So I think I know what to write ... nope... God does!

I was quite sure of what I was going to write last Friday after my grandfather had passed away earlier last week. I was going to write about families, loss, and how sad it is that quite often a death in the family tears the family farther apart rather than bring everyone closer together. Then I went to the funeral on Friday…

So, then I was sure I was going to write about something that the preacher had said … that God doesn’t often tap us on the shoulder and give us the opportunity to get our heart straight with Jesus before time runs out – but he did with my granddad – he had given his heart to Jesus just 2 weeks before he went in the hospital. I was going to talk about the man in the Bible who had paid his workers that had worked from sun-up to sun-down the same wage that he paid the workers that had worked only 2 hours – and how that just didn’t seem fair. And how that although many of us try very hard to do what Jesus wants us to do every day of our life – we get the same ‘wage’ that my granddad gets – even though he probably did everything except what Jesus wanted up until a few months ago.

So … then mom and I did our normal routine of yard saling on Saturday morning – and around lunchtime, I ended up taking mom to MCV because of difficulty breathing and pain in her back. So, as we were sitting there … waiting … and waiting … from 12:30 until 11:00 Saturday night when she was transferred to a room – I thought I’d write about some of the things that I had seen that day. That although the ER didn’t seem terribly busy or that the staff was in much of a hurry to do anything – when they needed to … when a man stopped breathing – they were on it in a flash – no holds barred, no hesitation – and then shortly after – everything fell back into the lull of a routine. I thought about this boy – who couldn’t have been more much older than Morgan – lying on a stretcher all alone with a neck brace and what looked to be 2 broken legs – and the social worker telling him that they were still working on finding his grandparents – whom he lived with.

So, after 12 hours in the ER at MCV – I thought sure I had enough things to say to write a book. I woke up Sunday morning – and wouldn’t miss Christie preaching for the world – so I thought I’d sneak in to the early service and then go to the hospital to see mom. If you didn’t hear Christie’s story … you have to. The pain, the heartache, and the enormous faith that came through her stories was incredible. One of her stories being about a young boy she had treated at MCV – and as she talked – I thought about that ‘little’ boy that I had seen on the stretcher the day before – how he was all alone and scared … and the little boy that Christie talked about – his mother by his side – with enough faith to change the lives of the people she came in contact with.

So … then I went to the hospital to see mom – doing the same – bit still no idea why 3 days ago she could walk, say from the Sanctuary to my car in the circle lot out front – but now, she couldn’t make it 10 steps. As we were talking, Morgan’s dad came in with his wife and Morgan. We found out that Morgan’s step-sister had a baby earlier in the week – precious little girl named Brooklyn. She was 4 pounds, 9 ounces. Now, before you ask how early she was … she wasn’t. At a mere 24 hours of age, little Brooklyn was admitted to the neo-natal intensive care unit for heroin withdrawals.

Now … here I am at work on Monday morning – thankful for the routine papers sitting on my desk. When I put my fingers on the keyboard, I had no idea what I was going to write. So – I’ll just leave you with this. If there is someone in your life that is important to you … tell them. If there is something in your life that you value … take care of it. If there is something you need to forgive … do it. If there is something you need to be forgiven for … ask it. Then put your knees on the floor and thank God that although ‘no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ … we do have eyes to see, ears to hear and minds to know that God is here with us every day – and we should be on our knees thanking Him for that.

Remember 9/11

Eight years – wow! Do you remember where you were 8 years ago, today? I sure do! I remember it like it was yesterday!

What I remember most, I think, was the sheer silence that followed. Although we aren’t that close to the airport, without the planes overhead, it was eerily silent. It was like everything stopped. Even to this day, I look up in the sky, and without a doubt I can find at least one airplane somewhere overhead – and I think that there was one day where there weren’t any.

People were quiet, too. No one knew what to say – what to do. Eyes were glued to the television – still not believing what was happening – still not wanting to believe it was intentional. There were no words to describe what happened on September 11, 2001.

I also remember that everyone pulled together – regardless of who they were, how much they made, what color, religion or shoe size – we were truly United that day. And not just the United States – the entire WORLD (well, most of it) was grieving with us, reaching out to help – and to pray. I remember watching the newscasters – the ones that are always so professional and composed, break down in tears. No one walked away from September 11 untouched; unchanged.

What happened to that?? On that day, and the days that followed, churches were filled to capacity; people hit their knees and prayed – right where they stood; prayers filled the air. No one said ‘oh, no, you can’t talk about God!” Everyone was talking, listening or at the very least, thinking about God. Even the reporters were saying the ‘P’ word – calling for prayers! No one said, ‘oh, wait, let me go get my suit and tie on to go to church’. It just didn’t matter. There were people in suits and dresses digging in the rubble, and there were people in dirty jeans and torn shirts sitting in the pews of the nicest cathedrals. What happened to that?? Why is it that we can all pull together and act like Jesus only when we’ve got the world falling down around us! Why is it that it takes such a tragedy to bring us all together – and to bring us back to God. And the big question -why is it that in less than eight years – eight short years – we sit here fighting and fussing and ‘that’s not my job’ and ‘I can’t do that’. Did we learn nothing?

I’m not very political, and even if I were, I’d know enough to keep my mouth shut. I don’t know whether the war was a good idea or a bad idea; I don’t know whether the troops should stay or come home; I don’t know if Giuliani did the right thing or if Bush did the right thing. What I do know is that there are so many lives that were changed that day. So many families that lost loved ones. Babies that will grow up without a parent. The fear and anguish of those who just didn’t know whether their loved ones were alive or not. The emptiness of those who still don’t ‘know’ – still don’t have a body to bury. I also know that there are tons of men and women making tremendous sacrifices to protect our country and to fight for our freedom. Many paying the ultimate sacrifice. Again, I’m not saying whether they should be fighting this battle or not – all I know is that they are. They are sacrificing, they are fighting, and they are doing it for what they believe in – our country and our freedom – right, wrong or indifferent – they are there, and they are living it. And as long as they are, it is my responsibility ... our responsibility ... to support them, love them and pray for them in their efforts regardless of politics.

Take time today to remember … to honor … and to pray for all of the victims of 9/11. Honor those that lost their lives that day. Honor those who ran into a falling building for the sake of someone else – whether they themselves made it out or not. Praise God for those who made it out alive and were able to go home to their families. Pray for the families who still grieve over the senseless loss of their loved ones. Pray for the babies that were born who will never know their fathers – they’re 8 years old now! And pray for their mothers as they raise them alone, and pray for wisdom so that they can answer the hard questions that they are getting old enough to ask.

Pray for the soldiers who are fighting to protect us from another attack – and for their families that miss them. Pray for the families of those who have died in service to our country. Pray for our government, that wise decisions will be made; that the path will be one that is lit by God’s light.

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Besides being the unofficial end to the summer, do you know where Labor Day came from? The first Labor Day was celebrated in 1882 and initiated by the Central Labor Union in New York. Here’s what the Department of Labor website says:

“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

I suppose this strikes me as more thought provoking than in years past because so many of those “working class” folks aren’t working. We are celebrating the contributions that we have made, yet many of us aren’t able to make the contributions we need to make to support our families. It doesn’t seem like much of a time for celebration.

But we do have cause for celebration! Take a minute to think about the things that you do have to be thankful for … your family … your children … maybe your health … most definitely Jesus!

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

As Christians, we know this. We don’t always remember it … but we know it. God knows what He is doing, and He will take care of His children. Maybe not the way we want to be taken care of – but the way we need to be taken care of.

Through this holiday weekend, enjoy the last remnants of summer. Praise God for the blessings in your life. Pray for those who are struggling. Help those that you can. But most importantly, thank God for the people in your life that you love. (And remember, just because God knows you love them, doesn’t mean they know … tell them that you love them!)