Well, the remembrances are out. Today marks the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the failed and crashed Flight 93. The TV movies and feature films are coming out. Meanwhile, the press is commemorating the attacks, both at home and abroad. World Leaders are leading memorial services. President and Mrs. Bush laid a wreath at the World Trade Center yesterday (Sunday) evening.
Other than the commemorative coins and other adverts, I had not thought a great deal about this until this morning. Yet as I sit here at 9 a.m...., I remember going next door to a colleague's office to hear the radio announcer lead a prayer for the families. I remember getting an e-mail from my husband saying -- did you hear? I didn't really process it all at first. A plane crashed -- how terrible. Then more information came and I began to realize what had happened. I went across campus to chapel.
Then I had to teach my class. Now -- I am in a really interesting position. I teach history and geography -- the classes where people come for answers about such events -- at least on a factual level. We led and a prayer and I basically gave my classes over for questions and answers -- on what I could. I'm still not sure I did as good a job as I could have with that. I can't even tell you much of what I said in class that day and the next. I know that a few students remembered and commented later about it. My prayer is that I helped that day and in the days following.
Thinking about this, though, makes me think of my verse for today in II Chronicles. My job as a Christian and as a teacher in those days was what it always is. To stand up and let the Lord fight the battle.