And still we remember <3

We can’t really write the date without remembering the day anymore. 

It is hard to believe it was 25 years ago that my neighbor called me and asked if I was watching the news. 

Of course not, I was never and still never watch the news unless Russ turns it on. 

I did turn it on and sank to my knees as I watched flames and smoke pour from one of the twin towers in NYC. 

I was trying to absorb what was happening when the excited news anchor started shouting something about another plane and I watched as a second weapon of destruction that held passengers and should have been flying to some landing strip somewhere hit the second tower. 

From there it went from bad to worse in sequences of another plane hitting the Pentagon, passengers taking over a plane and crashing in a field to avoid killing anymore people and the towers imploding in front of my eyes. 

I cried.

I prayed. 

I called Russ. 

He reminded me that he actually worked in an office next to a plant that processed large amounts of food sources and thus was also considered a high alert target in cases like this. 

I did what a lot of moms did and drove to schools and asked to speak to my children to see if anyone wanted to come home. 

They were okay and stayed with their classes. But we hugged. I needed to see them and I wanted to be there in case they needed to see me.

That same day a sweet mom was grieving a miscarriage. She felt bad in light of all that was happening on a horrifically grand scale to even be sad. 

I told her that most likely somewhere on a playground a child tripped and skinned their knee at recess that day. It burned like fire and the nurse had to make it hurt worse as she cleaned it up.

And God saw all of it and He cried with us all. 

He was big enough for buildings imploding and small enough for scrapes on the knee and just right to hold every heart that was hurting for whatever was happening around the entire globe. 

So today I am mindful as we remember the lives that were lost, the ones who gave sacrificially to rescue and later suffered with diseases incurred while inhaling the dust, for the ones who had to grow up and to go on without a parent or grandparent or spouse or child.

But I also realize and know there are so many who are facing very hard things and situations in this current season. There is mourning and there are questions and there is a little child somewhere getting the dirt washed out of a scrape. 

So we turn our eyes to the only One who can be there for everyone and we raise our hands and lift each other up for Him to touch, to heal, to guide, to correct, to rescue and to redeem. 

You are, you know, dearly loved <3