Tomorrow is September 11th. Where was I 10 years ago? I was 16 and I had returned just 3 weeks earlier from Kenya. I had been on the mission trip where I met Robert. We flue into New Jersey from Ethiopia and than we dispersed to our connecting flights home. I think I remember flying American West but to think that I had walked those terminals just 3 weeks before made me sick. It was 6 am on the West Coast when the first airplane hit the World Trade Center. My mom came in and woke me up and said "Meg something has happened you need to come watch this". We went into the den and there was footage on and I remember even how upset the reporters were and how they didn't know what was going on just as much as we did. And about 20 mins later we all watched in horror as the second plane hit. I had wrapped myself in a blanket that Rob had bought me before we left Kenya and it was the most convenient of comforts. No one spoke our hearts were breaking for a country as those towers fell I found myself in prayer for the families of those still inside. I couldn't keep my eyes off the tv I remember curling up on the floor in the fetal position wrapped in my blanket and just watched and cried. Everytime a new report came up about the Pentagon and then Pennsylvania my prayers shifted.
In the days following a patriotism I had never seen before engulfed our nation. Phrases and Flags were everywhere. "One Nation Under God", "United We Stand", "Let's Roll","God Bless America" and more were painted on windows of buildings, and put on bumper stickers. I couldn't help but think how many souls would be saved because they cried out to God? At the same time I wandered how many actually knew what it meant when they said "God bless America"? And the biggest was how long it would last before America turned it's back on God again? What good could come of a tragedy of this magnitude? Every year in Churches around the world people step into a church around Christmas and Easter to do their "Christian Duty"and to help them feel good about themselves. These people may have pain that is hard to face and they can't stand to step in Church other than twice a year. What good came of this? There is now one more time a year where people now find themselves in a church or in a place where hope is given and prayers are sent heavenward. For once this day is not about feeling better about themselves but about looking up. Up to where the Towers used to stand and Up to the only God who cried along with our country that fateful day. Up to the only God who has held the victims families as they were overcome with grief. Up to the only true God who through mans transgressions has, is, and always will love us.
Last week we sang a song to my sister in law as a joke and was reminded how human we are. It's her birthday tomorrow and we started singing a very funny version of "happy birthday"
Happy birthday, Happy birthday buzzards flying in the air, people dying everywhere than the laughing we were overwhelmed with stopped when we realized what we had just sang. I almost cried when she said I think enough people have died on my birthday". "Your right" I said and we all nodded and what was supposed to be a joke ended up being a moment of silence for those lost that day. Very Humbling.
Tomorrow will be a day we can remember where we were that day but for us it will also be a celebration of life with a birthday dinner at our house and then a concert at church in the evening. Tomorrow WILL be a good day. Can you imagine being a Christian American taken hostage and being with your Jihad captures during 9/11. Martin and Gracia Burnham watched as 40 Jihad cheered and had pride when hearing what the terrorists did that day. We have an amazing God who does not require us to kill to get to heaven. The crazy thing that hit me hard when reading Gracia's story is the reality that Jesus died for those high jackers as well as me. They will spend eternity in hell for their choice but the reality that Christ died for EVERYONE is hard to grasp. Makes me only want to answer the call sooner.
Thank you God for loving even me.
In the days following a patriotism I had never seen before engulfed our nation. Phrases and Flags were everywhere. "One Nation Under God", "United We Stand", "Let's Roll","God Bless America" and more were painted on windows of buildings, and put on bumper stickers. I couldn't help but think how many souls would be saved because they cried out to God? At the same time I wandered how many actually knew what it meant when they said "God bless America"? And the biggest was how long it would last before America turned it's back on God again? What good could come of a tragedy of this magnitude? Every year in Churches around the world people step into a church around Christmas and Easter to do their "Christian Duty"and to help them feel good about themselves. These people may have pain that is hard to face and they can't stand to step in Church other than twice a year. What good came of this? There is now one more time a year where people now find themselves in a church or in a place where hope is given and prayers are sent heavenward. For once this day is not about feeling better about themselves but about looking up. Up to where the Towers used to stand and Up to the only God who cried along with our country that fateful day. Up to the only God who has held the victims families as they were overcome with grief. Up to the only true God who through mans transgressions has, is, and always will love us.
Last week we sang a song to my sister in law as a joke and was reminded how human we are. It's her birthday tomorrow and we started singing a very funny version of "happy birthday"
Happy birthday, Happy birthday buzzards flying in the air, people dying everywhere than the laughing we were overwhelmed with stopped when we realized what we had just sang. I almost cried when she said I think enough people have died on my birthday". "Your right" I said and we all nodded and what was supposed to be a joke ended up being a moment of silence for those lost that day. Very Humbling.
Tomorrow will be a day we can remember where we were that day but for us it will also be a celebration of life with a birthday dinner at our house and then a concert at church in the evening. Tomorrow WILL be a good day. Can you imagine being a Christian American taken hostage and being with your Jihad captures during 9/11. Martin and Gracia Burnham watched as 40 Jihad cheered and had pride when hearing what the terrorists did that day. We have an amazing God who does not require us to kill to get to heaven. The crazy thing that hit me hard when reading Gracia's story is the reality that Jesus died for those high jackers as well as me. They will spend eternity in hell for their choice but the reality that Christ died for EVERYONE is hard to grasp. Makes me only want to answer the call sooner.
Thank you God for loving even me.
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