So somebody once wrote to me when I bitterly questioned the existence of God. I wrote back "It would have been better if He had been in the cockpit of the planes."The center of His will is our only safe place, let us pray that we can always know it!...Bessie ten Boom to Corrie Ten Boom while at Auschwitz, from the book The Hiding Place
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil....The Lord's Prayer, recited by Todd Beamer and Lisa Jefferson a few minutes before Todd died.
"Ted, what should I tell the pilot?"..the witty and wonderful Barbara Olson, after her plane had been hijacked, to her husband Ted, the Solicitor General of the United States. Sadly, Ted had nothing to say to help Barbara stay alive. Mortal man, no matter how powerful, had nothing to stay the planes.
"Oh God! Oh..." Kevin Cosgrove shouted as he met his terrible death in the WTC. I regret to say that the words were not a shout of joy at being reunited with his Creator, but a scream of terror beyond terror.
"You can make me go to church, but you can't make me believe!"....me at age 14 right before my Ghandi-like father slapped my face as hard as he could, sending me reeling across the room and ensuring that 33 years went by before I set foot inside a church again except for weddings and funerals.
I want to talk about God, but I don't want to tell you what I think about Him, because I haven't the slightest idea whether or not He really exists. Does He?
I so envy you who truly, fervently, without a doubt, believe. Because I just don't.
I so envy all you who truly, fervently, without a doubt, believe that there is nothing after death but..well...death. Because I just don't.
I want to think that there is something out there.
"I'm too young to die! I'm too cute to die! I'm too ME to die!" - Snoopy
Today, as I fill the gas tank and contemplate weekend plans, and prepare for tomorrow's lecture, and supervise homework, today I have to believe that..... the souls who met their Maker five years ago yesterday......I have to believe that they met Somebody.
Because I can't bear to think otherwise.
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9 comments:
You captured exactly what I would have said if I could of found the words to say it. Thank you.
Eloquent and honest, as always.
"I want to think that there is something out there." Me, too. But I don't know, either. So I'll concern myself with the here and now, the heavens on earth. Great post.
No doubts here; I've had too many prayers answered in startling ways. Great post, Lorrie.
Well said. And I know exactly how you feel and where you are coming from.
I do believe there was Somebody there with them. I have tried to wrap my mind around this tragedy more times than I can count and I've finally accepted that it's just not mine to figure out. But I do know there is something more after here.
One of our priests said one Sunday, that terrible things happen and it is God asking/challenging us to be good Christians. what will we do to help, how can we ease the suffering, do we just shake our heads and ask God why?? Or do we ask God to help us find a way to help.
It is one way to look at things I guess.......
I agree, and I believe there's more, too. Thanks for saying what many think but could never find the words to say as you have.
Well done.
I am glad you included the Betsie/Corrie quote. I have read "The Hiding Place" more times than I can count!
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