Was God There?

Two impossibly tall towers were the landmarks of the World Trade Center complex. When they fell, the buildings became a pile of rubble 20 stories high. For someone like me raised in the farmlands of the Midwest, that is really high.

I just finished reading the account of a crisis chaplain who spent 68 days at Ground Zero starting about a week after 9-11.  Fascinating insights.

Picture the heap of rubble—everything on The Pile was organized chaos, heavy equipment operating 24/7, hundreds of people working—and always the sound of the Pile, itself, always moving.

However, if you lowered yourself into God’s House, the sound died away completely—really no explanation for it. Actually, this spot was located in part of a building adjacent to the WTC that was demolished as the towers went down. Inside God’s House, there were beams and girders twisted in such a way that they formed three crosses. One of the visible signs that God was there at Ground Zero.

An outstanding aspect of this huge disaster was the outpouring of volunteers and types of encouragement shown. Chaplain Giunta was a “military brat” having lived in several overseas countries as a youngster. He mentioned that America is unique not only because of our declaration of independence but also the way our citizens pull together in disasters such 9-11. The compassion, resolve, and grace under pressure seem to mark us as a people. That makes me proud to be an American, flawed though we are.

I liked the way Chaplain Guinta showed that God was “there” when 9-11 occurred and afterwards (of course, He is always with us). He was talking to a burly firefighter and the man was expressing his anger at the situation. The chaplain admitted that he too was angry and there was no doubt in his mind that God was angry. Angry that people had used their free will and chosen to do this to others. 

Because of radio transmitters, the firemen knew they had people in the rubble alive in the early hours but there was no way to get to them (remember the 20 story rubble pile they were dealing with). “God was with them to ease them into eternity,” said the chaplain.

And then there are the multitude of stories of how people missed rides, were sick, were told by a small voice to walk the other way, etc. That was not coincidence; that was God.

The chaplain included the story of a mother and son who both worked at the WTC. She was running late that day so they didn’t ride together as was their usual habit. She arrived within walking distance of the WTC just after the first plane hit and was stopped by a cell phone call. It was her son, already at work in the tower that was hit, telling her “Mom, do not come to work. Do not walk into the WTC or anywhere near it.” She survived, he did not.

It looks like this post turned into a book report, but it’s definitely a book worth reading.

Its' All in Your Head

If you have never had a headache, you probably don’t really understand what good health, or “feeling good” really means. Generally, a headache is not merely an ache affecting only your head. It can also encompass eyes, sinuses, jaws, and ears. 

A humdinger of a headache can also include your neck (you have heard the phrase “pain in the neck”) on down to your back and around the front to your belly, at which point you would love to vomit the contents of all recent meals if it would just make you stop hurting.

Headaches can be triggered by allergies, fatigue, barometric changes, etc. but for many years the malady was treated as “it’s all in your head” (how obvious!), and this remark was generally directed toward the ladies.  

Until some vocal males of the species spoke out, it seems that it was unmanly for a man to suffer with a headache. Yet I know my Dad suffered with headaches often, as does his son, and one of my sons. (Manliness or the lack thereof has nothing to do with the propensity of suffering this malady.)

 

I am enclosing a picture of Rodin's "The Thinker" because I really think he might have posed with a headache. I have assumed this position for various reasons, but headache seems to fit as well as thinking. 

In our early married years, my husband could not understand why I would have headaches. He was mostly sympathetic, but clearly puzzled. Now that he has suffered a few himself, the empathy is there. Personally, I can remember having headaches back as far as six years of age, probably due to food allergies. So headaches have been a part of my life for longer than many of my friends have been alive. Not a cheerful thought.

I’d like to say headaches are no longer a part of my life, but that is not the case. However, age has ameliorated the frequency, a little. So cheer up, headache sufferers, you may grow out of them. For the rest of you who will never suffer that particular pain, my sympathy is extended since you don’t know how good you have it.

An-ti-ci-pa-tion

 There is either a song by that title or the word is a very important of the lyrics. Anyway, that little snippet of words and music have been coming to mind recently.

There is a reason for that, which I will get to shortly.

I seem to couple anticipation with a certain amount of excitement or edginess, or maybe even nervousness although that has a hint of negativity and it seems anticipation is an all-positive experience. For that reason, it would probably be a good positive, mental exercise to go back in our memories and think of all the times we anticipated an event. (Hopefully, the reality lived up to the anticipation.)

I think of birthdays and Christmases, all of which include gathering together of friends and loved ones.   Of course I have to include parties and other holidays too.

In fact, all my anticipatory experiences do seem to be integrally involved with others.

Which leads to my most recent anticipation.  After we returned from Dean’s last round of chemo (last week), he said, “I think we should plan to go to your 50^th high school class reunion.”  I had totally given up on going because doctor's appointments and treatments have pretty much eliminated any advance planning.  My graduating class numbered 20 and most of us have stayed connected throughout the years. Consequently, I was truly looking forward to this time together.

Since I have retired, we have driven rather than flown on our various travels to friends and relatives. I can’t help with the driving so Dean has to do it all so it’s a good thing he likes to drive. We really don’t know how he will be feeling by reunion time, so he suggested that I check into flights—and I found some great prices! 

So you can see where this is leading. And there is a plus to this anticipated trip. We will get to see my brother and his family, an older cousin, AND get to celebrate our older son’s birthday with him.  An-ti-ci-pa-tion! Ya gotta love it!!

Sunshine Day

My brain has stagnated this week so I must borrow a two-year-old’s statement and run with it.  Little Ben is the son of a young couple with Wycliffe who live far away. The young parents are dealing with some difficulties with their ministry as well as missing their families back home, so their son’s pronouncement must have brought smiles to their faces as it did mine when I read their newsletter.

When young Ben gets up in the morning, he bounces out of  bed and announces, “It’s a sunshine morning!”

I live in a geographical part of the US where it usually IS a “sunshine morning.” However, since I am not a morning person, I don’t always notice much until my blood starts circulating—some time around 10 AM. That’s not to say that I’m a slug-a-bed because I am usually up by 6 AM. (Only those of you who join me in being non-morning persons will understand.)

So back to Ben’s bright statement—it stuck in my mind and led me to think about “sunshine” in my life—in other words, things for which I’m thankful.

Actually, I am thankful for sunshine, but I’m also grateful for rain. Family and friends lend sunshine to my life. As I hear dreadful reports of war and turmoil in other parts of our world, I am reminded of the freedom I enjoy in my part of the universe.

Going to more miniature types of “sunshine” would have to include our little dog and his endearing ways, particularly when he stands up begging to sit on my lap and “hunker.”  Discovering the first flowers to bloom in spring and enjoying those fresh colors would have to be included in my list.

Of course, the most awesome sunshine is the “Sonshine”  of God’s great love shown through His Son. He’s the one who helps us see the sunshine in the world around us, making us aware of the obscure blessings we might have otherwise missed.

So keep your personal “sunshine” list tucked away at the back of your mind when your day does not start out as a “sunshine morning.” I intend to.