Remembering September 11th…

I still vividly remember 9-1-1.  I was in the car with my daughter, I had dropped my son off at school (Royal Redeemer).  We were driving home and I heard the new report break on the radio.  At first I thought it was a story (not even true), but slowly I realized it was true!  I turned around and we drove back to Billy’s school to get him and and we all went home.  I prayed, in Jesus’s name, that I would be able to bring my children home safely.  I immediately called my husband and told him what had happened and that we were all home safe.  No one knew at the time if this was to be one attack or many.  At the time, many in Cleveland were being evacuated.  Boy was I grateful to be home!  

All of Mom and Dad’s family lived in New York City.  Two of them worked in the towers.  I remember watching the news and seeing all of the people walking across the bridge and wondering if my cousins were among them and praying for them.  One of my cousins was in the Tower, but made it out, but her whole company was killed and she was the only survivor.  My uncle worked in the Tower as well.  But thankfully, he was at the dentist!  We didn’t learn that they were safe until the next day.  My Uncle and I later became very close and he was a real help to me when I helped to found Moms for Ohio.

Planes constantly flew over us to make sure we were safe!  And although it was comforting, it was also scary.  A plane flown by our enemies had flown through Cleveland and crashed in PA.  They had intended to attack somewhere.  Many were evacuated. Everyone I knew kept their children home a couple of days.

Bottled water kept running out.  People bought water, food, gas, flashlights, lanterns, batteries… The stores were all full, for we were all determined to protect and provide for our children. No one knew if there would be another attack.  We were all frightened!  But we didn’t show that to our children, because we didn’t want our children to be afraid! And so we all, turned to God and asked Him to help us be the parents our children needed us to be!

It was truly the best and worst of times and they lasted quite a while.  Christian music played on every station!  People prayed and the Churches were filled to overflowing. Husbands and wives sat at the kitchen table talking until late.  And whether it was in our neighborhood or in the grocery store, people reached out to one another and were kinder to each other.  We were a kinder, more compassionate country and it seemed that everyone turned to prayer, asking God, and especially Jesus to help them and others!  People started and ended their day with prayer, because they knew what really mattered!

The Christian music continued to play on all the stations.  And a number of them had the President and Mayor Giuliani speaking during the radio songs.  We were all greatly comforted.

But the country did not return to their normal activities until President George W. Bush through out the first ball at the Yankee’s game (President Bush throws the first pitch of Game 3 of the 2001 World Series).  No one could believe he was actually going to do it, because it was considered so dangerous.  The entire country held it’s collective breath as President Bush strode out to the pitchers mound and only released it when he was safe.  After that, I think that many of us felt that if he could do it, so could we!  And Mayor Giuliani was a true hero! He helped pull everyone though!  Mayor Giuliani was a hero that day and all the days that followed ( 09.28.01: Giuliani’s leadership)

Today, do we really remember 9-1-1 as it was?  Did we truly learn from the lessons that 9-1-1 taught us?  Are we truly prepared for the next one?

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!