Remembering 9-11-01

Like most adults, I remember exactly where I was the morning of 9-11-01.  I recall how I heard the news of what was unfolding at the World Trade Center as well as my reaction to that news.  I remember hearing about the Pentagon and feeling some fear, knowing that my sister lived fairly close to that area.  I even remember that I forgot my parent's home phone number and had to ask someone at the church office, where I was that morning, to look it up for me so I could call them.  I remember my husband was home asleep from working night shift and my son was in Kindergarten.

I grew up about an hour north of New York City and my dad worked in Manhattan for about 30 years, within walking distance of the Twin Towers.  I've visited several times over the years and so I felt quite a connection to the events unfolding in NYC that day, as well as what was going on in the DC area because my sister lived nearby.  My husband is in Law Enforcement and I have friends and a relative who are firefighters so I felt a connection with how those careers were impacted by the events.  And I learned later that day that the uncle of a good friend of mine died in the collapse of one of the Towers.....Yet another connection....

I remember the images I saw over and over again on the news the days following the attack and how I had little appetite and lost 5 lbs.  I remember hearing stories of bravery and people sharing their faith with others.  I can imagine that countless people heard the Gospel in the days and months following 9-11-01 because they were wanting to understand the "why".


This immediately brings to mind the following verses:
Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."
God can bring good from anything!  His ways are higher than our ways!

Job 1:21b  "The Lord gave, and the lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."  
God is good regardless of our circumstances!

                 View of the South Tower from the street below, May 1994