Bare hints of a morning sun glinted over the horizon, lighting the master bedroom with the first wisps of the day’s sunshine, as I raised the miniblinds in the window of our small condo. I gently jostled my husband awake and told him that I had been nice enough to leave him some hot water for his shower. We both were preparing to go to our jobs at a Christian school where I managed the school office and my husband was the high school history teacher. Only a month earlier, we had celebrated our first wedding anniversary and were content in our simple, newlywed lives.
I walked into the living room while combing through my wet hair. Reaching for the remote, I clicked on the television as I turned toward the kitchen to start brewing a pot of coffee. I stopped and stared at the screen, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Only a few days before, there had been a bad refinery fire in Los Angeles; at first glance, I thought I was seeing footage from that same fire. Then I realized it was a building—an extremely tall building. The news anchor said, “…and we are not sure how the fire started here in the World Trade Center Tower. Some are hinting at a possible terrorist attack.” Terrorist attack? My mind flooded back to memories from only a handful of years before when, as a high schooler, I watched in horror as the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing played out on television.
“Hey, Dave…” I began. As I called to my husband who was undoubtedly still in bed, my voice trailed off. An airplane came into view on the screen. In a split second I thought, Why is that passenger plane so close to the Twin Towers? Then, I leapt back in shock as the plane crashed into the second tower, creating a massive fireball that billowed from the gaping hole it created. I yelled in a panicky voice, “Dave, come see this now!”
He walked into the living room, eyes bleary with sleep, and said, “What is it?”
The look on my face gave him pause as I replied, “I think New York is under attack.”
Leaning against each other, we sat on the couch far too long while watching the terror before us as, one after the other, the towers collapsed onto the streets of Manhattan. The coffee pot was forgotten. My hair never got blow-dried. We watched in numb disbelief until, finally, we were able to pull ourselves together. Dave then took a quick shower, and we headed into work.
The entire day was a blur. As we moved through the day, no one could think of or speak of much else. We tried to keep things as normal as possible for the children at the school. We did our best not to look upset, shocked, or emotionally strained.
Dave and I went home that evening and sat together, watching the news and trying to make sense of what had just happened to our country. We learned of the additional plane crashes at the Pentagon and on a field in Pennsylvania. Feelings of helplessness and grief rippled through us, as they did all Americans. We realized how quickly life could be here and then gone. Our perspective of how we saw each day, how we viewed those we loved, and how we reached out to those to whom we were called to minister was changed.
Through tragedy comes lessons that otherwise may not have been taught so effectively. In times of pain and loss, our eyes are changed to see life and people from a new perspective. Grudges and hard feelings suddenly seem petty and childish. The mundane day-to-day life gains long absent feelings of gratitude for its simplicity. People who have always “been there” become a necessary presence in the lives of the hurting. Brokenness has a way of rearranging our priorities and helping us to see what really matters.
On that day, I was reminded that life is fleeting. Tomorrow is not promised. Of those who died on September 11, 2001, none could have expected never to go home, never to have the chance to say goodbye, or never to see their loved ones again. As was true for those who were lost in this tragedy, we do not know how much time we each are allotted. However, we have this day, and we must make it count for Christ. Our time on earth is just a tiny speck, but it is up to us to make that speck mean something that will count for eternity.
Today, we face a multitude of uncertainties. We have such an amazing opportunity to reach others for the Lord in these times. People are looking for hope and some kind of assurance in an unsure world. We carry the Answer to everything! We must not wait to serve God. We must not put off for Christ what can be done today. When an opportunity arises to give more to God, we should willingly do so. The chance we are given to make a difference today may be the whole reason God created us.
Today is the day to give all to the Lord! Make it count for Christ!
May we pray as Paul prayed, And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, – Ephesians 6:19
by Tracie S. Burns
