Exodus 23:25-26
Worship only me, the Lord your
God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong.
Your women will give birth to healthy children, and everyone will live a
long life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My
mother-in-law has been going through old photo albums and
journals...many that belonged to her mother and her aunts and uncles. In
some of these, there are accounts of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and its
effects. Greg’s family hails from Iowa. I have heard about the 1918 Flu
Pandemic most of my life...ancestors of mine succumbed to it in rural
Arkansas communities just east of where I live today, including four
people in one family alone who died over the course of a couple of days.
I had not realized that this was such a widespread “event”, but
information at http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/index.html
explains that this deadly outbreak covered not only much of the United
States – but Europe, as well, since soldiers were traveling back and
forth to fight in the war, and they carried the flu with them. I’ve
heard my grandparents and other relatives share recollections (a few
firsthand!) of how no one dared to even try to go to a home and care for
the sick, for fear that they would also become ill with the virus.
Burying the dead was a challenge...many people were too sick to even dig
the graves for those who had perished.
I share this as a way of
way of demonstrating that hardships are nothing new. If you think you
or your family has it rough...if you think you have been given “too much
to handle”...consider that you probably don’t have a corner on that
market! So why do your problems seem bigger than those of others? It
may have more to do with where your focus and your worship lie than what
is actually happening to you.
In a crazy twist of events that
can only be described as a “God thing,” I became friends with Veronica
Squef, a young woman who lives in Massapequa, New York – a community on
Long Island. Veronica’s husband, Keith Glascoe, was a firefighter who
lost his life on 9-11-2001. Veronica and Keith had two boys, Nolan (age
2), and Owen (age 1). She was pregnant with their third child – Keith,
Jr. – who was born in April 2002. I have never met Veronica and her
boys in person, but we correspond frequently through the mail and via
Facebook. I asked her one day...”What is your secret? How have you
survived this all?” She replied that her boys were her focus...that
every day she reminded herself that “you have three boys who are
counting on you”...and this motivated her to put one foot in front of
the other and keep going. Now I ask you...Who do you think whispers
this encouragement to her each day and undergirds her efforts?
Focus
is the key. We can focus on God and trust Him to bless us...to feed
us...to keep us healthy and strong...to give us the courage and energy
to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Or we can wallow
in our struggles and sorrows – and we ALL have them – and have a giant
pity party. We can pretend that we are the most persecuted person on the
planet, wring our hands and cry, “Why ME, Lord?!”...and flounder in the
“wilderness” of misery and defeat.
Like so many things in
life...this is our choice. But it doesn’t have to be so. Regardless of
what we face today, God can help us handle things. We need to stop and
fully recognize how incredibly – and abundantly – we are loved and
nurtured by God. We need to start focusing on His tremendous gifts and
the amazing power of His care and blessings. We need to shift our focus
from our own selfishness and pity to the compassionate, merciful
sacrifices of Jesus for each of us – and how we can glorify His ransom
and shower Him with our praises and service.
Choosing life in
Christ...and an emphasis on worshipping God in all things and at all
times...will not guarantee that every day will be a bed of roses and all
of your problems and challenges will disappear. But this shift in
attention and motivation invites God to share the burden... to heal your
heart, mind and soul...and to carry you when you cannot walk on your
own. Don’t you want this? Isn’t He worth it? Where will you choose to
direct your focus? Who do you truly worship?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label wallowing in self pity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wallowing in self pity. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 9, 2014
Job 30:24-31
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 7, 2014
Philippians 4:10-17
I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.
You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My Mam-ma Polly lived alone in her own home until a few months past her 98th birthday. When I would talk to her or visit, she would often say, “I haven’t seen a soul”…or “I haven’t heard from anybody in days.” In truth, her house should have had a revolving door to accommodate all of her visitors…and if you were able to get through to her on the telephone, congratulations! But even if a single soul had never visited my grandmother…if she had never spoken to anyone on the phone…she would have been rich in love and care.
For all of the tangible calls and visits my grandmother received, she did not fully grasp how many people were working on her behalf “behind the scenes”. She didn’t see the countless hours that others spent charting her health, managing her finances, running her errands, maintaining her home…and most importantly – praying for her. Like many of us, she dealt in concrete examples. I know that Mam-ma knew in her heart that others cared deeply for her…and were doing all sorts of things on her behalf. But it was somewhat that “out-of-sight-out-of-mind” mentality. And we are all like this, to some degree.
Trust me when I tell you that others are praying for you. I believe that wholeheartedly. A parent…relative…church member…friend…co-worker…teacher/coach…neighbor…SOMEONE is praying for you! More importantly, we all need to fully understand that we are not defined by other people! We are not the measure of who prays for us…who does nice things for us…or even who loves us. We will never be fully whole in Jesus until we grasp how totally complete we are in Jesus Christ! As long as we have Jesus, we have everything – and everyone – we need!
I get it. This is a tough concept to completely internalize. We are wired to be dependent on love and nurture from others. But until we embrace the love of Christ and make Him all that truly matters in our lives, we will be somewhat crippled in our faith walk. There is nothing wrong with desiring the company and care of other people. I know that deep in her heart, Mam-ma Polly knew that Jesus loved her immeasurably…and this was all she truly needed. She just liked playing the “poor old widow woman” card! And we are no different. A lot of us know that we are complete in Jesus…we just enjoy a little "pity party" once in a while.
We need to get up and get going…to look around us and see who needs our love, prayers, concern – and even tangible “good deeds”. We need to earnestly turn to Jesus…to recognize that He is with us - and He really is all that we need. We need to be grateful for those whom Jesus has sent to love and nurture us in an earthly form…the “angels among us” who pray for us and lift us up in ways we cannot physically ascertain. And we need to be very busy sharing Jesus with others.
The time has come for the “Poor-Me Pity Party” to end…and the “Complete and Content in Jesus” celebration to begin. We have open invitations to both…which one will you choose to attend?
©2014 Debbie Robus
I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.
You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My Mam-ma Polly lived alone in her own home until a few months past her 98th birthday. When I would talk to her or visit, she would often say, “I haven’t seen a soul”…or “I haven’t heard from anybody in days.” In truth, her house should have had a revolving door to accommodate all of her visitors…and if you were able to get through to her on the telephone, congratulations! But even if a single soul had never visited my grandmother…if she had never spoken to anyone on the phone…she would have been rich in love and care.
For all of the tangible calls and visits my grandmother received, she did not fully grasp how many people were working on her behalf “behind the scenes”. She didn’t see the countless hours that others spent charting her health, managing her finances, running her errands, maintaining her home…and most importantly – praying for her. Like many of us, she dealt in concrete examples. I know that Mam-ma knew in her heart that others cared deeply for her…and were doing all sorts of things on her behalf. But it was somewhat that “out-of-sight-out-of-mind” mentality. And we are all like this, to some degree.
Trust me when I tell you that others are praying for you. I believe that wholeheartedly. A parent…relative…church member…friend…co-worker…teacher/coach…neighbor…SOMEONE is praying for you! More importantly, we all need to fully understand that we are not defined by other people! We are not the measure of who prays for us…who does nice things for us…or even who loves us. We will never be fully whole in Jesus until we grasp how totally complete we are in Jesus Christ! As long as we have Jesus, we have everything – and everyone – we need!
I get it. This is a tough concept to completely internalize. We are wired to be dependent on love and nurture from others. But until we embrace the love of Christ and make Him all that truly matters in our lives, we will be somewhat crippled in our faith walk. There is nothing wrong with desiring the company and care of other people. I know that deep in her heart, Mam-ma Polly knew that Jesus loved her immeasurably…and this was all she truly needed. She just liked playing the “poor old widow woman” card! And we are no different. A lot of us know that we are complete in Jesus…we just enjoy a little "pity party" once in a while.
We need to get up and get going…to look around us and see who needs our love, prayers, concern – and even tangible “good deeds”. We need to earnestly turn to Jesus…to recognize that He is with us - and He really is all that we need. We need to be grateful for those whom Jesus has sent to love and nurture us in an earthly form…the “angels among us” who pray for us and lift us up in ways we cannot physically ascertain. And we need to be very busy sharing Jesus with others.
The time has come for the “Poor-Me Pity Party” to end…and the “Complete and Content in Jesus” celebration to begin. We have open invitations to both…which one will you choose to attend?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 11, 2013
Psalm 121:1-2
I look to the hills!
Where will I find help?
It will come from the Lord,
who created the heavens
and the earth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We cannot ignore the historical significance of this day… and frankly, we must talk about it. Every year on this anniversary, people recall exactly where they were when the Twin Towers fell in New York City. Social media is filled today with photo montages and video tributes. We will all pause for today and feel sad and talk about where we were twelve years ago and how horrible this event was for so many.
But what we don’t ponder – at least for very long – is how the victims and their families have endured the ramifications of this tragedy every day for twelve years. We don’t stop to consider how Veronica Glascoe Squef, a mother of two with a third baby on the way, put one foot in front of the other… so that she dropped off boys for 10th, 8th, and 6th grades this week. She wrote a love note to her husband, Keith Glascoe (a NYC firefighter with Ladder Co. 21 who perished on 9-11) on her Facebook page that says in part…
I’ve told this story before, but it bears repeating… shortly after 9-11, I reached out to the families of the NYC firefighters in Ladder Company 21 who lost a loved one on that fateful day. A music minister in our community had visited New York with a touring choir a few weeks after the tragic event, and he returned with a list of names and addresses for firefighters from Ladder Co. 21 in the “Hell’s Kitchen” area of NYC. He suggested that we drop these families a note of sympathy and encouragement. I did this, and three families responded. Over the years, I lost touch with the family of William Krukowski; the correspondence became sparse with Ed and Alice Henry…parents to 25-year-old Joe, whose remains were never recovered. Ed was also a NYC firefighter, as were some of Joe’s brothers, uncles, and other family members.
To this day, I still correspond with Veronica Squef and keep up with her three boys… mostly via Facebook. I am continually impressed with how she has managed… how happy and vibrant the boys appear… how she shuttles them to football and baseball practices and games… takes them fishing and to other events in their area…and how she and the boys even travel to Argentina to visit her family. We have never had an in-depth conversation about her faith, but I’ve seen the countless posts on her Facebook page from others who are praying for Veronica and her boys – and I am among them.
I have to believe that Veronica is one of many directly affected by this tragedy who “look to the hills” for strength from the LORD on a daily basis. I also have to believe that they have made a conscious choice to allow God to help them get through this. How else could they survive it? Family and friends can offer a certain amount of encouragement and support… but Who makes the real difference? Who sends these “earthly angels”? Who fills in the gaps and does the supernatural things that are necessary to survive such an ordeal?
I pray that you and I never have to endure a tragedy and challenge of this magnitude. But let’s be honest… we are all faced with life-changing trials and events. We all have decisions to make… choices that can change the course of our life. And at the end of the day, we can choose to “look to the hills” and call on the LORD for strength, wisdom, courage, comfort and peace… or we can “wing it” and hope for the best. The latter is not an option for me…what about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
I look to the hills!
Where will I find help?
It will come from the Lord,
who created the heavens
and the earth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We cannot ignore the historical significance of this day… and frankly, we must talk about it. Every year on this anniversary, people recall exactly where they were when the Twin Towers fell in New York City. Social media is filled today with photo montages and video tributes. We will all pause for today and feel sad and talk about where we were twelve years ago and how horrible this event was for so many.
But what we don’t ponder – at least for very long – is how the victims and their families have endured the ramifications of this tragedy every day for twelve years. We don’t stop to consider how Veronica Glascoe Squef, a mother of two with a third baby on the way, put one foot in front of the other… so that she dropped off boys for 10th, 8th, and 6th grades this week. She wrote a love note to her husband, Keith Glascoe (a NYC firefighter with Ladder Co. 21 who perished on 9-11) on her Facebook page that says in part…
“I can still remember 12 years ago the night before...you picking me up at Macy's from my part-time job... We went to bed with Owen still sleeping with us and Nolan was in his big boy bed. He would be 3 years old in a couple of weeks. He was ready - or we thought he was. That morning we woke up with Nolan and Owen in our bed.*lol* I will never forget that night, and I treasure it like it was yesterday. Just a reminder... never take anything for granted. Live and love today!!!”Most of us cannot relate… to Veronica and others whose spouses never came home…to boys and girls who went to school that morning and returned to find that one of their parents was gone forever. We have no clue what it must feel like to be the family member whose loved one’s remains have never been recovered.
I’ve told this story before, but it bears repeating… shortly after 9-11, I reached out to the families of the NYC firefighters in Ladder Company 21 who lost a loved one on that fateful day. A music minister in our community had visited New York with a touring choir a few weeks after the tragic event, and he returned with a list of names and addresses for firefighters from Ladder Co. 21 in the “Hell’s Kitchen” area of NYC. He suggested that we drop these families a note of sympathy and encouragement. I did this, and three families responded. Over the years, I lost touch with the family of William Krukowski; the correspondence became sparse with Ed and Alice Henry…parents to 25-year-old Joe, whose remains were never recovered. Ed was also a NYC firefighter, as were some of Joe’s brothers, uncles, and other family members.
To this day, I still correspond with Veronica Squef and keep up with her three boys… mostly via Facebook. I am continually impressed with how she has managed… how happy and vibrant the boys appear… how she shuttles them to football and baseball practices and games… takes them fishing and to other events in their area…and how she and the boys even travel to Argentina to visit her family. We have never had an in-depth conversation about her faith, but I’ve seen the countless posts on her Facebook page from others who are praying for Veronica and her boys – and I am among them.
I have to believe that Veronica is one of many directly affected by this tragedy who “look to the hills” for strength from the LORD on a daily basis. I also have to believe that they have made a conscious choice to allow God to help them get through this. How else could they survive it? Family and friends can offer a certain amount of encouragement and support… but Who makes the real difference? Who sends these “earthly angels”? Who fills in the gaps and does the supernatural things that are necessary to survive such an ordeal?
I pray that you and I never have to endure a tragedy and challenge of this magnitude. But let’s be honest… we are all faced with life-changing trials and events. We all have decisions to make… choices that can change the course of our life. And at the end of the day, we can choose to “look to the hills” and call on the LORD for strength, wisdom, courage, comfort and peace… or we can “wing it” and hope for the best. The latter is not an option for me…what about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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