Not Finished Yet - I Am a Work In Progress - Be Patient With Me

Today we remembered the events that took place ten years ago, when On September 11th 2001, four planes where hijacked in midair. Three planes succeeded in hitting their targets. With great courage and resolve, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 prevented their plane from reaching its likely target, the White House or the Capitol Building.

I remember the phone call my husband made and asked if I was watching the TV. Told him no … I had my twins who were 1 at the time and my oldest 5 home. I was a busy mom who rarely watched TV. But when I turned on CNN the pictures I saw totally changed my life and the lives of many that day. I didn’t saw when the first plane actually hit the World Trade Centre, but saw the second one and the devastation before the towers collapsed.

The most vivid picture that stayed with me was the image of people jumping out of the windows thinking that they have more chance to survive then just being on the top floors of the building.

We will NEVER forget that day. It changed the world, and it definitely changed the American nation. We will always remember the tragedy, the courage … later the love and unity. Thank you for all who serve and served.

Yesterday, the movie Flight 93 was on TV, and we were watching it as a family to help my kids understand the events of that day, one thing really thought my attention. The last phone calls.

Passengers were allowed to call their relatives. One more call, to say good bye. But the passengers from the other three planes didn’t have that opportunity. They couldn’t say good bye. When they left their homes, whatever they said last time … was their last words. Whether a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a mom, a dad, a brother, the newspaper boy, the coffee lady … whomever those people were in contact with, did they ever crossed their minds that this might be the last time when they can talk to these people?

We live in a busy world. Running with agendas to meet, goals to reach, and often we take our days, and the people in our lives granted. What if … the words I say, will be the last I could say …

God gives us time and puts us around people … do we realize the impact we can leave with our words? We can choose to be nice, and grateful, and build up people … or we can be angry, disrespectful, always complaining, draining others.

Our words carry power. It either builds up, or tears down. Every interaction we have is God given opportunity to lift someone up, to build someone up, to tell them there are valuable, and to let them know they are loved and appreciated.

Many people cross our paths, some are facing cancer, some lost their family members, some lost their jobs, some are plain jerks, some are depressed, some are devastated, and some are plain evil … but every interaction we have is a God given opportunity. For some it might be the only, or the last opportunity.

A nice word can give hope when cancer seem hopeless, an uplifting word can carry someone one more day when they fill there is no reason to live, the right word can strengthen faith, and smooth hearts and soften even the darkest mind.

Are we light in the dark? Do we allow God to use our mouth for his glory and people’s good? Does it even cross our minds, that God might just put us in that circumstance (even if you think or see your own circumstance is hard) to be that one more chance, that last hope in someone else’s life … and often people all they need is … a good word.

I want to challenge you to ask God daily to remind you, that life is not about you and to be reminded by the Holy Spirit, that the people you interact with are God given opportunities to lift someone up, to bring hope, to share joy and to extend God’s unconditional, undeserved love.

Let us change the world around us, one person at a time, and one smile at a time. I had seen people react in all kinds of strange ways when you are unexpectedly nice with them. When people are harsh and bad and they really deserve a strong word, (they often even expect the same response as they threat you) … just try it and be kind, go beyond normal and be nice to those who really do not deserve it … and know that God is touching their hearts.

And while I challenge you to be nice with strangers, please be extra careful for those who are close to you. I wonder if those people who were on those flights could have changed anything they said that morning what that would be. It’s never too much of “I love you” when it comes to family, and your kids, and parents. Tell them often because you might never know which words will be the last they will hear from you.

Go on and be a person who uses words to encourage and lift people up. Be light. Be salt. Be hope. Be the person God can say: she/he brings joy to me.