Tragic Memories
Posted in Daily Focus on Wednesday, September 11, 2013
There are certain moments in time that people vividly remember in connection with a certain date in history. My mother can recall exactly where and what she was doing when Pearl Harbor was attacked in World War II. I can recall where and what I was doing when John F. Kennedy was shot. My daughter now recalls where and what she was doing the day the World Trade Center's twin towers burned and crashed to the ground. For three days, homeschooling stopped, and we, along with millions of others, watched the awful events of those days. Her thoughts are forever recorded below in her poem written shortly after that tragic day.
September 11, 2001
Out of the clear blue sky,
I saw thousands die.
I saw people jump to their death.
I saw America hold its breath.
I saw the sadness of the world.
I saw the flag at half staff furled.
I saw the grief of a president.
I saw America lose its innocence.
I see the towers fall in my mind.
I think I've seen it a hundred times.
I saw America cry and pray.
I will never forget that horrible day.
I saw acts of the most evil kind.
I know we can never turn back time.
I'll remember those who fight to save
Freedom in the land of the brave.
Even in our darkest moments in time, we can know God is with us. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35, 38-39).
Dear God, thank You that even in tragic times when the world is falling down around us, we are conquerors through Him who loves us! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Comments(13 comments)
TRUDY M. R 09/13/2008 10:33:05
AMEN!
PEGGY K 09/11/2009 00:47:07
This is a very moving poem. I would like to know the age of the wise child who wrote it.
NANCY G 09/11/2009 06:28:31
Thank you for the entire poem and words that you wrote for 9/11/09. It stirred my heart and was a blessed way to remember the past events
of this day. You could not have written it any better. God bless you!
SUEANN B 09/11/2009 06:41:43
That is a wonderful poem . I just want to add, though, that on that day when we saw "acts of the most evil kind," we also saw kindness, heroism, love, and selflessnes.
Thank you for posting this.
NANCY D 09/11/2009 07:23:14
Beautiful! You captured the emotions of 9/11 for me.
I think it would be nice to add the author's name and age.
THANKS for sharing!
You are right - homeschooling allows us the freedom to spend time as
needed on current events. Thanks for the entire article. Good job!
JANET T 09/11/2009 07:31:30
Peggy K - The daughter referred to in this devotional was a teenager at the time she wrote this poem. As an adult, she continues to write and publish poetry to this day.
Donna K 09/11/2009 08:29:18
The poem is really good writing. The events of 9/11 have affected the whole world. When a person came to realize that the planes couldn't possibly have knocked the towers down, (or building 7 which wasn't even hit), and it was in fact a controlled demolition with hundreds of eyewitnesses hearing bombs, the world suddenly seemed like a scarier place. Our confidence and faith has to be in Jesus Christ.
W M 09/11/2011 05:07:41
Thank you for sharing your daughter's poem. It is so important that we remind ourselves today certainly, but daily that God is STILL IN CONTROL. That we are loved and held by a God who is moved with compassion for us. It was a wake up call that caused us to recognize our true need for a Savior. Thank you, Lord, for your love and mercy and forgiveness of sin. Amen.
BRENDA S 09/11/2011 10:27:05
Let us not to forget how the World Trade Center Twin Towers burned and crased to the ground (TERRORISM).We must not let our children forget, so we can keep our country safe. It needs to be said what really happened.
GOD BLESS US ALL
JOAN A 09/11/2011 13:05:57
Just want to say thanks for sharing this. God Bless.
KATHY S 09/11/2012 05:44:43
I shall share your daughter\'s poem wiith my son today in class. She did a great job, please pass that on to her.
This devotional was an excellent reminder of the fact that Christ is the only real protection in our lives, \"On christ\'s solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand\".
The more I hear going on in our Beloved America, the more I cringe. I hear that \"depression\" type days lie ahead for us, I hear that we won\'t be able to afford anything (which it\'s already a struggle for most of us now).
There is much doom and gloom. With the elections coming up
I am reminded to really look at \"who believes in what\". And that\'s on both sides of the Aisle.
Frankley I believe no matter who gets in these next four years, it will will nothing but peril. So, again, Thank you for the reminder that Christ is our only true provider, protector, and the only one who we can depend on completley.
JENNIFER H 09/11/2012 06:15:03
What a Wonderful Poem! The family members that survived and the ones that lost their lives , will always be remembered!
AMANDA G 09/14/2012 10:39:26
I am reading this looking back. I know my oldest was 3 when this happened. For a year she drew pictures of the towers burning. Now she is almost 15 and won\'t speak to me. All I can do is leave her in G-d\'s hands and pray she will again. So much changes. We can all read that poem and look at times in our lives when we have fallen short.