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The Lilly Pond |
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September 22, 2001 - Issue 14 |
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Greetings
and thanks for subscribing to TheLillyPond.com ezine! I'm Lillian Hinds
and this ezine is dedicated to all mothers, daughters and the other
important women in their families. Its goal is to give you a lift and
inspire you with enjoyable true stories from you and from me about
mother-daughter relationships. Because
we respect your privacy and value your subscription, we don't share your
email address with anyone. If you'd like to be removed from our mailing
list, please see instructions at the end of this ezine. =============================== We
come to the end of one era and we are ready and anxious to begin another. Many
of the plans that we have been working on for TheLillyPond have been
postponed due to the tragic events in our country last week. Like many of
you, we had to stop and get our bearings before we could go on. As
we wept over the staggering loss of lives, we were inspired by the courage
and determination of so many brave people who walked into a burning
building to try to help, by those who dug in the rubble, carried the
wounded, provided socks and water, or gave blood. And we all have
discovered that our neighbors in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania seem
a little bit closer than they did just a short time ago. As
the initial shock has passed, we are left with questions and confusion.
You will find two new feature articles posted on www.TheLillyPond.com in
response to this. One contains a sermon preached by my father (I mentioned
before I was a P.K.) several years ago. It is called "Why Do Bad
Things Happen to Good People?" The
other is by my brother, Bob. As you know, he usually sticks to the
technical aspects of the web site, but his heart was full and as we talked
of the events surrounding us, I asked him to share his thoughts with you.
His article is entitled "Why Do Good People Suffer?" We
still have the Part 7 in the series of articles entitled "My Daughter
Hates Me." We will publish it next week. We just felt we needed to
share what came from our hearts while this National wound is still so
fresh. I
also wanted to let you know that we will be changing the looks of
TheLillyPond.com web site in the next few days. Our purpose is to make the
site more efficient and easier for you to find what you're looking for. I
appreciate how valuable your time is and I want the time you spend on my
site to be productive for you. Your suggestions and feedback have helped
us make decisions as we redesign. As
we turn this corner into a new design and structure, we will begin a new
series "Who is This Strange Teenager Living in my Little Girl's
Room?" We are also planning future series on losing a child and
coping with an elderly mother. As you know, many of the articles are a
direct result from questions you have asked in your emails and letters to
me. In
addition, there will be a new Bulletin Board where you can share your
thoughts and ideas with each other. There will be a Shopping Pad where you
will be able to purchase my new book and some other neat things we will be
offering from time to time. We hope these items will be a blessing to you
and also help us defray the expenses that we understand a little better
now than we did when we started last Spring. YIKES! Some
things won't change. The e-zine will continue to be sent to you at no
charge. We will continue to have a place for you to contact me and send me
your stories. And I will still look forward to your ideas and suggestions
and questions. I hope you enjoy this e-zine and thank you for taking this
time with me. With
all my heart, Lillian =============================== Just
knowing that you cared enough to write your story will help encourage
others to write theirs. And YOU DON'T KNOW whom your story will touch. So,
write me your story, and see instructions for submissions at the end of
this ezine. =============================== Becky
continued to cut my hair, but now she turned her radio up a little louder
so that we could hear any news updates over our conversation. Suddenly,
the announcer came on with the news that yet another plane had crashed
into the second tower of the World Trade Center. Our eyes met in the
mirror. This was no accident. We were both stunned. What was going on in
New York? I didn't know what to think. Normally,
after my haircut, I go straight to work. But my teenager daughter was home
getting ready for school and I thought I should check on her. I drove back
to my home and rushed inside. I picked up the remote to the television as
I called for her. I explained briefly what I had heard in the beauty shop
and we turned on the television to the sight of the two buildings burning
and suddenly as we watched, the first building collapsed. What was
happening? What were we supposed to think? As
my daughter left for school, the phone rang and my oldest daughter (who
lives near Oklahoma City) called. She was obviously shaken by the news and
was not sure what to do next or what to think about the plane crashes. She
needed to hear my voice. I
went on to work and by the time I got there, both buildings had collapsed
and news began to come in about the plane crash at the Pentagon and in
Pennsylvania. I sat with co-workers watching the events unfold on our
television screens. It was difficult to get my mind around what was
actually happening as newscasters began to relate to us the sheer numbers
of people that were involved. My
mind was reeling. What was going on? How could this happen? Was this all,
or were more attacks to come and if so, where would they take place? I
went back to my desk several times during the day, but I couldn't
concentrate. My mind was full of questions, full of anger at the
terrorists, full of anguish for the victims, full of sorrow for their
families. My mind was full but it was filled with horror, shock and
frustration. What was I supposed to think? As
the days have passed, Americans, and our friends around the world for that
matter, were not only doing the right thing, but we were thinking the
right thing. Our response was the right one. In the face of the worst
terror imaginable, we have turned our hearts, our actions and our thoughts
toward what is good. Many
around you may have minds clouded with confusion and even hate. But I
remembered a Sunday School lesson from long ago. And I determined to think
on these things. Philippians
4:8 says: So
here are some ideas that you might want to think about as our nation
recovers from this brutal heartache and as war looms dark on our horizon. Whatever
is true - How
true it is: the human spirit will not be easily quenched. No matter how
harsh the circumstances or the disaster or the tyrant's oppression, the
human spirit and it's hunger for freedom keep fighting back. Crisis often
brings out the best in all of us. It is a time when we reach deep down and
find reserves of strength and resolve that we didn't know were there. And
we don't give up. No matter what, we just don't ever give up. Whatever
is noble - I
can think of nothing more noble than the valiant efforts of the rescue
workers in New York City and Washington, D.C. We’ve seen people who
worked until they could not work anymore and then go back in for another
shift. In a nation known worldwide for our healthy economy and emphasis on
the bottom line, our citizens have volunteered their time and energy and
in some cases, their very lives. They
didn't have a discussion or a meeting. They didn't submit a proposal or an
agenda. They just stepped up and did what needed to be done. They could
never be compensated for what they have given. And many of them will live
with the horror of what they have seen for the rest of their lives. But if
they needed to, they would all do it again. That is nobility. Whatever
is right - Years
ago, an old Methodist preacher in South Carolina said, "Do right - do
right 'til the stars fall!" Doing what is right, just because it is
the right thing to do, is not a one-time event - it is a way of life. And
it's not something that people do just when the camera is rolling. The
people who are doing what is right, have always done what is right. The
people who are giving blood and money, the people who are loading crates
of water and dry socks, have always been doing what is right. We are just
now noticing. It's good to know that while we will always be fascinated
with evil and its environs, there will always be people who are doing what
is right. Even when no one is around. Even if no one notices. They will do
right 'til the stars fall! Whatever
is pure - What
is the purest thing you can think of? I think it is love. Love for a
spouse so that when you realize you are going to die, you pick up your
cell phone to be sure that she knows that your final thoughts were for
her. Love for your neighbor that sends you into a burning building to try
to save a life. Love for a fiancée that wanders the streets of New York
relentlessly and endlessly, determined to find her or some word of her.
Love for humanity that reaches out to a stranger with food, clothing or
shelter. Love for your country that prompts men on a highjacked airliner
"to do something" to keep that airliner from being used against
somebody else. Love so sacrificial, so giving, so selfless, can only be
described as pure. Whatever
is lovely - We
usually think of something that is lovely as something that is beautiful
to the eye. In this case, something that is lovely brings joy and hope to
the heart. So have you seen anything lately that brings you joy? Maybe
your co- workers dressed in red, white and blue. Maybe your teenager
praying for someone he has never met. Perhaps your church crowded on a
Sunday morning. Candles lit up and down your street at night and signs in
stores and restaurants that say, "God Bless America." Long lines
at the blood bank and people who can't find enough to do to help their
neighbor. Let these lovely sights bring joy and hope to your heart. Whatever
is admirable - The
renewed sense of patriotism that has emerged has been a joyous thing.
Suddenly there is a shortage of American flags. We have stopped to
remember what it means to be an American and what America is all about.
Patriotism represents a strong glue and that is an admirable thing. Whatever
is excellent - Democracy
as a form of government has always been considered a pretty
"iffy" thing. There have always been more people who thought it
would fail than people who thought it could work. And as our country has
grown and expanded to encompass so many races, so many nationalities, so
many religions, there is still often doubt that this idea will continue to
function. But it is an excellent idea - our democracy. And the freedom
that allows it to continue. This excellent freedom that is worth
struggling for, worth working hard for, worth dying for. Whatever
is praiseworthy! One
of the news reports acknowledged that America is a country of faith and
that the majority of us still believe in Almighty God. When faced with our
darkest hour, we immediately dropped to our knees, acknowledging God's
presence and His listening heart. People who had not prayed in a long time
went to their Heavenly Father to ask for mercy, help, comfort and for
their very lives. And because we are a people of faith, we believe that
God is present and that He does answer those prayers. And that blessed
thought is worthy of praise! God's praise. We
will never enjoy suffering, we will never look forward to heartache. But
in desperate times, when God is our only comfort and our only hope, think
on these things. And rejoice in God's promise: "Draw near to God, and
he will draw near to you." James 4:8 Wherever YOU were when you heard
the terrible news, may you find yourself drawing closer to God today. May
God bless America. With
all my heart, =============================== If you received this ezine from a friend and you'd like to subscribe, you can go to http://www.TheLillyPond.com and subscribe for free or just send an email to thelillypond@thelillypond.com and put "SUBSCRIBE" in the Subject line. Thanks. =============================== ++
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Whether you want me to use your first name, initials or no name at all.
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PUBLICATION. I treasure your confidence and respect your privacy above
all. Just
send your story by email to stories@thelillypond.com I'm
waiting to hear from you! Note
from the Legal Pad: If you do grant permission to publish your story, you
would also be granting me the right to make very minor edits for spelling,
grammar and readability; to make minor edits to preserve your anonymity;
and to use your letter in my other publications and books. =============================== With
all my heart, Lillian ===============================
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