The sketchy and inconsistent blog of Bethie Engstrom...

Saturday, September 10, 2011

See the life

Ten years ago, I had just waken up from a long night. My baby brother was just hours old - Born Five minutes before midnight on September 10th... I woke up that morning on September 11th, 2001, to the phone ringing, it was answered from across the hall. Not more then a minute had pass before I hear my dad rushing towards our old television, and hook up the crooked antenna to it. I sleepily crawl out of the sleeping bag I had spent most of the night in (I got to see the birth), and shuffled out to our living room. My mom was sitting on the couch, with little Timothy not even a full twelve hours old. The TV stuttered to life, and I slumped to the floor, next to my mothers feet. The TV showed a women reporter (I remember that), in front of a smoking construction site... Or so I thought. It then showed clips of the buildings falling... and the people that had so much desperation to get out that they would jumped to their deaths. My mom's hand covered my eyes, I turned my head to look at her. She was staring at the television, holding her new born, precious baby in one protective arm, tears running down her face. I was only eight, so I don't remember much, not sounds - Just the pictures, they linger in my memory to this day. And the look on my parents faces. And the way they tenderly held that baby - that held so much joy, love - and life in him - Even as it seemed the whole world fell around us.
And today? My friend (and peer) has enlisted in the US Army because of that day, my once little brother is now ten years old and I thank God for the life around me. That even when disaster strikes it's cold, cruel hand - God gives grace and mercy to us. God gives life, and death. But haven't you noticed, that when we see death, life is ten-times magnified in our lives?
Remember, don't forget. See the life.

2 comments:

Cassandra said...

Beautiful, post, Libby. It was perfect.

Hannah said...

Beautiful. This gave me chills.