9/11: What I Remember

 

From Mike Huckabee on August 23, 2013: “A Kansas City-based group called the American Muslim Political Action Committee is trying to organize a “Million Muslim March” on Washington on September 11th, the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America. They claim that 9/11 is all about discrimination against Muslims, and they intend to demand “social justice.” It’s an offensive and disrespectful stunt. But somehow, I doubt they’ll find a million American Muslims who agree with their view that they’re the real victims of 9/11. The website for the Million Muslim March shows that so far, 57 people have RSVP’ed.”

 

What I remember about 9/11/2001 has nothing to do with discrimination against anyone. I can’t imagine that’s what any of us are remembering. It’s remarkably presumptuous for this group to think our memorials are about them!  

I remember teaching middle school children that day, and when we found out what happened we turned on the TV to watch the news, but not for long. Some of the children did not deal well with what they were hearing and seeing. We had no idea how horrific the scene was. There were prayers and silent, frightened tears from the staff and students alike.

I remember not knowing if we should have parents come and get their children (Mine were in the school, and I was very glad I was with them!)

I remember watching the remains of those towers burn from a distance with my children. We stood in silence with others who watched alongside us as the pillars of smoke billowed into the blue sky.

I remember a friend who worked on Wall Street telling us his experience. He is a native New Yorker, but uncharacteristically parked his car on the Jersey side and ferried over instead of using the parking garage at his building that morning. While at work, he heard the planes hit the buildings, and when his building was evacuated, he ran to help and watched human beings fall to the cement sidewalk from the burning towers. He heard a clear voice telling him to get to the ferry immediately. He ran to get the last ferry that would leave the harbor that morning, and as the ferry was half way to the other side, the North Tower fell. Had he stayed to help, well, who knows. Needless to say, he was devastated for many months.

I remember another dear friend whose son worked in the North Tower. She told us how he had uncharacteristically left the building that morning to get something to eat when the first plane hit.

I remember the hearing that city hospitals were bringing in their on-call staff to make ready for what was sure to be many injured survivors in need of urgent care. There were so very few.

I remember the absolute dead silence of the airspace in our area in the days after the attack. And if there was a plane or helicopter, we were frightened by it.

I remember seeing a highway sign that said "All roads to NYC closed." 

I remember waking up on 9/12/2001 actually thinking it HAD TO be a nightmare. And then turning on the news again to find it was not.

I remember watching news reports as bodies began to be found and rescuers gently and respectfully honoring each who was recovered.

I remember hearing from a friend about a little girl she knew that lost her daddy in those towers.

And I remember my husband’s reaction after spending several days working as a rescuer at the site. No police training prepared him for what he experienced. He still has a hard time talking or watching shows about the attacks.

We remember 9/11 on the anniversary of the attacks because we lost precious loved ones. Most New Yorkers are much less than six degrees removed from someone who was forever taken or someone who was there. As a New Yorker, I still marvel at the fact that two impressive buildings have disappeared from the planet in a thick, poisonous cloud, taking so many innocent lives and affecting so many families. The loss was devastating. Those folks deserved to be remembered. Like it or not, we will remember them.

We still live in an age where each of us must be vigilant. Like the people of Israel building the wall in Nehemiah’s day, we work with one hand and have our weapon in the other. (Nehemiah 4:17) And we know that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are spiritual and mighty. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)

That being said, the good folks at “Yes I Will Pray” are having an event on 9/11/2013. Please join this Urgent Call to Prayer. It’s time for the sleeping giant, the slumbering body of Christ in America, to wake up, humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, turn from our lukewarm, feel-good, seeker-friendly, compromised position and take up the FULL armor and once again join the battle for the Kingdom of God, our nation, our cities, our communities, our families, and one another.

Say “Yes, I WILL pray!” Check out the link below and join the battle!

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/events/511446505607381/