I couldn't let today pass without posting something, an act I'm certain bloggers all over this world will echo. It is September 11th, and I remember.
I remember sitting in my kitchen, though precisely what I was doing at the time eludes me. Probably eating breakfast. For some reason our little tv was turned on to the news. I am not an avid news watcher, preferring to tune in come evening just to see what the weather is supposed to be like the next few days. Yet that day I felt impressed to watch the news.
The sight of the Twin Towers shocked me to the core. I sat motionless, watching one burning building, and then horrified as a second plane hit the other. In no time at all I had the phone in my hand, asking my mother if she was watching. Together we sat in our individual homes, sharing for several minutes the dramatic unfolding of terrifying history.
Tears streaked my face as the buildings could no longer hold their great load, having stayed up as long as their beams would allow to give time to desperate people attempting to flee. I will never get the image out of my head of those two building collapsing.
Today is a day of fasting and prayer. On the way to school I talked to my children about why we have a flag up in our yard today. I told them not only of the tradegy at the Twin Towers, but of the heroes in the third plane - people who willingly sacrificed their lives in the hopes of saving others. People who stood up for freedom, for righteousness, and for their belief in God. I wanted my children to know of their incredible act.
J's response to all this as he felt the rush of injustice course through his little body: "I wish I could have been there that day so I could have killed those guys!"
I said, "No J. No. Killing is Satan's thing. It's his way. That desire to kill is why this horrible thing happened in the first place. Our Heavenly Father does not want us to kill because it's something we can't repent of. Once you take a life, you can't give it back. Our job is to learn from this, to move forward, to not make the same mistakes as those people who were so misguided. Our job is to remember what happened so we might honor those whose lives were lost that day."
This is not something only America mourns. It is felt across the world. This morning I was given a very special gift by my friend Herbie who lives over in England, his own way of mourning with us. I would like to end by sharing it with you now:
Today is September 11th, and I remember.
I remember sitting in my kitchen, though precisely what I was doing at the time eludes me. Probably eating breakfast. For some reason our little tv was turned on to the news. I am not an avid news watcher, preferring to tune in come evening just to see what the weather is supposed to be like the next few days. Yet that day I felt impressed to watch the news.
The sight of the Twin Towers shocked me to the core. I sat motionless, watching one burning building, and then horrified as a second plane hit the other. In no time at all I had the phone in my hand, asking my mother if she was watching. Together we sat in our individual homes, sharing for several minutes the dramatic unfolding of terrifying history.
Tears streaked my face as the buildings could no longer hold their great load, having stayed up as long as their beams would allow to give time to desperate people attempting to flee. I will never get the image out of my head of those two building collapsing.
Today is a day of fasting and prayer. On the way to school I talked to my children about why we have a flag up in our yard today. I told them not only of the tradegy at the Twin Towers, but of the heroes in the third plane - people who willingly sacrificed their lives in the hopes of saving others. People who stood up for freedom, for righteousness, and for their belief in God. I wanted my children to know of their incredible act.
J's response to all this as he felt the rush of injustice course through his little body: "I wish I could have been there that day so I could have killed those guys!"
I said, "No J. No. Killing is Satan's thing. It's his way. That desire to kill is why this horrible thing happened in the first place. Our Heavenly Father does not want us to kill because it's something we can't repent of. Once you take a life, you can't give it back. Our job is to learn from this, to move forward, to not make the same mistakes as those people who were so misguided. Our job is to remember what happened so we might honor those whose lives were lost that day."
This is not something only America mourns. It is felt across the world. This morning I was given a very special gift by my friend Herbie who lives over in England, his own way of mourning with us. I would like to end by sharing it with you now:
As the US of A remembers and grieves. So does the UK and indeed all the free World.
We saw; we heard; the traumatic shock remains.
Tears for the fallen and the bereaved are still with us.
But resolutely we go forward.
The love of so many are with you
today.Today is 9/11.
Today is September 11th, and I remember.
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2 comments:
Thank you.
That's a neat quote from your England friend. Very touching.
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