When I think back on how much time has elapsed since the world was altered on September 11, 2001, it astonishes me that it has been eleven years since that fateful day. In so many ways it seems like it just happened, but at the same time, it feels like it was a lifetime ago. I guess in many ways it was a lifetime ago for many of us.
I’ll never forget where I was when disaster struck. I was at home with Sophie; she was eleven weeks old, and I was off taking care of her. We were at home, and I was feeding her when my wife called, told me to turn on the TV, that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I watched, horrified, as a second plane crashed into the other tower, and couldn’t take my eyes off as I saw the towers collapse later on.
My wife had a cousin that worked at the World Trade Center. She was supposed to be there at 9AM for work, but decided to get some work done at home that morning instead. I’m always amazed at how God chose a different path for her that day.
That night, Cindy and I went to bed with our little baby in our bed with us; we had a reminder that the world is not as safe as we thought, and we wanted to make sure that she was as protected as she could possibly be. It is in times like that one that this John 16:33 comforts me as nothing else can:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – Jesus Christ
In the days after that horrific day, part of me felt like the country was in a daze, moving on, but only because we were supposed to. Remember how the planes were grounded? For me, that was hard, because my Grandpa was a mechanic for United Airlines for 41 years, and I grew up around airports and planes when I was younger. I remember, I was in the parking lot for our local Lowes home improvement store when I glanced up, and there was a plane flying. It was a weird moment, almost like there was something there that shouldn’t have been.
Today is a day to remember, to pray for those that lost loved ones, to pray for God to comfort us, to strengthen us, to give that incredible sense of Peace that knowing Him can give, and to remember how that day felt to those that lived through it, lest we forget that day entirely. In tribute to the men and women that we lost that day, I want to share a YouTube video that I hope you will enjoy.
