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MORNING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING[“September 11th Memorial Event.”]
US TODAY ON THIS SOLEMN DAY, THAT THE KEY WORDS ARE THAT WE WILL NEVER FORGET, AND THAT WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE WHO ULTIMATELY GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR US AND OUR NATION.AND TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT BY SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN THE MILITARY IN MANY OTHER WAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY JONES EARLY DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS JESUS STOWED TO UPON US.
WE THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR GOODNESS, YOU GRACE AND YOUR MERCY.
LORD, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE EVIL ATTACKS THAT OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001, UH, BEING AT THE BERN FIREMAN'S MUSEUM ON THIS 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF NINE 11.
I WANNA FOCUS ON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THIS YEAR, WHILE THE DATE NINE 11 HOLDS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO US TODAY, AND OVER TIME, WE HAVE SOME CERTAINTY OF WHAT OCCURRED.
I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001 STARTED OUT AS A REGULAR DAY PEOPLE AT WORK, OTHERS TRAVELING, FIREMEN IN THEIR FIREHOUSES, POLICEMEN ON PATROL AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL ON SHIFT.
ONLY THEN, SHOULD I RECALL FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, DID THE CHAOS BEGIN? NOTHING LIKE HAVING EXTRA BAILS ON THIS OCCASION.
THE TORSO SOUND KNOWN AS THE RINGING OF THE BELL IS A TIME HONORED TRADITION OF THE FIREFIGHTER RECOGNIZING SACRIFICE, ROYALTY HONOR AND RESPECT TO THOSE WHO FAITHFULLY SERVED AND FOR EACH WE SHALL NEVER FORGET, YOU KNOW, AS A CHRISTIAN APOSTLE PAUL ASKS US TO WORK OUT OUR FAITH AND IT'S DAYS LIKE TODAY.
I OFTEN TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN 1513, THAT NO GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THAT SOMEONE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE OR HIS FRIENDS.
AS A 28 YEAR ARMY VETERAN, I CAN SORT OF UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE I'M TOLD IN COMBAT YOU END UP FIGHTING FOR THE FRIEND NEXT TO YOU, THE PERSON IN YOUR FOXHOLE, THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU IN THE COCKPIT, OR THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE IN YOUR OWN VEHICLE.
BUT TODAY, I OFTEN WONDER WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR PEOPLE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW.
THOSE 343 FIREFIGHTERS, THE 72 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND EIGHT PARAMEDICS.
AND WHILE TODAY WE REMEMBER THE INCREDIBLE LOSS OF THE 2,977 THAT DIED IN THE ATTACKS AND TRY HUMBLY TO HONOR THOSE THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES AS PART OF THIS TRAGEDY.
I WILL CONTINUE TO PONDER THAT QUESTION.
THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH TO REMAIN THE DEADLIEST INCIDENT FOR BOTH FIREFIGHTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY AND OTHERS KNOWN TODAY AS FIRST RESPONDERS.
AS YOU JOIN US IN REMEMBERING TODAY, WE SHARE SIDE BY SIDE THESE MEMORIES TOGETHER.
WHETHER YOU EXIST AS A FIRST RESPONDER OR THAT OF BEING A CITIZEN OF OUR GREAT NATION, WE ALL HAD A PIECE OF OUR SOULS SACRIFICED ON NINE 11.
MAN EVEN LOST A FRIEND, A RELATIVE THAT DAY, AND NOW WE REMEMBER THAT AND ALL WHO PERISHED WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.