Photos of the New 9/11 Memorial in New York City

My brother sent me these photos from a friend who was in NYC for the 9/11 ceremonies yesterday.  I had no idea what the memorial was actually going to look like. These are beautiful photos.

September 11 Another Day We Will Never Forget

Today is the 10th year following September 11, 2001.  I'm sure everyone is recalling where they were when they were informed that the U.S. had been directly attacked.  Our nation's armed forces are on increased alert and are expecting something to happen today in New York City or Washington, DC, possibly elsewhere.  I pray that they are mistaken but will watch and wait with the rest of America.  May the Lord be gracious and protect  us all.


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Below is my post from last year re: 9/11


September 11, 2001.  That date will be remembered vividly, at least in the  United States, for the next several generations. It's been nine years and I still get a bit teary-eyed when I see replays of that morning.  My children and I were up early since they were younger,  12 and 6 at the time.   We had had breakfast and were just beginning our homeschool lessons when my husband called from work and told us to turn on the television.  As a rule, we don't turn the TV on in the mornings so we had not heard the news.

We sat watching the various  news reporters telling about the first airplane crash into the Twin Towers.  We were totally stunned when we watched LIVE as the second plane crashed and burst into flames.   We could hardly leave the TV and literally watched the day unfold as the other events occurred during that terrible day.  We have friends who are missionaries who were living in NYC at the time. Campus Crusade jumped into action to help the bereaved as did the Red Cross and many other organizations.  President Bush at the time was certainly a hero to the nation.  The military, the fire departments, the National Guard--all handled themselves with amazing courage and dedication.  I was so proud of them all.  Amid the sorrow and the chaos there was a unity in the nation that has hardly been noticeable these last several years.   Sometimes tragedy draws people, even strangers, together in a way that nothing else can.  Why wait so long to be of help to your neighbor? or to stand together as a nation?

A few years later I read the book Let's Roll by Lisa Beamer, the wife of the man who initiated the passengers of United Flight #93 to prevent the terrorists from crashing into another building, possibly the White House or the Capitol.   If you've never read it, it's a quick read and a moving tale of courage by everyday men and women.  Their bravery makes you proud to be an American.  Mrs. Beamer was honored by President Bush during his address to Congress after  9/11.

September 11 changed many things, particularly security in our nation.  I remember that I had to travel to Boston to be in  a family wedding in early  October that year, just a few weeks after these events. My husband (who didn't really want me to go) and I  decided that I should travel there without the children and him, but be accompanied by my nephews who were also in the wedding. They were both in college at the time.  I remember landing at Logan International and seeing the National Guard with their weapons in the airport.  I had seen this in Venezuela years ago but never in an American airport.   [Update 9.11.11:  Security is still tight but this spring while traveling I did not see any weapons at the airports (Dulles and Atlanta) even though we were on Orange alert.]


I remember the night after the rehearsal dinner (we had all been out too late) the fire alarm went off in our hotel (The Marriott in Quincy) around 3 a.m.  I could not believe it!   My brother and his two sons came to my room  quickly to get me. Everyone scrambled to get down the stairs, an elderly man fell and others helped him get out of the hotel and down all those stairs.  I think we were on the 11th floor.  There had been a kitchen fire but we didn't know that until later.  I remember seeing everyone standing outside in their pajamas wrapped in blankets,  anxious, cold and a bit fearful of what had happened (myself included).  I'm sure the first thought in everyone's mind was--  a terrorist attack here in Quincy, MA?

Everyone will probably be recollecting their memories of 9/11 throughout the day and as the saying goes, Let us not forget.  But as we recall, even though there was great loss and consequently major changes to our lives, also remember that we survived that day as did our children.   Each day is a gift to be lived wisely.  Do not live in fear but  call on the Lord and trust  that His plans and purposes will be fulfilled, regardless of what seems to be earth-shaking events, sorrow or change.   We are here for a reason and for  such a time as this.

Proverbs 14:26 

He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress,

and for his children it will be a refuge.


Romans 12:21 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

25th Anniversary : Space Shuttle Challenger / Where were you?

Has it really been 25 years since this happened?  I remember it so vividly.   When I worked for Barnett Banks, officers of the bank were required to participate in two community service areas each year.  I served on  the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and taught a Project Business class for Junior Achievement one day a week at a local junior high school.  

I was on my way back from teaching and had the radio on.  The announcer was talking about the liftoff and just at that moment I arrived at a beautiful lake at a college campus near my office.  I pulled over, as did many others, to watch it go up.  When it exploded, everyone was stunned.   I jumped in the car and turned on the radio to hear what exactly we had all just witnessed.

When I arrived back at work I went straight to our cafeteria where a large television was turned to the news. The room was packed out and amazingly, VERY quiet.  What a sad day for our country.  Even though we didn't know the astronauts, they were Americans who represented us and by flying in the shuttle, were bravely doing so for our country.  Just like our military.  Technically, most of the were military, except for the high school teacher who was also on board that particular shuttle.

Like the day President Kennedy was assassinated or 9/11, January 28, 1986 was a  day that I, and most other Americans, will not forget.

24 Hours in the Day... How Will You Spend Them? / The Persecuted Church Worldwide

24 hours in everyone's day from sun up...

...to sundown.

How will you spend them today?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

There is an appointed time for everything. 

And there is a time for every event under heaven — 

Take some take and pray today for The Persecuted Church.  

This year’s world watch list, which reports the worst nations in the world for persecuting Christians, has the following nations in the top ten positions in 2010:

1. North Korea (#1 for the eighth year in a row)
2. Iran
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Somalia
5. Maldives (collection of over two hundred islands South West of India’s tip)
6. Afghanistan
7. Yemen (the Arabian Peninsula)
8. Mauritania (West Africa)
9. Laos
10. Uzbekistan (central Asia, north of Afghanistan)

Sadly, the United States does business with many of these countries.

MORE INFO as well as the entire list of 50 watch list nations from Open Doors at THIS LINK.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, This Time in History

Well, this is the final item in my Thanksgiving list although certainly not the end of things / people that I am thankful for. To review my entire list, go to the blog archives and click on NOVEMBER to see them all. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family and give thanks with a grateful heart. [NOTE: My blog will continue with Christmas items beginning tomorrow.]

26. I am thankful to be alive at this appointed time in history.

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Now that I am out of school and testing (except for homeschooling) I love reading about history. My particular favorite is pioneer women of the western U.S. and medieval women in Europe. I don't know how they survived and I realize how wimpy I am when I read their stories and their journals. But, God ordains the days of our lives and I was born (as you were) in this part of the timeline with all its troubles, modern conveniences, politics and culture. Sometimes I complain about the "way things are" but in reality, it must be exactly where I am supposed to be. As one of my favorite Bible passages says, maybe we re here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14) to make a difference.

To close, here is a Thanksgiving meditation by John Piper which was in our church newsletter this week:

David said, I will magnify God with Thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30-32). The word "magnify" can be used in two different senses. It can mean: make something appear greater than it is, as with a microscope or a magnifying glass. Or it can mean, make something that may seem small or insignificant appear to be as great as it really is. This is what our great telescopes help us begin to do with the magnificent universe which once upon a time spilled over from the brim of God's glory. So there are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, I will magnify God with thanksgiving, he does not mean: "I will make a small God look bigger than He is. He means: "I will make a big God begin to look as big as He really is." We are not called to be microscopes, but telescopes. Christians are not called to be con men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality when they know the competitor's product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is. The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think and act in a way that will make God look as great as He really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God. http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper80/112380m.htm