Remember the Pain

My precious wife and I celebrated this last year our 37th anniversary. We have actually known each other for over 50 years! We celebrate a lot of good memories from all of those years, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas and thanksgiving holidays, the birth of our grandsons, Jake and Lawson. Glenda often talks about making memories.

There are some things we do not celebrate in our relationship even though they are as real. There was the time that I decided that if we were going to be separated geographically that we should break up. Dumb move on my part. I left home and enrolled at Bethany Bible College in Scotts Valley. The first few months I sent home, on a regular basis, carefully crafted love letters. As my eye began to wander a little, I decided that I would “play the field.”

As soon as we broke up, Glenda took the box of letters, read them one more time then proceeded to burn them in the fireplace saying with great emotions “Lies, lies, lies.” I later came to my senses, and she took me back.

I love America and I am proud to be an American. I have lots of good memories growing up here. I loved the hot summer months in the Sacramento Valley. I love the soaring majesty of the redwood trees. I love the methodically and calming sound of the surf. I love the beauty of Fourteeners that reach toward their maker.

However, there are things that I have encountered as an American that are extremely painful and cause my heart to be burdened to tears. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I was in Hermit Basin in the muddy mountains of Colorado. It was boot camp September 2001. I turned on the TV to hear the morning news and was shocked to have played out the horrible events of 9-11. It was surreal. This could not really be happening to us. This was the land that God loved. How could He let this happen? We gathered together like shell shocked soldiers trying to make some sense of all of this. We did our best to continue our study and preparations without much success.

Every time I remember, I call up the pain from the deep recesses of my memory, tears spontaneously stream down my face. The pain, sorrow, anger and fear remains in spite of the passage of time. Oh I love the stories of people who miraculously were spared. But I am confident of this truth, some very devoted followers of Christ were lost that day when terror struck America. Glenda and I visited ground Zero some three years later. It left us speechless.

It reminds me that each of us will someday exit this world for the next. “It is appointed once to die.” There is no real “Life” insurance to guarantee me another day. This moment is all I have. What will I do with this moment? Who will I influence toward my Savior Jesus Christ? Who will I love today that needs that tangible expression of “God so loved…”? Who will I hug today that needs to be enveloped to the warm and tender arms of Abba Father? Then there is the ultimate question, “Who is following me as I follow Christ.”

When you think of 9-11, be thankful you have today. Use it wisely!