought primarily with bows and mostly on horseback.
The battle of Kimcheck Plains was largely fought by archers on both sides with the occasional charge by the Malgon into our lines; none of which were ultimately successful. Thus it became quickly a battle of amrksmenship, rate of
fire and attrition.
We were far from our supply lines as well as the staging area for our reinforcements and the weather was very hot on the plains that day. Thus by the time our reinforcements reached our lines they were exhausted and their combat effectiveness greatly reduced due to fatigue. Slowly as the battle wore on, it became apparent to all of the officers that we were losing soldiers faster than we could replace them.
Myself, captain Jilahd and Colonel Silverleaf commander of the Jdhar regiment pleaded with General Thistlethorn to withdraw the army to ground closer to our supplies and reinforcement staging area but he replied This army does not retreat! We shall not yield one furlong of ground to the enemy! Here we stand or here we die!
Valiant words to be sure but what was the practical effect on all of us?
The battle slogged on. The Malgon peppering us from their horses with arrows, our forces returning fire effectively as we may, but slowly being whittled away and thus our rate of fire dropping dangerously close to where those horse charges WOULD break our lines. Further, our reinforcements continued to arrive exhausted and thus were ground up fairly quickly.
Waylumi Intervened that day however, for General Thistlethorn was struck by an arrow to his helm which, blessedly did not kill him, but Blessedly DID knock him unconscious and so command passed to Colonel Silverleaf who immediately ordered a strategic withdrawal.
Slowly and in good order we fell back; keeping up sufficient fire to keep the Malgon from charging us and turning the withdrawal into a rout. Our withdrawal successful; we took up our new positions very close to our supply lines and staging area.
Now our reinforcements arrived fresh and ready to fight. Supplies of arrows, food, erbs, reserve armor, and magical items were easily and broadly distributed thru out the ranks to all who needed them. In contrast the Malgon now had to travel a much greater distances and. It was now THEY who arrived tired, their mounts exhausted, their supplies far from their front.
Very quickly the tables were turned and we were able to increase the rate of our fire with waves of constantly fresh bowmen. Colonel Silverleaf had successfully positioned us for Victory and so it was that at the battle of
Kimcheck Plains, the day was ours.
Now just as an army commander can make decisions that position his troops for victory so those of us in leadership or in the clergy can do the same.
Parallain and I for example, always have that foremost in our minds when we are making decisions: is what we are doing positioning those in the guild and faith, best for Spiritual Victory. Is our decision going to help or hinder the
faith, and the faiths divine mission.
For example, we both believe that each cleric should minister as they are individually gifted to minister; thus we do not require sermons to be given, or dictate a certain path or pace of prayer learning and training; though we
certainly are ready to aid any with both who request it.
Further, Our tasks for hopefuls are designed to prepare not exclude and we encourage respectful discussion among the clergy on almost all faith and guild matters that arise.
Also when we do have the unpleaent duty of correction and discipline that all leaders must face at times, we ask ourselves, are we doing so in a firm enough way that the cleric understands what they did was unacceptable and yet not in so harsh a way that we crush persons spirit and cause them to be ineffective?
We both are very aware that one of our prime duties is placing those under our command in the best position we can to achieve spiritual victory in their own lives and in their ministries.
Now, as individual followers of Waylumi, how are we doing with our own positioning for Victory?
For example, are we placing ourselves in situations where we constantly are being overwhelmed by temptation and thus diverted from the Illuminated Way of Life?
Do we go to the tavern nightly where we are nightly drawn into quarrels and disputes that cause us to lash out in un Waylumi like anger?
Do we pursue friendships or courtships with those who are friends of the dahkoar or who are undevoted but hostile to our faith and therefore place ourselves in situations where me may be drawn away from our Illuminated Walk?
Or maybe we are not placing in ourselves so much in tempting situations but perhaps we are not placing ourselves where we can be MOST effective.
Perhaps we do not interact with others enough, and so are not able to minister as we are called. Then maybe a few more visits to the tavern to interact and aid where we can might be a solution.
Perhaps we have become so locked onto our routine, or our preferred ministry that when say an immigrant asks about the Tenets, we tell them we have not time, because we need to get our crabbing done and tell them to go find another cleric.
Each of us of course is different and so each of us must evaluate what is the best positioning for us to be Victorious in our Spiritual walk and Ministry but ALL of us have the guidance of the Holy tenets, and the Clergy of Waylumi to aid us.
So in closing I challenge all of us to reflect on our daily routines and our Spiritual walk . Let us choose that goodly and Holy ground where we may best obediently walk in the Light and Serve as shining beacons of aid and hope to
others.
May the Divine and Zealous Light of the Lady burn brightly in us all.
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