Remembering

For 23 years on this day I have had a time of somber remembrance. To my knowledge I had no affiliation with anyone personally affected by the twin towers tragedy. Although I am sure many brothers and sisters in Christ passed into eternity that day I didn't know their stories. I hadn't heard their testimonies or seen their bravery and boldness on display beforehand. It was only after the tragedy that their colors shone for the bigger world to see. Yesterday that changed for me and for many other believers like me. In fact, yesterday I realized that tragedy is most often when the true colors of others are shown. Yesterday, as a Christian, I felt connected in a real way to tragedy.

For 23 years most days I have sat somewhere outside and been encouraged by the sweet sound of songbirds. Today seems distinctly different. Today as I listen for the soothing sounds regularly surrounding my backyard I'm met with a deeper sadness. The birds I hear this morning are not my usual happy sounds. They are sounds of alarm, sounds of warning and deep cries of seeming loss. They answer one another across the distance and their piercing caws echo within their domain. I'm now consciously listening for my happy bird songs but I hear not even one. Perhaps they are near, but listening to these cries and caws as well. So, this morning I remember.

I remember the September 11th of 24 years ago that shook us to our roots. I remember the October 7th of 2023 that ripped the veil loosely covering true hatred and bigotry for Israel and peace in the Middle East and I remember yesterday, September 10th. Those wounds are fresh and while prayers truly do comfort and God heals, the words of many pour in dirty sand and salt. True colors have never shown so brightly in my world as they did last night. Charlie Kirk's true colors have regularly been on display for all to see. He welcomed debate, not for the sake of winning an argument but for the chance to change someone's eternity. His assassination also revealed the true colors of many who I believed, even though we saw things from different perspectives, were still in my corner when the chips were down. Looking at things now, I see where this needed to exposed but it is truly shocking none the less.

I've known for quite awhile "tolerance" as the world defines it only applies to those who remain silent and "bigotry" according to that same world applies to all who would dare speak for morality. At some point in time here in the U.S. a shift happened. Logic and reason turned the corner and was swallowed up by the noise of relevancy and comfort. Not only has the snow globe been dropped but it has been utterly shattered. My questions now are how do I address all the deceit I see in "my world"? It's no longer thousands of miles away with unfamiliar faces and unrecognized names but right here in my town, in my area, in my circle of "friends". What do I do with their seething hatred of all I believe in and stand for? More importantly, how do I address their lost souls...or are their souls too lost to address? Perhaps they just no longer care to hear it.

What do I do with my anger? How do I move forward in the love of Christ when one who did so in the name of freedom was massacred as our youth looked on and, worse yet, his death celebrated for all to see. Both left and right deceive themselves if they think gladness of heart is normal when a life is lost. May I examine myself if there is ever a bit of joy or a tinge of happiness felt when my opposition, even my enemy, meets their eternity for their ending here is their eternal beginning on the other side.

There's a sickness raging in our "land of the free" far worse than one bringing physical death. This sickness is of the soul and the death it brings will not end it's terror but continue if for an eternity. Sadly, those who fall ill with this demon actually choose to do so. They embrace it with a passion akin to lost love found. They pull off the masks and cast off restraints running headlong into the abyss while laughing at words of warning as they pass. It doesn't trouble me that they disagree. It doesn't anger me that they call me names nor does it shake my resolve to speak truth. What troubles me is my deep and unshakeable belief that if someone, somehow doesn't speak out and expose the lies to all many will one day want an opportunity to change their minds but find the door closed and locked. They will be stuck with their eternal taskmaster and their fate will be sealed not by the God who gave His all to save them but sealed of their own choosing. One day those who reject Christ and the God who sent Him will have an eternity to remember but no time to change.

The songbirds will return. Words of encouragement and strength will come again. Smiles and laughter and friendship have not left forever but are currently on hold. All these joys are respectfully sitting in the side room waiting on the mourning to pass. Waiting on the day of remembrance, the day of questions, to move over for the season of resolve to settle in their place.

September 11, 2001 thousands of people went through death's one-way door.

October 7, 2023 demons were unleashed that had been restrained since the Holocaust.

September 10, 2025 Charlie Kirk cared enough to try and change minds for eternity.

Do I?

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