Remembering also the good things

This was a post I wrote two years ago and I thought I'd repost it, with some changes, as we remember 9/11 today. Thank you to those who sacrificed their lives in order to save others. Thank you to those who work hard to ensure the freedom we so often take for granted.

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This post is a little bit more personal than usual, but I really want to share this with you all. Today marks the 10th anniversary of one of the most tragic days in American modern history. I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was pregnant with my 2nd child, Gaby, when it happened. We had planned to have her in Croatia, like I did with our first, but due to some complications in my pregnancy, my husband and I thought it was best to go back to the US to have her. It was a last-minute decision, so we were pressed for time as my due date was only a month away.

We flew out early morning on the 12th, just hours after that WTC attacks. It was so difficult to get the tickets out of Croatia that we knew if we didn't leave, I had to delivery my baby there. When we arrived in Amsterdam, our stopover, we were told we couldn't fly to Los Angeles. We were stranded there for 4 days, along with so many tourists who were sleeping all over the airport because no hotel rooms were available. Thankfully, we have some friends, who lived just 10 minutes away from the airport and they were able to accommodate us. God provided for us.

When we finally got on the plane, it was only 30% full because the airline didn't have time to notify all the passengers that it was ready to fly into LA. It was only by God's grace that we came to the airport when they were loading the plane. Because it was almost empty, I was able to lay down and even caught some sleep. Again, God was good to provide this little blessing. A month later, our precious baby Gaby was born.

The memories that most people have of 9-11 incite disbelief, anxiety, sadness and even anger. I have experienced some of those, too,especially as I read about the orphaned children of the victims. But, I have a different recollection of that time. As devastating as it was, it was also a proud moment for not only Americans, but for everybody who stands up for freedom. We were wounded, but weren't destroyed. The terrorists disrupted our way of life, but they didn't take away our hope.

We met new heroes among ordinary people that day, who continue to inspire us today. We were reminded again to appreciate life even with its challenges; to pray for our nation and its leaders; to think about peoples of many nations who live with terror everyday; to support the many men and women who work hard to ensure our freedom; and to hug our loved ones a little tighter.

For me, 9-11 was another opportunity that God showed Himself as the giver of good things, our faithful protector and our sovereign Lord through a very difficult situation. That is a comfort to know and a wonderful truth to cling to as I try to live daily in this scary, insecure world. 

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety. ~Psalm 4:8 

And here's my Gaby now, who's a reminder of God's goodness every day.