Remembering...

I took some time today to pause and remember the events of 7 years ago. I was home getting Parker off to first grade when my mom called and asked if we were watching TV. Our power was out that morning for some unrelated reason so I pulled the battery-operated radio out of our emergency kit and listened to the news reports. It was a frightening way to get the information. In the days that followed I had to explain to six-year-old Parker that the planes went through the buildings only once as his little mind couldn't process the hundreds of times the scene was replayed on television. I would volunteer in his class and watch as the children would build towers out of blocks and crash into them with toy planes.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the future of our country and I will admit to being very concerned, probably more than I ever have been. I worry about the results of the upcoming elections, the future of marriage in this country, the unstable economy and our equally unstable relationships with other countries. I worry that the America that I knew as a child will not be the same America that my children will inherit. The events of September 11 changed history. Thankfully I will remember life before the constant fear of terrorism. I am sad that this has become a reality and the only way of life that my children have ever known. I take great comfort in knowing that God has a plan for this country and will preserve and protect us. "Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written." (Ether 2:12 in the Book of Mormon)

The following article circulated at the end of 2001. It helps me keep a perspective on what happened.

How many of us have heard the question "Where was your God when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked?" Well I know where my God was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy.

He was trying to discourage anyone from taking those flights. Those four planes together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard.

He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights He was giving strength to passengers as they overtook the hijackers.

He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or had traffic delays?

He was holding up two 110-story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. Wasn't it amazing that the towers didn't topple when the jets impacted? And when they did fall, they fell inward. God didn't allow them to topple over, as many more lives would have been lost.

And when the buildings went down, my God picked up almost 6,000 of his children and carried them home with Him. Reassuring his frightened children that the worst was over and the best was yet to come.

He sat down and cried that 19 of his misguided children could have so much hate in their hearts. That they didn't choose Him, but another god that didn't exist, and now they are lost.

He sent His children who were best trained for this disaster and had them save the few that were still alive, but unable to help themselves. And then sent many others to help in anyway they were needed.

He still wasn't finished, though. He held in His arms the ones that were left behind. He comforts them daily.

And I believe He will continue to help us in what is to come. He will give the people who lead this great nation the strength and the wisdom to do the right thing. He will never leave us in our time of need.