I Remember That Day . . .

THIS IS THE DAY

It was like any other chapel day at school. The classes filed in from various parts of the school, some chatting, some giggling, some still trying to wake up. The primary class was always late. They squished all together at the end of the pew in front of me, even though there was plenty of room next to their teacher. The little kindergarteners gazed up at the tall high school boy leading the singing. Another teen practiced her skills on the piano, as she played the introduction of the first song, “Beulah Land”. The little kids knew this song well and bellowed out the chorus. After singing a couple of more songs, the high school students returned to their seats and their teacher, Mr. Ron Gross, leaned against the podium.

“What was the first song we sang?” This was his usual question and hands wiggled in the air. Getting the correct response, he then asked, “What does Beulah Land mean?” This was a harder question and he had to call on an older child for an answer.

He looked at his watch and asked the administrator, “Is our special speaker here yet?” Receiving a shake of the head, he proceeded to the next song, “Redeemed.” He talked of the wonderful plan God created to buy back his children back from the power of sin.

The last song we sang that morning was “This is the day that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Mr. Gross gave a thoughtful smile and asked a youngster, “Would you be glad if your bike broke, or if your cat ran away?” The whole first pew of students all shook their heads. “Did God know it would happen?” They all nodded in unison. “God knows everything that will happen. Even if we think it may not be good, it’s all part of God’s plan. We need to trust in His wisdom and not let things upset us or make us angry. ‘This is the day that the Lord hath made.’ We should rejoice in the fact that He is our God and that He is in control of everything.”

The special speaker never arrived, so after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together and bowing our heads in a closing prayer, we were dismissed to go back to our classrooms. I thought of Mr. Gross's words as looked over my lessons. I wondered what the day would bring our way. As my students sharpened their pencils and opened their spelling books, I wrote the date on the chalkboard, September 11, 2001.