“Oh God! Oh..”

Daily Thoughts – September 11^th  

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – James 4:14

What will your last words be?  When is your last night on earth?  When will you last hug your child, your spouse, your parents, or siblings.  Face it, for the majority of us, we have no control over our last breath, or last words, or actions.

The last words of many center around the acknowledgement of God Almighty.  One of the most chilling audio tapes I have heard this week came from a 911 emergency call from a man named Kevin Cosgrove (WARNING: content may be disturbing).  He was on the 105^th floor in the South Tower on September 11^th, on the phone with the emergency service in New York when the building collapsed.  I am drawn to tears as I think of those that were trapped in the World Trade Center buildings, and their families left to wonder how, why and what they were to do next.

I was on a business trip in Los Angeles on that day, separated from my wife and kids, with no way to get back home.  Gripped in fear for their safety, and uncertainty of what would come next.  I could not shake the images of what just happened and avoid the fear that if it happened in New York, it could happen in L.A. or Houston just as quickly.  I questioned my own faith.  Was I ready for death and what that meant?  I sat down the following day in a small coffee shop in Anaheim and drafted this poem…

It’s amazing how much we lean on each other, but even more so how much we re-evaluate theology during times of extreme pressure.  There is something inside of each of us that automatically returns to our Creator when the reality of death shows it’s ugly face.  The realization, that there is something on the other side of the very last breath we take, is unsettling for those who have lived as if there wasn’t.  Somewhere in that split second, of inhaling oxygen and the deep final exhale, our mind races to resolve any unsettled business, and we must come to grips with the choices we’ve made in life.  It cannot be avoided, as much as we try, it must be dealt with. 

God Do You Know My Mommy
Mommy, are you coming home

I feel so all alone

The TV said people have died

I didn’t even get to say goodbye

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s the one with deep brown eyes

Please, hold her hand, draw her close

And keep her by Your side
She’s afraid when the thunder rolls

And lightning lights up the sky

So hold her close and comfort her

And keep her by Your side

Daddy’s been crying and praying

Like I’ve never seen before

He’s holding their wedding picture

That used to hang by the bedroom door.

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s the most beautiful one of all

Please, let Your Son shine upon her

And keep her by Your side

She’s really gonna miss my Daddy

They used to hug each other tight

So hold her close and give her love

And keep her by Your side.

The sun came up this morning

I was hoping it was just a dream

The policeman came and knocked on the door

I knew my life would never be the same.

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s got a smile so full of life

Please, give her Your love

And keep her by Your side

She loves when we go for walks

On a cool October night

So can You walk with her now, hold her tight

And keep her by Your side.

God, do you know my Mommy….

- Rich Palmer, 9/14/2001©

Count your blessings today.  Don’t wait for tomorrow, look your loved ones in the eye as soon as possible and tell them you love them.  The emotions and urgency we all felt on the 12^th of September 2001 should be an everyday event, for we know not when our time will draw to an end.  If your children weren’t born before 9-11, please ensure that they understand what happened on that day and how uncertain our very next breath is. 

If you are still uncertain about God’s plan of salvation, confront your doubt today, do not wait, you are not promised tomorrow.  If you have questions please send me an e-mail and I will do everything I can to help you understand or I will find someone who can.  This is the most important decision of your life, don’t wait until your last breath to call out for salvation.



© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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It’s a Big World

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“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

The sun had just come over the horizon and was casting shadows throughout the room when the alarm clock went off.  Groggy, my eyes still adjusting to the newness of light cascading through the window I fumbled on the night stand looking for my glasses. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes and trying to relax the muscles, I started to pry them open despite their intent on staying closed.  Soon enough I was able to sit up in bed and finding the remote control I turned on the TV.  When the images registered in my brain I was suddenly no longer tired and my eyes were completely alert.  I flipped the channel to a different station and the same images were being displayed.  I was watching as the plane hit the second building and fire exploded out the other side.  Moments passed as my mind tried to make sense of what I was seeing.  For the next few hours I was frozen to my TV in that small hotel room in Anaheim, California.   Two thousand seven hundred and eighty six miles away our country was under attack.  Immediately my mind started thinking of my family in Texas, 1,550 miles away and my family in Michigan, 2,300 miles away.  I had no ability to get to them, nor vice versa.  I thought of the other planes in the sky headed from New York or Boston to the West Coast (LA or San Francisco) and how long it would take them to fly the 2,700 miles?  If there were other terrorists on other planes would we be able to thwart their actions before they hit their targets? Were any of the targets on the West Coast?  That was a day that is lodged into the minds of people all over the world in different ways, whether they were American or not.

This got me to thinking about the sheer size of this globe we are on.  When something happens in Libya or Syria or Indonesia, 10,000 miles away; what impact does it have on me?  How long is it before I am made aware of something that happens half way around the globe?  In today’s world of electronic communications and social media it is almost instantaneous for the speed of electrons and light to travel around the globe to carry data to someone in a far away land.  Have you ever thought about the distance around the globe along the line of the equator?  It is estimated that the earth is close to 25,000 miles around in an easterly or westerly path.  If I left Houston, Texas on a plane and headed West, how far could I travel before I could no longer head West?  Same thing when traveling in an Easterly direction.  There is no limit, as there is when one is traveling North or South.  When you travel North, eventually you are going to reach the North pole and then you will begin traveling South, and likewise when you are traveling South, eventually you will come to the South pole and will being traveling North again.

So, when the Psalmist (assumed to be David) wrote this, how did he realize that there was no limit to the East/West travel?  Did he realize long before Galileo, or Christopher Columbus that the earth indeed was round?  When the scripture says “as far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” it is saying that your sins are no longer.  They have been removed infinitely far away and you are free from carrying the burden.  How did David know that this phrase meant infinitely far away?  This verse was written thousands of years before Columbus set sail over the horizon to discover the “New World”, yet David's quill put ink upon papyrus stating this fact.

There is comfort in knowing that my sins are completely washed away and forgotten.  It is only in my mind that they remain, because I choose to retain the thought and guilt from the sin.  God has washed me clean and no longer perceives my transgressions.  I need to come to the realization that through Christ’s blood, I am redeemed and accepted by my Father.  What are you holding onto today that God has cast away infinitely?  Pray for healing from that sin and put it down once and for all. 

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

It’s Okay to Remember

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“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Most wake this morning with some recollection of the tragic event of September 11^, 2001.  Eleven years ago today, most of us stopped and were glued to the unfolding events happening right before our eyes.  What were the emotions that came forth on that day: fear, anger, surprise, sadness, confusion and dare I say love.  Love for the families of those lost in the tragic events in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.  Love for the fireman, policeman and rescue workers who bravely took a stand and battled against all odds to save as many as they could.  We cried, we questioned, we held those who meant the world to us, and called those family members that lived far away, just to hear their voice and express our love for them after realizing the precious commodity of time.

On that day and for the weeks following 911, there was a common thread of love that spread around the globe.  People from Australia, UK, Africa, China, Japan, Venezuela, Israel, Germany and so many other countries reached out to help those affected and hurting in America.  This compassion rose up in individuals and leaders to support their fellow man with little or no knowledge of who they are.  This blind love boiled up inside of them and they reacted with empathy and sympathy.  People across the USA were also filled with love for one another.  Strangers came together to pray together, hold hands, bond and support each other through the confusion.  In spite of the tragic events that took place that day, the underlying love of one person to his/her brother or sister came forth and overcame the fear, sadness and fueled the passion to live stronger.

Since that day eleven years ago, I’m sad to say that we have allowed ourselves to slide back into the complacency that was vibrant on 9/10/2001.  Where is that love, that compassion for your fellow man, that bond of help and support without care for recompense.  Where is that urgency to get right with God, and the fear of the coming judgment day.  Today we are more concerned over how many Facebook friends we have than we are over the fate of our neighbor suffering through a divorce or the death of a loved one.  It took a tragedy to stimulate each of us to unconditionally love one another, and in just over a decade we have returned to our self absorbed life styles.

I ask each of you today to reflect on that day, and those that gave it all to help others.  Then I ask you to reach inside and find that glimmer of hope and love for your fellow man and do something about it.  Reach out to your neighbor rather than walk by.  Take an extra moment or two and share your love and compassion with another today through simple actions and re-kindle that oneness that brought us all together.  Finally, pray for our leaders and those that fight for our freedoms in this world.  God has placed each of us on this earth at the same time to fight for righteousness and live with compassion and the heart of a servant.  We are here to help and strengthen each other through hard times and rejoice together in good times.  We are not designed to do this on our own, so use this anniversary as a stepping stone to redefine your contribution to this world.  Then, get out there and do it.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

What Will It Take?

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“For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.”    –Isaiah 58:2

After the ash had fallen and the echo of cries had softened, there was an urgency about the streets of the city and the nation for that matter.  An urgency to understand more about  the vulnerability of life and the reality of death.  It became obvious and real to all of us that we aren’t in control, and that at any given time it can all be taken away.  Anyone age 19 or older can tell you exactly where they were on that day, and most can give you a deep understanding of what it meant to them spiritually, emotionally and even physically. For weeks following 9/11 the pews in every church in America were filled, some sanctuaries to standing room only.  People were suddenly faced with dealing with grief, fears and the realization that the world will end one day.  Some were brought to their knees once again after many years, seeking what they knew in their heart, but had forgotten in their mind.  Guilt and confusion brought some to the church fearing their lack of an eternal plan.  A wave of God’s spirit consumed the thoughts of millions around the world and we rose up as one.

The human will is strong, filled with pride, confident and determined though.  It took less than 6 months following this tragic, horrific event for people to once again find comfort in their place in the ecosystem of life.  Time heals wounds and creates a comfort level within the human spirit, thereby weakening the dependence upon God.  Since that time we have continued to drift farther from the fears that shook us, and the urgency to get right with God.  We have once again allowed our busy life to consume our purpose and our daily walk.  The wakeup call that shook our confidence is now a distant memory and the self-confidence is back and stronger than it ever was.

What will it take to rattle this confidence again?  We are frequently asking to better understand God’s purpose in our life, yet are we changing our life to pursue the answer?  For many there was a hunger for His comfort on that day which has been replaced once again with the same unrighteousness that has always been.  In words some will say, I believe, yet actions will say otherwise.  The tragic events in life often draw one to a place of seeking God, but often times the individuals who find Him, don’t really want to stay there.

Folks, God hasn’t moved.  His love, His purpose, His plan of salvation is no different today than it was 11 years ago or 2000 years ago.  You have to make a choice to pursue it though.  It’s not just a check box on the welcome card in a pew, it is a life changing acceptance that we are sinful, and we deserve the horror, hellfire and damnation that will come to this earth.  In totality we have turned out back on God and taken up our own path in life, keeping Him on the shelf for those times when we are scared or in need.  That’s not who He is.  He needs to be the purpose you wake up in the morning, and occupying your every thought throughout the day.  He needs to be your first love, more important than any other; even your spouse, your parents, your children and your siblings.  He is not your co-pilot; He is the pilot, you are a passenger.  Don’t wait for the next tragic event to rattle your world in order to realize who He is, seek Him earnestly and with a passion to truly discover what He wants for your life.  Only in this way will you truly come to know who He is.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

What Does It Take?

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – James 4:14

“Oh God…..” and then he fell to his death.  The last words of many center around the acknowledgement of God Almighty.  One of the most chilling audio tapes I have heard this week came from a 911 emergency call from Kevin Cosgrove.  He was in the South Tower on September 11^th on the phone with the emergency service in New York when the building collapsed.  I am drawn to tears as I think of those that were trapped in the World Trade Center buildings, and their families left to wonder how, why and what they were to do next.

It’s amazing how much we lean on each other, but even more so how much we re-evaluate theology during times of extreme pressure.  There is something inside of each of us that is automatically drawn to the surface when the reality of death shows it’s ugly face.  The realization that there is something on the other side of the very last breath we take it’s hard.  Somewhere in that split second of inhaling and the deep exhale our mind races to resolve any unsettled business come to grips with the choices we’ve made in life.  It cannot be avoided, as much as we try, it must be dealt with.  I was in Los Angeles on that day, separated from my wife and kids, with no way to get back home.  I could not shake the fear that if what had just happened in New York could happen in L.A. or Houston just as quickly and was I ready for what that meant.  I sat down the following day in a small coffee shop in Anaheim and drafted this poem…

God Do You Know My Mommy
Mommy, are you coming home

I feel so all alone

The TV said people have died

I didn’t even get to say goodbye

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s the one with deep brown eyes

Please, hold her hand, draw her close

And keep her by Your side

She’s afraid when the thunder rolls

And lightning lights up the sky

So hold her close and comfort her

And keep her by Your side

Daddy’s been crying and praying

Like I’ve never seen before

He’s holding their wedding picture

That used to hang by the bedroom door.

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s the most beautiful one of all

Please, let Your Son shine upon her

And keep her by Your side

She’s really gonna miss my Daddy

They used to hug each other tight

So hold her close and give her love

And keep her by Your side.

The sun came up this morning

I was hoping it was just a dream

The policeman came and knocked on the door

I knew my life would never be the same.

God, do you know my Mommy

She’s got a smile so full of life

Please, give her Your love

And keep her by Your side

She loves when we go for walks

On a cool October night

So can You walk with her now, hold her tight

And keep her by Your side.

God, do you know my Mommy….

- Rich Palmer, 9/14/2001©

Count your blessings today.  Don’t wait for tomorrow, look your loved ones in the eye as soon as possible and tell them you love them.  The emotions and urgency we all felt on the 12^th of September 2001 should be an everyday event, for we know not when our time will draw to an end.  If you are still uncertain about God’s plan of salvation, confront your doubt today do not wait, you are not promised tomorrow.  If you have questions please send me an e-mail and I will do everything I can to help you understand or I will find someone who can.  This is the most important decision of your life, don’t wait until your last breath to call out for salvation.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2011

For More Daily Thoughts – http://www.10minutereader.com/