“And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner,”
Exodus 17:15
IN MEMORIAM
September 11, 2001
2977 Victims were murdered in New York City, New York,
Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.,
by 19 Islamic Jihadist Terrorists.
A PRAYER IN THE WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACKS
God, be with us.
Guide our thoughts,
Direct our prayer.
If we fear, may it be of thee.
Remind us of thy commands,
thy precepts in our pain.
Give our leader wisdom
To rein his conscience
like an anxious steed.
Open his heart to thee.
Lead him in paths of
righteousness following thee.
God, our Father, be with us
throughout this pain.
Understand our anger.
But open our hearts.
Allow thy tempering love
to urge us to restraint.
Remind us of thy mercy.
Soothe our desire for vengeance.
Counsel us to wait on thee.
Give us faith in thy salvation.
Stay our hand against innocence.
If they be truly innocent,
Spare them thy wrath.
If they be guilty,
Mete thine own justice
upon their heads.
Use us only as thy tools.
Lead us from the temptation
To strike all in the name
of eradicating evil.
Let not more of our own perish –
In the name of vengeance.
Above all else,
Let thy will be done.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
©2001 Itasca Small
The Holy Spirit prompted me to go to the National Day of Prayer at the U.S. Capital on December 4, 2001, and to pray at the Capitol Building, the Pentagon and Ground Zero. So, trusting the Lord, I drove to Washington, D.C. I attended the Prayer Vigil on the East Steps of the Capitol Building, went to the fence perimeter outside the Pentagon, and then, to Ground Zero twice. And, I prayed at all three sites.
I wrote this prayer inspired by the Holy Spirit, on about September 27, 2001. At my sister’s suggestion, on my trip, I had copies made, bought equipment, and made laminated prayer bookmarks in my motel rooms at night to offer to Fellow-Americans on the trip, which covered 6,620 miles, 21 States and the District. I went to Washington and New York City more than once, visited many historical places, and visited family.
Everywhere I went from D.C., on, with God giving me courage, I shared the prayer with everyone I met; each person first glanced at, or read it, then each one took it and thanked me. On the East Steps of the Capitol, a man dressed as George Washington at Valley Forge, read from a copy of Washington’s prayerbook, in the pose from the famous painting. Then, he led the small group gathered there in the Lord’s Prayer. I offered him the prayer bookmark and he read it aloud to us. (The main event was at the West Steps, which I only learned afterwards – I wondered where everyone was! I doubt it would have been read had I been at the West Steps.)
At Ground Zero, I placed prayer bookmarks on a pole, and on a fence at the perimeter of the site, along with other people’s mementos. I will never forget the images and pungent odors of Ground Zero, the solemn feeling of shared grief and the simple exchanges with other people there, and standing by the gate as the dump trucks went in and out non-stop, carrying debris from the site. I carried my camera to the site the first time, but, when I got there, it didn’t seem right to take pictures.
The prayer was printed in my local newspaper, and I sent it to President Bush. I praise the Lord for calling and leading me in His Service, and giving me the words and the strength to do what I could never have done alone.
“FREEDOM TOWER”
RISING FROM GROUND ZERO
AGAINST A SUPERMOON, 2012
(Supermoon over Manhattan [Pin It] Credit: Gary Hershorn/Reuters
http://www.space.com/15561-supermoon-2012-photos-full-moon-images.html)
THE NEW BUILDINGS ARE LAID-OUT IN A DESIGN REPRESENTING
LADY LIBERTY’S FLAME
For an excellent documentary website, with videos, including the scientific analysis of why the towers fell, go to: http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-memorial
Memorial Master Planner Daniel Libeskind is immigrated from a communist country. His explanation of the Liberty-based theme and the design of the two angled faces of the Tower is inspiring. “Daniel Libeskind’s Vision for Ground Zero” begins a series of videos on a linked page at: http://www.history.com/videos/rebuilding-ground-zero#rebuilding-ground-zero
* * *
IN MEMORIAM
BENGHAZI
September 11, 2012
Four brave Americans were murdered on American Soil in Benghazi, Libya, in a sustained attack by Islamic Jihadist Terrorists. They were abandoned by Mr. Obama and his Administration, to die. Mr. Obama later referred to these four brave Americans as, “bumps in the road“. . . .
The Battling Boys of Benghazi
We’re the Battling Boys of Benghazi,
no fame, no glory, no paparazzi.
Just a fiery death in a blazing hell
defending the country we loved so well.
It wasn’t our job, but we answered the call,
fought to the consulate and scaled the wall.
We pulled twenty countrymen from the jaws of fate,
led them to safety and stood at the gate.
Just the two of us, and foes by the score,
but we stood fast to bar the door.
Three calls for reinforcement, but all were denied,
so we fought and we fought and we fought till we died.
We gave our all for our Uncle Sam
but Barack Obama didn’t give a damn
just two dead SEALs who carried the load
no thanks to us – we were just “bumps in the road.”
(by an Anonymous U.S. Marine Corps Officer)
Ambassador Christopher Stevens
Ex-Navy SEAL Glen A. Doherty
Ex-Navy SEAL Tyrone S. Woods
Diplomat Sean Smith
Rendering of the future Benghazi Memorial
by Artist Greg Marra
(http://libertyalliance.com/benghazimemorial/)
Ceremony for
Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Navy SEAL Glen A. Doherty,
Navy SEAL Tyrone S. Woods, and Diplomat Sean Smith
For an excellent, full account of the Transfer of Remains Ceremony, with another 21 photographs and a video, see the Daily Mail UK article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203298/Victims-Benghazi-massacre-return-home-Obama-Clinton-pay-tribute.html
Itasca