CHOOSE: A MOMENT OF SILENCE

9/11/01

Once you realize what day it is you remember everything.

As I typed the date, I noticed the first 3 numbers, 911. How revealing to me that those three digits are our country's designated emergency number for our entire nation. Even more revealing to me,  was noticing 91101 as a joining and ending of the date. 101. At the college level, any class with a 101 designation is indicative of a beginning course. A course which lays out the foundation for a new field of study. To me, 9/11/01 was just that---an introduction to international terrorism on our own soil. An entirely new curriculum would need to be developed.

While pondering the depth of all of that, I turned on the news for a Hurricane Irma update

Our country was remembering 9/11 and  at 7:45 CST (8:45 EST) I saw everyone together observing a moment of silence. 

Many prayer positions were noted. Heads bowed. Eyes lifted. Tears streaming. Hands clasped. 

My mouth was mute but my heart was racing lifting prayers of comfort for families of victims and "healing" prayers for our country, even today---16 years later. 

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Corinthians 7:14)

Choosing a moment of silence in prayer for our nation and its people is a valuable way to begin one's day.

Man of Faith

9/11/12

Todd Beamer showed a true biblical faith aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on that fateful day in September 2001. 9/11.

“Let’s roll!” That was Todd’s voice leading the passengers to takeover and foil the hijackers.

That’s how he is remembered. Prior to that command, he had been on the plane’s in-flight telephone with GTE supervisor, Lisa Jefferson, for over 10 minutes before the plane crashed. She had apprised him of the other hijackings and he told her that he and others vowed not to be their pawns. What I remember is that though Ms Jefferson could hear the shouts and commotion, Beamer asked her to pray with him and they recited the 23^rd Psalm.

The rest, as they say is history. A tragic history.  A history of a man of faith. His wife told reporters that she knew Todd was in heaven because he was saved. As she puts it, "Just knowing that when the crisis came up he maintained the same character we all knew; it's a testament to what real faith means.” (http://old.post-gazette.com/headlines/20010916phonecallnat3p3.asp) 

The couple had met at Wheaton College near Chicago, IL. That’s where, this summer, I first got a glimpse of the legacy left by this man of faith. His story is there. In the basement of the Todd M. Beamer Student Center, is the 7' x 7' wall relief depicting Beamer and his sons. Clay Enoch, the sculptor, is son of First Evan folks, Betsy and Doug, and is a 1995 graduate of the college. Seeing this work gave new meaning to me of “let’s roll.” That phrase seems to be a statement, not only of Beamer’s character, but also of his faith in a trustworthy God. A man assured of his eternal destination can lead such a charge. 

Todd Beamer---a man of faith.*

Tonight’s NT reading by hubby was from Hebrews 11, dubbed by many as the “Faith Hall of Fame” of the Bible.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Todd Beamer, a man of faith, whose actions surely pleased God.