How can you forget a day like this. I remember getting the kids dressed that morning preparing to send them off to school. I've always been a news watcher (except this deployment). That tragic am as I said my good byes to my 2 children, I heard on TV that one of the towers had been hit. My jaw dropped as I heard the bus take my kids to school. I thought to myself what a horrible accident. With not much time for settling thoughts I stared at the TV as I watched a second plane hit the other tower. My heart sank. Tears flowed. I was afraid. I knew then we were being attacked. I'm not even sure if I sat down or remained standing. Neighbors came out to check on one another. Some looked at the sky making sure our base wasn't about to get hit. My phone began to ring. Events were taking place on TV that I only thought would be nightmare as I slept. Within an half hour of sending the kids off, the school called. They said we only had a small gap to pick up our children. They said we need to show 2 types of ID and bring them straight home as we waited for word. I didn't waste any time going to get them. As I did I watched our once peaceful base turn to a prison of Marines and their families locked on to the base with no place to go. The children and I sat in front of the TV as we heard there was a 3rd plane out there; missing.
My ex-husband was training Marines in the 54 area at that time. He called me and said, " Lisa, we heard, keep the kids with you our training has stopped and we're being attacked". Those words stood still in my mind. I watched as the people jumped of out the towers. I watched as tragedy took place all over the world. People stared at their TV from one screen into another. People running in the streets. Blood on the faces of Americans. Shocked neighbors as we tried to cope with knowing we would be going to war. I sat as watched our president receive the news in classroom full of children. Gravity bringing the towers to ground zero. I watched as thousands of people lost their lives that day.
Nothing but my children mattered at that moment. I even thought to myself, my daddy; he's gone. Had my dad been here right now to see this it would have broke his heart. He's okay where he's at. He must be. God took him before he watched this take place. I couldn't help but to cry for those who were losing their loved ones. My dad had only been gone 10 months. The reality of losing him still had not settled in. How would these people cope? Theirs was different. They watched it happen and could do nothing to stop it. So many thoughts ran through my head. I thought of a friend who lived in New York. Was she okay? Could I call her and be able to say hello, knowing that she wasn't close to where this took place. Our men and women who served at the time. They were about to face war. Some just turning 18 while others closing the book to their final days of an active duty service member. What were they thinking? What are my children about to face? OMGosh! we have 2 incinerators in our own back yard. Were we about to become the next victims of these peoples madness?
At some point they found the plane that was missing. I watched in awe as suddenly the TV turned it's focus on this plane that hit land with no living passengers. The third one I believe it was. Or maybe the 4th. I can't remember if the pentagon was before it. Either way we lost more lives that day. We were in a war. My (ex) husband was about to leave his children....
I recall crying out to God that day. Why was this taking place? Were those people saved? Did people reach out to them to teach them of Jesus' love? Did they have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior? We went to Sattleback Church at the time. What was going to become of the world we lived in? Were we in the last days? The people that I love, were they saved?
This was surreal. How could this be? I had never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be alive to see something like this happen to us; Americans. My daughter only 5 saw as lives came to a halt. People being turned upside down from so much dust that covered downtown that day. Could they ever remember it as I will, I asked myself.
It's funny, not really, but think about it? So many people came to their knees that day. Asking for forgiveness, wanting answers, crying to Jesus, looking for salvation, asking the Lord to protect those that lost their loved ones. For one reason or another we gathered together from household to household, stranger to stranger, church to church, and prayed. I don't recall a time in my life where the churches were filled beyond their capacity.
We face tragedy each day, some worse then others. We may not face it like we did that day, but we do. As that day taught us we can never know when we'll face something like this again. Why do we sit still and do nothing when everything around us keeps going? Why do we face relationships and not time take a moment to show them who God really is? What if you could reach out to one person and that person meets the Lord the next day. You have allowed yourself to give them a gift that comes with no price. The price was already paid for us. Jesus shed his blood so that we may have eternal life. Why do we feel shame when talking to others about the one who can change who we are inside and out?
For those who don't know Jesus. Now is your time. You are a witness to that day. You saw how in fact things can change. Can you guarantee that you would have eternal life if you died today? If you have children, wouldn't you want them to know about a powerful, loving, forgiving, God. Even when we're overcomed by darkness he will still be there to pull us out of the storm. He never intends to leave nor forsake us. It's a promise to us. The shortest scripture in the bible says "Jesus wept". He cried for us, you and I. Not for himself but for us, just like he did when he took all our sins to the cross with him. Every single sin that we have done and will do he took it with him some 2000 years ago. Isn't it small enough to ask that we believe in him and ask forgiveness. My question to you, would you die for thousands of people even before they were born? He did. For both you and I. He knew you before he bore you. It's never too late. No matter what you've done he'll forgive you. He's that awesome. He's always at arms reach all you have to do is extend yours and cry out to him. He's ready; are you?
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