Remember Where You Were?

Today was one of those days I'll always remember. On the ride to school this morning, I heard the radio DJ say Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals. Thinking they were joking, I turned up the radio. Turns out I had heard correctly. My 8 year old, Levi, was in the car with me. He wasn't born at the time of the September 11th attacks, and so he's never known the pre-9/11 world. He didn't witness the attacks, yet he's not old enough to be studying them in his history classes. I found it a challenge to organize my thoughts enough to explain to him the significance of what has happened. I wanted to protect my little boy from the horrors of this world.

My mind immediately flashed back to September 11, 2001. I was dropping my oldest, Mackenzie, off at daycare when I heard the news of the attacks. I remembered the gripping fear. I remembered feeling as though I shouldn't leave her, not wanting to be separated from my little one and unable to protect her in a moment of such uncertainty.

This morning as I absorbed the news, I was again walking into a daycare, this time to drop off my littlest, Caleb. I couldn't escape the irony of the situation. Neither could I deny the still, small voice of God assuring me that He is and has always been with me. In moments of fear, moments of celebration. When I know what to do and when I'm reeling in shock. He's there. Loving me and all those I love, keeping us in his presence always.

It was one of those times about which they say "you'll always remember where you were when..." Maybe you'll always remember today, too. May those moments that are branded on our brains in their searing enormity serve as monuments to remind us of the undeniable presence of God at all times.