9/11...WAS IT ONLY FIVE YEARS AGO?...It seems like it was much longer ago than that! That was the day that I learned new lessons about God protecting my children...and which ones needed protection!
At the time, one of our daughters lived in Ukraine (she still does). My prayers often included prayer for her protection, among other things. I didn't find myself nearly as preoccupied with that for my daughters who lived in the U.S. Our only married daughter at that time lived in New York City and was in her final year of her Ph.D program at Columbia University. Her husband worked about six blocks from the World Trade Center on Wall Street for Goldman Sachs. That morning he was in a conference room that looked out toward the towers, making some phone calls, when the first plane hit. He hung up the phone, called his parents in WA state and our daughter in Manhattan to tell them what had happened and to tell them that he was okay. Then he went out into the large office nearby to tell others what he had seen. They didn't believe him but about that time, the TV's in the office that were set on CNN showed the second plane hitting the towers. At that point, they headed for the exits because they figured their building would be next!
Fortunately, I did not watch the news that morning like I often did because I would have never been able to get through to Christy on the phone. She called me a short time later to let me know what happened so we could be praying for Bryan specifically and for their protection. We knew about when he started walking the nearly 10 mile walk home. When we heard that the whole building had collapsed, we were concerned again re how he was and where he was. It took a few hours before we were able to hear that he had arrived home safely through all that dust.
Another concern that morning, as details unfolded, was for my brother. He is an American airlines captain who lives in Harrisburg, PA (not far from where the last plane crashed into the ground) and flies out of Kennedy in New York City (where at least two of the flights originated). I got on the phone to try to call him and amazingly, he answered the phone. That never happens! It was his day off that day and he was home. It was such a relief to hear his voice.
Since that day five years ago, our daughter and her husband have had two little girls and moved to Seattle, WA (his hometown) to be near family. We no longer live in TX, but in IL. Our youngest daughter is now married and no longer lives in TX, but in TN where they moved when her baby boy was two weeks old. This time, it was not God's will for our family members to be directly affected in the tragedy. Another time, we may be. Only God knows. I'm glad I don't. I think that part of what it means to walk by faith is to be able to trust God with each things He brings into my life as it comes. I don't have to anticipate with dread all the horrible possibilities (which would be very easy to do). I must walk by faith, trusting that He will not allow anything into my life that He won't give me strength to bear. (I Cor. 10:13) I also know that all that He brings into my life will work for good. (Rom. 8:28)