“Never forget” were the words that stood strong and rang loud this weekend as the world observed the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Most of us will never forget that tragic day when terrorist suicide bombers crashed planes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and attempted to fly into another building in Washington, D.C. We remember where we were, what we were doing and how we felt. My husband and I had a late work day so we slept in and were then going out to breakfast. I woke up first and decided to turn on the television, something I rarely do. It was about 10 a.m. There on the TV screen was silence and a view of one of the Twin Towers smoking. A few seconds later I saw a plane crash into the second tower. I hollered Flynn awake to see if he could shake me out of my disbelief. I wanted to believe that I was watching the making of a movie, but upon hearing the panic of the news commentator I knew I was seeing footage of real time attacks. I saw objects ejected from the first tower like they were thrown out. We all eventually learned that was exploding debris and people plunging to their deaths, probably panicked, not knowing how else to escape the impending ruins. We know more than 3,000 lives were lost, thousands more affected directly, and we all were changed from the 9/11 tragedy.

We must never forget the day folks woke up but not to do so again on this side of life. We must never forget that their deaths caused us all to have new lives most evident in the way we travel and interact with folks we think may be terrorists. Folks died but many of us still struggle to live thankful and fear-free lives; we are well aware that another 9/11 could happen and we could be among the casualties.

“Do this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19

Jesus said this, the one who died a cruel, tortuous death so that all humankind might live. “Do this in remembrance of me,” he said so we never forget his being flogged and dogged to death—crucified—so that we might have new life, that we might survive—thrive—never to wallow in death but to rejoice in the new life that He brings. When we die in Christ we wake up to a new life of yes to Him, being our best for and through Him, putting down our angst for and through Him, shutting down the attitude for and through Him. When we say yes to Christ’s death we make it possible for Him to live in us, to forsake our strong black woman ways and stave the part that makes us want to forget that we have died to our old self. And we must never forget death for from it always springs new life, and, sometimes ironically, we are the better for it.

My One Thousand Gifts List

#221-230
Being in pajamas all day
Cuddling with Nate
My husband being able to relax
Joshua and I writing letters to Daniel
Joshua’s thoughtful letter to Daniel
Joshua’s excitement about writing to Daniel (after first hesitating about doing it)
A civil meeting
Hearing a great sermon
Dinner with the Beelers
Andrina and Floyd babysitting