9/11.
A day that changed America.
A day that changed my life forever.
There have always been those days. You know the ones. The ones that change history or that change your life or both. 9/11 is one of those days in my journey through this world.
On September 11, 2001, I was serving as a pastor in a small town in south Alabama (or LA as we like to call it—Lower Alabama). I was also serving as a chaplain/firefighter for our volunteer fire department. We had a great fire department. We had wonderful men and women who were committed to helping our community in any way possible.
The day had barely started in our office when a friend called to ask if I had seen the news. Of course, I hadn’t. I was at work and we didn’t have a TV in the office. I turned on the Internet and thought it strange how long it took for my favorite news site to load. After a minute or so, I understood why. A large photo of the first tower took up the screen. Within minutes, the second tower was hit, then the Pentagon, then the crash in Pennsylvania.
All of that was happening in New York City, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. Trust me when I say that more than miles separated my small town from those locations. Our people were simply country folks. Good people, just vastly removed from the large city and acts of terrorism.
After 20 minutes or so after the second tower was hit, my fire department pager activated. We were told to come to the station, prepare the trucks, and wait for further instruction. That was a strange request—one I had never heard before. I rushed to the fire station and was greeted by a dozen or so other volunteers. We waited for our assistant chief to arrive. When he did, the town’s police chief also came. They had news for us. The President had ordered the immediate landing of all commercial aircraft. All aircraft were to land safely, but quickly.
That was the problem. There was one plane in our region that couldn’t be accounted for. We were activated because we provided protection for a small airfield about five miles from our station. We were activated to be ready for a potential crash as had taken place in Pennsylvania. No one knew, in that moment, what would happen the next moment.
Within a short period of time, the plane was located, and it landed in Atlanta. We thought our duty would be finished, but no, that was not to be the case. We were needed to help at several area businesses and schools. Remember what it was like on 9/11? We were all panicked over what might happen next. Were there more planes? More terrorists? More attacks on the way?
I was assigned to protect the local high school. The school was in lockdown, as you can imagine. I monitored the doors and the hallway, watching for anything suspicious going on. Of course, nothing happened. Well, frightened parents did rush to the school to check out their children. Children did cry. I stood watch. And I cried.
Life changed after that. America stopped to worship and attend church. At least for a few days, maybe a week or so. Then, it was back to normal for so many.
James 4:14 is one of my life verses. James wrote, “Life is but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away forever.”
9/11 brought the truth of that verse to life for me.
What are your memories of 9/11?
If you have blogged about it today and would rather link us to your site, please feel free to do so. If you’d like to cut and paste what you’ve written, that’s fine to.
As you have a moment, please share your thoughts about this day.
I was attending a seminar with two guys from the church. We talked all the way down so needless to say I had no radio on. When we got there we heard about the attack (Pentagon and PA hadn't taken place yet). It was to be a satellite feed for the seminar but instead we watched the horror unfold before us. I still didn't grasp the weight of it until later than day when I sat down in front of my own TV and began to watch it unfold. I knew so little about Muslim. I knew so little about the Twin Towers. I knew so little about how much we were hated. I knew so little...period. But I cried as I watched it over and over. I watched hoping to see them rescue someone. I changed my sermon that Sunday. While others experienced the people barrage attending church we saw none. But that is what happens when you are in an area filled with churches and people consumed by play things. I still sit in stunned silence as i watch the horror happen. We must remain vigilant.
ReplyDeleteBill...thanks for sharing your story...I don't think any of us really knew the danger until 9/11...and there are those in our country today who have already forgotten just how dangerous our world can be...
ReplyDeleteWe lived in a big city at the time. I was at home. I was 3 years into what at that time was the fight of my life. Literally did not know if I was going to be alive for much longer. Then I watched from the comfort of my own couch the sheer devastion.... watched as lives were changed in a moment without what seemed like any real warning.
ReplyDeleteI remember the tears flowing hard. I remember the shock. I remember the questions from our older sons. I remember praying.... praying some more... praying again... I also knew it would mean my b-i-l would be leaving to wherever he was needed.
I was homebound unless I was in the hospital at that time.. Needless to say - I watched a lot of TV over the next while. And while illnesses ravaged my body... I was still alive, our home was still safe, and I knew where my husband and children were. I couldn't begin to imagine what those there were going through.. still can't. They remain in my daily prayers though.
Thanks for sharing Steve... (you too Bill)
http://candidchatter.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/when-tragedy-strikes/
ReplyDeleteI was sitting in front of my TV watching Fox News as usual. The reporter was talking about the plane that hit tower 1. I was eating cereal shaking my head thinking "wonder if the pilot was drunk". Then, behind her head and without her knowing, I watched the second plane hit. I stopped eating. Her eyes were wide as she stopped her reporting to ask the cameraman what he was talking about. He must have told her to turn around. Her face went white. Her expression was the worst look of fear I've ever seen in my life. That's when the panic started to take over. I watched without blinking. I drove to Panera Bread for my morning Joe. On the way there, the Pentagon and Penn happened. I was crippled with fear. I remember standing in line and it was all anyone was talking about. A man there had heard nothing of it and thought we were joking. I assured him we were not. he almost ran out of there to go listen to his car radio.
Panic. Fear. Heartbreak.
I blogged a little about it today.
Hugs to you all. I'm so happy we've met.
Heidi Reed
I was teaching Elie Weisel's "Night" to a group of 10th graders at an alternative high school. We were listening to a recording of it, and my sister called me to tell me what had happened. The principal came in and asked if we were watching CNN and I was totally bewildered, so he had all the classes come into one or two rooms and watch it (we only had 50 or 60 students). We were all awestruck.
ReplyDeleteI was 5 months pregnant at the time, and Travis had just started moving and kicking good that day. I guess it was the tension, but he rolled and flipped all day long, until I was almost sore.
The year before (Jan, 2000), I was flying home from a mission trip in Moscow. As we flew over NY, the pilot announced that if you looked out of the left side windows, you could see NYC and the twin towers illuminated. Since I was in a middle row, I decided not to get up, figuring I would see it some other time. :/
Then, when I was in DC this past Spring, I remember the "WHOA" feeling I had as we drove past the pentagon, and again as we were leaving and flew directly over it.
Here are my thoughts. http://searchingforgodajourney.blogspot.com/2008/09/911-and-beyond.html
ReplyDeleteI posted about it, too. http://www.rickboyne.com/2008/09/wtc-and-911.html
ReplyDeleteI was in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. We were living in a country that was 50% Muslim. We didn't know if we were going to survive the rest of the day. I honestly wondered to myself if this wasn't the start of the "Great Tribulation". We were scared to go out of our house for several days, but after we saw there was no direct effect of Americans in our city, life returned to "normal", whatever that was.
I was preparing a message for our new church. We were scheduled to begin a celebration service on September 16th! As you can imagine that was a horrible week to begin a new church. I was in Starbucks when I heard what happened and went home to watch with my family.
ReplyDelete