September 11

It has been a long time since I've posted anything here. 

Not that there hasn't been lots of interesting stuff going on; more about that later -- especially the ongoing saga of the downtown jail that doesn't want to move and the County Commissioners who refuse to budge.

Rather, I want to acknowledge the anniversary of those terrible events that took place seven years ago in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. 

It was a beautiful fall day here on the Georgia coast, just as it was elsewhere along the eastern seaboard. As I began my day, preparing for a meeting, there was no inkling of the tragedy that was yet to come. 

The scenes on television, of the first jet crashing into the World Trade Center, were unbelievable. Subsequent scenes of the second, third and then fourth crashes were inconceivable, as were the images of the towers' collapse. "When will it end?" I asked myself. "Is this the end?"

Suddenly, my problems became insignificant. I was afraid, for my family and friends and for mankind as a whole. The world seemed to become a quieter place, albeit a lot scarier. I was on hyper-alert during the drive home. I began to notice others, especially those who were different. Anything that seemed even remotely out of the ordinary became suspect.

It was a long time before things started to feel "normal" again. A long time before I would even consider getting on a commercial jet, a long time before I could watch the movie about those brave souls aboard Flight 93. A long time before I could look at people from the Middle East and not wonder ...

It's hard to believe it's been seven years. I learned a lot from the events of September 11, about myself, what's important and what's not. Many other tragedies have befallen us since then.

Innumerable words will be said, thoughts expressed and prayers offered today. Most will be far more eloquent than anything I could come up with.

The Rev. Kerry Nelson is pastor of Covenant Lutheran Church in Houston, TX. He writes a daily devotion that more often than not hits me right where I live. Today's devotion is no exception. You can read it here.

All I can say is, Thank God for heroes, for life, love and amazing, amazing grace.