Remembering how I felt throughout that day: Sickened by the images and the realization of what had taken place, fear of the unknown of what was happening to our country, sadness for those who lost their lives and for those who lost loved ones, protectiveness for my first-grader, gratefulness for the first responders who did what they were called to do to help.
Remembering the places that were familiar to me and remembering the people in my circle of influence who were affected: The World Trade Center buildings were places I had visited and viewed from across the Hudson River, and there were at least two guys from my hometown who were among those who lost their lives that day. I had not visited the Pentagon or been to the place in Pennsylvania where the other plane crashed, however, the fact that they were on my home country's soil made them part of my history.
Remembering that there are people today who put their lives on the line to help others, either as firefighters or police officers or emergency medical responders. I am thankful for their service to their communities and for the commitment and sacrifices they make each day.
Remembering that for ten years, our country has been sending troops overseas to fight the war on terrorism. There are people serving today, like my cousin, who were still children and teenagers back in 2001, yet are willing to go and serve our country because they understand the importance of the freedoms we have here and want to protect those freedoms for us and for generations to come.
Believing that God was still in control, even when things were chaotic.
Believing that God heard our prayers and was still with us in the midst of the tragedy.
Believing that time would still continue to move forward and that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
On the night of 9-11-01, after spending the day in front of the television and the evening with my family and with fellow parents at a PTO meeting, I was winding down and trying to calm my mind before sleep. I was working through the Bible study, Breaking Free, by Beth Moore, and one of the focal passages in that study is from Isaiah 61:1-4:
These verses gave me comfort that night ten years ago and I pray that they would continue to give comfort to all of us as we remember and believe."The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations."
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