Reflections on a morning and evening

[Power Wagon]

Out of a cloudless sky, on Sept 11, 2001, evil rained... Thousands died for no cause of good... Without enjoining themselves for or against any cause related to the reason why those who committed the deed justified it.



In the aftermath, there have been other deaths... Hate crimes committed by our own countrymen against others who had no more justification of their evil deeds than did those who flew the planes to their death.



After a week of widespread attacks on the persons of our country, designed to goad the media into scaring us out of our wits, Drudge headlines a worldwide anthrax scare.



On Saturday afternoon, a friend called up and I took my kids to play in the park with his kids. We discussed briefly the events, but our topics shifted to other things, as it seemed none of us really wanted to dig into that right then.



Finally, the kids were played out, the sun's roundness hidden behind the rolling hills to the west, we all got back in the car and headed for home. As I drove away from the hillside by the park, we were all struck by the brilliant glow in the clouds, as the setting sun was shining in full brightness on them, and thier heaviness reflected it's red glow back down on us. Against this, birds headed south for the winter were settling down near the river for the night.



I thought about what could happen to us. An attack on the food plant a few blocks away would surely result in serious consequences... Even food shortages nationwide, at least of some common products. We could lose part or all our own family, if such a thing happened. A blast at the wrong part of one our dams on the Columbia, like the Grand Coulee, would create a disaster I don't even want to comprehend.



More birds circled in, this time, apparently some geese in a small flock. Doing thier fall flight, yet again. "If this happened to us... They would not change thier life. It would go on just as it did before. " It would make no real difference. Stunning sunsets like the one ending out the car window would still go on.



And the sun would rise again in the morning, unswayed by anything man did. Though I actually hadn't thought of it in a while, I began to think it over again to myself... and this time, I could not escape it's meaning: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. "



I will fear no evil...



The movie stars who ran out of the NBC building after hearing of the event there... crying... Those who have panicked and sent in thousands of false alarms.



According to surveys, more than 25% of Americans have trouble sleeping at night in the last month.



"... I will fear no evil. "



One of them will no longer be me.

 

[DarrellB]

Man that just about sums it all up for me to. I was working in the pole barn a couple of days ago and started thinking the same thing while watching the horses play in the feild. These animals know no diffrence and aren't affected by any of this. I think if the media would just shut the hell up and just continue reporting the same sh#$ they used to like what new brands of gas grills are the most deadlyest to children left alone in an inclosed room with them turned on. Or my favorite one the Ford explorer is dangerus because people drive them too fast and think they can corner like a Viper. Of course these are just some examples but you get the idea. The media needs to stop and let everyone think for them selves. Come on people God gave you a brain use it. I am very sorry for those people that lost loved ones in the attack on the world trade center and the pentagon but I will continue to live my life like I did before it all happened and the only diffrence will be that I pray for those brave men and women in the armed forces and if I could I would join them but my knees will not let me. ( go figure a 23 year old man with arthritis in his knees ) May you all return home soon. My advise to everyone would be to turn off the TV and go enjoy your life and be thankful that we live in a country so free and great that we can still go unaffected by all this. God bless you all.



Big D

 

[Batman]

Yes, the media is going overboard. Sometimes I wonder if they are trying to help, or trying to win some kind of trophey for the first to report on this or that. I try not to watch too much on the boob tube because of this. I don't even get the newspaper, I just try to watch enough of the news to stay current.

Power Wagon & DarrellB, Thanks for the words

DarrellB, I know about the arthritis, I started with it when I was 18. Not severe, just enough to be very stiff every day.

George

 

[illflem]

Good example of how far the media has gone out of line is that they have failed to report that the price of a postage stamp is going up 3¢ to 37¢. I feel the much same as you PW, life will go on on this planet, maybe without humans, but we are the only animal capable of altering the course.

 

[wcaldwell]

Thank you, Power Wagon, for putting all of this in such a fine perspective. Those of us who truly trust in the Lord should not be worried - concerned, but not worried. He will take care of all of this. And what a relief it is knowing He's in charge and control.



God, please bless and watch over all of my new-found friends here in TDR-Land. Thank you, Lord.



Deacon Wayne

 

[rob10858]

i live in the mnts of virginia, my sister works for the navy in norfolk. for the last two weeks ive worked in the northern va, dc area. ive noticed alot more helicopters, mostly gunships, but eveything else in "that other virginia" seem the same. everybody going as fast as they can to or from their destinations. things are getting worse, when you have all of these countries, that have hated each other forever getting into it, well somethings going to give here. imho, as the president said, we didnt ask for this. we didnt deserve this. im an easygoing guy, i beleive in god, as people that are not of my faith believe in their own god. well what happened to our country is inexcusable for ANY faith. im going to find it hard to feel sorry for any collateral damages, anywhere. we didnt ask for this, and somebody is going to pay, and we are only getting started. when i say "we" i mean the young folks of all parts of the military, including my sister. in the meantime, ill do my job, and i know she will do hers. its going to get nasty, mean, and scary, but like latest battlecry from the carrier crews states "payback's a b. . ch" and its time for our payback, for everyone that ever beleived that our country is the home of the brave. sorry, i ranted.

 

[klenger]

I hope no one misunderstands my following comment. I am truly sadened, even angry about what has happened and fully support our responses to the events.



But, I wonder if this is a war we can win. The terrorists spend a few thousand or maybe a few million dollars to crash a few our our airplanes into our buildings, and it costs us billions to recover. They spend a few thousand, or even less, on some anthrax, put it in an envelope and put a $0. 34 stamp on it and next we're spending $600,000,000 to fight bio terrisiom. The next event could and will probably be something else we are not nor could be prepared for. If each event costs us a million dollars for each dollar they spend, the country will be bankrupt, and we will still be open to attack. God (as in this is a prayer), I hope I'm wrong.



Ken Lenger

 

[Batman]

klenger

I believe you are correct in what you just said. However, I believe that WE will overcome all of this due mainly to OUR American Spirit. Yes, it may expensive, yes more lives are in jeopardy, but WE WILL WIN.

Thanks mostly to all the men and women in the armed forces and civilian police, and fire.

George

 

[tntway]

my VERY HUMBLE .02

first off--mark, you have a GOD-given talent for putting your thoughts into words. it's been discussed in these forums before,

and i thank you for your perspectives.



secondly--ken lenger, i must agree whole-heartedly with you. they hit our buildings, killed our people, but they missed America.

because America is an idea, a belief, a way of life. unfortunately,

we are now fighting the same type of thing.



thirdly--for those of you that are scared of, concerned about or

worrying over antrax, this country averages ten canfirmed cases

a year. the media doesn't tell us this.



as for the media, i know not many of us like the media BUT Dan Rather put this antrax thing in a very real perspective the other night. he said that so far ONE person has died, only THREE are infected, FORTY ONE have been exposed and (this was before the senate building incident) and it has been found in only SIX places. he stated the the biggest threat to national security right now is the FEAR of anthrax not anthrax itself.



i'm not a hugely religious man, but after many years, i've finally found a church where i belong. i urge each and every one of you to go to your respective houses of worship this week and every

week, belt out the hymns like you have never done before

and pray to the Father in heaven above to get all of us thru this.



sorry that this is soooo very long and that i started to preach--

guess its alot more than . 02 worth.