Ten Years

So tomorrow marks the 1oth anniversary of 9/11. It's doesn't seem like it was that long ago. How fast time has passed. I'm sure for the families that were tragically affected by the events that day the time has not gone that quickly. I'm sure that they have been aware of every day that has gone by that they don't have their loved one with them anymore.

So to answer the question of "Where were you when..."

I was 16. At home, just finished breakfast and getting ready for the day. About to do my schoolwork for the day. (I was home schooled) My mom called to me to come and see what was on the TV. At this point my story is much like so many others. Just watching what was going on, with the same questions that everyone else had.

Somewhere in the craziness going on in my head, I felt urged to pray for my future spouse. I laughed at myself! Now where did THAT come from? How would I, a girl from Texas, ever marry a guy from New York?! I had never even been more than a state or two away from Texas. Silly me! But I followed my heart and prayed for my future spouse. For whatever he would be needing for at that time, wherever he might be. I felt a little silly, and didn't tell anyone. I didn't really think about it after that day.

Two years later I meet my future spouse, Tony. And one day I remembered that crazy thought years earlier to pray for my future spouse on September 11, 2001. So...where was my future spouse on that day,when the planes flew into the buildings...when I prayed for him? On a train in New York City...planning to visit the twin towers later that day.

What I thought was something silly, was actually the Holy Spirit. And this Texas girl didn't marry a guy from NYC...but he was visiting!

I still get chills when I think about it today. I'm so grateful that he and his family was safe that day! But if they had visited the towers a littler earlier, my life today would be completely different. Although I would have no idea, because I had never met him! Just thinking about that makes my brain hurt. lol! What I can say is, it's awesome to see how God is in complete control of the smallest details of our lives. And sometimes the Holy Spirit can sound silly to you. :o)

So...what's your 9/11 memories?

MAY WE NEVER FORGET.

Wild at Heart book review

This is a guest post from my husband. We signed up at BookSneeze to get free books sent to us, and then we have to put a review of the book online.

Wild at Heart is the author’s attempt to define, create, and inspire a new generation of “Real Men™.” At the beginning of Wild at Heart, John Eldredge declares that “in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.” This is the central theme of this over-200 page book. I believe that almost everyone should read this book. It is definitely geared toward men, but I think women would gain an important understanding of men from it as well. Eldredge does a good job referencing movies, poetry, songs, and books to draw his portrait of an ideal man. This turns out to be the main flaw in the book. Eldredge, rightly or wrongly, seems to be projecting his personal concepts of masculinity onto God. He refers to the Scriptures, but as maybe only 40% of his examples of true masculinity. This is fine with me, as long as people are not reading Wild at Heart expecting a theological masterpiece. John Eldredge is no Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, or C.S. Lewis. This is a self-help/motivational book at its core, painted with rather broad brush strokes. Read it, learn from it, but don’t take it as the Gospel truth. I suggest also reading Eric Ludy’s “God’s Gift to Women” as a companion to Wild at Heart.

Disclaimer: I received Wild at Heart – Revised and Expanded for free from the publisher for the purposes of writing a review.

-Tony