A REMINDER

With brokenness--I find myself weeping---over so many things.  The learned stoicism of my past---has been replaced with the emotional freedom--which came when the dam finally broke.  A flood of tears stored for years and years--are now free to fall at each and every heart tug.

I weep when deep sorrow or great joy knocks me off my feet.  My tears are no longer for myself--but for all those God has placed in my life to know and love.  At times--I weep for someone I have never seen or will never know.  When the strings of my heart are tugged--the tears now come and often flow.

 I began my day with prayer in remembrance of our great loss and the stark reminder we suffered on this day thirteen years ago.  A reminder of the presence of evil---a reminder of our vulnerability---a reminder of life's briefness.
I prayed for those who lost loved ones, those whose lives were forever changed, and the leaders of this great country then and now.

Driving down the road early this morning, I heard a song on the Christian radio station I listen to---it caused the tears to begin to fall.  It reminded me of what we are blessed with, and how fragile our claim of freedom can be.  I wept for the loss of life and the security I took for granted.  As "The Star Spangled Banner" played, I thought of the multitude of times in my life I have stood for our National Anthem and never counted the cost-- I wept.  

I am reminded today of the great cost of freedom---the huge expense of precious lives which mark the cost of liberty---and I pray we never forget---or become complacent ---or loose count of the millions upon millions of tears which have fallen so that we may awaken every morning with the freedom to pray for our great country.