Say it with your actions

I have so much on my mind this evening that as I type, I’m not even sure what will come of it. This is the feeling my pastor must have felt this past Sunday as he shared how he had no clue where his lesson would go that morning. He had planned to ministry at each service before and Holy Spirit took it into another direction. So here I am with a plan of exactly how I wanted my blogs to take shape this new year of the Bold & the Fabulous and I’m just not feeling like it’s going to happen this week. 

What’s on my heart is the importance of honoring relationships. The special people in our lives. We often take for granted the purpose that our loved ones hold in our world. We don’t prioritize them the way we should. Often times we are so focused on providing for them in the natural, that we don’t take the time to understand that our time is what’s of the most value. 

If nothing else taught me to cherish those I love, the tragedy of 9/11 certainly put it all into perspective. We say we’ll never forget but we do. We don’t forget where we were that day or the panic and fear that plagued our hearts because of the unknown. However what we do forget with each passing year is the humanity that shown that dreadful day.  What sticks out most to me are the husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers,  who spoke to their loved ones just before the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and Pennsylvania. The only message that was of any importance was that they loved each other. That they wanted their families to have full lives. It even amazed me how calm they said the victims’ were even after knowing their fate. Their was a peace among them… and even those that fought back weren’t doing that to save themselves, they were doing it to save others who were in the direct target of their hijacked plane.

Even those that weren’t family members soon became family. The survivors of both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon say that they have made life long friendships after facing death together. On September 11, 2001 it wasn’t about race or ethnicity, or social class… it was about humanity. On that day, the only category that anyone identified with was “American.”

The unity that occurred on that fateful day had nothing to do with the tragedy and everything to do with the presence of God. In the midst of all of the horror, God’s peace was there. By no means am I making light of the evil that was displayed that day. However, what I’m acknowledging is the show of faith, love, community, self sacrifice, discipline, honor, and respect that was on full display that day. The people who were suffering could have turned barbaric. That day all the rules were thrown out the window and the panic could have turned into something even far worse that what we witnessed. In the midst of hell, the American people joined together and looked out for their neighbor and if that isn’t a disply of God’s love I don’t know what is.

This past Sunday, I shared it with the ones I loved. I soaked up every moment as if it was our last because I couldn’t forget about those that suffered loss during 9/11 and how many of them don’t have the luxury of simply sitting with their loved ones. I’m asking you to NEVER FORGET 9/11 but not in the way that media says it. We have to move passed the pain… remembering the lives that were lost but equally as important remembering how lives were changed on that day. Remember how the nation joined together as one and truly displayed what being American is all about. That camaraderie doesn’t exist today and it’s a shame.

I told you I would write freely and let God have His way with this one. Trust that I had no intention on reliving 9/11 today but if it’s what gets you to put your relationships into perspective and let go of the petty stuff than so be it. Love up on the people that mean the most to you and show kindness to those that you may not know that well. God could be setting them up to fulfill a significant purpose in your life… but you won’t know until you embrace the value in building, nurturing, and enjoying your relationships.

Be Bold,

Be Fabulous,

Be YOU

Tuesdays with Bianca