Thankful

I will never forget 9 years ago today driving to college and listening to KDWB morning show and hearing about the plane that struck the first tower. I thought KDWB was playing a sick joke so I immediately turned the station to KTIS (Christian radio) and that is when I heard the second plane crashed into the Twin Towers. My heart was breaking for those families and for our country. I wanted so badly to be near my family.

This day was a great tragedy to our country. So many thoughts flooded my mind about this date; hate, sorrow, rejoicing, horror, forigiveness and so much more. Initially I had so much hatred for the people that did this to our country and couldn't understand why people would sacrafice innocent lives to glorify their religion. It was so wrong of them.

I also felt so much sorrow for those families that wouldn't have their mommy or daddy coming home that night. It brought me to tears thinking of what if it was one of my loved ones. This day was one of the saddest days I had observed in our country. How could these people willingly do this?

As a follower of Christ I had to take a step back from my emotion of hatred and think how would Jesus react to this. I think he would forgive these people and through this horrible day he would find a way to rejoice and bring glory to HIS name. As the days passed after 9/11 so many stories came out about all the heroes of that day. Some were business people, some were fire fighters, police, and so forth. Some of these people laid down their lives for our country and for that I am thankful.

One of the stories I really wanted to share was of Tom Burnett whom was originally from Minnesota. He was one of many people that were heroes that day. See his story below which is from the Tom Burnett Family Foundation website.

"On September 11, 2001, Thomas E. Burnett Jr. became an American hero. On the same morning of the terror attacks on New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the plane on which Burnett was a passenger was hijacked. He called his wife Deena from the plan several times, telling her, “We have to do something. I’m putting a plan together.” Later he said, “We’re waiting until we get over a rural area. We’re going to take back the airplane.”

Tom and a handful of fellow passengers accosted the hijackers, causing United Flight 93 to crash into a Pennsylvania field, rather than into another American landmark. All on board were killed, but no one on land perished. Tom died a hero and will be remembered the way he lived his life each day – with character, faith, courage, leadership, spirit, and integrity."

So today as I sit here with a heavy heart, I remember all of these people that were hereos or lost their loved ones or the soliders that are still fighting for us now; I am thankful for each one of them.

Yes, this was a horribly sad day in American History but Christ brought us through this day and he used heroes like Tom Burnett to be one of the many people that tried to do something to save lives that day. I am so thankful that Jesus protects us and helps us through these trials.

We will ALWAYS remember. 9/11/2001